The Hong Kong Shopping Festival (Chinese Mainland), organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) with the support of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, concluded with an enthusiastic response, generating over 115 million total views across all online platforms—a 15% increase from last year. The event, held from August 1 to 20, featured more than 280 brands and 600 products, offering exclusive discounts and live-stream sales on Douyin, JD.com, and Taobao. Marketing campaigns on Xiaohongshu and WeChat further enhanced Hong Kong companies' digital capabilities, helping them capture opportunities in the mainland market.
Following this success, the Hong Kong Shopping Festival will expand into the ASEAN region for the first time, taking place on e-commerce platforms in Malaysia and Singapore from September 21 to 27. The ASEAN edition will feature over 350 products on dedicated campaign pages on Shopee and Lazada, with exclusive offers. An official website will be launched, and a limited-time online store will allow Hong Kong businesses to test market response and gain practical experience in these new markets.
The expansion is a strategic move to help Hong Kong enterprises tap into the rapidly growing Southeast Asian e-commerce market. Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, noted that participating brands have reported positive sales performance, and the government will continue to support e-commerce development through funding, training, and promotion assistance. Jacky Chung, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC, emphasized that the expansion will lay a solid foundation for Hong Kong businesses seeking to enter the ASEAN region.
The mainland edition's success was driven by innovative strategies, including more than 30 live-streaming sessions for around 90 brands, attracting over 10 million views. A new "Behind-the-Brand" origin-tracing live-stream series brought mainland teams to Hong Kong to tour factories and retail stores, enhancing consumer trust. Wai Yuen Tong, a health supplement brand, saw sales on its Tmall flagship store increase fivefold during the event. Social enterprise Hello Cocoa, which employs staff with special educational needs, entered the mainland market for the first time and achieved over 200,000 brand impressions. Hung Fook Tong, a third-time participant, doubled its sales compared to the same period last year after its products were featured by influencer Li Jiaqi.
The festival also introduced a new designer toys category to engage younger consumers, collaborating with artists Moon Lau and Kalok Chow. This initiative generated over 60 million views across social media platforms, a 20% year-on-year increase. Natural Made, a toy brand, leveraged the event to launch its original IP "Poru-Poru," resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in brand exposure and product save rates on Taobao.
Beyond promotional support, the festival offered comprehensive training programs, including one-on-one advisory services and e-commerce training, to help businesses develop their own marketing expertise. Eco.babe, a startup personal care brand, participated in live-streaming for the first time and saw insect repellent sales increase by over 50% year-on-year. Kenneth Lee, Marketing Lead at Natural Made, credited the HKTDC's training programs for providing practical insights into platform algorithms and AI tools.
The Hong Kong Shopping Festival is a flagship event of the HKTDC's year-round E-commerce Express, aiming to promote Hong Kong products globally. With the expansion into ASEAN, the festival continues to create business opportunities for Hong Kong companies, particularly SMEs, in new markets. The HKTDC, celebrating its 60th anniversary, remains committed to supporting trade and business development.
For more information on the ASEAN edition, visit the official website at http://hkshoppingfestival-asean.hktdc.com. Media resources are available at https://bit.ly/4gFDlqv.
