Hong Kong Shopping Tips--Would you share your secrets? THANKS!
 

I'm a bargain hunter and would love your guidance on bargains on Western clothing and also electronics (particularly cameras) and also jewelry, but I'd also like to bring back some slight more exotic clothing, gifts, and some beautiful silks for the house. Just generally looking for your shopping tips!?! Many thanks.

You can usually bargain on smaller shops. However, I would prefer to buy electronics on larger stores such as Fortress or Broadway. They are more reliable stores but usually sell on a fixed price.

Hong Kong shopping tips are difficult because the little shops (where the best bargains are) change often. Many of the holes-in-the-wall where I used to shop (and find fabulous treasures in western clothing overruns of name brands) disappeared following the hand-over to China and the decrease in tourism. Don't waste your time in the designer shops -- the prices are no different than in the US or Europe.<BR><BR>I agree that electronics are best purchased from major, reputable stores. Too many horror stories otherwise. And the Temple Street night market is about as cheap as you can get, with a wide variety of goods.

PS Kelly, there used to be a few books out on this exact topic. Maybe you could try to find updated versions online at amazon or something similar. Be sure it's a recent edition.

Check this out<BR><BR>http://www.bootsnall.com/cgi-bin/gt/asiatravelguides/hk/aug99hongkong.shtml,user=ffffffffffff<BR><BR><BR>P lease stay away from Nathan Road for buying electronics.....

Kelly, I just got back from HK, China a week ago. I will tell you honestly that I did not find much bargaining power in HK. Western clothing you may want to try some of the stores on Granville in Kowloon right off of Nathan Road. Ladies Market and shops in that area had either overruns or fakes, eg Nautica. For some reason I didn't buy since it didn't seem to be recent styles. Electronics had no luck with and found prices very similar to US, even with Fortess and Broadway (or not worth it for me to tote it back). Stanley Market had some good deals on cut-work, embroidery, duvet covers, pillow cases, placemats etc. and found very reasonable prices on framed art. Stanley Market did not bargain down very much though. Hope this was helpful.

Anna, did you go to the night market? Just curious whether that has changed much. The shops around Granville and that whole part of Kowloon used to be wonderful but last time I was there most of them were gone.

Hi Marilyn. Are you talking about the Temple Street night market? Not much on Granville but found one shop that had some Italian brands and a couple of shops that had what appeared to be overruns of brands I have never heard of. Looked like more for teenagers.<BR><BR>Unfortunately, my last visit to HK was 20 years ago but my sister's husband went 2-3 years ago and had alot of luck on Granville with Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Talbots overruns but they must be gone because I didn't find any of these brands. Was hoping the shops around Fa Yuen Street would carry some of this, but they didn't. Read it in &quot;Born to Shop&quot; by Suzy Gershman which was just published in 2001. Either I didn't walk far enough or the shops are gone.

Hi Anna, Yes, Temple Street Night Market. I guess I was last in HK in '99 and was very disappointed that my favorite little shops were all gone. I used to find great stuff there, dirt cheap, and usually with the designer label cut out. <BR><BR>Kelly, the book I referred to earlier is the one Anna just mentioned, by Suzy Gershman, but I had an earlier edition. You'll have to post when you get back and let us know what you find.

Many thanks to all. Indeed I will post upon our return in January!

topping for David

Sorry, this post is a bit long.

No local people will buy anything in electronic stores along Nathan Road, and many of them only shop in big stores like Fortress or Broadway, because: 1. they are everywhere 2. all carry local warranty 3. no extra charge if you use credit cards. 4. interest free monthly instalment by credit card available. 5. cost similar elsewhere after the extra credit card charge is included. 5. free delivery and installation service available to some heavier home appliances. 6. free gifts

If none of the above is important to you, I cannot understand why you will be interested in shopping there, since their choices of gadgets are limited AND they charge you the suggested selling price by the manufacturers, which may sometimes mean 30% more than the real market price.

You should go to different markets, according to what you want to buy:
1. Mobile phone and accessories: Sham Shui Po or Mong Kok
2. Desktop hardware and accessories: Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Wan Chai
3. Notebook computers: Causeway Way (Windsor House), Tsim Sha Tsui (Star House)
4. AV and other consumer electronics: Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po

Parallel import is legal in Hong Kong. You will see lots of products intended to be sold in different countries. The good thing is that you will have more choices, as you can find the latest Japanese gadgets only for the Japanese domestic market, or a cheaper version for Russian or South East Asian market. The bad thing is you will have to do some homework before shopping, as different versions may include different accessories.

Almost all small stores charge 2 - 3 % extra if you use credit card. You can test the player thoroughly before buying. NEVER give them the cash unless they have the stock and is placed in front of you.

Because of competition, you shouldn't expect the price to differ that much within a region. If the price is considerably cheaper, watch out.
Many shops in Mong Kok are located in commercial buildings. You can find them by looking at the signs along the streets. To be safe, go to shops where lots of locals (not other Chinese tourists) are shopping there.

Hope the info helps.

I just came back from Hong Kong yesterday. I used the 2003 edition of Born to Shop mentioned here but while it was very helpful in Beijing, I didnt use it much for Hong Kong. After many stops in mainland China, Hong Kong was our last stop. To be honest, I didnt see many bargains. Some tour members got some good buys at the Chinese emporium, formerly the Friendship store (multiple locations). I got a nice jade necklace at Mariane, 21G Hankow Street in Kowloon ( good quality and prices, say you were referred by a previous customer--that is how I got a good price). Stay away from jade market--almost all are good fakes.
My best shopping was in mainland China at the Beijing Pearl market, and elsewhere for silks, cloissone, laquerware, silk kites, and DVDs.
Our tour guide says electronics are not usually a good buy anymore in Hong Kong.

PS I didnt shop for clothes in Hong Kong and I heard there were some good buys.