Centralized tax refund point in use in Dongmen

A centralized “instant tax refund upon purchase” service point was officially launched at the Sun Department Store in the Dongmen commercial area of Luohu District on Tuesday.

The Dongmen service point is one of five new service points that will be established in key shopping malls across the city, such as Haiya Mega Mall in Nanshan District and KingGlory Plaza in Luohu District, by the end of this month.

A customer proceeds to claim a tax refund at the centralized service counter in the Sun Department Store, located in Dongmen. Photos from WeChat account "罗湖发布" unless otherwise stated

Overseas travelers can now receive tax refunds in advance at any of these service spots using the application forms issued by tax refund stores in Shenzhen, making the refund process even more convenient.

One of the oldest commercial centers in Shenzhen, Dongmen includes 28 modern commercial buildings on 15 main streets. It integrates tourism, catering, leisure, and shopping, and is known for its endless variety of goods and nonstop foot traffic.

The Dongmen Pedestrian Street, a must-see destination in Luohu District for travelers, ranks second in terms of the number of Hong Kong visitors among the 12 business circles in the city.  

Shoppers crowd the bustling Dongmen Pedestrian Street, a popular retail destination in Shenzhen.

There are currently six centralized refund counters in the city, which can be found at the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport's International Departure Hall, the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, the Futian Checkpoint, the Luohu Checkpoint, the Shekou Cruise Home Port, and Shenzhen North Station.

Shenzhen, one of the first cities in China to implement the departure tax refund policy, began piloting the policy in April 2016 and trialing the "instant tax refund upon purchase" in December 2023.

As of June 10, the total sales of tax refund-eligible goods in the city had increased by 2.45 times year on year, while sales under the "instant tax refund upon purchase" program grew more than 22 times year on year, according to Shenzhen Tax Service of the State Taxation Administration.

Overseas visitors negotiate with a shop owner in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen’s renowned electronics market. Shenzhen Evening News

In May, a dedicated departure tax refund zone was established at this year’s China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair to serve eligible buyers, marking the first time such a zone has been introduced at a national-level exhibition.

"The refund process took merely 2 minutes — so efficient," said Jin Yufeng, a Taiwanese buyer who bought a DJI drone priced at 4,990 yuan (US$695) at the fair. He received a refund of about 382 yuan.

There are 510 stores across the city offering tax refund services. These stores are primarily located in high-end malls such as MixC, KK Mall, Coastal City, and Yitian Holiday Plaza. Also participating are international brand flagship stores and retailers specializing in mobile phones and computers, jewelry, and watches.

Customers browse electronic products at the Sundan store in the MixC mall, Luohu District. Xinhua

The city will set up more tax refund shops at popular tourist destinations and transportation hubs and develop those at the Shekou Cruise Home Port, K11 ECOAST, and the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport into exemplary flagship stores, according to the Shenzhen Tax Service.

It also plans to expand the tax-refund category to include more homegrown high-tech products, such as phones and drones produced by Huawei, DJI, and Honor, traditional Shenzhen signature products, including Yongfengyuan porcelain and Marisfrolg women's fashion, and local specialties. The move aims to enhance the global visibility of domestic premium brands.

Data show that South Korea, the U.S., and Singapore were the top three source countries for inbound international travelers. Their combined spending between January and May accounted for nearly 40% of the total expenditure by international visitors in the city.

What to know

Eligible applicants: Foreign tourists and residents from HK, Macao, and Taiwan staying on the Chinese mainland for no more than 183 consecutive days. 

Minimum purchase: 500 yuan in a single store on the same day. 

Goods requirement: Must be unused and carried out of the Chinese mainland within 90 days. 

Refund rate: 9% (after service fee deduction).

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