- 78% of respondents had bought Hong Kong products online in the past year particularly young consumers and those in areas with higher consumption levels.

- Online shoppers hold positive views of Hong Kong products and brands, giving an average score of 8.7 to Hong Kong products.

- Genuine products, reputable merchants and wide product selection are the most important considerations for respondents, over low prices and other factors when purchasing online.

- Mainland online shoppers mostly buy electronic, luxury and fashion goods from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) released the research report: Hong Kong Businesses Navigating Mainland China E-commerce Retail Market - Consumer Survey Results. The results show that Mainland online shoppers generally like Hong Kong products. Overall, 78% of respondents had bought Hong Kong products online in the past year. Mainland consumers have a high level of trust in Hong Kong brands and hold products in high regard. This provides a solid foundation for Hong Kong businesses to expand into the Mainland e-commerce market. Hong Kong businesses can leverage the advantage of Hong Kong brands and choose suitable platforms for e-commerce sales. The upcoming release of the E-commerce Case Studies report will focus on ways to develop e-commerce retail sales and serve as a reference for Hong Kong businesses looking to expand their market in the Mainland.

HKTDC Director of Research, Irina Fan, said: “Mainland consumers shop online frequently, averaging 9.4 purchases per month. This is particularly true for those in tier-one and Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities. When shopping online, Mainland consumers’ primary consideration is whether the products are genuine, not low prices. This suggests that Hong Kong businesses can leverage the superior quality of Hong Kong products and the strong reputation of Hong Kong brands in Mainland China to expand into the Mainland e-commerce market. They can flexibly use comprehensive shelf and ‘interest-based’ e-commerce platforms to sell online along with methods such as live-streaming and short videos for promotion, and stand out in the highly competitive market through targeted marketing strategies.”

HKTDC Research commissioned an agency to conduct a survey of 2,200 middle-income or above consumers from different Mainland cities during the second and third quarters of 2024. The aim was to learn about their online consumption habits, as well as their preferences regarding Hong Kong products. The findings will help Hong Kong companies better formulate appropriate strategies to tap the Mainland e-commerce retail market.

Online shopping characteristics of Mainland consumers

- Mainland consumers shop online frequently, averaging 9.4 purchases per month. This is particularly true for those in tier-one cities. Shopping frequency among women (10 times monthly) is higher than for men (8.8 times). By age group, consumers aged 30-49 demonstrate the highest online shopping frequency, averaging 11.2 purchases per month.

- Comprehensive e-commerce platforms are the predominant online shopping channel, with 95% of respondents using comprehensive/digital shelf e-commerce platforms to shop online. This figure far exceeds the use of live-streaming/short video platforms (38%) and group buying platforms (32%).

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