Shopping online and found a favourite dress in an overseas boutique only to discover that the company doesn’t ship to Hong Kong? Here’s an eCommerce logistics company that can help! CNShip4Shop provides international shipping and delivery services, plus solutions to other issues that can arise when you try to buy things online.
Shopping online rather than in a bricks-and-mortar store was already in a rapid growth phase before the pandemic came along. Now, in the wake of the restricted movement and travel that COVID brought on, and with the growth of work from home, eCommerce is booming. Shoppers are keener than ever to buy with a click of the button. It can be a frustrating experience at times, however. Parcels can easily go astray, either arriving weeks late or not at all; and delivery procedures can be complicated and expensive at the same time. Then there are those instances when shipping to Hong Kong isn’t even offered. (Crying emoji!)
These are some of the problems that new delivery business CNShip4Shop seeks to overcome. The company was launched on 16 May this year by CN Logistics, an international logistics solutions provider which is listed on the HKEX and has 30 years of experience in providing a speedy and reliable service. If you’re a frequent shopper on North American and European websites – whether you buy for yourself, your family or your friends – read on to see how this new business can help.
How it works
CNShip4Shop combines technology and the logistics expertise of its parent company to deliver a one-stop shopping solution. In short, it’ll help get parcels to your doorstep in a way that’s likely much easier than you’ve experienced before – not to mention, with shipping fees that are around 10 percent lower than other providers.
For its initial phase, the platform is covering seven overseas markets, including the US, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Japan. You can ship items from those locations to 12 destination delivery points in Asia, namely Hong Kong and mainland China, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. (Expect to see new routes open in the future, too.)
The process is very straightforward:
#1 Sign up at the website (cnship4shop.com), and fill in the CNShip4Shop warehouse address along with your username on the delivery information of your online purchase.
#2 “CAP & GO”: “CAP” is short for “capture” – as in, capture a photo of your shopping receipt and submit it to CNShip4Shop.
#3 Select your shipment preference and pay for your goods.
That’s it – your parcels will then be on their way! You’ll have full visibility of the shipping process too, via a 24/7 tracking system. This includes the ability to view and trace your order from the overseas warehouse to your door, including via email notifications. You can also combine orders – even if you’ve bought them from different origins across the seven specified regions – or ship items individually.
Some stats on online shopping…
In 2020, more than two billion people shopped online around the world, spending well over US$4 trillion. And those numbers are only getting bigger. According to industry research, eCommerce is expected to grow at an average of 47 percent in the next five years worldwide. Asia is said to be growing at a faster rate than the rest of the world, at 51 percent, followed by Europe (42 percent) and North America (35 percent).
Who might the service be useful for?
These are just a few of the groups who are likely to get plenty of use out of CNShip4Shop: • People who buy frequently from international websites in general.
- Fashion and retail shoppers who are in the habit of purchasing clothes and shoes from their home countries because they’re more familiar with sizing.
- Parents who like to source products for babies and kids from overseas.
- Campers and sport lovers who are after specialised equipment for their hobbies and who want better prices and more choice.
- Students and teachers who are looking to buy physical books and publications via the internet as they may not be available in HK.
- Value seekers who look for discounted products and who compare shipping fees across different online stores.
- The company’s tagline is “Buy to fulfill your true character”, and we can understand why. When the world’s online retail stores are suddenly available not just for browsing but for buying, that’s exactly what you can do: instead of being limited by your geography, you can look for new or unique items that really say something about you as an individual, or your family as a whole.
Sign up for special deals
Become a CNShip4Shop member now and you’ll get 400 credit points (equal to a HK$400 saving off shipping fees), plus an extra $20 when you register using the special code “EXPAT” for Expat Living readers. And, if you sign up before 30 September 2022, you’ll get an additional $30 shipping coupon as a new member. Member benefits include a parcel protection plan whereby your shipment is fully covered by insurance.
Find out more at cnship4shop.com, or by visiting CNShip4Shop on Facebook or Instagram (@CNShip4Shop).
This article first appeared in the Autumn 2022 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
