I’m starting to get through processing and uploading the hundreds of photos that I’ve taken since I’ve been in Shanghai. Here are some from the “PC Mall” that Richard and Welles took me to the first day I was here. It’s a huge 5 story mall, like you’re probably thinking of. Except that every store, every kiosk, every nook, and every cranny is crammed full of computers, computer parts, cameras, media players, games and consoles, phones, monitors, and every other kind of electronics you can think of. It is a gadget lover’s paradise.
The best way I can sum it up, to people in the US, is that it’s like Fry’s on crack. 
Anyway, here are some photos. As always, I love it when you leave comments. Let me know what you think, if you have any questions, etc. You can see all 34 photos in this set on Flickr, and view them as a slideshow.
Enjoy!
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There is a mall very similar to it on the other side of the river. Be careful in buying electronics there – verify that it works if you can before you exchange money.
What Dave says is good care, but the guy in the cube next to me a couple of years back got four 16G USB drives for $20 each–that was two years ago and he is still using the one he did not give away when he got back from the trip.
I love those malls, with everyone outbidding each other. You are right it’s like a Fry’s on crack, but it is also crossed with a mid-east souk, bargaining is encouraged.
Wow! I think I was overwhelmed by just looking at the pictures. I think it would like be being a kid in a candy store. I’ve seen the cellphones available in Asia and they seem so much better than the ones you get in the packaged deals from TPC here in th s US.
I think this PC MALL is biggest than the most big mall here in Guatemala… xD
Hey! I would like to chat with you… ealej92@hotmail.com
Hi…I just moved to Shanghai. Where is this located? Thanks!
Jeff- I asked Welles, my “guide”, and this is what he said:
They have a website, and the shanghai one is http://www.pconline.com.cn/pconline/market/sh/sh.html . The mall have 3 in Shanghai, two are close to each other, another one Phase III is the one that you have visited. It is located at 721 ZhangYang Road, Pudong, Shanghai. Next to the Intercontential Hotel http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/SHGHA?sitrackingid=22577543&siclientid=1974 . So anyone would like to go there, can just go directly to the hotel , and the mall is just 1 min walk away. Also there is another similar one, Cyber Plaza just across the street, it is a similar one.
Hope that helps!
Hi
It’s a great information for Shanghai travellers. I’ll go there for business and I’m looking for buying an IAMM Novatron HDD Multimedia Player. Do you think that I’ll find such an item there ? What do you think will they charge to me. In Germany the regular retail price for this item is approx. 400€.
Thanks in advance
Kind regards
Mathias
Are those real iPhones? Those iPods tho are definitely aren’t the Apple ones.
Yes, the iPhones were real. Grey market imports, I’m sure. There were lots of (obviously) fake iPods, but I didn’t see a single fake iPhone (lots and lots of real ones, though – they’re everywhere!).
Next week i´ll go to shanghai. I would like to know prices, principally ipods touch. Ty.
Cristian – nothing authentic is cheap there – real iPod Touches are MORE expensive than in the U.S., because they’re grey market imports. I asked a couple of places, and the iPhones were going for $600-$700 US Dollars.
The knock-off, stuff is pretty cheap, but it’s also really flimsy, hard to use, and not very high quality at all, generally. I didn’t end up buying any electronics while I was there. I was going to pick up a couple of knock off iPod Nanos or Shuffles for $20, but when it came down to it, they weren’t even worth that to me.
Josh, I live in shanghai and if your paying more for an electronic item here than in, say, the us, your probably getting ripped off, which they love to do to unaware foreigners. Also there’s so many of these malls in shangahai that if you shop around, it’s easy to find a cheaper price. (it’s slot easier with a fluent chinese speaker)
I’m traveling to Shanghai in a few days, and will be in the market for a handheld computer or smartphone to run Chinese learning software called Pleco (recommended by a friend). Suggested models include the HP iPAQ 110 and 210 series, HTC stuff, Sprint Mogul, etc.
Two questions:
1. What should I expect to pay for that sort of thing? I want a quality device, so should I expect to pay roughly the equivalent of U.S. prices?
2. Given the risks cited by others above (flimsy products, overcharging foreigners), would I be better off just going to something like a Parkson department store and paying full price for a–presumably–good quality device?
Thanks.
Jamie