Guide to Buying Furniture from Foshan, China’s ‘Furniture Capital’

Famous for high-end furniture at a fraction of the price.

When it comes to sourcing affordable yet high-quality furniture, one destination frequently pops up in homeowner circles — Foshan.

Located in Guangdong province, just an hour’s drive from Guangzhou, Foshan has earned a reputation as China’s furniture capital. The city is home to massive wholesale hubs like Louvre Furniture Mall and Sunlink Furniture City, housing thousands of vendors offering everything from Italian-style sofas and solid wood dining sets to modern built-ins and custom lighting.

For savvy homeowners and interior designers, making a trip to Foshan can mean scoring designer-style pieces at a fraction of Singapore’s retail prices. But is it really worth the hassle of flying over, navigating the logistics, and dealing with freight and customs? Wouldn’t Taobao be a much better option?

We spoke to homeowners who’ve done it themselves — here’s what they had to say.

Why homeowners are heading to Foshan

With rising renovation costs and furniture prices in Singapore, it’s no surprise that homeowners are looking overseas for alternatives.

Unlike scrolling endlessly online, shopping in Foshan is a full-fledged experience. The city is packed with massive furniture malls and showrooms where you can see, touch, and test pieces in person — something homeowners that we spoke to say gives them greater confidence in their purchases.

“There’s just so much more variety – we couldn’t even finish shopping in one day,” shared one homeowner after a trip to Foshan. “I could sit on the sofas, feel the textures, and talk to the salespersons directly to make changes to colour or dimensions. It’s something you just can’t do easily with online shopping.”

What also sets Foshan apart is the ability to customise. From changing the material of a sofa to resizing a dining table to fit your layout, vendors are used to catering to export clients and offer a surprising amount of flexibility — often at a much lower price than what you'd expect to pay locally.

How the prices compare: Foshan vs Taobao vs Singapore retailers

One of the biggest draws of heading to Foshan is, of course, the price point — but how does it actually stack up against other options?

According to the homeowners we spoke to, buying directly from Foshan can cost 30% to 50% less than shopping at Singapore retailers for similar styles and quality. For example, a marble-top dining table that retails for S$1,000 in Singapore might go for S$500–S$700 in Foshan, even after factoring in freight and delivery charges.

What about Taobao? While it’s still the cheapest option, homeowners pointed out that there are trade-offs. You don’t get to physically inspect the product before purchase, and customer service — especially for large custom items — can be hit-or-miss.

“I’ve bought from Taobao before, and while it’s great for accessories or small pieces, I’d be more cautious for big-ticket items like a sofa or bed. In Foshan, I could test everything in person,” one homeowner explained.

The buying and shipping process

Most homeowners recommend spending 2 to 4 full days visiting major furniture hubs like Louvre Furniture Mall, Sunlink Furniture City North and South, and Red Star Macalline.

These massive complexes house hundreds of vendors, typically organised by furniture type — so while the scale can be overwhelming, the layout makes it easier to narrow down your options. Some also hired local ‘shopping agents’ to assist with picking out furniture, communicating with vendors, and even transportation.

“We went in with floor plans and a list of what we needed. Most of the salespersons use translation apps, so communicating wasn’t too difficult,” shared one couple. “We even brought our ID’s sample boards to match finishes.”

Many vendors offer customisation options, whether it’s switching out a sofa fabric, resizing a cabinet, or choosing a different finish. Once your orders are placed, the next step is to coordinate shipping — and that’s where a freight forwarder or consolidator comes in.

As these vendors are used to international customers, there are freight forwarders and consolidators on site to assist you with the shipping process after you make your order.

They’ll help consolidate your purchases across different stores, liaise with vendors, conduct basic inspections before shipping, and take care of customs clearance, GST payments, and delivery to your home in Singapore — all for a service fee that varies depending on volume and complexity.

One homeowner we spoke to bought around S$1,900 worth of furniture, and after including shipping and consolidator fees as well as Singapore’s GST (9% at the time of writing) for import, the total cost added up to about S$2,500. That puts the shipping costs at roughly 30% of the furniture’s value.

“Our consolidator and forwarder handled everything for us — we just sent the receipts and they coordinated with the sellers directly,” they shared.

Shipping typically takes around 3 to 5 weeks, depending on how quickly vendors are able to produce or release the goods, as well as the forwarder's shipping schedule. Timelines can stretch if you're ordering from multiple vendors or if there are delays in customs clearance.

To minimise potential issues, experienced buyers recommend:

• Requesting photos or videos of your items before shipping, especially for custom orders
• Using a consolidator familiar with Foshan vendors and with good reviews
• Avoiding time-sensitive purchases, as delays can and do happen

So… is it worth buying furniture from Foshan?

Like most things in renovation, the answer is: it depends.

If you're planning to furnish your home with multiple big-ticket items, Foshan can offer serious value. The savings are substantial, especially for high-end pieces that would cost two to three times more in Singapore.

That said, it’s not for everyone. Shopping in Foshan involves flying over, spending a few days visiting showrooms, coordinating with consolidators, and making decisions on the spot.

While you’ll get to see and feel the furniture in person, the process is time-intensive — and once you fly back, you’re relying on vendors and middlemen overseas to manage the rest. If something goes wrong, resolving issues remotely can be tricky.

Here’s a quick summary to help you decide:

Ultimately, most homeowners we spoke to said they’d do it again — but only because they went in well-prepared and were already planning a vacation, not just traveling to China for the sake of buying furniture.

So if you’re adventurous, budget-conscious, and not afraid of some logistical legwork, a trip to Foshan might just be worth the haul.

This article was originally published on 16 Jul 2025. Any information in this article is accurate as at time of writing.