Vox pop by Kristina Vallesteros, Rui Pastorin,
A business can be affected by various external factors that may cause them to either thrive or struggle such as consumers’ preferences to spend money outside of Macau or the general economic situation. The Post has interviewed several local businesses around Avenida Horta e Costa (高士德大馬路) and Avenida Sidónio Pais (士多鳥拜斯大馬路) to learn more about their stories and the situations they might be facing.
Far from the bustling days
A 26-year-old local woman employed in a boutique reported that business had remained steady leading up to the Chinese New Year (CNY), but it remained far from the bustling days of previous years. She emphasised that the boutique’s location being outside of tourist areas significantly reduces customer visits. She hopes that by setting up more promotions, the shop can attract more shoppers.
A lack of footfall
Similarly, Zhang, who works at a jewellery shop, shared her concerns about the general lack of tourists and local customers visiting the area, which in turn affects sales. She noted that the downturn has led to the closure of several neighbouring businesses in her shop’s area, further decreasing foot traffic and complicating efforts to attract customers.
Zhang, a local in her fifties, recalled a time when business thrived, particularly during the local government’s distribution of consumption cards during the COVID-19 pandemic in Macau. Back then, she said that locals were more inclined to shop in person instead of turning to online options or travelling to the mainland. Zhang said she advocates for the reintroduction of these consumption cards in order to encourage local shopping and support struggling businesses.
‘Time to start again’
Meanwhile, around Avenida Sidónio Pais, some businesses have recently closed down. And another one, which sells toys and stationery, is holding on until April, with the owner telling the Post that he was not planning to renew his shop’s lease once it ends.
Business has not been good for 40-year-old Aaron, who owns the shop. He cited factors like locals preferring to drive to the mainland for shopping, especially on the weekends, as it is now more convenient. “What you see is like nobody is on the streets”.
He added that many people like to compare prices to those in the mainland, noting: “Most of them think that the prices in the mainland are cheaper than Macau. So that’s why people are not spending money in Macau”.
Aaron said that he also feels the effects of online shopping through platforms like Taobao. “People also like comparing the prices on the internet too. For example, if you are selling things imported from China, there are a lot of options, it’s very tough”. Altogether, it creates a complex situation that cannot be amended right away, according to Aaron.
Aaron’s shop has been open for a year, noting that for the first six months, the sales were “not pretty good, but okay”. But after the summer, sales had dropped by over 50 percent. Trying for a few more months, the decision to close the shop was finally made. “It’s very hard, especially if you’re hiring somebody to run the business, it’s impossible. For us, we’re doing this ourselves. We’re giving up the salary…I think it’s time to start again and go back and work for somebody”.
Keeping up with the times
Meanwhile, Ma, who works in a shop selling gadgets and electronics, fares better, noting that business performance has mostly been alright and is finally starting to pick up after a year or so of operation.
However, the 25-year-old said that they were initially also affected by online shopping and the preference for locals to shop in the mainland, especially during public holidays when people started going there to buy goods.
Regarding online shopping, he noted that being able to service a customer on site and providing a more personalised experience is not something that can be found online. Despite this, he added: “The issue is that most people would rather have the convenience of buying online quickly than essentially sitting down and having a chat with someone while shopping”.
But Ma still highlighted the importance of keeping up with the times: “Essentially, I think stores in general have to start venturing online as well, I think that’s one of the few ways to go about it. The whole physical store thing has been in decline for a while now, ever since COVID-19 ended”, he concluded.
A for rent sign is seen on a shop window around Avenida Sidónio Pais (士多鳥拜斯大馬路) that has recently gone out of business. – Photo taken earlier this week by Rui Pastorin
