Our site will help you identify the simplest way to make a purchase from abroad. These are in addition to the usual considerations when choosing an e-commerce store, such as cancellation policies, is the site trustworthy and secure.

Be aware that the information in the guide should be used a guidance on whether or not to make a purchase, and should not be relied upon in individual circumstances.

Be aware that the information in the guide should be used a guidance on whether or not to make a purchase, and should not be relied upon in individual circumstances

We have a 4 level ranking system:

The smart choice.The stores with this rating are the easiest to purchase from with the minimum of hassle 

 The dependable choice. An overall good shopping experience with typically just one of the considerations in this buying guide causing a slight hiccup in the purchasing process.

Think. These stores will take international orders, but you may need to be a little creative to get the best deal or to take an extra few steps to complete an order.

Newbies Beware. The stores here are not geared up for a good international experience, but will take your business. You must be prepared to use all the tricks you know to make it a successful transaction. You also need to be sure of what you purchasing as typically dealing with these stores will be a one-way transaction (no returns or warranty) especially for international orders.

Check out individual store profiles to see why we've rated stores a certain rating

Some sites that offer international shipping will offer alternative languages than that of its home country, but these are relatively rare. You should not trust an online translator especially when reading through the small print.

On the sites we feature, we will show you the home language of the site and also any additional languages supported (that do not use an online translation tool)

Additional things to consider include:

• Amount of time available to you to return the product – bear in mind the amount of time it takes to ship the item to you and then for you send it back again
• Who pays for the return shipping – you or the store
  . If it's you, you should check the cost of shipping against the value of the item. Sometimes it can work out cheaper to keep the item / sell it locally than to return it. We will help you to identify who pays in each store's profile page
• If you are seeking a refund, you may not get the exact same amount of money back as it depends on fluctuating exchange rates and your card issuer / bank may charge an additional foreign currency transaction

Having identified a satisfactory returns policy, you could be thwarted by the delivery service used for returns. For example, DHL do not accept faulty / non-functional electronic items for carriage.

You should also be wary that in many cases products sold that are exported automatically void any warranties

This can make certain countries have a significant price advantage. In principle, these should not apply to items shipped directly outside of the country. However, this is dependent on the configuration of the e-commerce site whether it is applied. Look for thе  icon for stores that automatically deduct the sales tax where applicable

Do remember though, tax deduction is only applicable to shipments directly out of the country, and in the case of the EU, when shipping outside of the EU. It will not be reclaimable if you are freight forwarding or shipping to a friend / hotel in the same country. Additionally in the US, differents states have different laws regarding internet sales tax which may affect any purchase shipping within the US

In general, importing items to Hong Kong are free from import duty with the exception of:
• Tobacco
• liquour/ alcohol

Some sites will automatically estimate the import duty. These are typically estimates as the amount charged is dependent on the handling fee charged by the local shipping agent and the declared value. In the event the estimate is too high, the difference is typically returned to you.

In general, sites will not offer restricted items for international sale. We will try our best to not feature commonly restricted items on our site, we cannot guarantee this once you follow a link to a 3rd party site.

Certain retailers may have entered into relationships with distributors / brands that prevent them from shipping certain items or brands directly to you in Hong Kong. In most cases, the site will tell you up-front the items that cannot ship (or not display them for sale).
Additionally, there are some retailers that will also refuse to ship to known freight forwarders. These will be marked with [ICON Freight Forwarder (NO) ]

Many sites can show prices in your home currency. Some sites can offer to charge you in your home currency (they handle the foreign exchange). In these cases, it is worthwhile familiarising yourself with your card issuer’s / bank’s foreign currency charges beforehand so you can determine whether it is worthwhile alternative.

Some stores cannot bill in your home currency, the quoted prices may not be the same as on your card bill.

Finally and confusingly, many countries use dollar denominations with stores just showing the $ sign. It is worth checking what dollar it is so as not to get a surprise on your card bill. In some cases, it is not obvious. We will show you home country of the store and the base currency the store charges in