The Hong Kong market has grown increasingly captivated by one imaginative, lifestyle footwear brand with its simple designs, ergonomic comfort offerings, quality of customer care and reasonable pricing. MICHAEL LI, General Manager, Retail-ECCO Greater China, tells us how and why.


Hong Kong’s discerning consumers are spoilt for choice. The upside of this (for brands) is that true customer-centric quality finds and hits its mark quicker. Few are better placed than Michael Li, General Manager, Retail-ECCO Greater China to speak on how and why ECCO, a brand that has totally captured the potential of the Hong Kong market. The brand’s marketing efforts have strategically targeted the “interactive user experience” thus driving brand engagement, creating lasting memories thus growing the brand’s already huge fan base.

Closer to Consumers

“It’s a combination of simple Scandinavian design, authentic material, robust craftsmanship and honest pricing, all in keeping with our family owned-operated heritage, says Li, who presides over the brand’s retail channels in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and China.

“Our brand is about comfort and style, and that’s what’s made it successful across Greater China. To share more about Hong Kong market, it is a market that is sophisticated enough to recognize good value and is able to sense the intent of a truly customer-centric brand. Considering people spend more than half their day wearing shoes, which in fact support the whole body, there is a direct correlation between comfort of feet and productivity. ECCO is able to provide that relaxing comfort, make a holistic difference to the life and style of the wearer and that’s why we’ve attracted such applause.”

While ECCO continues to win awards at home and abroad, no body underscores the brand’s value better than Michael Li. “The real and best award comes from the customer’s experience with the brand.”

Michael Li: “Our mission is to be part of our customer’s every day journey – every stylish and comfortable step of the way.”

From Leather to Shoes

Founded in the small town of Bredebro in southern Denmark in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy, ECCO owns and manages every aspect of its leather and shoe productions, as well as its distribution to end-consumers. It is among the largest producers in the world of high-quality leather, used in ECCO’s shoes, and its own production of leather goods.

“From inception, our focus has been on obtaining the highest achievable quality,” says Li. “Besides our own production of top quality leather, we’ve maintained our attention to detail, ergonomic design to complement the foot, vertical integration and adherence to best-business-practices with a view to offering our customers the comfort and sincerity of product they want and deserve.”

Comfort and quality rank high on the customer’s wish list especially when they love the product they have purchased, says Li.

ECCO shoes is most famous for its comfort and durability. Thanks to the brand’s special manufacturing process – Direct Injection Process, by injecting PU directly onto the outsoles of the shoe. This process ensures shoes not only stylish yet most importantly, extremely comfortable on each step.

With a total of 21 retail channels in Hong Kong and 4 stores in Macau, ECCO shoes is winning the fight for consumer’s hearts thanks to its strategic plan – to fit into all lifestyles and become part of the life journey of our consumers – every step of the way.

“We’ve maintained our attention to detail, ergonomic design to complement the foot, vertical integration and adherence to best-business-practices with a view to offering our customers the comfort and sincerity of product they want and deserve.”

Innovation is Key

Spurred on by its success, the brand’s begun offering wider range of footwear and leather accessories including contemporary bags, belts, wallets, card-holders and shoe care products.

“Our focus is on lifestyle and leisure,” Li says, adding, “design follows function. We continue to collaborate with different partners and design academics to create innovative footwear that offer the most comfort, best fit and best-inclass foot care.” In addition, we are committed to keep elevating our product quality and strikes for break-through product offering each season.

ECCO is growing its ‘active’ category catering increasingly to the athletics and leisure segment while staying true to its lifestyle mission. “We are a ‘personal’ brand,” Li says. “Our range includes formal, casual, performance shoes, accessories and shoe care products. Our mission is to be part of our customer’s journey through life – every stylish and comfortable step of the way,” concludes Li.

For additional information please visit http://hk.ecco.com ECCO Facebook: ECCO Shoes


Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2017