Posted on February 19, 2009 - by irish joy

Shopping in Hong Kong

By Monday, we are going to have our international tour at Hong Kong and Macau. I am really excited about this, thanks to my brother. I thought of checking the shopping tips at Hong Kong.  According to wikipedia.com

Hong Kong shopping is one of the city’s real attractions, however getting value for money in the city is becoming more and more difficult.

computer store

The ten tips below should ensure that you pay less and not more.

1. Compare Prices
   Check the price of the item you want to buy in your home country first. When you arrive in Hong Kong you should check out some of the larger department stores or reputable dealers for your product. You can’t start bargaining until you know how much you should be paying. Also take a quick look at our article Is Hong Kong Expensive?
2. Understand the Exchange Rate
   This may sound simple, but one of the main reasons for tourists getting ripped-off in Hong Kong is because they don’t know the exchange rate - make sure you do.
3. Know the Product
   Know exactly what you want to buy. Which features do you want, accessories, model. Again, looking around in your home country and at reputable stores in Hong Kong means you’ll have some honest advice.
4. Choose Your Shop Carefully.
   The Hong Kong Tourism Board has a Quality Control Scheme that vets shops on pricing, honesty and a host of other attributes - these shops generally don’t offer bargains but are reputable. Unless you are confident of price and product, you should also avoid shops that don’t clearly display the price of an item.
5. Shop Around
   If you’re determined to go bargain hunting, shop around. Hong Kong salespeople are notoriously aggressive when negotiating, however the ball is in your court, if you don’t like the salesperson or the price quoted is to high, move on to the next store.
6. Hit the Sales
   As befits a citu obsessed with shopping, Hong Kong has a number of bona fida sales seasons, where you’ll find prices slashed and bargains a plenty. The major sales seasons are between Chritsmas and Chinese New Year and in late summer. Find out more in our article Where and When are the Hong Kong Sales Seasons.
7. Check the Product
   Hong Kong shops have an undeserved reputation for using switch and bait tactics, this involves showing you one product but placing an inferior item in the box. This practice is not widespread, nevertheless you need to make sure what you think you’re buying is what you leave the store with.
8. Compatibility
   Ensure compatibility. Check the voltage and broadcast of any item you want to buy.
9. Warranty
   Make sure the product has an international warranty. This can be a problem with ‘Parallel Imports’, these products are usually brought into Hong Kong by someone other than the official importer, and are often electronic items. Although cheap, their warranty is usually void.
10. Beware of Bootlegs
    There are plenty of bootleg and illegal products on Hong Kong’s streets, which police usually turn a blind eye to, however if you are found with these at customs, they are subject to confiscation and you possibly to conviction. It’s also worth knowing that most of these illegal operations are at some point down the line run by the Hong Kong triads
11. Last Call
    If you’re in dispute, call the Consumer Council Hotline on 2929 2222 for assistance, you can also approach uniformed hawker police who patrol markets.

Is Hong Kong expensive? is one of the most common questions asked by potential visitors to the city, with the assumption that it is. Hong Kong certainly has the potential to cause a raid on your bank account, and, if you want to, it’s probably possible to spend more on life’s little luxuries in Hong Kong than anywhere else on earth. That said, the city is not necessarily a pricey proposition, and arguably it’s easier to save money here than the world’s other major cities. Below, we look at the average price for goods and services.

Prices

Star Ferry ticket $0.30
Beer in bar - $7
Movie ticket $8
Dinner for two $70-$80
Downtown taxi fare $10
Takeaway coffee $4
Big Mac $1.50