Shop, shop, shop!

Why hasn't e-commerce picked up in Hong Kong as it has in North America and Europe? Like with many issues in the SAR, it comes down to space. This is a big city with population of more than 7 million people, it's a number comparable to mid-large cities in North America, (Toronto's 5.3 million, Washington DC's 8 million and Chicago's Metro's 9.4 million). And yet, most people would never think to purchase things on-line, unless their desired product is unavailable for purchase in Hong Kong.

Without providing exact statistics, I think it's fair to say that the average four-person home in North American home is at least five times larger than the average four-person home in Hong Kong — probably more. Add this to the fact that most single twenty to thirty-somethings remain at home until they are married and you can see why there is so little personal space. Folks just need to get out of the house and I don't blame them. I love my family very much, but I can't imagine sharing a  600 sq. ft flat with my parents and Grandma without spending a lot of time outside.

mp3: Scapegoat Wax - Space to Share

It's because of the little residential space that shopping has become a large part of Hong Kong's identity. Nowhere to go? Head to the mall. If we had a national pastime, without dispute, shopping would be it.  (Eating is just fuel.) The ability to bargain is part of the game but more than anything, this is a city used to leaving the house to touch, see and smell products before purchasing. And that is why I think on-line shopping isn't (yet) popular in Hong Kong.

mp3: Beth Orton - Shopping Trolley

Comments

[aaron wade]

i agree w/ you. i've never been to asia before, but have family there. in a sense, the not so popular "e-commerce" keeps the people there active. the more products become available online, the more "most" north american people become lazier. i'd rather pick out my own fruits and veggies "in-store" than ordering food online.

great read...

[Andrea]

Aaron, thanks for your comment.

I agree, I would never buy fruits and vegetables on-line, but there are some great things about on-line shopping like classifieds and finding things that aren't locally unavailable. Because I hate going out when the streets and malls are busy (most of the time), I prefer buying most things on-line or at least deciding which product I want before setting foot outside so to reduce the time I spend among sweaty strangers. Laziness is partly to blame, but I really just want to avoid crowds.

Everyone has their own reasons for why they do/don't participate in on-line shopping. I guess Agoraphobia is mine.

[Keiyu]

I think one of the primary reasons consumers here haven't picked up on online shopping is that choices are limited. In the US, many people shop online to find the best deal. In HK, prices are more or less the same all around (unless you really haggle). In the US, prices can fluctuate tremendously from state to state, hence the usefulness of the net and its ability to shrink the national market. If China were to start offering real goods at a much cheaper price, and shipping was streamlined significantly, I would bet three toes that online shopping would instantly become a hit.

[iris]

i know why! it's because chinese people are cheap. when you shop on-line you have to pay for delivary, AND you can't haggle/search for the cheapest price possible. even if it already IS the cheapest price possible. because that wouldn't be very cheap-atisfying.

[Andrea]

We're not all cheap!