For shopping trips to Shenzhen, supermarkets are where Hong Kong people spend the most. But Shenzhen's big supermarkets all work differently: Sam's Club and Costco require a membership, Hema focuses on instant delivery, and Xiaoxiang Supermarket (Meituan) charges no membership fee. Get the membership arrangements wrong and you'll be turned away at the door.
The one-line guide: for bulk imported goods, go to Sam's Club or Costco; for fresh seafood without joining a membership, go to Hema; for just a few daily necessities, go to Walmart or China Resources Vanguard. All three checkpoint areas have options — Luohu District has the Hema MixC Food Market store and the Ole' MixC store; Futian District has the Xiaoxiang Supermarket flagship store and the Sam's Club Futian store; Shenzhen Bay (around Houhai and Coastal City) has the Olé Inspiration Station concept store and the Sam's Club Qianhai store.
1. Sam's Club (山姆會員店) — Membership-based, bulk packaging
A membership warehouse store under Walmart, with four branches in Shenzhen: Futian, Longgang, Longhua and Qianhai, with the Qianhai store being the second-largest flagship in China. The whole store focuses on bulk packaging, imported foods and its own Member's Mark brand, with signature items including mochi, Swiss rolls, roast chicken and frozen seafood. You must have a membership card to enter, but members can bring friends and family in.
| Branch | Location | Transport | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Futian store | Shenceng Guotou Commercial Center, Futian District | Around Nonglin Station on Line 2, about a 10-minute walk | 07:30–22:00 |
| Longgang store | Galaxy Times Shopping Park, 1 Huangge South Road, Longgang District | Transfer at Universiade Station on Line 3 or take a taxi | 09:00–22:00 |
| Longhua store | In Longhua District, near the Line 4 corridor | Driving or taxi recommended | 09:00–22:00 |
| Qianhai store | Qianhai area, Bao'an | Driving or taxi recommended | 09:00–22:00 |
- Membership fee: Standard membership about ¥260/year; Premium membership about ¥680/year (benefits subject to official announcements)
- Payment: WeChat Pay, Alipay, mainland bank cards; some counters accept foreign cards
- Tip: If you don't want to pay a membership fee every year, you can split a membership with friends, or look out for single-use trial cards on platforms (watch out for dubious sources)
2. Costco (開市客) — Shenzhen Longhua flagship store
Opened on 12 January 2024, it is Costco's first store in South China, with a total store area of about 44,500 square metres and a shopping area of 15,000 square metres, close to Hongshan Station on Line 4. Like Sam's Club, you need a membership card to enter, but Costco memberships are valid worldwide. Signature items include bulk snacks, the Kirkland own brand, hot dogs and beef rolls, plus its own petrol station (fuel up with your membership card).
- Address: 68 Minda Road, Longhua District
- Transport: Hongshan Station on Line 4, about a 10 to 15-minute walk
- Opening hours: 09:00–21:00
- Membership fee: Worldwide-valid annual fee about ¥299/year, subject to the latest official announcement
- Tip: Queues to get in were 3 hours long when it first opened, but weekdays are smooth now; weekends are still busy
3. Hema Fresh (盒馬鮮生) — No membership fee, seafood cooked to order
A new-retail supermarket under Alibaba, its biggest draw is live seafood you pick on the spot and have cooked on the spot, with a processing fee of generally ¥10 to ¥30 per dish; another selling point is 30-minute delivery to your door when you order via the app. Basic shopping requires no membership fee, and there is also a paid membership programme (benefits subject to official terms). There are branches across many districts in Shenzhen, usually in shopping mall basements.
- Membership fee: No membership fee for basic shopping
- Signature: Live seafood (lobster, king crab), daily fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly made cooked food
- Payment: All via app — pay on site with Alipay/WeChat or the Hema app
- Tip: On-the-spot cooking requires taking a queue number, so it's best to place your order and then go browse other things
4. Xiaoxiang Supermarket (小象超市, Meituan) — The newest no-membership flagship
A new supermarket brand under Meituan, its first flagship store in South China opened on 28 August 2026 at B1 of Link CentralWalk in Futian, focusing on "no membership fee + instant delivery", with seafood processing from about ¥10. For Hong Kong shoppers who don't want to pay a ¥260 membership fee for a single shopping trip, this is a very practical option.
