We go to Hong Kong every October and January to find a lot of the unique products that we feature throughout the year. I just got back from the latest buying trip to Hong Kong and thought I would share some thoughts with you.
First off – it’s always a treat to leave the cold, fall weather of Chicago in mid-October and immediately (well, after a 15 hours flight) be transported back into summer. Daily highs in Hong Kong in October are 85 degrees – and it doesn’t really cool down much at night. So Lisa and I (the other merchandise/buyer here at Spilsbury) take all of our summer clothes with us and revel in the last days of warmth we will feel for awhile. The minute you step off the plane, it’s summer.
The warmth is great, but the 13 time zone difference can be a little daunting to get used to. Usually the first couple of days end fairly early as we adjust to life across the International Dateline. It’s a little more challenging that flying from New York to LA.
After we get our bearings we attend two trade shows – the International Electronic Show and the International Toy and Gift Show. Both shows have a majority of Asian vendors who manufacture toys and gifts in China. We import about 20% or our products and source the rest domestically. The whole importing scene is an absolute must if you are going to survive in selling these products. You, the consumer, have gotten used to the Wal-Mart and Target pricing of everything – so if I started featuring products that were 30% higher priced, I think Spilsbury would become a less desirable destination for toys and gifts. I know this can be a sensitive subject, but the consumer is voting with their pocketbook and imported products have not been shunned by most people buying toys, game and gifts. So, we buy and manufacture some of products in Asia.
The Hong Kong Convention center was originally built to launch the turnover of Hong Kong back to China from Great Britain in the late 90’s. The grand ceremony was held there and since that time, the convention center is the central hub for international trade shows, much like our major convention centers here in this country. However, unlike many of our convention centers, it is designed in the shape of a turtle and is situated for the best “feng shui” placement into the landscape.
The Hong Kong Convention Center from the South China Harbor 
An interior shot of the Hong Kong Convention Center 
Feng Shui has gained widespread popularity in the United States and around the world. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, it has quickly become a favored living skill that has been incorporated seamlessly into architecture, interior decor, building development and home living. Feng Shui is not directly based on any religion or mysticism. For those who use the formula schools of feng shui, it even seems like a mathematical science.
So, the convention center has no sharp edges, is very rounded and open and is situated on the China Harbor in an exact, precisely calculated way.
I don’t feel any different in the building – I’m always running around at trade shows and don’t feel any calmer or “centered” at the feng shui convention center, but it is a very beautiful building!
The interesting development that is just starting in China are wage hikes for factory workers. The factory worker is gaining in stature as thousands of factories have been built over the past few years to keep up with demand. All of a sudden, factories are scrambling to find workers, workers are not willing to travel as far to find a job and the laws of supply and demand are dictating that the power of the Chinese worker is increasing. What this means for imported goods overall is an eventual increase in price. As China becomes more and more manufacturing based, it feels like what happened to this country during WWII and beyond as we experienced a huge and unprecedented manufacturing boom – that is, until we started outsourcing jobs overseas. Nothing stays the same forever. My thought has been – who will become the next China?
Trends in the market for next year – lots of scrapbooking stuff. Punches and papers and letters and books. I love the idea of scrapbooking, but don’t know when I would have the time to do – maybe on the 14 hour flight back from Hong Kong. Lots of IPod accessories, not much new in Suduoku (is the trend over?)- but we did some really cool stuff for Halloween. I’m not telling, it’s going to be a surprise!!! We will be going back in January to the truly big convention featuring all toys and games and we find a lot of new products for Summer and Christmas at that time. So stay tuned for more updates from the other side of the world……
Comments