Internet Retailer Expands Its Coverage of E-Commerce in China

CHICAGO, Aug. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Internet Retailer®, the leading publisher of strategic information for e-commerce business executives, today announced the appointment of  Frank Tong as Senior Editor, China, a newly created position. Tong's appointment is part of Internet Retailer's strategy to provide more in-depth coverage of e-commerce in China, which is poised to assume the mantle of the world's No. 1 e-retail market in 2013 after reporting $140 billion in e-retail sales in the first half of the year, and of the growing role of Chinese e-commerce companies in selling online to consumers around the world.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130819/CG65562)

Tong will contribute articles to Internet Retailer magazine and InternetRetailer.com, and will play a central role in Internet Retailer's expanding research on e-commerce in China and Asia as a whole. Tong was a major contributor to the Internet Retailer 2013 Asia 500 guide, which ranks Asia-Pacific's 500 largest retail web sites by annual sales, and included 153 online retailers from China.

A native of Tianjin, China, Frank Tong has previously worked in IT marketing research at CCID Consulting Co., Ltd. in Beijing and in online marketing at Mercan Capital in Montreal, Canada. He holds an MBA with honors from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona and is certified in Google Analytics and Microsoft Ad Professionals.

"Our mission is to provide our readership with the most comprehensive global e-commerce coverage so that they can make informed decisions for growing their online retailing businesses, and having Frank's insider view of e-commerce in China and the role of Chinese companies in online retailing worldwide gives us a unique edge in our reporting and analysis," notes Jack Love, publisher of Internet Retailer. "He was a tremendous asset to us when we were in China last year, compiling the exclusive data that would make its way into the Asia 500 guide. I'm pleased to welcome Frank into the Internet Retailer family of award-winning journalists and researchers," he says.

"For English readers, my goal is to help Internet Retailer magazine cover breaking e-commerce news from China," said Frank Tong. "Chinese online retailing sales increased 60.2% in the first half of this year and there are great opportunities for overseas brands to enter this lucrative market. For Chinese-language readers, Internet Retailer will report on innovative business models and advanced technology solutions. The magazine already has a strong influence among e-commerce professionals who can read English in China, and I will help increase brand awareness in China as fast as I can," says Tong.

Frank Tong works in Internet Retailer's downtown Chicago main office and reports to Don Davis, Internet Retailer's editor-in-chief. Tong can be reached at (312) 572-6259 or [email protected].

For media inquiries, contact Chaz McCrobie-Quinn, Internet Retailer, at (312) 362-0107.

ABOUT INTERNET RETAILER®

The flagship brand of Vertical Web Media, Internet Retailer® provides comprehensive e-commerce business intelligence through print and digital channels, including a monthly magazine, several research guides, web sites, online databases and e-mail newsletters. Internet Retailer, launched in March 1999, is the largest monthly magazine in e-retailing with more than 44,000 subscribers. Launched in 2000 and completely revamped in 2010, InternetRetailer.com is the most visited informational web site in e-commerce. Featuring industry news that is updated daily, the site attracts more than 425,000 unique monthly visitors. IRNewsLink, an e-mail newsletter of daily e-commerce news, is sent out every weekday to more than 46,000 subscribers.

ABOUT VERTICAL WEB MEDIA

Vertical Web Media is a privately held, Chicago-based publisher that focuses on providing business intelligence for the e-commerce industry. Founded and led by journalists, the company aims to be the largest and most credible provider of objective business information on the market trends, technology, competitive practices and people shaping online retailing. Starting with Internet Retailer magazine, launched in 1999, Vertical Web Media has since introduced more than a dozen competitive data products and is now the largest publisher in e-commerce. Through its Internet Retailer® brand, the company operates a monthly magazine, two web sites, a daily e-mail newsletter, and 10 research guides—strategic content designed to help e-commerce executives grow their online businesses.

SOURCE Internet Retailer