E-commerce Heats Up in China
Posted 10-05-2008 at 05:50 PM by Kerry Finch
Alibaba.com, the largest homegrown Chinese e-commerce website, has a new competitor in the making. Baidu, the name behind China’s most popular search engine, out-performing the world famous Google, has launched a beta test of its e-commerce platform.
Following its announcement late last year, Baidu has entered selected areas in China such as Beijing, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Wuhan, to launch its modified e-commerce platform. Positioning itself as Alibaba’s competitor, Baidu started offering its application to 10,000 beta tester applicants. If accepted, these beta testers will get independent .CN domain names, free promotions, customized marketing activities, as well as the ability to upload products, and design their own online stores. Baidu also offers complete business certification assistance prior to the online store openings.
The new venture seems to confirm observations that Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are not tech savvy enough to design and develop their own online stores. There also seems to be a growing preference for marketplace websites where an Internet user can buy and sell without having to switch websites. In this aspect, Baidu is viewed as a strong contender because it has the advantage of integrating its search engine, community and Baidu Hi resources with its e-commerce platform. The result will be a one-stop shopping website where online buyers and sellers can trade with one another easily.
Following its announcement late last year, Baidu has entered selected areas in China such as Beijing, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Wuhan, to launch its modified e-commerce platform. Positioning itself as Alibaba’s competitor, Baidu started offering its application to 10,000 beta tester applicants. If accepted, these beta testers will get independent .CN domain names, free promotions, customized marketing activities, as well as the ability to upload products, and design their own online stores. Baidu also offers complete business certification assistance prior to the online store openings.
The new venture seems to confirm observations that Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are not tech savvy enough to design and develop their own online stores. There also seems to be a growing preference for marketplace websites where an Internet user can buy and sell without having to switch websites. In this aspect, Baidu is viewed as a strong contender because it has the advantage of integrating its search engine, community and Baidu Hi resources with its e-commerce platform. The result will be a one-stop shopping website where online buyers and sellers can trade with one another easily.
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