Ningbo is not primarily a shopping destination for visitors, but several categories of local goods are worth seeking out. Ningbo wood carving (Ningbo diaohua) is a centuries-old craft producing decorative panels, furniture elements, and decorative objects with intricate figural and botanical carving. The best pieces are displayed in the Tianyi Ge Museum and the Qing'an Guildhall; smaller tourist-grade pieces are sold in the old city souvenir shops. Genuine antique-quality Ningbo carving is available at the antique markets in the Gulou district, though as everywhere in China, authentication requires expertise.
The wholesale electronics and hardware markets of Ningbo reflect the city's manufacturing base. The Yinzhou wholesale district handles furniture and construction materials at a scale that dwarfs anything sold to individual visitors, but the smaller electronics markets around the business district can be useful for practical purchases. For everyday shopping, Tianyi Square's surrounding malls carry all the standard Chinese consumer brands.