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International Shipping
Hong Kong Shipping and Selling eCommerce Guide
Shipping and selling on the Hong Kong eCommerce market is easy with our guide. Find reliable & international ways to ship through USPS, DHL and more!
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Shipping to Hong Kong offers a lot of potential for savvy online merchants looking to go cross-border. Boasting a resilient economy, Hong Kong has many sustainable economic drivers and a diverse economic base with a wealthy populace.
With a population of approximately 7.4 million people, the country’s GDP Per Capita as of 2017 was $46,150, which is expected to reach approximately $54,008 by 2021. Its overall GDP was $341.2 billion as of 2017, making it an economic powerhouse despite its small size.
The Hong Kong economy offers a particularly attractive market overall, as it's a free port with zero customs tariffs and limited excise duties. It also maintains a solid rule of law and maximum respect for property rights.
Here’s a quick look at some insights into the eCommerce market for "Asia's World City," popular places to shop online in Hong Kong, what people in Hong Kong like to buy, and some important information about shipping to Hong Kong!
Hong Kong eCommerce Market Insights
Statistics indicate that there are approximately 4.2 million eCommerce users in Hong Kong. This number is expected to continue growing, with up to 1.2 million new users being expected to join the existing online users by 2021.
In fact, by 2021, approximately 5.4 million online shoppers are expected to spend an average of $1,021.81 shopping online annually.
74% of Hong Kong residents shop online via desktop
Although approximately 74 percent of eCommerce users in Hong Kong shop through their desktop, despite the fact that mobile devices are certainly popular there, most people in Hong Kong simply prefer to shop online the good, old fashioned way!
Internet and mobile device usage in Hong Kong currently stands at 81.6 percent and is expected to reach 84.3 percent by 2021. The use of smartphones in Hong Kong stands at 76.1 percent and is also expected to reach 80.7 percent in 2021. Though smartphone usage is high in Hong Kong, few online shoppers actually use them to buy products and services.
Popular online marketplaces in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has an interesting mix of local and international online marketplaces which have achieved popularity there. Some of these popular online marketplaces include:
What do people in Hong Kong like to buy online?
Currently, revenue from Hong Kong eCommerce sales across all product categories is approximately $3.71 billion. By 2021, revenue is expected to increase to $5.47 billion. Some of the categories that recorded the most sales include:
- Electronics and media, accounts for approximately $1 billion in eCommerce market share. By 2021, the market share is expected to increase to $1.6 billion.
- Fashion, accounts for approximately $991 million in market share, with an expected increase to $1.5 billion by 2021.
Other product categories include travel and tourism, consumer goods such as cosmetics, packaged food, wine and toiletries, and safety and security equipment.
Shipping Restrictions & Prohibitions in Hong Kong
Shipping to Hong Kong is a great choice for entrepreneurs given its lack of tariffs, robust economy, and close proximity to China. But as with anywhere, they don’t let just anything in, regardless of what it is! Before shipping to Hong Kong, it’s important to understand the region's restricted and prohibited items:
Restricted items to Ship to Hong Kong
- Agricultural pesticides
- Radioactive substances
- Rough diamonds
- Optical disc mastering and related equipment
- Dutiable commodities
- Strategic commodities
- Reserved commodities
- Pharmaceutical products
- Left-hand drive vehicles
- Hazardous chemicals
- Explosives
Prohibited items to Ship to Hong Kong
- Asbestos
- Actinolite
- Controlled chemicals
- Dangerous drugs like opium, heroin, cocaine, and morphine
- Electronic cigarettes
- Ivory and ivory-related products
- Pesticides
A more exhaustive list of prohibited items and restricted items can be found here.
Fortunately, Easyship knows a thing or two about shipping to Hong Kong as well - it’s where it all started for us! In particular, we offer useful guides for shipping and selling to Hong Kong while our rates calculator is a neat tool that shows you the couriers which offer the fastest, cheapest and best value shipping solutions to the East Asian city-state.
Best Shipping & Mailing Services to Hong Kong
There are a variety of international mail services that you can take advantage of when shipping to Hong Kong. Below are some solutions you can find on Easyship if you’re shipping to Hong Kong from the United States, Singapore, or Australia.
