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Kmart, Target, Big W, Walmart etc ?

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  1. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by flameproof:
    In China Wal-Mart is pretty successful, they have Carrefour too.

    Public transport is a problem? How you get your stuff back home now? Take a picture and whatsapp it home?

    It comes down to the rent and just the rent. The only one left here that is willing to pay is IKEA (and I guess they do get sweet deals, otherwise Megabox would be dead)
    When I lived in Beijing I did most of my shopping at Carrefour and it was more or less the same as in Europe; you could buy anything from bicycles to groceries to clothes, etc...
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  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by dwarvenmage18:
    How can a place like HK with a huge population not have a normal department store like Kmart, Big W, Target or Walmart??? Somewhere that has literally everything, for low prices and decent quality. A one stop shop.
    There are a number of these kinds of stores in Hong Kong. Wing On comes to mind with a wide range and good value (relative to Hong Kong). There are others I've seen in more suburban areas, but I don't remember the names. Japan Home Centre warrants a mention here too on a smaller, distributed footprint.

    For the record, what you're describing is really discount department stores. "Normal" department stores in this part of Asia are often Japanese, with Sogo coming to mind here in Hong Kong. It's a one-stop shop where you can compare a wide range of brands at generally reasonable branded prices.

    Another point that comes to mind that may not have been mentioned is that the advantage of Hong Kong being compact is you don't really need massive one-stop stores, as nothing is far away and arranging delivery is easy. As such there are all kinds of speciality retailers tucked away out of sight (high floors of commercial buildings, in industrial buildings, etc). So whatever you're looking for, ask around online and other people.

    But really what it sounds like you're after is bargain basement prices. And for that, get yourself a Chinese friend and start shopping on Taobao, where the prices are far cheaper than anything you'll find in stores here, in Australia or anywhere. You mentioned your new dog, we buy a ton of pet stuff on Taobao (beds, equipment, clothes, toys, etc) for ridiculously cheap prices.

    And if there is stuff you can't find here and/or at the price you want, there are international retailers who will ship for free (iHerb, Book Depository, etc) or you use a forwarder, which are surprisingly cheap and easy (I recommend BuyandShipToday).
    Last edited by jabalong; 26-10-2018 at 03:11 PM.
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  3. #33

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    There's not really a need for them. Because you can find most stuff cheaper than Walmart or the big department stores if you know how to find it here in HK or in the mainland.

    Plus, I think we will see changes in big department stores soon. Tight profit margins and loads of losses with returns and theft.


  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    There's not really a need for them. Because you can find most stuff cheaper than Walmart or the big department stores if you know how to find it here in HK or in the mainland.

    Plus, I think we will see changes in big department stores soon. Tight profit margins and loads of losses with returns and theft.
    most go to taobao for crap.

  5. #35

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    I think we are too proud and think everything back home is perfect until we go back home. Then we quickly return to HK.

    Have bought some nice things at Walmart, and many things were much more expensive and crap too at Walmart. It wasn't a magical land of everything is good quality.

    A lot of small things can be found on Chinese websites for US $1-2 whereas department stores add in huge margins on these and typically charge US $9.99 or more.

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  6. #36

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    Isn't Hong Kong just one huge Walmart?

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  7. #37

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    i find that cheap things are cheap in australia.

    like u can get tonns of baby stuff for a few AUD in Kmart, Big W etc etc. electrical appliances are also cheaper. I can find a heater / fans for A$20. can't find it at that price in HKG.

    for other cheap stuff, taobao is your friend, though you must be able to read chinese i think to get around that

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  8. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    There's not really a need for them. Because you can find most stuff cheaper than Walmart or the big department stores if you know how to find it here in HK or in the mainland.
    I think you've missed the point... for me it's time... I want to go to a mall that has everything... to hell with trawling the little shops, wasting time. Shenzhen has some lovely malls that have loads of restaurants, stuff for the kids to do and everything you need under one roof... why would I want to bargain with some semi-literate cund who's wolfing noodles and watching her phone while telling me she has 'no stock ar!'...

    No, to hell with that... I do it all online now... those Mom and Pop stores will go the way of the dodo and it will be their own fault.

    Hong Kong just doesn't get it... the only edge they can have on the internet is service and they fuck that up every time.

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by SpeakCantonese:

    No, to hell with that... I do it all online now... those Mom and Pop stores will go the way of the dodo and it will be their own fault.

    Hong Kong just doesn't get it... the only edge they can have on the internet is service and they fuck that up every time.
    It's not like online shopping is a new thing and yet those stores are not going the way of the dodo like you claim. If you want something now or you want to see it, you go to a shop which is why there will be a place for it for a long time and you don't pay shipping. Foreigners might find it inconvenient at times but they are a very tiny unstable market and it's certainly not worth the time to try to bend over backward to get them the service they think they deserve.

  10. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    It's not like online shopping is a new thing and yet those stores are not going the way of the dodo like you claim. If you want something now or you want to see it, you go to a shop which is why there will be a place for it for a long time and you don't pay shipping. Foreigners might find it inconvenient at times but they are a very tiny unstable market and it's certainly not worth the time to try to bend over backward to get them the service they think they deserve.
    You're wrong. I know many small business owners who are really struggling and they put the blame squarely on the internet.

    Three bike shop owners, two computer store owners and a Lego shop owner.

    What I have seen, in my building, is an increase in places being used for storage for local online businesses, usually based on Facebook, some seem to be doing very well.

    Those that don't change will die.
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