Consumers from the mainland exhibit a strong confidence in brands from Hong Kong, with 78 percent having purchased Hong Kong products online within the past year -- particularly prevalent among high-spending individuals from Tier-1 or Greater Bay Area cities -- according to a survey by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).
HKTDC commissioned an agency to interview 2,200 middle-class consumers in the mainland during the second and third quarters of 2024, and the report on Hong Kong Businesses Navigating Mainland China E-commerce Retail Market - Consumer Survey Results was released on Thursday.
Among the respondents who have bought Hong Kong products online in the past year, 85 percent are from the Tier-1 cities, 81 percent in the Greater Bay Area, 78 percent in Tier-2 cities and 74 percent living in the Tier-3 cities.
In terms of age distribution, 83 percent of respondents in the 18-29 age group said they had bought Hong Kong products online in the past year, followed by consumers aged 30-49 that accounting for 82 percent, while the proportion among consumers above 50 years old stood at 65 percent.
In Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, as well as those in GBA, significantly more female consumers have bought Hong Kong products online.
Consumers identified authenticity as the most critical factor when making purchases, followed by brand reputation and product diversity, with price being the least significant consideration.
Meanwhile, the average rating for Hong Kong products has reached 8.7, particularly for electronics, luxury items, and fashion products.
"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," HKTDC Director of Research Irina Fan Yuen-yee said.
She added that local businesses can leverage the advantage of Hong Kong brands, and flexibly use comprehensive shelf and "interest-based" e-commerce platforms to sell online along with gimmicks like live-streaming and short videos for promotion.
The Principal Economist (Greater China) of HKTDC Wing Chu noted that consumers generally demand quick delivery, and their expectations in this regard continue to rise.
"It's worth noting that Mainland consumers who purchase Hong Kong products online tend to spend a higher average order amount on children's products, drugs and health supplements, and pet products compared to the overall average," he added.
