Why do websites in Hong Kong suck?

I’ve seen some of the worst websites in my life here in Hong Kong starting with the Immigration Department:

The design feels like it’s straight out of the 80s. Something as simple as filling out your home address turns into a freaking nightmare...

Hong Kong Immigration Department platform

And even when they roll out something new, like this mainland permit for permanent residence (which has only been available for 6 months), the process is still just as bad. Took me 3 attempts to get it done.

Now, back to Hong Kong websites in general. 

One reason why many are outdated is that the market here is small, and businesses often rely on referrals or WhatsApp to sell.

So, investing in a great website just isn’t a big priority.

But there’s a more funny reason: Hong Kong is this unique mix of Western and Chinese culture, and that mix shows up in how websites are built.

You see, less is NOT more on Chinese websites or apps.

If you’ve ever looked at Taobao’s homepage on your phone, you know exactly what I mean. It’s chaotic and the design looks a bit outdated. 

The screen is packed with Chinese characters, pictures, pop-ups, tabs—everything.

But that chaos works for more than a billion Chinese internet users.

In that book 6 Billion Shoppers, Porter Erisman explains that Chinese users browse websites differently. 

Their eyes skip around the page, looking for little surprises and bursts of visual stimulation. Taobao, in a way, is just the digital version of Sogo or K11 malls. 

People go there to browse, not necessarily to buy something specific.

Because in China, shopping is a super famous hobby. So, it makes sense that a content-rich, visually busy platform would appeal to locals.

Meanwhile Western consumers usually go on Amazon or Ebay with a specific product in mind. The goal is to find it quickly, check out, and leave. 

A clean and simple website works better for that kind of behaviour.

And it’s not just e-commerce. Chinese apps like WeChat or Bilibili are loaded with content and functions. 

Take Bilibili, a YouTube on steroids. You’ve got comments flying across the screen as you watch videos. It’s supercharged and chaotic, but it works for their audience.

And as you might have guessed, some Hong Kong websites try to mix these 2 logics—and the result is a mess. 

You end up with outdated English websites crammed with content everywhere and no space to breathe.

That’s exactly what the Immigration Department platform feels like—an english-speaking platform built with Chinese characteristics and no clear design.

2 cultures, 2 types of UX/UI, and sometimes, a very bad mix of both...

If you’re looking to update your existing website or build a new one from the ground up, our team has two exciting free services to offer: a performance report (for those slow-loading sites) and a complimentary homepage mockup (so you can visualise how your new website could look)!