Consumer watchdogs from Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao warned residents in the two special administrative regions on Tuesday of “significant risks” when purchasing domestic-sale-only goods from the Chinese mainland through cross-boundary e-commerce platforms.

The unprecedented joint warning, spearheaded by the Guangdong Consumer Council, highlights key challenges as economic integration deepens in the 11-city cluster Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Hong Kong and Macao consumers face regulatory mismatches, with mainland products adhering only to mainland   standards, rather than Hong Kong or Macao requirements. Complex logistics chains have increased risks of damaged goods, while refund shipping fees often fall on buyers due to fragmented return systems.

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The alert comes as complaints from consumers surge across Guangdong. In the first half of this year alone, the province handled 538,900 complaints, resolved 318,100 cases and recovered  222 million yuan ($30.94 million) in losses for consumers, the Guangdong Consumer Council said on Monday.

While cross-boundary e-commerce disputes aren’t itemized, the Guangdong authorities have warned of growing risks concerning "domestically-only" goods logistics and returns.

Returning goods to the mainland would mean a lot of physical and time burdens on consumers. In June, a Hong Kong consumer recalled his personal experience of returning a broken 65-inch television set he had purchased on Taobao by physically brining the oversized item to go through Customs. His post on Xiaohongshu sparked heated discussions.

Forced to wrestle the 65-inch oversized set through Customs elevators and X-ray scanners, he endured time-consuming and complex manual inspections with his friend.

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The authorities urged consumers to meticulously verify product specifications before purchasing goods, choose for inspection services for fragile items, and check Customs restrictions on banned items like fresh and frozen products.

The joint alert underscores growing pains in regional consumer protection as online shopping becomes the norm in daily life.  

Huang Yawen contributed to the story.