As one of the first stops on the Silk Road Tianshui has long been a distributing center for merchandise into western China. Although business has dropped off since then, there are still a few goods here that could make worthy presents.

The most famous product here is the Tianshui Lacquerware, that bears lifelike depictions of figures, flowers, birds, and a variety of other animals. The lacquerware is sooty in colour, and has the peculiar characteristics of being resistant to heat and erosion by either acid or alkali. As a result these wares are favoured by the locals both for their artistic value and practicality.

Further products of note include the Tianshui carpets, depicted above, and a further variant of the "Self-Illuminating" Cup (Yeguan bei), that can be found throughout Gansu, especially in Jiayuguan, and Zhangye. Local pharmacies and stalls are also on hand to sell many herbal medicines, including ingredients such as Codonopsis pilosula (Dangshen), Angelica (Danggui) and Rhubarb (Dahuang).