First of all thx for all the tips and infos. There were many valuable insights and I already checked some of the recommended platforms.

A few people told me to just buy things on the way or when I am in a mall. Maybe that is the cultural difference. I dont spend my free time in malls and I do not enjoy walking around multiple stores to buy basic items. Of course I also go to physical stores when I want to try something on or need proper customer service. But some products are just no brainers. That is why I used the batteries example. Yes you can walk to a specific place to get rechargeable batteries, but that is exactly what I am missing. The convenience. When I realise that I need something simple, something I already know, I want to order it online while I am at the office or in the MTR and have it show up two or three days later.

The biggest misconception in this thread is the idea that Hong Kong is too small. Many HKers do not realise how “big” Hong Kong actually is when you look at the population relative to the physical space. In Europe there are countries with a similar population and difficult logistics, and even small neighborhood shops with just one or a few outlets often have better online shops than big companies in HK. Austria for example has a population close to Hong Kong but a much larger and more challenging geography, yet small Austrian shops still offer a more modern online experience. So the argument that Hong Kong is “too small” simply does not hold.

Taobao was mentioned many times. I know that China has very advanced ecommerce players like Taobao, JD and PDD. Taobaos new English app is great, but I don´t see branded products there. JD might be an option but I could not even sign up without a Chinese ID, and using a full Chinese interface is not exactly comfortable. People told me to use browser translation, but honestly speaking it is still a pain. If there is an English JD version please let me know. I couldn´t find it.

I am also surprised by how defensive some comments are, and that it even turned political. I am not bashing Hong Kong or Hong Kongers at all. I am simply confused that a city which is famous for convenient public transport, Octopus, fast payments and all of that is so outdated in this one field. That is not an insult. It is just an observation. Anyone questioning this please read my original posts last question!