Expo Park a gold mine for bargains

Visitors to the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai may want to put aside some time for shopping to take advantage of the deals on offer from retailers in the park, who are slashing prices weeks before the curtain drops on the event.

At the Sweden Pavilion, various crystal items, including fruit plates and candleholders, are among the goods that have been reduced in price by 50 percent, making their final cost less than 500 yuan ($75).

"Crystal products made in Sweden have a cherished reputation worldwide," a public affairs officer surnamed Bei from the Sweden Pavilion told the Global Times Tuesday. "We've put the most popular items among visitors over the past five months on sale because we want people to take these things back with them to remember their Swedish experience long after the Expo comes to an end."

Visitors wanting to shell out less for a keepsake of their Expo journey may want to check out the United Pavilion of African Countries, covering 42 nations over an area of some 26,000 square meters, where visitors Tuesday found a wide range of authentic discounted handicrafts.

"I got this hand-carved wood giraffe for 85 yuan ($12.70) today, but I paid almost double for a similar item when I was here in June," a visitor at the Tanzania stall told the Global Times Tuesday.

Meanwhile, silver jewelry products are 50 percent cheaper at the Cambodia Pavilion, while wool scarves at the Indonesia Pavilion and household items at the Portugal Pavilion are also going for much less than their original asking price.

Official stores for Expo-branded merchandise and memorabilia inside the park have also been following suit. They have been getting around the Expo rule that prohibits them from directly discounting branded products before the end of the event by providing strong incentives for visitors to make their purchases sooner rather than later, and in larger quantities than they may have been prepared to previously.

One of the stores located along the central Expo Axis Tuesday was advertising that visitors who spend a minimum of 300 yuan ($45) when making their purchases would receive a free package filled with various Expo goods worth up to 100 yuan ($15).