The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) launched the Small-Order Zone Online Transaction Platform on hktdc.com at a business seminar event hosted by National Online Retailer Association (NORA) last Thursday. The new B2B platform enables Australian buyers to source small quantity products to test the market and embrace the growing e-commerce opportunities.
“Nowadays, more and more Australian e-tailers and retailers turn to source products with smaller quantity for market testing. The shift of buying pattern and shorter product life cycle lead to a higher demand of small order suppliers,” said HKTDC director of Australian and New Zealand, Bonnie Shek.
“The Small-Order Zone Online Transaction Platform aims to facilitate small volume Australian buyers who previously may not have attended trade fairs in Hong Kong to engage in international trade through e-commerce.”
The attendees are given a first hand experience in searching for products and placing orders on Small-Order Zone. Jen is starting up her online specialty store and was thrilled with the ease of use of the online platform.
“From searching for suitable products to place an actual order takes less than 5 minutes! Being a small online business, I am having troubles ordering from manufacturers directly. The HKTDC Small-Order Zone will help me overcome the problem. I will definitely look into the platform for more special deals from now on.”
A HKTDC research on buyers’ buying pattern conducted October 2014 showed that more and more buyers are involved in small order sourcing. Around 50 per cent of buyers are buying in small quantity from 100 to 1000 pieces per order. In terms of year round sourcing, more than 60 per cent of interviewed buyers make 11 to 50 small lot orders in their overall sourcing each year.
The Small-Order Zone enables buyers to source products in small quantities (from 5 to 1,000 items), from electronics, housewares to gifts. Australian SMEs can test the market and maintain a low inventory through small volume orders. The transaction is covered by PayPal and buyers can use credit cards or PayPay accounts for their online purchases.
Special themes and discounts are periodically displayed on the Small-Order Zone and buyers can also view an extensive collection of products in over 40 HKTDC trade fairs as well as online throughout the year.
For more information visit Hong Kong Trade Development Council, www.hktdc.com or Small-Order Zone, http://smallorder.hktdc.com.
