Cet été, nous avons pu lire de nombreux articles annonçant la fin de l’argent liquide à partir de janvier 2022. Le développement des modes de paiements alternatifs annoncent-il l’obsolescence des espèces ? A quoi ressemblera le quotidien sans pièces ni billet et, nous iront plus loin, sans carte bancaire ?
C’est à peu de choses près le quotidien de près d’un milliard de chinois qui payent avec leur téléphone portable.
En sortant de chez soit le matin, vous achetez un jian bing au petit marchand en bas, et le payez en scannant son QR code. Vous l’emportez dans le bus, et plus besoin de sortir votre carte de métro, vous scannez votre QR code à la borne. A midi, vous commandez sur une application de livraison de nourriture, et au moment de payer, vous n’avez qu’à valider le paiement, votre compte de paiement est directement lié à votre application.
Le soir au supermarché, le caissier scanne votre QR code, vous passez chez le primeur, achetez vos fruits, et scannez le QR code du primeur, tout ça sans jamais sortir une pièce de monnaie.
En rentrant vous commandez quelque chose sur un site de e-commerce, et payez de nouveau avec votre smartphone.
Le propriétaire de votre appartement vous réclame le loyer du mois, et vous lui transférez l’argent instantanément sur l’application de messagerie.
Comment ce système fonctionne ?
Vous devez avoir un compte bancaire, que vous liez à vos applications de paiement mobile. En Chine, les deux principales sont Wechat Pay (du géant Tencent), et Alipay (du géant Alibaba). A noter que les deux ne sont pas utilisables en toutes situations, par exemple, il est impossible de commander sur Taobao (Alibaba) avec Wechat Pay.
Ensuite, il suffit de scanner le QR code du commerçant, ou qu’il scanne le vôtre, pour effectuer la transaction. Vous aurez besoin d’un mot de passe (ou de touch ID/face ID) pour accorder le paiement. Sur l’application de messagerie Wechat, il suffit d’ajouter une personne pour lui transférer de l’argent.
Ce système existe-t’il en France ?
Oui et non, il existe, mais il n’est pas autant au point qu’en Chine.
Vous connaissez sûrement Apple Pay, qui vous permet de payer jusqu’à 30€ grâce à votre téléphone portable.
Vous connaissez peut-être Lydia, qui permet de transférer de l’argent par sms à d’autres personnes détentrices de l’application, ou même parfois de payer un commerçant détenteur du système.
Ces modes ne sont pas encore très répandus en France, mais ce n’est que le début.
Si les banques ne se penchent pas sur cette question, des entrepreneurs prendront le devant et créeront une application de paiement mobile qui permettra de lier son compte bancaire à l’application, envoyer de l’argent à un ami, payer un commerçant, payer sur internet…
Y-a-t’il un risque ?
Pas plus qu’avec une carte bancaire classique. Pour payer avec son téléphone, il faut le déverrouiller, puis autoriser le paiement grâce à un autre mot de passe. En cas de vol, on peut toujours appeler la banque et bloquer la carte liée.
Les chiffres en France :
En France, le retrait moyen au distributeur automatique de billet est de 30€, soit nettement moins que dans le reste des pays Européens.
Le moyen de paiement le plus largement utilisé est la carte bleue à 50%.
Le paiement en liquide tend à réduire, et le paiement sans contact tend, lui, à se développer.
For the release of their new fragrance Only The Brave High, the teams of L’Oréal Luxe and 84.Paris have chosen to offer the experience of “the feeling of being at the top of the world”.
Thanks to virtual reality, customers in shopping centres where the device was installed were able to enjoy an extraordinary experience.
Equipped with a virtual reality headset, the user finds himself at the top of a New York building. The game consists of walking along the windows, and grabbing the perfume. For a realistic effect, boards have been installed (to imitate the window sills, and which are visible through the helmet) as well as a replica of the perfume bottle that players must grab. Guaranteed real effect.
According to 84.Paris, the experience generated about 30 articles on the subject, and perfume sales increased by 120% in the shopping centres where the campaign was carried out.
https://backlight.fr/virtual_works/diesel/
Chloe x Nomade
In March 2018, Les 4 Temps de la Défense welcomed the promotion of Chloé’s latest fragrance: Nomade. Visitors were able to experience the immersion advertising campaign. A 120m2 space, equipped with digital screens, allows you to dive into the heart of the Chloé Nomade campaign, filmed at 360 degrees.
