Mobile Shopping Increasingly Popular Among
Hongkongers: MasterCard Survey
Nine in ten consumers now shopping online
Hong Kong, 12 March 2014: Even as online shopping continues to grow, more Hong Kong
consumers are opting for the convenience of shopping on their smartphones with two in five
local shoppers making purchases via mobile devices, according to the latest MasterCard
Online Shopping Survey.
The ubiquity of internet-enabled mobile phones has many savvy shoppers in Hong Kong
(40%) shopping via their smartphones, marking a 15% increase since 2011. However, local
consumers seem to be less shrewd in terms of shopping via their smartphones with the city
ranked seventh in Asia/Pacific, behind China which is the No.1 market (59.4%).
The most popular products bought via mobile shopping include cinema tickets, clothing and
other fashion accessories, followed by e-coupons and deals, mobile apps and personal/beauty
care products. Compared to last year, most categories remained fairly steady, although
clothing and fashion accessories have been trending up over the last two years. Convenience
and more apps that make it easy are the key reasons for Hongkongers to shop.
Online Shopping
Almost nine in 10 Hongkongers made at least one purchase online in the last three months.
The city sees the number of online shoppers continue to grow from 79.4% in 2011, 87.4% in
2012 and 2013, placing Hong Kong sixth in Asia/Pacific and indicating its growing
importance in the local market.
“Given the extensive reach of smart phones and the increase of those who are conducting
mobile shopping in the city, there is strong potential for mobile phones to develop as a more
prominent platform for online purchases,” said Hai Ling, Division President of Greater China,
MasterCard.
“The survey also indicated that sites offering secure and convenient payment methods
continue to be top consideration for local consumers when shopping online via their mobile
phones, computers or tablets. MasterCard is committed to providing consumers with
convenient and safe payment options that enable a more seamless shopping experience,” he
added.
Mobile & Online Shopping in Asia/Pacific
Chinese consumers are most avid online and smartphone shoppers across all 14 markets in
Asia/Pacific, with nearly 100% of respondents from China indicating that they have made at
least one online purchase in the past three months. Taiwan is a top market for mobile
shopping in terms of growth rate (up by 17% since 2012) with 45.2% of respondents shopped
through their smartphones.
Across the 14 Asia/Pacific markets, convenience (46.8%), the ability to shop on the go
(41.3%) and the growing availability of apps that make it easier to shop (40.8%) emerged as
the most compelling reasons for driving smartphone shopping. Clothing and fashion
accessories (26.0%) topped the list of items purchased through smartphones, followed by
apps (22.4%) and music (18.8%).
MasterCard– Page 2
Mobile Shopping Increasingly Popular Among Hongkongers
The survey, which serves as a benchmark that measures consumers’ propensity to shop
online, was conducted across 25 markets between November and December 2013. The report
for the Asia/ Pacific1 region included interviews with 7,010 respondents from 14 markets who
were asked questions about their online shopping habits. The survey and its accompanying
reports do not represent MasterCard’s financial performance.
Percentage of Respondents Made a Purchase through Mobile Phone in the Past Three Months in
Asia/Pacific
Market
%
China
59.4
Thailand
51.2
South Korea
47.6
India
47.1
Indonesia
46.7
Taiwan
45.2
Hong Kong
40.0
Vietnam
34.9
Philippines
32.8
Malaysia
31.5
Singapore
31.4
Australia
24.8
Japan
22.9
New Zealand
15.0
MasterCard and its Suite of Research Properties
The MasterCard Index suite in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa includes the long-running
MasterCard Index of Consumer Confidence, as well as the MasterCard Index of Women’s
Advancement, MasterCard Survey on Online Shopping, MasterCard Index of Financial Literacy, and
the MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities. In addition to the Indices, MasterCard’s research
properties also include a range of consumer surveys including Ethical Spending and a series on
Consumer Purchasing Priorities (covering Travel, Dining & Entertainment, Education, Money
Management, Luxury and General Shopping).
MasterCard also regularly releases Insights reports providing analysis of business dynamics, financial
policies and regulatory activities in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa region. Over 80 Insights
reports have been produced since 2004. MasterCard has also released a series of four books on Asian
consumer insights, authored by Dr. Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Global Economic Advisor for MasterCard
and published by John Wiley & Sons.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments
industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial
institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.
MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling,
running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone.
Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers
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Contacts:
Denize Chan (852) 2533 9988, dchan@webershandwick.com
Matthew Liu (852) 2533 9927, mliu@webershandwick.com
1
Thailand, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, Malaysia. New Zealand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Singapore, India. Philippines.