Blog:
What is the potential of online retail in China?
Dean Best | 20 May 2011
Anything to do with China's economy fascinates me and this week we have looked at the growth of online retail in the country in the wake of Wal-Mart's investment there.
The US retail giant has bought into Chinese online retailer Yihaodian, the first online supermarket to launch in the country.
Yihaodian, which means No.1 Store in Chinese, opened in Shanghai in 2008 but market research firm DDMA describes the company as China's only national online grocer.
The Chinese firm's presence - and the rationale for Wal-Mart's investment - are analysed at length in our latest Talking shop feature, which carries some interesting data, including a stat on Internet sales across the whole of the country, which, as a percentage of total retail sales is not far behind the US.
According to Wal-Mart vice-chairman (and CEO of its e-commerce arm) Eduardo Castro-Wright, online sales in China "are growing rapidly and are projected to match online sales in the US in the next few years".
Of course, the perennial problems in China - distribution, infrastructure, learning the demands of local consumers - will present a challenge to Wal-Mart and others already in the country's online market (French retailer Auchan is one).
However, like so much of the rest of the country's economy, the potential could be worth the hard work.
BLOG
UK regulator shines light on Amazon's Deliveroo investment
Amazon's move to invest in UK food-delivery business Deliveroo caught the eye when it was announced in May – but it’s also attracted the attention of the country’s competition regulator....
BLOG
Amazon tries again in UK food delivery
Perhaps today's most eye-catching corporate food story here in the UK is Amazon's decision to invest in food-delivery business Deliveroo....
Most Popular
Insights
- Covid sweetens China interest in functional candy
- Hatching new ideas – incubators, accelerators
- Plant-based meat's Asia optimism
- How Covid has shaped Brazil frozen-food market
- Covid-19 has closed digital age gap
News
- UK reveals latest figures for food exports to EU
- Kerry's talks over asset sale suspended
- Granarolo eyes M&A targets at home and abroad
- Germany changes rules on advertising food to kids
- Sweet Harvest Foods has new private-equity owner
Market research
- China In-depth PESTLE Insights
- Arla Foods amba - Strategy, SWOT and Corporate Finance Report
- Meal Kits (Prepared Meals) Market in South Korea - Outlook to 2024; Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics (updated with COVID-19 Impact)
- Ice Cream in the Netherlands
- Processed Snacks (Savory Snacks) Market in Egypt - Outlook to 2023: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics