Suning reveals US online launch day

Suning Commerce Group Co, China's biggest appliance retailer, is launching its new United States online shopping service on Nov 11 to coincide with China's traditional "11.11" shopping day.

Abel Wang, general manager of the Suning R&D center USA, confirmed the official launch of usa.suning.com in an exclusive interview with China Daily, and said the company will continue its global business expansion by launching other overseas online stores in Europe too.

Created four years ago by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, 11.11 or "singles day", has now become China's - and perhaps the world's - largest online shopping event.

It was originally launched to tempt loveless single people to console themselves with some retail therapy, tempted by massive discounts by e-retailers.

Wang denied that choosing Nov 11 as its US launch date was to "declare war with Alibaba", its biggest rival in China's online shopping.

Li Xishang, Wang's deputy at the R&D center in the US, said that consumers who buy products worth more than 200 yuan ($32.6) on the site from Nov 11 will enjoy free international shipping services until the end of December. Li said Suning will also be offering door-to-door delivery in China through its own Shunfeng Express, with customers guaranteed delivery in seven to 10 days.

Many Chinese online retail consumers use purchasing agents to buy products from foreign websites, but many remain wary of high shipping fees and are unable to track their shipping information clearly, said Li.

"By collaborating with Shunfeng Express, we can offer our consumers details about shipping information, including estimates of when their orders will arrive," said Li.

"Customers who buy online can return their products, except for foods, if they have to, at the closest Suning off-line site."

Merchants partnered with Suning in the US include global brands in baby care, cosmetics and health products such as Similac and Enfamil baby formula, Earth's Best, Burt's Bees, Maybelline and Revlon, said Yu Haixia, the US store's project manager, as well as several US brands, such as Vitamin Shoppe.

Suning will also help US merchants brand themselves in China, without the need to launch in the market, said Li.

According to a Suning survey, international Chinese e-commerce sales are expected to more than double next year.

Alipay, China's largest e-payment provider, has just launched its ePass system, a new e-tool that allows US merchants to sell and deliver products directly to Chinese consumers without translating their websites or setting up warehouses in China.

Costco Wholesale Corp has also entered the Chinese mainland without a store, and will sell food and household items to Chinese consumers on Tmall, Alibaba's business-to-consumer portal.

In August, US e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc announced it would set up operations in Shanghai's growing free trade zone and signed an agreement to give Chinese customers access to products from its global supply chain.

Jonathan Li, CEO of music and picture-sharing site Vibin, said Chinese consumers have an insatiable appetite for overseas products, especially those from the US.

Products bought directly overseas can be cheaper and safer because US consumer protection law is stricter than in China, he said

"Given the fact that there is such a strong demand for US and foreign goods, e-commerce players would be foolish to miss this chance."

Zheng Yuhuang, a professor at the communications department of Tsinghua University, said the surge in international e-commerce services will provide Chinese buyers more choices when buying products online.