The senses were tested with an olfactory experience to discover the perfume.
The desire to travel has seduced the millennials.
Perfume Kenzo World 360°
Kenzo is partnering with SmartVR studio and Spike Jonze to create the new Kenzo World campaign.
The explosive and colourful advertising clip created by Spike Jonze has been transformed into virtual reality thanks to the creation of personalized cardboards. Users were able to discover them by visiting the perfumery and live a unique experience: the clip transposed into virtual reality.
A l’occasion de la sortie de leur nouveau parfum Only The Brave High, les équipes de l’Oréal Luxe et 84.Paris ont choisi de faire vivre l’expérience de « la sensation de se trouver au sommet du monde ».
Grâce à la réalité virtuelle, les clients de centres commerciaux où le dispositif était installé ont pu vivre une expérience hors du commun.
Equipé d’un casque de réalisté virtuelle, l’utilisateur se retrouve au sommet d’un immeuble new yorkais. Le jeu consiste à marcher le long des fenêtres, et s’emparer du parfum. Pour un effet réaliste, ont été installés des planches (pour imiter le rebord des fenêtres, et qui sont visibles grâce au casque) ainsi qu’une réplique du flacon de parfum dont les joueurs doivent s’emparer. Effet de réel garanti.
Selon 84.Paris, l’expérience a généré une trentaine d’articles sur le sujet, et les vente du parfum ont augmenté de 120% dans les centre commerciaux où la campagne a été réalisée.
https://backlight.fr/virtual_works/diesel/
Chloé x Nomade
En mars 2018, Les 4 Temps de la Défense on accueillit la promotion du dernier parfum de Chloé : Nomade. Les visiteurs ont pu expérimenter la campagne publicitaire en immersion. Un espace de 120m2, équipé d’écrans digitaux, permet de plonger au cœur de la campagne de Chloé Nomade, filmée à 360 degrés.
Les sens ont été mis à l’épreuve avec une expérience olfactive pour découvrir le parfum.
L’envie de voyage a séduit les millenials.
Parfum Kenzo World 360°
Kenzo s’associe à SmartVR studio et Spike Jonze pour créer la nouvelle campagne de Kenzo World.
Le clip publicitaire explosif et coloré réalisé par Spike Jonze a été transposé en réalité virtuelle grâce à la création de cardboards personnalisés. Les utilisateurs ont pu les découvrir en se rendant en parfumerie et vivre une expérience unique : le clip transposé en réalité virtuelle.
It’s not a secret, the counterfeit manufactures in China copy a lot of goods, and you can find them in touristic cities such as Shanghai. There are many fake markets in Shanghai, but we’ll focus on the main one : the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum’s fake market. Easily accessible with the line 2 (light green), it is a massive underground market.
But what can you find in this market ? Where to find it ? And at what cost ?
What to find ?
Luxury or not, you can basically find anything in the fake market, from underwear items to electronics, and from unusable to long lasting items.
You can buy clothes, shoes, make-up, make-up accessories, bags (handbags, backpacks, clutch bags, wallets…), suitcases, watches, jewels, jade, pearls, toys, electronics, telephone accessories, glasses, tea, Chinese souvenirs, and many other things.
Where to find ?
Exit 7 : Fabric market
There, you’ll be able to make taylor made suits and other clothes for yourself. Find the right store for you, with the fabrics you like. They usually have books full of other fabrics, so tell the sellers your project, and they will find you the perfect fabric.
These items are more pricy than in the rest of the market because they are taylor made. You can maybe try to bargain 10 to 20% off, but please remember that they are made with your measurements, and will be a unique piece.
Some pieces are already exposed for you to get inspiration, and know that some are also available to be bought : they will be cheaper. You can also find inspiration in books they have, or bring a photo with you.
Once chosen, they’ll take your measurement, and tell you the price. Once a deal is reached, you will be asked to pay a down payment. Then, you will have to wait about a week (if not less) in order to go back to collect your piece(s). You can ask for a little retouching, wait a few days, and then pay the rest and leave with your clothes.
Exit 8 : Yada pearl market
This is the place where you will find pearls, jades and other jewels.
Some are real and some are replicas, so be careful. In order to know if a pearl is real, rub two pearls gently against each other. If a little powder falls, they are real, otherwise, be careful.
