HKTVmall to invest HK$250m in marketing amid mainland rivalry

HKTVmall is planning to invest HK$250 million in marketing and advertising to attract users in 2026, aiming to increase its monthly user count to two million, according to HKTV's vice chairman and group CEO Ricky Wong.

Speaking at HKTVmall Vision Day 2025 on Tuesday (12 November), Wong said 1.6 million Hong Kong residents visit the HKTVmall app each month, yet only 600,000 make purchases. He believes the remaining one million users are not converting mainly due to product availability, suggesting that expanding sourcing could be a key focus for the platform.

Meanwhile, northbound shopping has become a regular trend among Hongkongers, with residents aged between 18 and 64 spending HK$10.6 billion monthly in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), according to Ipsos. At the same time, mainland eCommerce giants are entering the Hong Kong market, adding new dynamics to local online shopping.

Facing competition from the three major mainland eCommerce platforms—Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo, which offer low-priced products and free shipping—Wong said as a local shopping platform, HKTVmall welcomes this rivalry. 

“I believe that the three major giants coming to Hong Kong can change the consumption patterns in the city and drive advancements in the retail industry; I even believe they could save Hong Kong's retail sector,” he said.

He added that the three major mainland platforms and HKTVmall should be seen as allies in the competition for the physical store market. He believes that once consumers adapt to online shopping, they are unlikely to return to traditional stores, resulting in a continual decline in physical retail. To maintain its leadership position, HKTVmall must continually enhance its investments.

Regarding the price advantage of mainland platforms, Wong said that HKTVmall can collaborate with merchants from these platforms or local businesses to access mainland suppliers. The focus should be on reducing operational costs in Hong Kong and leveraging their familiarity with the local market.

Facing competition from mainland eCommerce platforms, Wong said that he is not afraid. While those platforms may have advantages in pricing and product variety, their products come from hundreds of thousands of suppliers, with whom HKTV can also collaborate. Additionally, HKTV's deeper understanding of Hong Kong consumers' needs gives it a significant competitive edge.

"We won’t be stagnant like some traditional department stores in Hong Kong; they will ultimately fail,” Wong said.

He emphasised that HKTVmall will continuously evolve and transform. As a platform, the most important aspect for HKTVmall is the variety of products and price options. "The Hong Kong market is small, so we need to cater to everyone, regardless of whether customers are high-end or budget-conscious. To do this, we must offer a diverse range of products,” he said. 

To address the evolving market environment, HKTVmall announced plans to launch a "three-hour delivery" service in the first quarter of next year during the event, aiming to reduce delivery times from the current eight hours. This service will include 100,000 products across categories such as supermarkets, wet markets, and personal care.

Currently, 5% of the company's employees come from mainland China, and Wong said that the goal is to increase this proportion to 15% by the end of 2027 to enhance its presence in the mainland market.

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