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當然，負面衝擊是難免的！對香港市民而言，最嚴重的是
拉高了香港的物價，無論是內地旅客最喜愛的國際品牌
產品的售價和香港整體的物價，都無可避免上升了。對商
戶來說，最大的影響顯然就是鋪租！因為自由行來香港的
內地旅客以消費力較強的居多，來港的目的就是購物和消
費，而且以名牌產品為主，因此，帶動名牌店的銷售和擴
充，旺區的鋪租也隨之上升！事實上，香港消費市場的
兩極化現象愈來愈嚴重，漏夜趕科場的國際品牌是無日無
之，但中小企業因為不能承擔高昂租金而退出市場亦時有
發生。
最近地產版都時有報道那個黃金鋪位以“天價＂出售或出
租，前一段時間的新租客多是售賣高價值產品如珠寶、鐘
表的居多；但最近，卻出現了幾個便服的品牌，包括，將
會在中環新落成商廈落戶的
GAP
，在中環一幢歷史建築物
設立香港首間旗艦店的
A&F
，和在銅鑼灣一個人流量極高
的街鋪落戶的
Forever Twenty-one
。
雖然三個都是美國非常流行的便服品牌，但都是首次正式
落戶香港和設立旗艦店，預期這幾個品牌的進入將會為香
港零售市場，尤其時裝零售帶來一場衝擊和帶動新一輪的
經營戰！除落戶新大樓的之外，其他都是以高價奪得現有
品牌的商鋪，原來使用的品牌肯定會另覓新店，與此同時
會進行店鋪形象的重整；此舉，勢必帶動其他同業進行裝
修、形象包裝和產品的更新以應付新來的競爭。而最後，
零售業最重視的前綫銷售員工，過去，每逢有新品牌進
入，一定會從其他同業挖角，因此，還沒有從最低工資做
成的就業人士洗牌中恢復過來的零售行業，可能又要經歷
另一次員工爭奪戰了！
不過，無論市場的競爭會變得多激烈，永恒不變的定律是
「有競爭才會有進步」。香港零售行業正受惠於內地旅客
自由行，如果行業能夠繼續保持我們固有的優勢，包括售
賣正牌正貨、貨真價實、童叟無欺和一貫的優良服務、舒
適購物環境和售賣國際潮流產品等等，那購物天堂這個金
漆招牌肯定會繼續為香港帶來源源不斷的商機。而市場潛
力愈大，來香港落戶的國際品牌也會不斷增加，就因為這
個原因，香港才能保持購物天堂這美譽。
Of course, not ever y thing is rosy with the strong inf lux
of mainland tour ists. Pr ices have gone up not only for
international well known products but general inflation has
also gone up inevitably. For merchants, the sharp rental hikes
present them with the most critical challenge. Prohibitively
high rental prices have pushed small and medium sized
merchants out of the busy districts while international brand
names are queuing up to enter the Hong Kong retail market.
There were occasional reports on real estate pages of the local
press that shop spaces in certain busy districts have fetched
sky rocketing rents and most of the transactions were related
to retailers of jewelries and watches. However, the latest
twist was that casual wear retailers are taking up some of the
most premium shopping spaces in Central and Causeway Bay
including popular American brands such as Gap, A&F and
Forever Twenty-one.
These are mass appeal and popular brands in the US but it
was the first time they landed the Hong Kong market and
opened flagship stores here. It is expected that these foreign
retail giants would bring about a wave of changes to the local
retail trade. These big name merchants are likely to bid high
for experienced sales personnel and put pressure on local
retailers to step up their game including refurbishment of their
shops and the launch of better and more attractive products
on their shelves.
Changes are the norm in the marketplace but one thing is
going to stay: the golden rule of the survival of the fittest.
The local retail trade is reaping the benefits of the individual
travelling scheme and if we are able to maintain our high
standards of retailing such as the offer of genuine brands
and products at competitive prices with good service and
comfor table shopping exper ience, our reputat ion as a
shoppers’ and tourists’ paradise is going to remain and we
will be faced with endless opportunities in the months and
years ahead.
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