In this post, we want to look at the way in which online shopping works in China. If you have been reading our blog for a while, you will have realised how different online behaviour is for Chinese internet users. Online retail is no different, so it is vital to understand how the people of China buy online when considering the benefits for your business, and how to go about online marketing in China.

Online retail in China compared to the West

In the West, online shopping is very popular, but only America enjoys more online sales than China each year. China’s e-commerce sales totalled an estimated $210billion in 2012 (source: Mckinsey), an increase of nearly double on the previous year. It is anticipated that online sales will reach $350billion by 2015 (source: The Boston Consulting Group).This provides plenty of market space for Western companies to claim a share of. The sooner you start online marketing in China, the quicker you will be able to reap the rewards of this growing market.

Online sales in China compared to the UK

In February 2012, in the UK just over one out of every ten pounds (source: Internet Retailing) spent on retail was done so online. The average weekly spend was £573.6million online. In China, online sales accounted for 6.3% of total retail sales (source: Forbes). When you consider that those total sales figures were four times larger than the UK’s, it quickly becomes apparent just how lucrative China can be for savvy Western companies who correctly utilise online marketing in China to enter the new market.

Using a dedicated Chinese website to harness the power of social recommendation

For the Chinese consumer, social recommendation is a powerful force. The opinions of others in regard to the value of a certain shop or product has been important to Chinese people way before social media made sharing and recommending brands as easy as it has become. In the physical world, Chinese consumers often choose the store with the biggest queue outside. In the online world, a website has the chance to become the hub of your marketing activity, creating a foundation from which that social recommendation can spread. A dedicated Chinese language website will greatly improve how Chinese consumers can interact with your brand. By creating a hub for your business, you give a central point around which your online marketing in China can revolve. You can then use the power of social recommendation through social media sites to drive traffic back to your website.

Get the right help to successfully enter the Chinese market

Entering a new market requires the right combination of skills and knowledge. We have everything you need – the knowledge, the experience, and the contacts – to get you in a position where you can benefit from the huge possibilities the Chinese market offers Western businesses.

For online marketing in China, or any other Chinese market services, call us today.

(Image source: “Ambro” | www.freedigitalphotos.net)