The inaugural Hong Kong Shopping Festival, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and supported by the Government of the Hong Kong SAR, will be held from 1 to 31 August across e-commerce platforms in Mainland China.
This new event aligns with measures to help Hong Kong SMEs access and expand in the mainland via e-commerce channels, announced in Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee’s Policy Address last year.
More than 230 Hong Kong brands are participating, offering unique products and exclusive discounts in six major categories: apparel and accessories, personal care and cosmetics, home and living, classic food, smart gadgets and health supplements. The event also promotes products suitable for the senior citizen market.
The Festival is themed Unveiling a New Lifestyle, Curated by Hong Kong. “Unveiling a New Lifestyle” refers to launching products in the market to enrich people’s lives, while “Curated by Hong Kong” reflects the meticulously selected Hong Kong quality products on offer.
Hong Kong SMEs will be able to leverage the extensive visitor traffic and diverse customer base of mainland e-commerce platforms to boost exposure and amplify the promotional impact in Mainland China. The initiative will also provide SMEs with practical experience in expanding into the mainland market via e-commerce, while enabling mainland consumers to gain access to and purchase quality Hong Kong products.
Mainland online retail sales reached RMB15.4 trillion (US$2.12 trillion) last year, up 11% from 2022, while online retail sales of physical goods reached RMB13.0 trillion, an 8.8% rise. Online sales accounted for 27.6% of retail sales of consumer goods last year.
Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “The mainland market has been developing in leaps and bounds, particularly the thriving e-commerce landscape. Diverse online channels, such as live-streaming, instant retail and social commerce, have become the new normal for many mainland consumers, involving a wealth of know-how.
“However, many Hong Kong SMEs are unfamiliar with the business culture and marketing channels in the mainland domestic market, especially for e-commerce, which has become a major pain point for many local enterprises. The inaugural Hong Kong Shopping Festival will help local SMEs gain practical experience and prepare them for expanding their mainland e-commerce operations.”
The Shopping Festival will be divided into two parts. The first part is the Discount Month from 1 to 31 August. An official campaign website features all participating companies, featured products and special deals.
Concurrently, the HKTDC will promote the event through various digital marketing channels, including Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Taobao, and JD, boosting visits to the official website and, in turn, to the SMEs’ online stores.
The second part will focus on live-streaming e-commerce. In late August, the HKTDC will invite some 20 notable mainland key opinion leaders to conduct live-streaming sessions on major e-commerce platforms, including Douyin, Taobao and JD, promoting 60 local brands.
This will help introduce Hong Kong products to more mainland consumers and give Hong Kong SMEs with no experience of live-streaming e-commerce an opportunity to understand the workings of mainland e-commerce platforms and digital marketing, a crucial first step in helping them expand into the Mainland China market.
