Apple Opens First Retail Store in Hong Kong to Huge Crowds

Crowds of thousands mobbed the first Apple Store in Hong Kong on its opening on Saturday.

Some customers camped outside the store for almost two days in order to be among the first in line, the Associated Press reported.

According to Richard Lai of Engadget Chinese, about 300 customers had already assembled outside the store by 3 a.m. Saturday morning.

One Apple enthusiast, Liu Jia-rong, a high school student from Shenzhen in mainland China, told reporters: I've always wanted to participate in this kind of event, to enjoy the atmosphere. It's cool.

Another visitor from Beijing, China, Henry Men Younfan, a 27-year-old doctoral student, told AP: I don't want to buy anything, I actually have everything already. I just want to feel the experience.

Sammy Wong, a local resident, told Bloomberg: “Hong Kong is an international financial center and has many users, Apple should have a store here. I’m very excited.”

Located in Hong Kong's upscale International Financial Center Mall in the central business district, this site opened the same day as the third Apple store opened in Shanghai, China. Apple also has two locations in Beijing.

Apple already has more than 100 resellers in Hong Kong, according to Apple Insider, and plans are underway to open a second retail location next year.

The company plans to have a total of 25 stores in China by next year, although that may not be achieved.

Nonetheless, Apple’s new chief executive, Tim Cook, has already emphasized that China, Taiwan and Hong Kong are key to the company’s continued strategic growth. In the most recent quarter, revenues generated in the so=called ‘Greater China region’ soared by six-fold to $3.8-billion.

I firmly believe that we're just scratching the surface right now. I think there is an incredible opportunity for Apple there, Cook said in July.

Sandy Shen, a Shanghai-based research director at Gartner Inc., told AP: China is a place with big potential, and that's probably why Apple is investing in this place and trying to ramp up their marketing and sales efforts.”

Hong Kong is a mecca for electronic gadgets and luxury-minded tourists from mainland China who are attracted to the substantially lower prices offered on the island.

According to Bloomberg, Paul French, founder of Access Asia, a market research firm, said: “You can’t ignore Hong Kong, it’s a great retail market. There is a lot of money in Hong Kong.”