Second Hong Kong Shopping Festival Drives E-commerce Growth with Over 100 Million Impressions

The second Hong Kong Shopping Festival concluded successfully in August 2025, achieving over 100 million total impressions across official websites, e-commerce platforms, and social media channels, representing an 11% increase compared to the previous year. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) with full support from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the festival featured nearly 260 brands and over 500 products from Hong Kong SMEs, providing mainland consumers with a month-long one-stop discount promotion.

The festival's enhanced presence on major platforms such as Taobao, JD.com, and Douyin utilized various promotional strategies including full-screen ads, keyword searches, push notifications, and lucky draws to drive traffic to event pages and associated online stores. Targeted advertising campaigns focused on high-end mainland consumers and visitors, significantly boosting visibility for participating Hong Kong businesses.

Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau emphasized the government's commitment to supporting enterprises in expanding operations in mainland and overseas markets through multi-pronged measures including funding schemes, training, and promotional activities. HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Patrick Lau noted that 78% of surveyed mainland consumers had purchased Hong Kong products online in the past year, highlighting strong demand for authentic, high-quality Hong Kong brands.

The festival received substantial support from renowned artists and over 30 mainland influencers, including Li Jiaqi and Lin Yilun, who conducted live-streaming sessions for more than 80 brands. These sessions attracted over 10 million views total, while discussions on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu surpassed 50 million views, amplifying reach across WeChat and Weibo communities.

Participating companies reported significant benefits, with Wah Yuen Foods experiencing a 50% sales increase during the event and Global Development's ADVT brand seeing a twofold sales increase despite seasonal challenges. The success has prompted several Hong Kong SMEs to explore establishing cross-border online shops to penetrate the mainland market further, leveraging insights gained from the festival to refine products and marketing strategies.

The HKTDC's year-round E-commerce Express program, launched this year with the shopping festival as its flagship event, will continue to provide support through capacity-building seminars, business consultations, outbound missions, and market news. This initiative aims to help Hong Kong SMEs effectively connect with target consumers and seize growing opportunities in the mainland e-commerce sector, reinforcing Hong Kong's role as a key player in regional trade development.