Amy Zhang used to buy branded fashion from shopping malls, but China's economic uncertainty has driven the 35-year-old teacher, and other middle-class Chinese like her, to shop at one of Beijing's most famous wholesale markets.
"I came here for cheap clothes to save on my living expenses," said a 45-year-old shopper who only wanted to be identified by her family name, Lu.A vendor in her 50s who only gave her first name as Yunshan said she has so many customers visiting her shop at the market that she's struggling to keep the online store running.
"I am too busy," she said. "I've had to refuse requests from online customers because I don't have the time to arrange deliveries." Another vendor surnamed Wang said that most days, there were so many customers inside his store that he has to stand outside the shop to monitor them. He noticed some of his clients looked wealthier than usual.
"One of my customers is a rich woman who used to go to Japan for shopping, but now she comes to my store," said Wang. "She is not stupid. It's the same quality, so why spend more money?"Our Standards:
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