[Explanation] The Hong Kong epidemic has lasted for more than half a year, and all industries have been affected, and the auction industry is no exception.
In an interview with reporters, Shi Si, director of the jewelry and fashion department of Poly Hong Kong Auctions, said that the luxury goods industry is generally difficult to operate under the epidemic. Antiques, paintings and calligraphy auctions are special, because collectors of this type of lot tend to buy them only when they see the real objects. However, Hong Kong still implements a compulsory quarantine policy, and it is more troublesome to come to Hong Kong from other places.
[Explanation] Shi Si believes that the current economic trend is uncertain, and buyers can only "do what they can". The company's products sold in the spring auction have been greatly reduced, and the transaction volume will decline, but the transaction rate is over 80%, which is unexpected .
Shi Si analyzed that in the unstable economic environment caused by the epidemic, high-net-worth customers may be more inclined to invest in valuable auction items with relatively stable value.
[Concurrent] Shi Si, Head of Jewelry and Fashion Department of Poly Hong Kong Auction Company
There must be a gap between the total amount (sales this year and last year), because the amount of (lots) received this season is about 90 million or about 100 million Hong Kong dollars, but the final sale of jewelry is almost 7,000 To 80 million Hong Kong dollars.
(2019) Last year, almost 300 million Hong Kong dollars worth of goods were auctioned, and the final transaction was about 150 million Hong Kong dollars, so the (transaction rate) was about 50%, but this year's rate was much higher.
[Explanation] A Hong Kong art platform once concluded that even if affected by the epidemic, the total turnover of the three major international auction houses, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips, still reached HK$5.48 billion since 2020.
[Explanation] Shi Si said that under the epidemic, Hong Kong auction houses have begun to try new strategies, gradually shifting auctions from offline to online.
Poly Hong Kong is working on an online jewelry trading platform. It also plans to conduct a joint auction with Poly Beijing in October to ship Hong Kong lots to Beijing to provide customers with more choices and increase the transaction rate.
Some people in the industry also use VR technology to shoot videos to show jewelry details.
[Concurrent] Shi Si, Head of Jewelry and Fashion Department of Poly Hong Kong Auction Company
We (Poly) are already working on an online (auction) platform, and the Beijing branch is already working on some online websites and small programs, etc. These are already online, and we have a different one every month There are online auctions in the department and every day, and the transaction rate is good. Of course, online auctions are mainly small lots for the time being, but I think this trend will gradually change in the future.
[Explanation] Shi Si firmly believes that in the future, auction houses will inevitably usher in an era of online and offline integration. In the "epidemic" situation, it is precisely an opportunity to explore multiple strategies.
Reporter Zheng Haoxi from Hong Kong
Editor in charge: 【Luo Pan】