Online shopping, northbound spending top students’ consumption, survey finds

A survey by the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau has found that online shopping and northbound spending have become popular ways for secondary school students to spend, with “cheaper prices” and “greater variety and choice of brands” the two primary considerations.

The survey, titled “Survey on Financial Concepts and Consumption Behavior of Macau Secondary School Students,” collected 1,550 valid questionnaires from students enrolled in full-time secondary schools in Macau, aiming to understand their financial concepts, consumption patterns, and money management across physical, online, and cross-border spending.

For online shopping, more than 80% of students use e-commerce platforms, and short videos and social media increasingly influence their purchasing decisions. Northbound spending is dominated by dining and entertainment.

The findings show that 83% of students have basic awareness of managing income and expenditure, but habits such as maintaining continuous accounts and setting savings goals are not yet widespread.

More than 85% most often pay with e-wallets for daily purchases, nearly 90% shop online, and over 80% have cross-border spending experience on the mainland. Yet, only 16% set clear savings goals, and 36% said they never record their personal income and expenditure.

More than 80% of respondents said their pocket money was “often left over” or “just enough,” indicating basic money management awareness.

However, this has not translated into sustained planning habits, with only 15% saying they “often” or “always” record income and expenses and set clear savings goals.

Students’ financial concepts come mainly from “their own consumption experience” and “the words and example of parents and family.”

Senior secondary students showed significantly higher recognition of school financial education than junior secondary students, suggesting greater demand for systematic financial education in higher year groups.

The three skills students considered most important, in order, were “distinguishing needs from wants,” “developing saving habits,” and “identifying consumption traps,” reflecting an expectation for practical, skills-oriented financial education.

With e-payment, online shopping, and cross-border spending now widespread and making students’ consumption decisions more immediate, the general association recommended that parents discuss pocket money budgets and set concrete savings goals with their children to foster habits of independent financial planning.

It also suggested that schools incorporate financial education into economics, general studies, or life education courses and design practical activities closely tied to daily life, such as recording income and expenses and identifying promotional tactics.

It added that the government should develop curriculum guidelines for financial education and regulate marketing practices targeting minors.