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Leading global e-commerce company, eBay, regards Hong Kong as a strategically important market in global trade. The Managing Director for eBay Hong Kong, Mrs Kerry Wong, pointed to Hong Kong's unique entrepreneurial spirit as the key factor for the city's leading position.
"Hong Kong has a long history of international trade. There are a huge number of SMEs and individuals who are professional buyers and sellers involved in trade with places around the world every day. Moreover, the strong business mindset and entrepreneurial spirit of the people here are unique. This business environment is a perfect fit for eBay Hong Kong."
"Hong Kong is leading the way in eBay's international trade. Unlike other key markets with a domestic focus, the majority of business activities handled through eBay in Hong Kong are export-related. Sellers in Hong Kong are amongst the most active in the global eBay marketplace. This reflects the strategic importance of this city for global trade."
To demonstrate the company's long-term commitment, eBay Hong Kong has been expanding its local presence progressively.
Mrs Wong also discussed the company's recent growth in Hong Kong. The office here has tripled its workforce in the last three months. At present, over 90% of the employees in eBay Hong Kong are locally hired.
eBay Hong Kong is committed to addressing the growing needs of its community and improving the shopping experience for buyers and sellers to meet, communicate and trade through an advanced trading platform. The company invested in its product, and recently unveiled its new local marketplace.
Mrs Wong said that eBay, as a leader in e-commerce, was committed to becoming an integrated member of the Hong Kong community.
"Our mission is to provide a global trading platform where practically anyone can trade practically anything," she said. "We facilitate the sale of goods and services by a diverse community of individuals and small businesses. Therefore, we partner with local organisations and institutions to educate local SMEs on how to make use of the advanced global trading platform to conduct sales."
eBay Hong Kong has begun a series of educational sessions for local SMEs with the Hong Kong Productivity Council. The company is also working with eight universities/tertiary institutes in Hong Kong on a pilot student programme on doing business.
The Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Simon Galpin, said, "As the international trading hub in Asia, Hong Kong is in the best position to conduct trade of different goods and services with places all around the world. Our active trading activities, supported by high penetration of IT usage and sophisticated infrastructure, have created an environment conducive for conducting e-commerce. This is demonstrated by the success of eBay in Hong Kong and its continued commitment to the city. We look forward to celebrating the further growth of the company in Hong Kong."
Founded in 1995, eBay enables ecommerce on a local, national and international basis with an array of websites that bring together millions of buyers and sellers every day. They include the eBay Marketplace, PayPal, Skype, Kijiji, Rent.com and Shopping.com. For more information, please visit the website at www.ebay.com or www.ebay.com.hk.
Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department charged with encouraging and facilitating inward investment into the city by providing the support needed to establish a business presence here. For more information, please visit the website at www.investhk.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, June 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:51
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