In addition to stores that sell Expo licensed products, pavilions can also be your shopping paradise.

(1) Badges and pins

Expo badges and pins are to the Expo visitor what passport stamps are to a world traveler. The colorful and unique Expo pins and badges are a proud roadmap of places visited. Each captures a memory of a wonderful experience. They are not only popular to buy, they are also popular to display – especially on backpacks and purses, but also on clothes.

More than 100 types of Expo pins and badges have been released. Almost every pavilion has its own badge or pin. They can be found either in shops that sell licensed Expo souvenirs, or in pavilion souvenir shops. Most are priced around 20 yuan (about $3) with the highest at about 70 yuan ($10). To celebrate important occasions, some pavilions have issued limited edition commemorative pins, which now have collector value.

These pins and badges are so popular that visitors are frequently stopped by strangers who want to trade. Expo volunteers especially like to wear and acquire new badges and pins.

Expo badges on a boy's shirt draw the attention of two visitors at the Expo Park [Chen Fei/EXPO Weekly]

(2) Stamps

For stamp fans, the Shanghai World Expo seems to be the biggest stamp fair in the world. Most of the pavilions offer special or souvenir stamps – including some limited edition Expo commemorative stamps. The stamp booth in the North Korea Pavilion, for example, has become the most popular section of the pavilion. In addition to its Expo-themed stamp, the North Korea Pavilion features a stamp issued in 2000 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chinese troops' assistance in the Korean War (1950-1953). The pavilion is also displaying the stamp North Korea issued in 1993 in commemoration of Mao Zedong's 100th birthday.

Commemorative stamps are displayed in the North Korea Pavilion