The Best Wholesale Markets In Chennai & Why They Are Paradise For Budget Shoppers

Pondy Bazaar is one of the few places where you’ll find products for vastly different price ranges. For the budget shopper, you can look to pick up colourful earrings, kurtas and other accessories for cheap at the Corporation Shopping Complex. If you’re shopping for women’s clothes, you’re in luck, as the cities biggest saree shops like Naidu Hall are all based in Pondy Bazaar, and have sarees, innerwear, kurtas, etc across budgets. There are also plenty of places to eat, so you’re never going to be too far from food. We recommend that you cab it as parking is a pain. 

For: Accessories, clothes, home appliances

For more on what to expect at Pondy Bazaar,  go here and here.

The second-largest electronics grey market in the country started in 1970 and is still booming today, thanks to the sheer variety of electronics they stock at dirt-cheap prices. Almost all personal use electronic items along with their peripherals can be found here, from phone batteries to CCTV cameras. They have a steady stream of new products coming in from countries like China and Korea and most stalls have fresh inventory, so if you’re searching for a new product, chances are they probably stock it. We recommend doing a little bit of research before you go there. however, as you can get ripped off if you’re not confident.

For: Electronics

From earthy boho dresses, cheap-but-pretty accessories to ready-made ethnic blouses and chic leather bags, we found a street shopper’s paradise in Chennai’s Sowcarpet by-lanes. They have jewellery, plenty of fabric and saree shops, footwear, bags of all kinds and home accessories here.

For: Daily essentials, Indian wear, accessories

Known for its furniture shops, Royapettah High Road has plenty of vendors offering furniture at discounted rates. Keeping in mind that the material used and quality of finish will be average at best, you can still buy a decent double bed for as low as INR 9,500. Not only that, but at budget furniture stores like Sri Sakthi Furniture, they’re open to haggling. However, that isn’t the case with the higher-end furniture stores on the same street like JFA and Woodpecker, as they have fixed prices. All the stores on the street offer home delivery for all products purchased and a warranty.

For: Furniture

For more on what to expect at this furniture street, click here. For the best furniture stores in Chennai, click here. 

One of the first shopping complexes in Chennai, Fountain Plaza is home to a host of tiny shops that sell women’s clothes and accessories. You can find kurtas and leggings at Ankur’s Matching Centre, earrings, lipstick and other cosmetic items at She Fashion boutique, silver jewellery at Thofah, and many more accessories and women’s garments. Most of the products are nominally priced with items like slippers starting from as low as INR 100. We love that there’s an Ajnabi there to sate our snack cravings. For more on Fountain Plaza, click here.

For: Womenswear, accessories

This last entry to the list isn’t just one small street, it’s a collection of many streets that specialise in selling their own type of products. There’s a street that sells only paper and paper-related products like stationery and books for wholesale prices, called Bunder Street. Next to Bunder Street is Badrian Street which sells flowers in wholesale, and it is so vibrant. Godown Street sells fabrics and saree materials from across the country for super cheap. Parry’s Corner is so big, Mint Street is a part of it! These streets supply the city’s major commercial enterprises and sell their products at wholesale rates.

For: Almost everything