F.3D Group 6

Members:

Leader : Lo Ho Yan , Joyce (31)Member : But Wing Suet , Crystal (20)Lai Kei Ying , Alice (26)Lee Sze Wing , Celia (28)Ng Tung Yee , Ina (33)Ngai Wing Sze , Jessica (35)Pang Hoi Ki , Tracy (36)

In the past 50 years, the pawn shops are being replaced by banks and financial companies.

Are pawn shops still functional?

Should they stay or go?

• Pawn shops started when Buddhism spread in China. •The first legal pawn shop in Hong Kong came in 1926.•Developed well in HK after the Second world War.

•At early times pawn shops accepted something not very valuable. •Inside the door there is a big wood plank, called ‘ 遮醜板’ and there is a big Chinese text ‘ 押’ , which means “pawn”.

•Interest of pawn shops is very high <9 出 13 歸 >.

•‘ 朝奉’ is the most important person responsible for checking the values of things.

Now In 1998

134 250

Most of them are located in KowloonPlace Number of pawn

shop( 1998)Now

H.K. Island

73 29

Kowloon 132 65

N.T. 52 40

1. Telephone Interview

Data Collection

2. Street Survey

1. Telephone InterviewThe pawn shops we phoned:

Data Collection

Name Location Result-Success?

1.泰安大押 Sha Tin No

2.大興押 Sha Tin Yes

3.祥華大押 Sha Tin No

4.大榮大押 Sha Tin No

5.遇安押 Sha Tin No

6.永業大押 Sha Tin Yes

7.港發大押 Ma On Shan No

8.廣安押 Tai Po No

9.廣福大押 Tai Po Yes

10.德昌大押 Tai Po No

Phone Interview 1大興押

1) About 30 people.

2) No regular pattern.

3) No change.

4) No regular pattern. More people come to pawn shop on horse racing days.5) Sometimes.6) It’s because there are many people who go to Lucky Plaza to shop or bet.7) Between 20 and 80 years old.

11) How many people come to pawn shop every day?2)  What types of people come to pawn shop?3) Did the types of things that people pawn change in 1970s to 1980s?

4) Which days do you have more work to do?5) Do people come to redempt their things?6) Why do you choose to open your shop in Lucky Plaza?7) Can you tell us the age range of your staff?

Phone Interview 2

永業大押   11)About 15-20 people. 2)No regular pattern, mainly are elderly.3) Gold, watches, jewelry.

4) The horse racing day

5) Yes, there are about 70%

1)     How many people come to pawn shop every day?2) What types of people come to pawn shop?3) What type of things that the people will pawn usually?4) Which days you have more work to do?5) Do people come to redempt their things?

Phone Interview 3

廣福大押   11)     30 or above

2) No regular pattern. 3) Gold or jewelry

4) No regular pattern.

5) Sometimes.

1) How many people come to pawn shop every day?2) What types of people come to pawn shop?3) What type of things that the people will pawn usually?4) Which days do you have more work to do?5) Do people come to redempt their things? 

We can see that:

• Many pawn shops refused to provide any information. • They emphasize customers’ privacy and business.• The pawns shops remain a mysterious business.

Data Collection

2. Street QuestionnaireSurveys

• Date: 28th Jan, 2007

a horse racing day

• Place: Shatin Central Park

many pawn shops nearby

• Target: 50 people on the street

50% retired workers elderly

50% Domestic workers from the Philippines and the Indonesia

• Age: 25-35---45% 35 or above---55%

Findings - questionnaire

38%

62%

yes no

1.Have you ever been to pawn shops?

2.How often do you go to pawn shops?

0% 10%

15%

70%

5%

once a week once a month

twice a year go when necessary

others : 2 days

55%

11%

6%

11%

17%

jewelries electronic products

clothes goldwatches

3. What kind of things do you pawn?

4. How much do the pawn shops pay you per item?

0%

52%

16%

32%

$1-100 $101-500$501-1000 $1001 or above

5. Why do you pawn at pawn shops?

42%

58%

Easy to go

The bank does not accept application becauseof low income

6. Why don’t you go to pawn shops for a loan?

23%

77%

I t’s convenient to loan from the bank morethan the pawn shopEconomically I have enough money for dailylife

6. Do you think pawn shops would decline?

34%

66%

yes no

56%

44%

To be replaced by the banks.

The economic condition of Hong Kong isgood.

7a. Why do you think pawn shops WOULD decline?

35%

39%

26%

many elderly& domestic workers go to pawn shops

it is a convenient way to loan money

many pawn shops are beside betting courses

7b.Why do you think pawn shops would NOT decline?

Pawn shops would not decline!Because:

1.Telephone interviews:

• 30 customers go to the pawn shops to pawn things every day

→ pawn shops still have a stable income.

• staff are 20-80 years old

→some young people are interested in working in pawn shops.

• 33/50 -> pawn shops would not decline

∵ some people need pawn shops,

especially domestic workers.

• domestic workers -> ∵ can’t borrow money from banks.• bank loans only provide a huge credit each time & it takes a long time to get the money

2. Questionnaires(50 people):

The End