I travelled from Melbourne to Hong Kong for a layover, then spent a few days in Macau. From Macau, I went to Zhuhai and then to Guangzhou. From Guangzhou, I went to Shenzhen and then back to Melbourne.
Here is a list of items I purchased:
Apple Watch bands
Copy of AirPods Pro
Copy of AirPods Pro Max
iPhone cases
Leather bags: backpack, travel bag, laptop briefcase
Suitcase (which turned out to be a bad decision)
Electric screwdriver
Toys for kids
Apple CarPlay for our old car
Dash cam
Action camera
Charging cables (for some reason, my iphone 15 pro max doesn't charge with either of the cable, noticed this even with the cables that cabbies had in their taxis)
Ethernet accessories
Soldering tools and accessories
LED drivers to support long LED lights
HDMI cables (4K 1m for 5RMB each)
I compared prices with AliExpress before purchasing and found that the items were 30-40% cheaper in retail stores.
I made connections with retailers and wholesalers through WeChat.
Here are some tips:
Mobile/Hotel Internet: The hotels I stayed at did not have reliable internet service, so it's best not to depend on them. I recommend getting a good amount of data depending on your length of stay (assume 1.5GB/day). For iPhone users, turn off the photos to save mobile data.
VPN: WhatsApp, Google, and Gmail will only work on your roaming data provider. I had issues connecting to VPN through hotel wifi. I found that Eskimo Mobile and Travelkon worked well with these apps.
Luggage: I was advised to buy luggage in China, so I only travelled with my cabin baggage. If you plan to buy electronics or clothing, be aware that you may experience a lack of luggage allowance. I ended up purchasing a suitcase, but it was heavy, so I recommend bringing a luggage scale. If you need boxes, you can ask the hotel staff to organize carton boxes for you. I also used the Taobao app to order items with 24-48 hour delivery.
Payments: I primarily used WeChat and Alipay for payments. WeChat started to cause problems due to security issues, so I recommend using Alipay. I linked my Australian credit card to both apps without any problems. It's also a good idea to have some RMB on hand.
Hotels: Out of the 5 hotels I stayed at, only one was cheap. The staff at all the hotels were friendly, but the internet was unreliable. If you're a non-smoker, make sure to request a non-smoking room.
Macau Hotel Booking: The prices for the hotel varied depending on the time of booking. We ended up cancelling and rebooking multiple times to get a lower price.
Travel: I used DIDI for local travel, but note that the DIDI app only works through WeChat or Alipay. For long-distance travel, I used the subway (metro trains) and found it easy to navigate once I learned how to use the app.
Interstate: I travelled between Guangzhou and Shenzhen three times. If you're traveling solo, it's cheaper to use trains, but if you're traveling with three or more people, taking a taxi is a viable option.
HK Airport to Macau: If you arrive before 8:30 PM, you can go to the bus terminal counter before immigration and they will organize your checked-in luggage to the bus terminal. If you arrive late, you can take a bus from the HK Airport to another bus terminal. From there, you can travel to either Zhuhai or Macau. In Macau, there are free bus services to major hotels.
On foot: Be cautious when walking as you'll share the pedestrian strip with electric scooters. Pedestrians are given priority, but still be careful.
Language: Language can be a problem, but you can use the Apple Translate app or Google Translate (requires roaming internet).
Ask me anything :-)
@tryingtohelp: I thought as much. I couldn't ever think of abandoning my own country because it's so polluted and corrupt that I have to be the goodest boy everywhere I go, alas someone will put me in if I don't tip right.