Chinese mainland consumers like buying Hong Kong products online, valuing Hong Kong brands for their high quality, strong reputation and authenticity, according to a survey released on Thursday by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

Nearly 78 percent of mainland consumers purchased Hong Kong products in the past year, according to the survey covering 2,200 middle-to-upper-income mainland consumers during the second and third quarter of 2024. The survey highlights robust consumer confidence in Hong Kong brands among mainland online shoppers, who widely associate them with superior quality and authenticity.

Hong Kong products enjoy favorable evaluations from mainland consumers, achieving an overall rating of 8.7 out of 10, the survey shows. Mainland consumers exhibit strong trust in Hong Kong brands and hold their products in high regard, underscoring opportunities for Hong Kong businesses to capitalize on their advantages to expand into the competitive e-commerce landscape of the mainland.

READ MORE: E-commerce a hit at Hong Kong shopping festival

Mainland consumers shop online frequently, averaging 9.4 purchases monthly, with younger demographics (aged 18-49) and high-income regions like first-tier cities leading the trend, according to the survey.

For mainland online shoppers, trustworthiness is critical: authenticity, guaranteeing reputable sellers, and product variety rank as their top purchasing considerations, all outweighing price in importance.

When purchasing cross-border or imported products, mainland online consumers show a clear preference for Tmall International (73 percent) and JD International (63 percent), based on the survey. These platforms are followed by Douyin E-Commerce Global (30 percent) and Amazon China (21 percent) in popularity for cross-border online shopping of mainland consumers.

HKTDC Director of Research Irina Fan said at the news conference that reliable delivery capability has become a crucial competitive factor in attracting online shoppers from the mainland. The mainland’s logistics network delivers exceptional efficiency, with customers typically receiving their orders within 3.2 days on average, she added.

For newly launched e-commerce products, marketing visibility is the most critical success factor in the mainland e-commerce market, followed by product quality and distinctive design, Fan said. This is why Hong Kong businesses entering mainland platforms should prioritize strengthening their promotional efforts from the outset, she added.

Quality remains the primary consideration for mainland online shoppers, closely followed by seller reputation when making purchase decisions, she added.

HKTDC Principal Economist Wing Chu said at the news conference that mainland online consumers generally welcome Hong Kong products, with higher-income regions showing particularly strong preference. Younger demographics also demonstrate above-average enthusiasm for Hong Kong brands, he added.

Regarding cross-border delivery speed for Hong Kong products sold in the mainland, establishing multiple pre-positioned warehouses is a good solution, Chu said. By selecting the optimal warehouse based on the consumer's location for shipment, logistics speed can be significantly improved, he said.

READ MORE: Hong Kong Shopping Festival 2025 to come in August

The principal economists said that mainland online shoppers prioritize official brand specifications when purchasing Hong Kong products. In beauty categories specifically, female consumers frequently reference Hong Kong-based KOL product reviews alongside official channel information, he added.

HKTDC economist Eric Chu said that the HKTDC has been intensifying exchanges and cooperation with mainland merchants and service providers to help Hong Kong businesses better understand the operational models and strategies of mainland e-commerce platforms.

Hong Kong merchants need to strengthen their competitiveness across all the mainland market’s e-channels, such as Xiaohongshu, Eric Chu said. Hong Kong businesses must thoroughly comprehend platform operation rules of the mainland e-platforms, including merchant onboarding requirements, traffic distribution mechanisms, and policy characteristics, he added.

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com