HONG KONG -- Rachel, a 30-year-old flight attendant in Hong Kong, used to carry a suitcase back home packed with luxury goods that she purchased on every trip to Europe. She would resell most of the items to local buyers for a profit and keep her favorite ones.
Yet, her lucrative side business of daigou -- Chinese for "buying on behalf of" -- has suffered a major blow since the financial hub entered a recession amid the prolonged anti-government protests last year. Now her full-time job is also at risk as the coronavirus outbreak has grounded flights, and her employer -- like many other airlines -- has asked all staff to take unpaid leave.
