BEIJING -
Several large Chinese retailers have announced
plans to join hands with manufacturers in
developing online marketing.
Statistics
show that some 70% of China's chain retailers have
set up websites, of which nearly 26% have launched
online marketing initiatives to different degrees.
Ministry of Information Industry
statistics, however, show that online transactions
make up only 0.02% of the total retail sales
volume in mainland China, indicating that
consumers here have
not
yet taken to online purchasing.
Household-appliance manufacturers,
including TCL, Epson and Philips, recently
announced their cooperation with professional
e-commerce websites in opening brand flagship
stores.
Such traditional household
appliance retailers as Gome, Suning and Dazhong
Electronics then announced plans to increase their
investment in online marketing. An e-commerce
platform constructed by Bailian Group has gone
into operation.
In 2005, Lotus opened an
online store, which offers prices similar to those
at its traditional stores but stocks a smaller
variety of goods. However, when addressing the
2007 China Retail Sales Marketing Forum, held in
Hangzhou last Saturday, a Lotus spokesman said the
company has no plans to increase its investment in
online sales. The strategic focus of the company
in 2007 will be mergers and acquisitions,
expansion, and establishing more commercial
outlets.
French chain Carrefour announced
the opening of an online store last June, and
three months later it opened stores on a trial
basis in Beijing, Qingdao, Wuhan, Guangzhou and
Shenzhen. Carrefour admits that its online stores
are still in the development stages and face many
challenges ahead. Company sources disclosed that
the biggest problem at present is high logistics
costs.
Wal-Mart says it faces the same
problem, which is why the US retail behemoth has
not yet gone online in China.
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