Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. (rocor/Flickr)
A Hollywood Reporter article today reports that Chinese shopping tour groups in Los Angeles are still going strong, and Beverly Hills department stores are going all out to make sure the buses roll up to their front doors. In addition to places like Saks Fifth Avenue offering Mandarin-speaking associates and taking China UnionPay cards, stores are also opening their doors earlier or later to accommodate the groups:
In addition, the article claims that the impending tour bus arrival is being used to sell products to other guests, although it is questionable as to whether or not this is effective:
Michael MacRitchie, the founder of Shanghai’s MGI Entertainment, a company which plans “ultimate experiences” for wealthy Chinese travelers such as trips to fashion week, describes the cachet of buying abroad:
Meanwhile, Pierre Denis, CEO of Jimmy Choo Ltd., states that Beverly Hills is particularly popular due to its association with the film industry:
MacRitchie also shares the opinion that we’re going to start seeing more and more Chinese customers buying niche brands instead of major labels when they go on their Stateside shopping sprees. “When a consumer has a handbag from Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada, they’ll soon want what nobody else has,” he said. “They’ll reach for the niche designer bags.”