Introduction:
Once upon a time, we always felt that good things at a good price were getting farther and farther away from us. It is an era in which young people are returning to the real economy and rediscovering the relationship between price and the intrinsic value of goods. Tired of the ethereal trap of consumerism, they have turned to the seemingly old but vibrant land of wholesale markets to rediscover the joy of authenticity. Different from the flashy shopping mall, the wholesale market is the most direct collision between supply and demand, and it is a pure space that returns to the original value of commodities.
The high price is helpless, and young people can only shop and not buy
Nowadays, the high prices in shopping malls have long been intimidating for young people.
According to the data, in the first quarter of 2024, the per capita clothing consumption expenditure of residents nationwide was 492 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%. This increase is much higher than the 8.3% per capita consumption expenditure. Uniqlo, which used to be a high-quality and inexpensive "middle-class affordable wardrobe", also can't be sold, and they quietly increase the price. The children's short sleeve that used to be 19.9 yuan is now 39.9 yuan, which has almost doubled. Even outdoor sports brands such as Arc'teryx and North Face have generally increased by 20%-30%.
Faced with the sky-high price tags of items in shopping malls, young people would rather be greedy than pay for them. Xiao Xu, who was born after 95, said that she took a fancy to a 1,899 yuan women's sweatshirt and was scared. A sports vest of the same quality is only 36 yuan in the wholesale market. Xiao Xu summed up the standard process of contemporary young people visiting shopping malls: "shopping or not buying". Go to the bubble tea shop, try on brand clothes, draw a blind box and take a beautiful photo. Nowadays, shopping malls have moved away from the connection with shopping consumption.
The high price has caused Hong Kong people to also redirect to Guangzhou
The high-priced brands in shopping malls have long discouraged mainland consumers, and even Hong Kong people with stronger economies have had to divert to Guangzhou's major clothing wholesale markets to sweep their goods.
According to reports, in 2023, 53.34 million Hong Kong residents will go to the mainland for consumption, accounting for 74% of the outbound trips, with an average of 7.2 trips to the north per person. In 2024, Hong Kong people's enthusiasm for spending in the mainland will reach a new high. As a result, the wholesale market has become their new shopping destination.
Hong Kong native Ah Mi has taken his family and friends three times in a row to the Guangzhou clothing wholesale market to sweep the goods. "I thought that the prices in Shenzhen were already very cheap, but later I found out that Guangzhou was even cheaper." She felt that she didn't have to pretend to be able to afford it like she did in the mall, and she could have a good time at the wholesale market. "The most glorious achievement was to buy a good quality short-sleeved shirt for only 15 yuan."
The prospects are promising, and young people see the wholesale market as an entrepreneurial college
For young people, the wholesale market is not only a paradise with good quality and low prices, but also a promising place for entrepreneurship.
Many Internet natives have a strong interest in "starting a business" and "making money". Xia Mi, a sophomore, came to the Guangzhou wholesale market by chance during the May Day holiday, and immediately wanted to try her hand here after her eyes were opened. She will wander around the market every day, and learn how to choose products according to the tastes of customers by observing and asking the bosses like a novice. "This is the closest to the real economy, and it also makes my blood boil."
A Zhuang, a native of the country, has three years of experience in setting up a stall. He said that now many friends from other places come to play, and he will take them to the wholesale market, and they are full of praise for the good quality and low prices here. He also found that many young people were enthusiastic about the stall business, and he was often asked how to get into the business with his experience and know-how.
In the face of high prices, young people have not given up, but have returned to the wholesale market, which is a space that has survived the baptism of time but is still vibrant. Here, they can buy their favorite goods at a low price and regain their keen sense of the true value of the goods. More young people see the wholesale market as an excellent place to learn about the real economy and hone their entrepreneurial skills.
Whether as consumers or entrepreneurs, young people have rediscovered the most authentic connection between material and price in this seemingly old but very vibrant space.