Shopping and women in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is said to be the most materialistic place in the world. Clothes, accessories, Hong Kong is the place for shopping, it is really a shoppers’ paradise. Whatever you will be looking for, you will find it. From the big markets such as Mongkok’s Ladies Market and Temple Street Market to the outlet stores and luxury malls where Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci attracts thousand of people, shoppers can find it all, whatever their style is.

If you are a shopaholic, too bad for you, this is not going to help.

Each single person that owns a ‘shop’ is a seller, and a very aggressive seller. So it’s either you surrender and buy directly or you leave because you are annoyed, OR you have a massive pleasure of negotiating. And let me tell you that negotiating here can lead you to great bargains when you are in markets. The stands’ owners are very loud and it is almost like they beg you to buy what they have. The competition is extremely high; they all sell practically the same items because they know exactly what is fashionable and what the latest trend is here.

What are the items that are mostly displayed and that people promote? Bags, watches, sunglasses… all fake and copies of luxurious brands such as Dolce and Gabanna, Fendi, Burberry…
Why? There is a certain image that is promoted to Hong Kong girls. I mean, if you just have a look around in the streets, you’ll think they all look the same. Not meaning to be rude or anything but they all are fashion victims and rare are the girls that do not wear or own a famous brand item. And the more occidental the brand is, the better. Europe is just that chic and countries such as France or Italy are the perfect image of high class… which I do not always agree with… but anyway…


Girls here are not slim… They are skinny, be a size 34 and you are amazingly well proportionate. Your hair is straight? Have it permed. Everybody else has it permed. Do not have a couple of curls here and there, either have it permed or perfectly straight. And most important, the whiter you are, the better. We could compare it with the Japanese culture. When in France or other countries in the West, people would die for a tan and go to UV sessions and invest in tanning lotions, here the girls walk in the street with an umbrella so they stay as white as possible. The best sold items in the make-up sector are very likely to be whitening foundations. No wonder why Michael Jackson had such success in Asia! Just kidding…



Girls here are very aware of their appearance, it is just funny how sometimes so many girls stand in front of little surface of mirror in the streets to arrange their hair and make up.

Marketers here are very aware of the consumer purchase decision process.
1- Purchase task – reason, gift, more fancy, more expensive
2- Social surroundings-who buys with you? who influences you while you buy?
3- Physical surroundings – décor, music, store atmosphere
4- Temporal effects – time
5- Antecedent states – mood, money on hand, except compulsive shoppers that will just need to buy no matter how much money they have


So if you want to know how to market, how to , how to purchase…Hong Kong is really one of the best places…