How HOME+ is changing eCommerce with purpose

This article was sponsored by HOME+. 

The latest wave of COVID-19 has cast a shadow over Hong Kong in 2022.  In response to the uncertainty, e-shopping platform HOME+ partnered with the Jockey Club Food Assistance Programme in March this year.  

Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, with coordination from St. James’ Settlement and five other major non-profits, the Food Assistance Programme has played a major role in helping low-income individuals and families.

“With the ongoing pandemic, asking people to line up for essential items was no longer practical,” said June Lam, CEO of HOME+.

“HOME+’s partnership has enabled beneficiaries to make full use of e-shopping’s convenience and safety – they can now order supplies online and have it delivered straight to their doorsteps,” Lam added. 

Through its technical and logistical capabilities, HOME+ provides beneficiaries under the e-Food Bank Service with a tailor-made e-platform to stay at home and order food online. Within this dedicated shopping interface, eligible individuals can login to their HOME+ accounts and spend a weekly credit of HK$400 on a wide variety of food items, staple goods and other products.  
 
“Besides partnering with the e-Food Bank Service, our platform also works purposefully with social profit organisations, fair-trade and eco-conscious merchants to offer consumers more options to shop and do good,” says Lam,

“When customers make a social-impact purchase on HOME+, they are potentially benefitting small and social enterprise merchants, and the communities they help.”

“Our embrace of ongoing partnerships with NGOs means HOME+ will continue to create shared value and achieve purposeful profits through our technological and operational intelligence,” Lam added. 

With its e-commerce expertise, HOME+ reduces the time, resources and potential difficulties spent by NGOs in sourcing products and arranging deliveries and pickup. This advantage has brought HOME+ an array of extended partnerships with other leading NGOs such as the Red Cross, Food Angel, and Lee Hysan Foundation. 

Innovatively blending weather forecasts with e-shopping  

HOME+’s commitment to purposeful business initiatives goes beyond benefiting underprivileged groups. HOME+’s automation journey integrates big data  with the weather forecast. By integrating the APIs that feed the nine-day weather forecast from the Hong Kong Observatory, HOME+ can automatically recommend products to customers via emails and push notifications.   

A pioneer at establishing customer experience automation – HOME+ has taken the guesswork out of product promotion. With the knowledge that people’s shopping needs are closely linked to the weather, HOME+’s product promotion is now a perfect match to  the actual weather conditions.   

The e-shopping platform promotes ice cream and sunscreen in summer; and recommends stay-at-home food combos, and humidifiers on rainy days. Generating impressive results during its trial phase in February – product sales grew a 100% compared to the previous week. 

HOME+ welcomes merchants to join its weather-specific promotions for broader exposure, as well as to expand the selection available for customers. 

“The automation journey saves 50% of manual work, and effectively engages customers by recommending the “right product” at the “right time,” said Fanko Yim, associate director of HOME+.

 “It encourages customers to make smart purchases they truly need and ultimately builds a win-win-win relationship between customers, merchants, and HOME+,” Yim added.