Although Hong Kong received a “B” in overall “ease of importing goods”, the “Ease of doing business” rating may be alarming. Considering the political instability due to Hong Kong’s relationship and proximity to China, the U.S. Department of State has an advisory to not travel to Hong Kong. Additionally, there could potentially be transit and clearance delays for packages because of COVID shutdowns, low staffing, and arbitrary enforcement of local laws. However, Hong Kong is a free port, and importing shipments is typically easy.
Population | 7.65 million (2023) |
GDP | 441 billion USD (2022) |
GDP per capita | 52,130 USD (2022) |
Internet penetration | 93% of the population use the internet (2022) |
Ecommerce users | 72.6% of the population shop online (2022) |
Leading product categories | Travel, health and beauty, consumer electronics, clothes and apparel, groceries, and household goods |
Preferred online payment method(s) | Debit and credit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, and cash |
Languages | Chinese and English |
Currency | Hong Kong dollar/HKD/HK$ |
The landed cost for a cross-border transaction includes all duties, taxes, and fees associated with the purchase. This includes:
Further explanation of de minimis, tax, and duty provided below
Hong Kong is a free port, so taxes, duties, and fees will not be charged on most imports.
Hong Kong does not levy a tax on imports.
Hong Kong does not charge duty on imports.
The Hong Kong Government charges excise duties on liquors, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. The duties are applied according to their alcoholic strength or charged at specific rates per unit quantity. These are the only four items Hong Kong charges excise duty on.
Below is a sample landed cost breakdown for Hong Kong, as a free port, calculated using Zonos Quoter:
Landed cost for a shipment to Hong Kong:
Hong Kong has at least eight trade agreements. Hong Kong, as a free port, engages in trade agreements with other countries and expect similar treatment in return. Hong Kong is also a member of several prominent Asian trade agreements:
Hong Kong is a member of the World Trade Organization
As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Hong Kong must abide by the most-favored-nation (MFN) clause, which requires a country to provide any concessions, privileges, or immunities granted to one nation in a trade agreement to all other WTO member countries. However, Hong Kong is one of the four countries that have a free port. Since Hong Kong does not charge duty on imports, Hong Kong is in compliance with the WTO requirement to provide fair rates to other WTO member countries.
Talk to your carrier about customs refunds.
Depending on the courier, additional shipping fees may include:
Always needed:
Sometimes needed:
Government agencies regulate imports.
Restricted items are different from prohibited items. Prohibited items are not allowed to be imported into a country at all. Restricted items are not allowed to be imported into a country unless the importer has approval or a special license. Controlled goods have military or national security significance.
Prohibited items:
Restricted items:
See more details concerning prohibited and restricted items here.
There are rules and procedures that Hong Konganese exporters need to be aware of prior to exportation.
What are the most popular online stores in Hong Kong?
The most popular stores are as follows: Alibaba’s Tmall, We Chat, Taobao, Amazon, JD, Alibaba, and eBay.
A cross-border guide to Hong Kong ecommerce, shipping, and importing goods
If you are looking to grow your ecommerce business into Hong Kong
, you’ve come to the right place. In our guide, created by Zonos' cross-border experts, you will find the following: