Factory owners
Explore production capabilities, sample requirements and how a factory approaches new projects.
STARTING IN SHENZHEN · ENGLISH SUPPORT
Discover China
with a local
by your side.
Every city has its own character. Meet it with someone who knows it. Start in Shenzhen: explore its hardware community, find your next pair of glasses, or shape a local experience around your interests.
Free enquiries. Get to know your host before you pay.
From US$249 / eyewear visitApprox. CNY 1,660.89 · Eyewear paid separately.
01 / A LITTLE LOCAL HELP
A pause in your trip. A fresh perspective.
You choose the frames.
We help with the details.
Free to ask. A clear plan before payment. Balance when we meet.
SHENZHEN HARDWARE VISITS
Meet the people
who make it.
Bring your curiosity or a product idea. Tell us who you would like to meet. We check suitable introductions, coordinate appointments and join you with English support.
Private group · 1–4 guestsBy appointmentUS$50 / host hour
ENGLISH-SPEAKING HOST
US$50 / hour
For one guest · 2-hour minimum
Bring someone along.
Each additional guest adds US$70 per visit, for the same itinerary and duration. Up to 4 guests in total.
This is the host’s service fee. Specialist work, samples, materials and transport are separate. We confirm the scope and full quote before payment.
People you can ask us to arrange a meeting with
Hardware engineers
Discuss your product’s intended use, development stage and questions for an engineering specialist.
Component manufacturers
Ask about specifications, sample availability, minimum order quantities and lead times.
3D printing specialists
Explore materials, printing processes and options for turning a design into a physical prototype.
Custom enclosure specialists
Discuss fit, finish, materials and fabrication options for your product’s housing.
YOUR IDEA. A LOCAL CONNECTION.
A visit shaped
around your questions.
Share your interests and dates. We’ll check what can be arranged before proposing a plan.
Plan a hardware visitPrepared together. Confirmed first.
We help clarify your brief, coordinate meetings, relay questions in English and record agreed next steps. Each introduction and site visit depends on availability and the host’s approval. People, locations, duration and fees are confirmed before payment.
A clear quote for your group.
For the same itinerary, the per-person service fee decreases as more guests share the visit. Your custom quote shows both the group total and the per-person amount. Engineering, samples, manufacturing, shipping and transport are quoted separately. Factory access and specialist deliverables are agreed with the provider.
REQUEST · REVIEW · QUOTE
Who would you
like to meet?
Send a short brief for a free initial review. We check the scope and hosts, then provide a quote you can view in My requests. A general description is enough to start; drawings and files can wait until sharing arrangements are agreed.
Up to 4 guests, including companions. Larger groups need a separate plan and confirmed staffing before we can accept a booking.
My requests ↗YOUR SHENZHEN, YOUR WAY
Something else
in mind?
A creative workshop, a specialist shopping visit, or a city experience around your interests. Tell us your idea and we’ll check what can be arranged.
Start with a conversation.
A clear quote follows.
- 01 · Share your idea
Tell us your dates, group size, time available and what would make the visit useful.
- 02 · We review the request
Initial feasibility review is free. If your project needs in-depth research or paid specialist preparation, we agree the work, deliverables and price before starting.
- 03 · Review your quote
See the proposed scope, group total, inclusions, prepayment and cancellation terms in My requests. Get to know your host and agree the plan before receiving a payment link.
Standard requests: up to 6 guests, including companions. Hardware visits remain limited to 4. A venue may require a smaller group; larger groups need a separately confirmed plan.
View my requests and quotes ↗01 — FIND YOUR NEXT PAIR
A small stop.
A useful part of your trip.
From choosing frames to understanding lens options, we help the conversation flow. The store handles your eye examination and eyewear.
JUST FOR YOU
A visit for one
US$ 249
Approx. CNY 1,660.89 · service fee
1 person getting glasses · Up to 2 hours
- Appointment and pre-visit coordination
- In-person English support at the store
- Help confirming specifications and pricing
- Collection and adjustment coordination
BETTER TOGETHER
A visit for two
US$ 319
Approx. CNY 2,127.81 · service fee
2 people getting glasses · Up to 3 hours
- Everything in a solo visit, for two
- One store, at the same appointment time
- Support for each person’s preferences
- One shared plan for a smoother visit
These are service fees. Frames, lenses and any store examination fees are separate. Additional in-person time is US$35 (approx. CNY 233.46) per 30 minutes, agreed in advance. A companion who is not getting glasses can join at no extra service charge.
GET TO KNOW YOUR HOST
A real person.
A clear plan.
New to Shenzhen? Start with a conversation in English. Ask for a brief video introduction before deciding.
Know who will meet you
Receive your local companion’s name and a short introduction privately. You can ask questions or arrange a brief video call before paying.
