2024 bazaar｜An updated guide on the upcoming Hong Kong creative markets

After the end of the epidemic, the Hong Kong economy is gradually recovering. In order to create business opportunities, many shopping malls and large venues have come up with different ways to attract more people–creative bazaars have emerged as a result. For newly established businesses, bazaars are an opportunity to increase brand exposure and reach out to potential new customers, and are especially suitable for those who are starting out and want to broaden their customer base. In this article, we will summarise the type of bazaars to be considered in Hong Kong and how to apply for them.

KPay's newly launched QR Code Payment is specially designed for merchants who frequently participate in bazaars; together with the POS system on KConnect's merchant operations management platform, it allows one-stop management of all bills and records, and even the setting up of a CRM system with exclusive privileges, which makes it easy to operate a stall! If you are a frequent participant of various bazaars and pop-up stores, you can't miss the following content!

Benefits of participating in a bazaar

• Promote your brand effectively 

• Enhance your understanding of the market and potential customers

• Meet like-minded merchants and learn from each other

• Less experienced merchants can promote their own products and gain real business experience

How to participate in a bazaar

There are a number of organisations which organise bazaars in different districts. Below are some useful websites and groups that will help you get the latest information: (Chinese only)

• Fair hk

• HKMO

• Hong Kong Handicraft Street 

• Popup easy

• Market Fairish

• Hong Kong Fair Info Group (Facebook)

• Hong Kong Hawker Help Group (Facebook)

Rental of bazaar stalls is also a factor to be considered. In general, the daily rental is around HKD 500-800, depending on the location and date. Before joining the bazaar, merchants should read carefully the information about the bazaar, such as whether electricity is provided or whether the stalls are pet-friendly, etc. This will help shop owners to be well-prepared for the bazaar.

2024 upcoming bazaars (Oct-Dec)

*English names are translated for demonstration purpose and are not official

Factors to consider before participating in a bazaar

Before participating in a bazaar, there are several considerations.

Theme: If the theme of the bazaar is related to your brand or the products you are selling, it will naturally be easier to pass the organiser's approval and stand a better chance of meeting the expectations and needs of your guests. For example, if the theme of the bazaar is winter handicrafts and you are a merchant selling hand-knitted scarves, more guests will be interested in your products.

Time: Most bazaars are held on weekends and public holidays, but some are held on weekdays. Therefore, before you sign up for a bazaar, you should also pay attention to whether the date of the bazaar is suitable for you, especially whether it will affect the business of your store.

Location: Bazaars are held all over Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, so whether the location is convenient for you is also very important, as transportation of products is one of the expenses. There are outdoor and indoor locations for bazaars. For food and beverage stalls, it is important to note whether you need to bring extra equipment to preserve your food.

Payment arrangements: With the prevalence of electronic payment, many people have developed the habit of not bringing cash with them. If you want to increase your sales rate, you have to consider accepting electronic payment. Due to the limited area of the booth, the design of the cash register needs to be compact in order to maximise the space for displaying the products. Considering the large number of people in the market, customers do not stay in each booth for a long time. To capitalise on every business opportunity, the ease and speed of the payment process is crucial.

The best choice for stall owners: KPay QR Code Payment

To meet the different needs of mobile merchants, KPay introduces a new QR Code Payment solution to enhance your operational efficiency and profitability!

Difficulty 1: Limited capital at the early business stage 
KPay solution: 
With QR Code Payment, merchants only need to pay transaction fees to collect electronic payments. This allows you to start your business with extremely low cost. It is suitable for new entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises. 

Difficulty 2: Venue might not have internet or power outlet, which affect the use of payment equipment 
KPay solution: 
QR Code Payment does not require hardware to collect payments. You only need to print out the QR code and your payment collection efficiency will not be affected by external factors.

Difficulty 3：Long queues and waiting time, leading to customer loss
KPay solution:
By placing the QR code in a prominent position and allowing customers to scan it themselves, the payment collection time is greatly reduced and the efficiency is enhanced. For example, in the West Kowloon Cultural District, music festivals, food festivals or Lunar New Year's Eve and other crowded scenes, merchants using QR Code Payment can shorten the payment process to 10 seconds, so you can seize every business opportunity.

Difficulty 4: Difficult to ensure payment of every transaction when there are lots of customers
KPay solution: 
KPay App is equipped with a payment reminder sound function, which helps you easily confirm whether the payment has been made or not. It also eliminates the need for the customer to show you the phone screen, which is convenient for both parties. Using KPay's QR Code Payment function and turning on the payment reminder sound, you only need to hear the sound to confirm that the customer has paid, which saves much time.

Difficulty 5: Retailers may not have a mobile POS system
KPay solution: 
For mobile payment collection scenarios such as bazaars and pop-up stores, merchants need a mobile device. mPOS and tabletPOS are good choices. KConnect merchant operations management platform provides over 100 operation systems and tools, including POS systems that are suitable for all industries and can be used on mobile devices, including Storeberry, Boutir, and Eats365 etc. This allows merchants to save time and money by not having to carry around bulky traditional POS systems when attending the bazaar. During the event, you can use the tablet to place orders, which is easy to carry around; with the QR code for payment, it takes the burden off of him to look after the shop alone. At the end of each day, he can browse the integrated record of all sales methods on the KPay App, which is convenient for him to adjust the sales strategy on the next day.

KPay's new QR Code Payment function provides merchants with a simple, fast and space-saving way to collect payments, bringing a more efficient payment experience to merchants with limited store space or those who are always on the go. Click the button below to learn more!