Exit 7 and 8 : Glasses zone
When entering the fake market from exit 7 or 8, walk straight forward and you will find the glasses zone. There, you will be able to buy fake glasses, and fake sunglasses.
If you come with a prescription, or your glasses, they will be able to make you prescription glasses. Otherwise, they almost all have optician equipment if you don’t have the prescription or the glasses.
Prescription glasses are made within 30 minutes, and progressive glasses are made in about 24 hours.
Elsewhere
In other exits, you will find all the other items you are looking for, they are all one next to the other without any logic. Have fun looking into every shop !
At what cost ?
Note that the prices here are indicative/medium prices, you may find lower and higher prices according to the quality of the items, and the evolution of purchasing power. If you find that the quality is bad, bargain less than indicated, otherwise, higher the price a little bit.
Glasses
Prescription glasses : 140 rmb
Progressive glasses : 170 rmb
Sunglasses : 90 rmb (according to the quality)
Clothes
Shirt : 50-80 rmb
Football shirt + shorts : 60 rmb
Sweatshirt : 100-140 rmb
Shoes : 90-140 rmb
Boots : 150-200 rmb
Regular coats : 140 rmb
Coats with fur hood and goose feathers : 320 rmb
Bags
Bags : 100 rmb
Handbags : 200-600 rmb (depending on the model and the quality)
Backpacks (50-70L) : 120-160 rmb
Rigid suitcase : 180 rmb
Accessories
Belt : 50-80 rmb
Watches : 70 rmb
Underwear : 8 rmb
I strongly advise you to check the prices beforehand on Taobao, so you have an idea of the prices. Counterfeit products will be more expensive than regular items you find on Taobao, but not much more.
Useful tip
Once in a shop, ask the sellers to show you the best quality items they have. Some do not have, but some will take you to the back room, or bring you suitcases full of quality goods. They will tell you that they are more expensive but you can bargain a good price out of them.
Now, how to bargain ?
Sellers will tell you everything you want to hear for you to buy them something : “it’s real leather”, “it’s the best quality”…
It’s useless to tell them what’s wrong with the product you want to buy, in order for them to lower the price. They don’t care.
Now, I found that the best way to bargain is to tell them the exact price you want to pay, and never go higher (or lower). The bargaining session will be shorter because they see they cannot get more from you.
You will know that you paid too much if the bargaining session was short. If your price is too low, the seller will stop bargaining with you.
If your price is right, they often will agree on a price 10 rmb higher than what you are asking. They are just trying to get a little bit more than what you want to pay, so either you can tell them you cannot pay 10 rmb more for the item, and they’ll agree anyway, or agree to give them a little bit more. It is your choice.
In order to argue on the price, some people advise to show the seller how bad the quality is. I would say it is useless. Just tell them you have no money and you cannot spend more than xx rmb, and that’s it. Repeat that until they agree with your price.
You can also start walking away from their shop, and that should shorten the bargaining session. They will literally chase you down the alleyway to make you buy the item.
Remember to be nice and to smile, even though they seem to rip you off, the sellers are here to make a living.
How to pay ?
In order to pay the items you buy, you have to :
Bring cash (or a credit card, because there are ATMs in the metro station)
Or pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay (I strongly advise you to only pay with these two solutions, as you won’t need to walk in the market with a lot of cash… you never know). There is no signal in the market but you can ask for the wifi password in each shop.
When is the best moment ?
I found the best moment to bargain easily in the fake market, is during the week and at the opening time (9:30). Sellers will not have sold anything yet so your bargaining power will be higher. You will not have very cheap prices, but bargaining at cheaper prices will be easier and faster, as they will want to ensure earning money, and not let you go without trying to reach a deal.
The worst time is the week-end, during the foreign tourists holidays, and in the afternoon. The fake market will be full of western tourists, and the sellers will have sold a lot of items, and will not want to lose time when they see you are not easy. They will prefer start ignoring you and attend other tourists who come into their store to maybe buy at higher prices.
Be careful :
Before letting you go shopping, I must specify that it is totally forbidden to buy and bring counterfeits back to your home country, or anywhere else on the globe. If you get caught with those by the customs, you could be fined once or twice the value of each authentic item, plus a 300 000€ fine and 3 years imprisonment for the French customs for example. Usually the fines do not go up to that point but know it is risky.
However, I still recommend you to go and have a look as it is a real experience to do once in a lifetime.