- Area: B1, Link CentralWalk, Futian District
- Transport: Convention & Exhibition Center Station on Lines 1/4, about a 5-minute walk
- Opening hours: About 08:00–22:00 (subject to official announcements)
- Features: No membership fee, online ordering, cheap seafood processing
5. Shopping in Luohu District: Close to Luohu Checkpoint, stock up after a day out
Luohu District is the most convenient area for Hong Kong people crossing via Luohu Checkpoint or Liantang Checkpoint. There's no Sam's Club or Costco here, but Hema, Ole' and Walmart all have branches, so you can drag your haul straight back to the hotel or across the border.
- Hema Fresh MixC Food Market store: Sungang, Luohu District, right by Exit A of Sungang Station on Line 7, covering about 40,000 square feet with over 4,000 product lines, focusing on fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood and in-house bakery, just a few metro stops from Luohu Checkpoint
- Ole' Fine Supermarket (China Resources MixC store): B1, Shenzhen MixC, 1881 Bao'an South Road, Luohu District, at Grand Theater Station on Line 1, opening hours about 10:00–22:00, focusing on imported foods and alcohol, excellent for souvenirs
- Walmart Hujing store: 1st–3rd floors, Hujing Garden, Honghu Road, Luohu District, around Honghu Station on Line 7, the most complete range of daily necessities and home goods, and you can go in without a membership
6. Around Shenzhen Bay: Imported goods in Houhai and Coastal City
Hong Kong shoppers crossing via Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint mostly head to the Houhai and Coastal City area in Nanshan. This area has Ole's new concept store, the Sam's Club Qianhai store and plenty of malls, and after shopping you can walk straight to Coastal City for a meal.
- Olé Inspiration Station concept store (Shenzhen Bay MixC store): Phase 2, Shenzhen Bay MixC, Houhai area, Nanshan District, opened on 30 September 2025, directly accessible from Houhai Station on Line 13, following a "boundaryless" design approach, more like a food station than a traditional supermarket
- Sam's Club (Qianhai store): Qianhai area, Nanshan District, a flagship-level store with the most complete range of bulk imported goods; driving or taxi recommended
- Ole' Fine Supermarket (Shenzhen Bay store): B1, Poly Cultural Plaza, 5 Wenxin Road, Yuehai Street, Nanshan District, near Coastal City, easy to drop into after a mall visit
7. Which of the four to choose? One table says it all
| Supermarket | Membership fee? | Focus | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam's Club | Yes (about ¥260/¥680 a year) | Bulk packaging, imported foods, own brand | Buying half a month's groceries and home goods in one go |
| Costco | Yes (worldwide-valid, about ¥299 a year) | Bulk snacks, Kirkland, hot food | Snacks, health supplements, home appliances |
| Hema Fresh | No | Live seafood, daily fresh, 30-minute delivery | Seafood and fruit to eat the same day |
| Xiaoxiang Supermarket | No | No membership fee + instant delivery | Small top-up shops, no membership wanted |
FAQ
Can I get into Sam's Club or Costco without a membership?
No. Both require you to show a membership card to enter. However, members can generally bring friends and family in, so if you go with a friend, as long as one of you has a card, you're fine.
Can I bring what I buy back to Hong Kong?
General food and daily necessities are fine, but raw meat, eggs and some fresh live agricultural products are subject to import restrictions. Before bringing them back to Hong Kong, check the latest rules from Hong Kong Customs and the Centre for Food Safety; tobacco, alcohol and excess personal-use items may be taxed.
How do I get a membership fee refunded?
Both allow cancellation during the membership period with a pro-rata refund (usually handled in person at the store's customer service), with details subject to official announcements.
Which is best for bringing kids?
Both Costco and Sam's Club have plenty of free samples and food courts (cheap and filling hot dogs and pizza), but note that some time slots are extremely crowded, so weekdays or opening time are recommended.
Practical tips
- Go at opening: The first hour after Sam's Club and Costco open is the quietest, and parking spaces are easiest to find
- Bring shopping bags and cooler bags: Frozen food needs to be kept cold immediately, and the journey back to Hong Kong is long, so a cooler bag is best
- Compare prices in the apps: The same item can differ by 20% in price between the Sam's Club app, Hema app and Taobao
- Watch for voucher promotions: Hong Kong-exclusive vouchers (for example HK$200 for ¥200) usually have expiry dates, so keep an eye on official announcements
- Plan the hauling: Bulk goods are heavy, so splitting the load between two or three people or sending things back to Hong Kong by SF Express will be more comfortable
This article's membership fees, branches and opening hours are compiled from official announcements by each supermarket, public information from Shenzhen malls and Hong Kong media reports (verified September 2026). Membership benefits, opening hours and promotions change, so please refer to the supermarkets' latest official announcements before you set off.
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