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[hermes]

And I don't mean Lego.

I will be in Canton for Chinese New Year (that means *tomorrow*) for four days of shopping. Naturally I will also peruse the wholesale and retail sex toy markets to see of there is any quality on offer.

I have some leads but for all I know they are all closed for the week.

Among the three centers in China for manufacturing Guangzhou is one.

Anyone been?

[hermes]

This trip was a total waste of time. Not only for a non-Chinese speaker is China a major hassle for even retail shopping, the wholesale centre dedicated to 'hygienic articles' or some such word play was closed for a week during the New Year holiday. Guangzhou is the planet's wholesale center yet everything was closed, including all the garment industry malls.

Not only that, the one four-storey building on the riverside, supposedly dedicated to 'adult toys' looks like it is barely in business. Construction on the street looks like it will soon be moved. I did get email replies to my inquiries *after* the holiday was over.

The actual manufacturing centers are in Zheliang (near Shanghai) and Dalian (near North Korea) provinces. But for me it is not worth flying so far from the south for one or two items.

The problem I have observed with 'sex shops' in China (e.g. Shenzen) is there seems to be two kinds: low-end and high-end. And fakes abound, though getting better (fewer or better fakes I do not know). China is set up for retail business for Chinese customers or wholesale customers outside of China. It';s even less retail friendly than Japan, and presumably Korea.

Buying from Toy Demon, with its excellent replacement policies is much better value.

But I keep trying to take advantage of my occasional presence in East Asia to buy some on my wish list for a cheaper price. So far, hasn't happened.