Best way to mail internationally from the United States to Hong Kong
If you’re shipping lightweight items under 4 pounds, consider these cheap overseas shipping options to Australia from the US:
Need to get your parcel to Hong Kong quickly? The best international priority shipping solutions for lightweight items from the US include:
For items heavier than 4 pounds, consider these cheap overseas shipping options:
The best international priority shipping solutions for heavier items from the US include:
Looking for some numbers? Use our Rate Calculator for shipping estimates from the US to Hong Kong. For more accurate rates, Get a Quote.
Best way to mail internationally from Singapore to Hong Kong
If you’re shipping lightweight items around 1 kg, consider these cheap overseas shipping options to Hong Kong from Singapore:
Need to get your parcel to Hong Kong quickly? The best international priority shipping solutions for lightweight items from Singapore include:
For items heavier than 1 kg, consider these cheap overseas shipping options:
The best international priority shipping solutions for heavier items from Singapore include:
Looking for some numbers? Use our Rate Calculator for shipping estimates from Singapore to Hong Kong. For more accurate rates, Get a Quote.
Best way to mail internationally from Australia to Hong Kong
Consider these cheap overseas shipping options to Hong Kong from Australia:
Need to get your parcel to Hong Kong quickly? The best international priority shipping solutions from Australia include:
Looking for some numbers? Use our Rate Calculator for shipping estimates from Australia to Hong Kong. For more accurate rates, Get a Quote.
How Long Does It Take to Ship to Hong Kong?
Shipping to Hong Kong takes anywhere between 3-10 business days with faster courier services, and about 10-20 business days with standard or economical courier services.
Shipping times are ultimately determined based on the shipping carrier and shipping method, so if you're looking to ship and deliver an item quickly, opt for a faster courier service.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship to Hong Kong?
No matter the destination of your parcel, the following factors impact the shipping cost for sending items to Hong Kong:
- Package dimensions
- Package weight
- Delivery destination
- Courier speed
- VAT/customs duties and taxes
We'll give you example rates for shipping a (5x5x5) 5-pound package to Hong Kong from different locations across the US.
Shipping from NYC, New York to Hong Kong
Shipping from Austin, Texas to Hong Kong
Shipping from Los Angeles, California to Hong Kong
The Cheapest Way to Ship to Hong Kong
Oftentimes, shipping to Hong Kong can take upwards of two weeks to ship an item, especially with Covid-19. We recommend using a shipping platform with pre-negotiated, discounted rates in order to curb common issues when shipping internationally.
Easyship offers up to 91% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ courier services and offers premium features and tools such as automated label generation, complete taxes and duties visibility, global fulfillment, and more.
We'll calculate the same rates for shipping a 5-pound package (5x5x5) from various locations to Hong Kong, China so you can get an idea of how much you'll save with Easyship.
When shipping from NYC, New York to Hong Kong
When shipping Austin, Texas to Hong Kong
When shipping from Los Angeles, California to Hong Kong
Hong Kong: A Prime Opportunity for Cross-Border eCommerce
eCommerce is really starting to take off in Hong Kong, making it a prime opportunity for smart online entrepreneurs, especially when using Easyship to power your international shipping.
With Easyship, you'll save up to 91% off discounted shipping rates and you'll gain instant access to features such as the following:
- Duties & Taxes Visibility: Easyship works out all duties and taxes for your international shipments to handle your international orders with ease. Calculate your duties for overseas shipments here
- Global Fulfillment: Easyship has warehouse partners on four continents to reach customers worldwide. Plus, Easyship helps scale up fulfillment capabilities without increasing overhead costs
- Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options, plus other vital information for your shipping process
Sign up for a free account today if you’re shipping from the U.S. or other countries to Hong Kong to take advantage of all our resources!
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If you found this article informative, you may enjoy the following:
- What's the Cheapest Way to Ship Internationally in 2022?
- 10 Most Popular International Shipping Services
- What's the Cheapest Way to Ship Packages in 2022?
*Originally published May 16, 2019. Last updated June 1, 2022.
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