Know what you are booking
Review the meeting place, date, duration, inclusions, total fee and cancellation terms. Store and specialist details are shared privately before payment.
Stay in touch
After payment is verified, receive your booking confirmation and meeting instructions. We reconfirm the arrangements with you before setting off.
FREE TO ENQUIRE
Your visit.
Your questions first.
Choose your eyewear visit and see the full price. Prepare an enquiry, then chat with us. No payment is needed to ask.
YOUR SERVICE ESTIMATEHow booking and payment work ↗
US$ 249.00
Approx. CNY 1,660.89
Prepay after we agree the planUS$15.00Approx. CNY 100.05
Balance when we meetUS$234.00Approx. CNY 1,560.84
All service payments are in USD. Your prepayment comes off the total. Pay the balance after meeting your host and checking the plan, before the visit begins. Eyewear, examinations and transport are separate.
YOUR QUESTIONS FIRST
Meet your host
before you pay.
Chat with us, agree on your plans, then secure your booking with a small prepayment. Pay the balance when we meet, before your visit begins.
- 01
Start with a free conversation
Tell us your dates, group size and interests. Enquiries and initial feasibility review are free.
- 02
Get to know your host
Receive an introduction to your companion in chat. Ask for a brief video call, then review your written itinerary, total fee, separate costs and cancellation terms.
- 03
Confirm, then prepay a little
Once the host, meeting details and plan are agreed, receive a private PayPal link showing the exact USD amounts. We verify payment and send your booking confirmation.
- 04
Meet, check the plan, pay the balance
We reconfirm before setting off. When you meet your companion, check the arrangements together and pay the remaining service fee before the visit starts.
SMALL PREPAYMENT · CLEAR TERMS
Part of your total.
Never an extra fee.
Eyewear visitOne or two people, per booking
US$ 15Approx. CNY 100.05
Hardware visitAfter the host and itinerary are confirmed
20%
For a US$100 hardware visit: US$20 to secure the booking, then US$80 when we meet. Specialist work, materials and transport are separate and agreed beforehand.
Other custom projects
Start with a free enquiry. Any paid research or preparation is separately scoped and priced before it begins. Your quote sets out the prepayment, balance and cancellation terms for the agreed work.
Know who you are payingBefore sending your payment link, we identify the PayPal recipient in your booking conversation and explain their connection to Meet a City. Check any unfamiliar name with us in chat before paying.
Cancellation, changes and refunds +
Eyewear visits: cancel at least 24 hours before the agreed start for a full refund of your prepayment. For later changes, we first try to reschedule. If you cancel, only reasonable costs disclosed and agreed before payment may be retained, capped at your prepayment. If we cannot provide the visit, we refund its prepayment in full.
Hardware and custom projects: the quote explains the cancellation deadline, rescheduling options and any separately agreed preparation or third-party costs before you pay. Any refundable and non-refundable amounts must be clear. If we cannot provide the agreed visit, its service prepayment is refunded in full.
Ask about a change in our chat, using your booking reference. We confirm the outcome and refund amount with you; a cancellation request does not automatically process a refund.
GOOD TO KNOW
A few useful
details.
How do hardware visits work?+
Tell us your interests, preferred date and group size (up to four guests). We check suitable introductions and confirm the hosts, locations, duration and group fee before payment. Factory access requires the host’s approval. Engineering work, prototypes and other deliverables are agreed directly with the specialist and priced separately.
Can I speak to someone before paying?+
Yes. Start with a free English-language chat. Ask for your companion’s introduction or a brief video call. We confirm the host, plan, total price and terms before sending a payment link.
Are glasses included in the service fee?+
No. Frames, lenses and any store examination fees are paid directly to the store. We help you understand the quote before you place an order.
Do I need to speak Mandarin?+
You can communicate with us in English. At the store, we help relay your questions and the staff’s answers. Eye examinations and fitting advice are provided by the optical store.
Can I collect my glasses the same day?+
Timing depends on your prescription, lens selection and stock. We help confirm the expected collection date with the store. Same-day collection is not guaranteed.
Where will we meet?+
For eyewear visits, we meet at the agreed store. The store name, address and meeting details are shared privately before payment. Hardware and custom visits use the meeting point agreed in your written plan.
What if I need more time or another visit?+
For eyewear support, extra in-person time is US$35 (approx. CNY 233.46) per 30 minutes, with your agreement. A second collection or adjustment visit at the same store starts at US$169 (approx. CNY 1,127.27) for up to one hour. The final quote is agreed before booking. The first eyewear visit includes up to two online collection or adjustment coordination sessions within seven days. Extra time and follow-up for hardware visits are priced in your custom quote and agreed before proceeding.
Do I pay just to make an enquiry?+
No. Enquiries and initial feasibility review are free. If a custom project needs paid research or specialist preparation, we agree the work and price separately before starting.