The Consumer Council unveiled its revamped website at the Launch Ceremony today (31 August 2021). The new website uses the original URL (www.consumer.org.hk) and is integrated with the eCHOICE website. Apart from a refreshed interface that continues to meet the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, the revamped website offers an array of newly introduced sections and functions closely related to daily life, such as the brand new “Shopping Guide” which covers 12 categories of free information to enrich consumer knowledge, ranging from basic necessities, health, family and kids, the silver hair market, to life and financial planning. In addition, the new website introduces a new “Product Picker” function to allow CHOICE subscribers to easily compare the test ratings and prices of different products in a specific test, extensively enhancing the subscription experience. The website has also optimised the online enquiry and complaint services to reinforce consumer safeguard.
The launch ceremony opened with a video of a question lightning round with Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Chairman of the Consumer Council, in which he shared his daily consumption habits and tips with his wife. The clip revealed Mr. Lam’s expectations of the new website, “As society continues to evolve, various industries have jumped on the digital transformation bandwagon in recent years, and online shopping has become the new normal. While the many new industries, services and products bring convenience to consumers, they create new challenges at the same time: on the one hand, whether laws and regulations can keep up with the changes, and on the other, whether consumers have enough information and knowledge to make prudent decisions. As a statutory body, the Consumer Council has long been a keen advocate and champion of consumer rights. In today’s constantly changing marketplace, the role of the Council has become ever more important. On this special year which marks the 45th anniversary of CHOICE Magazine, the Council hopes that the new website will provide the public at large and CHOICE subscribers with more elevated service.”
Mr. Kyrus Siu King-wai, the Chairman of the Publicity and Community Relations Committee, along with the Committee Members, introduced the key functions of the new website at the launch ceremony, “To connect with the digital transformation trend as well as online reading habits in recent years, the Council’s website and eCHOICE portal underwent a concurrent revamp. Apart from offering a brand new interface, the interactivity and personalised user experience have also been greatly enhanced. The new website is a treasure trove of new content, with a greater number of multimedia content and articles that are not only practical and interesting, but easy to read, digest and share, including over 210 video clips produced by the Council since late 2015. The brand new “Product Picker” function for products and the online enquiry and complaint services are all designed to meet the reading habits of the digital generation, with the aim of providing readers with essential information in a speedy manner.”
4 New Major Functions
- Over 200 Free Articles on “Shopping Guide”, Including “Trivia” and “Tips” to Empower Consumers to Shop Smart
The whole new “Shopping Guide” section is a hub of free articles, including over 100 “Trivia” pieces, close to 60 “Tips” articles and over 50 “Features” that have been reworked and enriched from product tests, surveys, recommendations and other information from past issues of CHOICE Magazine, under the categories of “Home Appliances”, “Tech-savvy”, “Food and Cooking”, “Silver Hair Market”, Family and Kids”, “Life and Financial Planning”, “Green Living”, “Health and Beauty”, “Leisure and Entertainment”, etc., offering comprehensive consumer information that is easy to read, digest and share. Articles in this section are available in Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese, while a selection is also available in English to cater to the needs of consumers from different language and cultural backgrounds.
- Optimised Online Complaint Service with User-friendly e-Form
The new interface has enhanced the online enquiry and complaint services. The new “Online Complaint Form” breaks down complaints by categories and nature, including 10 main industries such as “Travel Matters” and “Beauty Services”. Category-specific questions are then laid out to guide the complainant to fill in and submit the key information step by step, greatly enhancing the process and accuracy of filing complaints. This also facilitates the workflow of sorting complaints, allowing the Council to grasp the gist of the complaint and follow up in a timely manner. At the same time, all “Case in Point” articles will continue to be available for free to help consumers decipher various types of consumer traps.
- Easier Browsing Experience with Brand New eCHOICE
Sub-tab Browsing Mode Exclusively for Subscribers
Besides revamping the Council’s website, the online CHOICE Magazine offers an exclusive sub-tab browsing mode for subscribers. This brand new mode offers greater convenience for subscribing readers to read detailed research and test reports on computers or mobile devices. Articles and infographics on the new interface allow responsive viewing on device screens of different sizes, allowing subscribers to receive detailed and practical consumer information on-the-go.
- New “Product Picker” Feature for Subscribers
Instant Comparison of Prices and Test Results
The new “Product Picker” feature of the revamped eCHOICE website lets subscribers select target products when reading articles. This feature can then instantly display the price, test performance and ratings of the selected products for easy comparison. Subscribers can even download the results for reading offline.
Price Tools
Apart from the newly added functions, the 2 existing price tools “Online Price Watch” and “Oil Price Watch” will continue to provide consumers with detailed supermarket prices and auto-fuel prices on the new website, ensuring easy, convenient and wallet-friendly price comparison information. The new website consolidates the various price tools under one roof, allowing readers to easily locate and use them. The Council believes that different price comparison information and tools, in addition to services that progress with the times, can strengthen consumer safeguard and help the public become smart consumers.
Publicity and Promotions
The Council has launched a series of publicity and promotional activities along with the activation of the new website, including a 4-episode series titled “The Daily Life of a Married Couple”, which will be published on the Facebook page of CHOICE Magazine. The mini-drama series introduces the brand new functions of the revamped site in a fun and relatable storyline, and the Chief Executive of the Consumer Council Ms. Gilly Wong Fun-han will also play a role in the last episode. The first episode can be viewed at the following link: https://youtu.be/_rOBid2UXEE.
Image Captions:
Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Chairman of the Consumer Council, attends the Website Launch Ceremony.
Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok and Ms. May Chan Suk-mei, veteran journalist, share daily consumption habits and tips.
Artistes Ms. Kirby Lam Sau-yi and Mr. Jim Tang Wing-kin were guests of the ceremony and role-played a married couple’s everyday conversations around consumption.
Mr. Kyrus Siu King-wai, Chairman of the Publicity & Community Relations Committee (PCRC); Ms Kitty Lee Wing-lan, Vice Chairperson of the PCRC; along with the Committee Members Mr. Nelson Lam Chi-yuen, JP, Mr Raymond Mak Ka-chun, Mr Tony Pang Chor-fu, Ms Iris Wan Lai-sze and Ms. Gilly Wong Fung-han, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council introduced the new features and enhancements of the new website. 
Mr. Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Chairman of the Consumer Council; Ms. Gilly Wong Fung-han, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council; Mr. Eddy Tong Chi-chung, Deputy Chief Executive of the Consumer Consumer; Mr. Elvis CHIU Pak-kwan, Assistant Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development (Commerce & Industry); with the Publicity & Community Relations Committee Members of the Consumer Council, the host and guests of the ceremony.
The new website of the Consumer Council is officially launched.