Nearly 80% of mainland Chinese consumers surveyed have purchased Hong Kong products online, according to new research from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which underscores opportunities for Hong Kong retailers to leverage live streaming and influencer marketing strategies to capture a larger share of China’s e-commerce market.

Consumer Behavior

The HKTDC survey of 2,200 middle-to-high-income mainland consumers conducted during the second and third quarters of 2024 reveals that 78% bought Hong Kong products online in the past year. These shoppers average 9.4 purchases monthly, with particularly strong activity among consumers in tier-one cities and the South China Greater Bay Area.

Young mainland consumers aged 18 to 29 show the highest engagement, with 83% making online purchases of Hong Kong products in the past year. Consumer electronics and electrical products lead demand at 72%, followed by luxury goods and fashion items.

“When shopping online, mainland consumers’ primary consideration is whether the products are genuine, not low prices,” Irina Fan Yuen-yee, HKTDC’s Director of Research, said in a statement.

The Role of Digital Content

The findings come as China’s digital content creation ecosystem undergoes significant expansion. Shanghai’s municipal government recently launched a policy package offering incentives up to 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) to transform China into a global hub for digital content creation, with specific provisions supporting AI-enhanced production methods.

HKTDC economist Eric Chu Tak-hin advises Hong Kong businesses to adopt multichannel strategies that leverage both traditional e-commerce platforms like Alibaba’s Taobao and emerging interest-based platforms such as RedNote and Douyin.

“Some Hong Kong businesses are still unfamiliar with how to communicate with mainland Chinese consumers,” Chu noted, adding that merchants should “conduct thorough market analysis and utilize data to choose the right influencer endorsements that align with their products to emphasize authentic user experiences.”

Market Scale and Technology Adoption

China’s live stream e-commerce market reached $691 billion in 2023, growing 35% year-over-year, while social commerce sales in China are projected to reach $899.57 billion this year, compared to $71.62 billion in the United States.

Technology adoption is accelerating, with over 993,000 digital avatar companies now registered in China. These AI-powered solutions enable content creators to multiply their output and reach, potentially increasing sales opportunities for Hong Kong retailers.

The HKTDC released these findings during its Hong Kong Shopping Festival 2025, running on mainland e-commerce platforms throughout August. The event features nearly 260 brands offering more than 500 products across seven major categories, and includes seminars on cross-border e-commerce, logistics, digital marketing, and live-streaming production.