Shiyan boasts a wealth of local specialties with commercial outlets spread all over the urban area. Raw lacquer, tung oil, mineral water, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, tea, turquoise handicrafts and rare medicinal herbs produced here sell well both at home and abroad. In addition, there are numerous large shopping malls with luxurious and spacious premises, such as People's Shopping Mall, Wuyan Shopping Mall, Checheng Shopping Mall and Yuhua Shopping Mall, offering tourists convenient and efficient shopping services.

Refined konjac powder, known as the "Oriental Magic Powder", is widely used in food processing and pharmaceutical industry and sold far to Southeast Asian countries. In 1994, the Tianzhu brand series of konjac products won the gold medal at the International Trade, Industry and Agriculture Expo in Ulaanbaatar. In 1999, Shuangzhu brand konjac noodles were awarded the title of High-quality Product of Hubei Province and the Quality Award at the 1999 China International Agricultural Exhibition. Zhuxi County is hailed as the "Hometown of Konjac in China". The county has 28,000 mu of konjac plantations, with an annual processing capacity of 5,000 tons of refined konjac powder and 6,000 tons of konjac food products.

It is one of the most famous local specialties in Shiyan. It is cultivated across all five counties and one city, covering a total planting area of 182,000 mu. The Heishan Eucommia Plantation in Yunxi County occupies more than 6,000 mu, ranking among the largest contiguous eucommia forests nationwide. Eucommia ulmoides is a deciduous arbor. It is mostly used as a precious rare medicinal herb nowadays.

Yun County of Shiyan is reputed as "China’s No.1 County for Chinese Quince". The fruit is praised as the "King of Beneficial Fruits". As recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen: Chinese quince is warm in nature and sour in taste. It can soothe the liver, regulate the stomach, relax tendons and activate bones. Regular consumption can soften blood vessels, resist bacteria and inflammation, delay aging, beautify the skin, prevent cancer and improve physical fitness. It is a nutritious fruit treasure with nothing but health benefits.