The bazaars of Bahawalpur are the best reason to shop here. Shahi Bazaar and Farid Gate are the main traditional markets — look for Cholistani crafts: hand-woven camel-hair carpets and kilims, cotton rillis (patchwork blankets), embroidered textiles, and date-palm basketwork. These crafts are distinctive to the Cholistan Desert region and rarely seen elsewhere. Cotton and silk fabrics from the local textile industry are also sold.
The city has a number of shopping plazas near the centre with electronics, clothing, and imported goods. Prices in the plazas are generally fixed; prices in the bazaars are negotiable.