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By FedEx | First published: June 16, 2023    Updated: November 7, 2024

Chow Sang Sang, a Chinese jewelry brand with nearly a century of history, transforms for the digital era to expand its market share through e-commerce.

• Hong Kong jewelry brand Chow Sang Sang has been creating timeless pieces for 90 years.
• An early adopter of e-commerce, the brand was quick to catch on to the potential of online sales and digital innovation.
• Now a top e-commerce jewelry player in Hong Kong and Mainland China, Chow Sang Sang has teamed up with FedEx to optimize a logistics strategy that caters to international growth.

In China and the rest of Asia, consumer demand for gold and other precious jewels is on the rise. Like other industries, jewelers are diversifying and expanding sales channels to connect with customers around the world.

Founded in 1934, award-winning Hong Kong jewelry brand Chow Sang Sang has crafted high-quality gold jewelry and ornaments for nine decades. After establishing over 200 retail outlets across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and mainland China, the heritage jewelry brand is expanding its footprint via global e-commerce and logistics solutions.

A history of innovation excellence

For 90 years, the business has evolved to respond to customer preferences, influencing major jewelry trends in South China and beyond. Digital innovations have been key. In the 1980s, Chow Sang Sang was the first to weigh and catalog gold ornaments. As well as reducing error, this helped them streamline into a more efficient business.

Another tactic that has driven growth is the licensing and marketing of popular characters or franchises. Keeping an eye on Hong Kong and China consumer fanhood was essential to identifying the right brand tie-ins.

In the 90s, Chow Sang Sang developed jewelry products featuring characters like Hello Kitty and Doraemon, and partnered with Disney to create themed jewelry sold in outlets at Disneyland theme parks.

After early success with traditional gold jewelry, the brand has since expanded into diamond and pearl-focused collections, and responded to consumer demand by launching a wedding band and charm bracelet line.

Moving online: becoming one of Hong Kong’s leading e-commerce jewelry brands

The brand was also an early adopter of e-commerce. Many jewelry e-commerce solutions are a recent development, but in 1995, Chow Sang Sang became the first Hong Kong jewelry business to set up a website. As early as 2001, an e-shop was available for online sales.

In 2008, Chow Sang Sang launched a fully-fledged e-commerce store in mainland China. The launch of the Infini Love Diamond series a few years later led to a a major surge in sales in Hong Kong and mainland China. To meet demand, Chow Sang Sang were faced with a pressing need for a fast, reliable logistics service provider to connect the manufacturing plant in China with hundreds of outlets throughout the country.

Strengthening logistics to transform into an e-commerce-led company

At FedEx, we offer tailored logistics solutions for jewelry packages that are small in size but high in value, enabling jewelry brands to seize global commercial opportunities.

Within a few years, we’ve helped Chow Sang Sang expand its international presence. The jewelry maker now offers domestic deliveries in mainland China as well as international deliveries from its Hong Kong base to Australia and New Zealand, the U.S, Europe, and key Asia markets like Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Going global: tailored logistics solutions for the jewelry industry

What e-commerce strategies can other heritage jewelry brands learn from as they expand their online footprint?

1. Expert customs clearance

As Chow Sang Sang’s overseas orders grew, FedEx provided a global customs clearance solution for both gold and jewels, ensuring a smooth customs process every single time. For example, the brand ran into customs clearance challenges in the early stage of overseas expansion. FedEx quickly provided support, sharing the relevant tariff policies as well as the solutions needed to take action.

2. Domestic to international

For brands selling overseas, there should be no gap in quality between the service domestic customers enjoy and those who order from international markets.

At FedEx, we started out providing domestic services for Chow Sang Sang in China for nearly seven years with great success. In 2019, Chow Sang Sang began to explore the global market in response to growing demand. With a global network that reaches over 220 countries and territories, we tailored our logistics delivery solutions to meet Chow Sang Sang’s specific needs.

3. Tracking for peace of mind

Jewelry packages can be high-value, and often need to arrive in time for a special occasion. Working with FedEx, Chow Sang Sang can request its products to be delivered by dedicated vehicles with GPS technology to provide real-time tracking. For urgent deliveries, products can be picked up and delivered directly from the airport.

4. Ability to manage peak season spikes

During major holidays or peak e-commerce shopping seasons like Double 11, Christmas and Chinese New Year, we dispatch couriers to Chow Sang Sang sites and arrange dedicated suppliers to remote locations to support the increase in orders. Our automated shipping system has also helped Chow Sang Sang simplify its shipping process and enhance operational efficiency.

Guided by its brand philosophy, “Sustained Vitality, Ever Rejuvenated”, Chow Sang Sang is committed to preserving the heritage of jewelry culture for customers around the world.