HKTDC and Hongkong Post Strengthen Strategic Collaboration

5 December 2016 – With the increasing popularity of e-Commerce, more and more SMEs are turning to online sourcing platforms. To cater to the SMEs’ surging demand for e-Commerce, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Hongkong Post are strengthening their collaboration by offering postage rebates to suppliers selling via hktdc.com Small Orders (http://smallorders.hktdc.com) and shipping the products using the Speedpost service. The offer aims to help SMEs lower operating costs and enable them to seize new opportunities.

hktdc.com Small Orders featuring over 120,000 products
On 1 December, the HKTDC hosted a launch ceremony for the “Digital Export Marketing & E-Commerce Strategy” seminar at the HKTDC World SME Expo. Officiating guests included Loretta Wan, Director of Publications & E-Commerce, HKTDC and Estella Chow, Assistant Postmaster General (Business Development), Hongkong Post.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Wan said the hktdc.com Small Orders was launched in late 2014 to facilitate online transactions unrestricted by geographical borders and time constraints. Synergy can be created by combining online transactions with offline promotions at the HKTDC’s trade fairs to enable suppliers to reach more buyers. Over the past two years, the hktdc.com Small Orders online and physical platforms have featured more than 120,000 products from over 11,000 suppliers and generated more than 2.8 million business connections.

“We are glad that the hktdc.com Small Orders has received strong support from Hongkong Post since its initial launch in 2014,” said Ms Wan. “Hongkong Post has since become a partner and has provided efficient shipping services and concessions for Hong Kong’s SMEs to help them develop their e-Commerce businesses. Today, we are stepping up our support and are offering a postage sponsorship to SMEs to help them lower operating costs, attract buyers to place online orders at a more affordable price and create more business opportunities.”

Ms Chow said, “Hongkong Post has always worked seamlessly with the HKTDC to help local SMEs tap global business opportunities. In the past two years, we have provided convenient, reliable and economical shipping solutions to users of the hktdc.com Small Orders for them to efficiently deliver products to overseas buyers. We are glad to strengthen our collaboration with the HKTDC to allow more local SMEs to benefit from the immense global business opportunities this platform affords and closely connect with overseas counterparts.”

Postage rebate for SMEs on a first-come, first-served basis
Ms Wan said the hktdc.com Small Orders has already received orders from more than 90 countries and regions, reflecting that the platform has become very internationalised. Buyers have come from both traditional markets, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and emerging markets, including India, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Some of the orders have even come from regions that suppliers are less familiar with, including Kazakhstan, Venezuela and Romania.

From 1 December 2016 onwards, suppliers who receive overseas orders via hktdc.com Small Orders and ship the products using their Speedpost accounts can enjoy a postage rebate of a specific amount. The rebate will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until the total amount of sponsorship is exhausted. For details, please visit www.hktdc.com/SOspeedpost.

Earlier, the two organisations launched a promotional plan to help local retailers open online shops on hktdc.com Small Orders. The offer aimed to help retailers benefit from the global online shopping trend. Please visit www.hktdc.com/SOretailers for details.

Enhancing service and improving the buyer sourcing experience
Buyers and suppliers have been enthusiastic about the benefits of the hktdc.com Small Orders platform since the unique concept was first launched in 2012. In 2013, this innovative promotion platform received the “UFI Marketing Award”, recognising the platform’s ability to connect suppliers and buyers worldwide. In 2014, the HKTDC launched the hktdc.com Small Orders online transaction platform to let global buyers and SMEs conveniently complete transactions online, and partnered with Hongkong Post to offer postage rebates to attract more SMEs to conduct online transactions on this platform.

To further enhance international buyers’ mobile sourcing experience, the HKTDC launched the “HKTDC Marketplace” app this year to allow users to conveniently access HKTDC Trade Fairs, Product Magazines and hktdc.com Online Marketplace. The HKTDC has also added six more language options to the hktdc.com website, including Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, French, Italian and German, to eliminate the language barrier between buyers and suppliers and help SMEs reach more high potential overseas markets.

Websites:
hktdc.com Small Orders: http://smallorders.hktdc.com Details of the Postage Rebate offer:
http://www.hktdc.com/SOspeedpost
 

Media Enquiries: Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz     Tel: (852) 2584 4216           Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc

About the HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.