United States supermarket chain Sam’s Club in Shenzhen launched an online shopping and delivery service for Hongkongers on Friday, firing a salvo at local retailers struggling as residents head over the border in search of bigger bang for their buck.
Confirming the Post’s exclusive report last month, the supermarket chain announced on its app that it would start offering online shopping and delivery as soon as the next day, in addition to Cantonese customer service.
The warehouse-style Sam’s Club has become popular with Hongkongers in recent months, who shop at its outlet for everything from cooked food to groceries to appliances.
The company said it would operate its own delivery service and charge HK$30 (US$3.8) for the first 1kg (2.2lbs) of items, and then HK$4.5 for every subsequent 1kg. The delivery service covers all of Hong Kong, including outlying islands.
*Mandy, a 48-year-old professional, said she visited the Shenzhen store to become a member after reading the Post report, so that she could eventually use its delivery services.
“I like buying French bottled water and wine, which is much cheaper at the store, but it is not economical to order delivery,” she said. “So I will order lighter goods such as tissue paper and snacks, which are better value for money even after paying the delivery charges.”
Amid intensifying competition, one of Hong Kong’s largest supermarket chains, ParknShop, said it would launch a service to source any items shoppers wanted from around the world.
It said popular goods from South Korea, Japan, Europe and the United States were available, and boasted “the availability of anything you want from anywhere,” with delivery available for any purchase of HK$350 or above.
A spokeswoman for the Wellcome supermarket chain said the company had expanded its sourcing network to over 80 countries and regions, including Australia, mainland China, Japan and Thailand.
It also upgraded its online store with promotions, exclusive offers and in-store pickup service. Wellcome has teamed up with the Foodpanda delivery service and promises delivery in 45 minutes.
Hong Kong retail sales plunged 14.7 per cent in April year on year, the worst performance since March 2022 when it dropped 16.8 per cent, under the weight of cross-border spending.
*Name changed at interviewee’s request
