Pure Gold Stickers with 99.9% Purity Trending in China
Labor and Distribution Costs Push Prices to 8 Times the Market Rate
"Not for Investment... Low Liquidity"
As gold prices remain at elevated levels, ultra-small pure gold smartphone stickers are gaining popularity in China. While demand is surging due to the appeal of being able to buy gold at an affordable price, experts note that the price is excessively high compared to the actual value of gold, making these products unsuitable for investment purposes.
On February 27, the local Hubei Province media outlet Changjiang Cloud News reported, "With gold prices high, it has become difficult for consumers to purchase heavier products, leading to a rise in purchases of small-quantity gold smartphone stickers, particularly among younger people."
Gold Investment at a Low Price? Rising Demand Among Young Consumers
According to the report, a resident of Wuhan, identified as Ms. A, visited a store during the Lunar New Year holiday and purchased several gold smartphone stickers. She explained that she decided to purchase after seeing online promotional phrases such as "You can buy real gold for the price of a cup of milk tea" and "The first gold that the younger generation can buy in full."
The product Ms. A bought weighs 3 mg per sticker and costs 38 yuan (approximately 8,000 won). She said, "I thought the low purchase price and pure gold material made it suitable as a phone accessory or a holiday gift."
The media outlet reported that more than 200,000 pure gold smartphone stickers were sold on Taobao, China's largest e-commerce platform, last year. Online, 2 mg products are being sold for 65 yuan (about 13,000 won). Calculated by price per gram, this amounts to 32,500 yuan (6,802,250 won) per gram.
An online seller explained, "Labor costs account for a high proportion in small-quantity gold products, and packaging, logistics, and brand operation costs are also added." He added, "With the recent rise in gold prices, the price per gram has increased further."
Offline stores in Wuhan have also largely sold out of gold smartphone stickers. With demand concentrated among consumers in their 20s and 30s, thousands of stickers were reportedly sold during the Lunar New Year holiday period alone. Currently, most stores have run out of stock and only a few remaining items are left.
An employee at one store said, "The product weight ranges from 0.002g to 0.2g, and the unit price varies from 30 yuan to 200 yuan (6,300 won to 42,000 won)." He explained, "Many people purchase them for their symbolism and design rather than for the gold content itself."
Labor and Distribution Costs... Price Per Gram Is Eight Times Higher Than Gold Market Value
According to tests by the Sichuan Center for Gold, Silver, and Jewelry Quality Inspection, the 2 mg product was confirmed to have a purity of 99.9%.
However, there are criticisms that the price is excessively high compared to the market price when calculated per gram. In the case of the 3 mg sticker purchased by Ms. A for 38 yuan, the price per gram comes to approximately 12,666 yuan (about 2,650,000 won). On the same day, the selling price of gold jewelry was 1,566-1,570 yuan per gram, meaning the sticker price is about eight times higher.
An industry insider stated, "Gold smartphone stickers are small craft jewelry items and are different in nature from investment gold." He added, "The price includes manufacturing labor as well as brand and design costs." He further explained, "Small-quantity products may have lower liquidity than regular gold products, as issues such as purity testing and deduction for losses arise at the time of resale." He advised, "It is important for consumers to clearly distinguish between purchase for consumption and for investment, and to make careful decisions."
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