Five-foot-tall Toy Story 3 bear attracts crowds at Costco's first store in China's Silicon Valley

Hong Kong
CNN
—

More than four years after the country's first Costco store caused a stir, shoppers in the southern city of Shenzhen this week flocked to the American retailer's newest outlet on Chinese shores.

Costco unveiled its new 44,500-square-meter store in the city often called China's “Silicon Valley” on Friday, drawing large crowds in search of bargains and imported products.

It is the US retailer's sixth store in the world's second-largest economy, but its first along the country's southern coast, which is home to the headquarters of Chinese tech giants such as Tencent and DJI and a fast-growing middle class. Shenzhen alone has a population of more than 17 million, and in 2022, a GDP of $460 billion, according to its local government.

Among the most popular products on offer at Costco's opening were discounted fruits, such as cherries, raspberries, and Chinese Moutai spirit, according to shoppers who spoke to CNN.

Many waited in line for more than an hour to get inside.

Pictures posted on Chinese social media showed agents filling the 15,000 square meter islands, many with carts loaded to the brim.

Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear, a fluffy villain from Pixar's Toy Story 3, was also in high demand.

Social media was full of pictures of people taking home the giant version of the bear, which stands five feet tall. A smaller version, less than half the size, sold out within hours.

“I didn't expect to see this many people,” Kim Lin, one of the first shoppers to enter on Friday, told CNN.

Lin, who waited in line for an hour, said she was impressed that staff helped her get fruit from a high shelf.

“There are store managers who pass us cherries, which was very polite of them,” she said.

Another patron, Olin Wang, praised the selection on offer. “I feel like Costco is very special because they import brands you can't find anywhere else,” she said.

In China, it faces Costco Intense competition From online shopping platforms, such as Taobao and Pinduoduo, in a market where consumers are accustomed to online retail. It also faces competition from rival US brands such as Sam's Club, which is owned by Walmart. Sam's Club already has four branches in Shenzhen.

When Costco She opened her first store In Shanghai in 2019, it was forced to close its doors early on its first day after being overwhelmed by shoppers.

Chaotic scenes saw people queuing for hours, crawling under store gates and fighting over bags and roast chicken. Traffic stopped on the surrounding roads, as the streets were crowded with cars in parking queues.

Since then, Costco has expanded in China but mostly near Shanghai, the country's economic and financial center, where it has two stores.