Hong Kong Ladies Market and Other Shopping

Shopping in Hong Kong: Ladies Market

Whether you’re looking for the perfect outfit or just want to drive your boyfriend crazy, the Ladies Market in Hong Kong sells just about anything you might want. Here are a few tips and suggestions for your time in the market.

The Ladies Market

The Ladies Market has over 100 stalls and storefronts, selling a wide range of goods. You can find anything from purses to clothing, shoes and accessories. The market itself is outside so you won’t be inside an actual mall (although many of the storefronts do have interior areas you can enter, which is helpful in the event of rain).

Be Prepared to Haggle

Everything is negotiable on the market. It doesn’t matter you’re buying, the price originally quoted will always be more than what you should pay. A good rule of thumb is to have the shop owner quote you a price first (never offer a price first as you’ll end up paying more). Once the shop owner quotes a price, offer to pay half. You’ll eventually end up with a price right in the middle. Don’t try to go too far under half, otherwise you may insult the shop owner and they won’t sell to you.

Mens Shops

The Hong Kong Ladies Market first received its name because it sold only items for women. However, that has changed in recent years. While the vast majority of stalls still cater specifically to women, there are a handful of guy shops. This is also a good spot to buy presents for children, so for guys it can be worth visiting.

Food Available

Food venders are available throughout the Ladies Market. These are actually the few spots in the market that you do note negotiate with. The food vendors do not have time to barter for a price while monitoring the food, so the prices are firm. However, the street food is cheap and you can keep your energy level up while wandering the never ending strip of stalls.

Jewelry

The vast majority of items sold at the Ladies Market are inexpensive items. You can find replica brands, cheap toys, purses and so on. If you shop at some of the different jewelry stands you need to know if you have a metal allergy. Many people will break out when metals containing nickel are pressed against their skin. Nickel is a common filler metal that helps harden softer, more valuable metals (such as gold or silver). If you purchase something from a jeweler in the market and you break out, it is not because there is something on the metal. It is because nickel is a common material found in most jewelry sold here. If you do have an allergy, you should pass on anything metal based in the Ladies Market jewelry stalls.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about shopping at the Hong Kong Ladies Market.