Chinese e-Commerce

Chinese e-Commerce

Chinese e-Commerce

 

Chinese e-Commerce

Chinese e-Commerce has been very successful over the last 10 years.

Most Chinese people make e-Commerce purchases daily. China's physical size has driven this growth. Before e-commerce, many towns and cities in China had limited product and service supplies based on their region's availability. Now, Chinese consumers have access to products and services supplied nationally and internationally.

The e-Commerce market has driven down consumer prices over an extensive range of products and services.

Chinese e-Commerce B2B Marketplaces

 

Platform
Parent Company
Market Focus
Key Features
URL
Alibaba
阿里巴巴国际站
Alibaba Group
Global Export
World's most significant B2B platform
www.alibaba.com
1688
阿里巴巴国内站
Alibaba Group
China (Domestic B2B)
Wholesale platform for domestic businesses
www.1688.com
Global Sources
环球资源
Global Sources
Global (Export)
Verified manufacturers, electronics & trade shows
www.globalsources.com
Made-in-China
中国制造网
Focus Technology
Global (Export)
Strong in industrial, machinery, and OEM manufacturing
www.made-in-china.com
DHgate
敦煌网
DHgate
Global (Export & Wholesale)
Hybrid B2B & B2C with bulk pricing
www.dhgate.com
Yiwugo
义乌购
Yiwugo
Global (Export, Yiwu market)
Official Yiwu market online platform
www.yiwugo.com

 

Global Chinese e-Commerce Platforms (Cross-Border B2C & C2C)

 

Platform
Parent Company
Market Focus
Key Features
URL
AliExpress
Alibaba Group
Global Export
Dropshipping, direct retail
www.aliexpress.com
Temu
PDD Holdings
Global (US, EU, LatAm)
Ultra-low prices, factory-to-consumer
www.temu.com
Shein
Shein Group
Global (Fashion)
AI-driven fashion, influencer marketing
www.shein.com
JD Worldwide
JD.com
Global (Premium brands)
Fast logistics, trusted suppliers
www.jd.hk
Banggood
Banggood
Global (Tech & Gadgets)
Electronics, better shipping than AliExpress
www.banggood.com
DHgate
DHgate
Global (Wholesale)
Bulk pricing, direct factory sales
www.dhgate.com
Tmall
Alibaba Group
China (Premium B2C)
High-end brands, cross-border options
www.tmall.com
Lazada
Alibaba Group
Southeast Asia
Cross-border marketplace, localized operations
www.lazada.com

Chinese Social E-Commerce Platforms

 

Platform
Parent Company
Market Focus
Key Features
URL
Douyin
TikTok China
ByteDance
China
Livestream shopping, short-video commerce
www.douyin.com
Kuaishou
Kuaishou Technology
China
Heavy discount-focused live streaming
www.kuaishou.com
Xiaohongshu
(RED Book)
Xiaohongshu
China & Global (Luxury & Beauty)
Influencer-driven shopping
www.xiaohongshu.com
WeChat Mini Programs
Tencent
China & Global Brands
Group-buying discounts, social sharing
www.pinduoduo.com
Toutiao
PDD Holdings
China
Group-buying discounts, social sharing
www.toutiao.com
Weibo
Sina Corporation
China
Social commerce, influencer marketing
weibo.com
Juhuasuan
聚划算
Alibaba Group
China
Group-buying deals, flash sales
www.juhuasuan.com
Meituan
美团
Meituan
China
Local services, food delivery
www.meituan.com
Tàima 泰马
Tàima Group
China
Cross-border e-commerce, logistics
 

 

Summary of Chinese E-Commerce Evolution

Period
Key Milestones
Douyin
1999–2005
Alibaba, JD.com launch, eBay exits China, Alipay launches
2010–2015
WeChat Pay, TMall, Pinduoduo rise, mobile commerce boom
2016–2020
Global expansion (Lazada, JD Worldwide), New Retail, Singles' Day records
2020–Now
Live commerce (Douyin, Kuaishou), Shein, Temu, government regulations

 

History of Chinese E-Commerce

 

Early Years (1990s – 2000s): The Birth of Chinese E-Commerce

Alibaba (1999): Jack Ma founded it as a B2B platform connecting Chinese manufacturers with global buyers.

JD.com (1998/2004): Started as a physical electronics store in 1998 but moved online in 2004 after the SARS epidemic.

eBay China (2003): Entered China by acquiring EachNet but struggled against local competitors.

Taobao (2003): Alibaba launched Taobao as a C2C marketplace to counter eBay, offering free listings and better user experience.

Key Events:

2003 – Taobao launches and dominates eBay China.

2004 – Alipay launched to build trust in online payments.

2005 – eBay China exits, selling its stake in EachNet.

Expansion & Mobile Commerce (2010s)

Tmall (2010): Alibaba introduced Tmall (天猫), a B2C marketplace for brands and retailers.

WeChat Pay (2013): Tencent expanded WeChat (Weixin) into payments, competing with Alipay.

Pinduoduo (2015): A social commerce platform focused on group buying, targeting lower-income consumers.

Key Trends:

Mobile shopping grew rapidly due to cheap smartphones.

Live streaming & influencer commerce became popular on Taobao & Douyin (TikTok China).

Cashless society: Alipay & WeChat Pay dominated transactions.

Dominance & Global Expansion (2016–2020)

Singles' Day Sales (11.11): Became the world’s biggest shopping festival, generating over $100 billion in 2020.

Cross-border e-commerce: Platforms like TMall Global and JD Worldwide allowed foreign brands to sell directly to Chinese consumers.

New Retail: Alibaba's Hema (盒马鲜生) stores combined online & offline shopping.

International Expansion:

Alibaba acquired Lazada in Southeast Asia.

JD.com expanded to the US & Europe.

ByteDance (Douyin/TikTok) became an e-commerce powerhouse.

Recent Developments (2020–Present)

Douyin & Kuaishou: Short-video platforms became major live-streaming e-commerce hubs.

Shein (快时尚): A global fashion giant dominating fast fashion e-commerce.

Temu (2022): Owned by Pinduoduo, aggressively expanding in Western markets with low-cost products.

Government Regulations (2021+): The Chinese government cracked down on monopolistic practices by Alibaba & Tencent.

Last modified: Version 3.7 - 04 March 2025