All hail the splurgers from the east

Mingdong in Seoul becomes more and more famous in the field of Chinese shoppers. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Huangfu Yining, a spokeswoman for the Beijing office of Switzerland Tourism, says it makes a particular point of marketing upmarket jewelers and watch retailers to Chinese, and many luxury watch stores have Mandarin-speaking shop assistants.

Shoppers can get instant tax refunds, subject to a Customs stamp as they leave the country - when many Chinese will be carrying boxes of the finest Swiss chocolates as gifts for relatives and friends.

Even if there is little risk that a box of Swiss chocolates will be anything but the best, Ma of Mafengwo.cn warns that Chinese shoppers need to be aware that national standards for products vary.

Some products such as electronic goods may have different warranties and after-sales service conditions in China and abroad, he says.

Chinese shoppers overseas also need to be wary of shopping traps such as substandard goods being sold at exorbitant prices, he says.

Li Xinjian, a professor in the School of Management at Beijing International Studies University, says: "The craze of Chinese for shopping overseas will be with us for a while yet because it's going to take time to get the quality and pricing of goods made in China right.

"Some shoppers buy luxury goods overseas only because they are cheaper there. That may all change as tariffs are overhauled and the duty-free stores system in China is improved."