Who are China's top online retailers? Internet Retailer's 2014 China 500 provides the answers

CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Internet Retailer®, the leading publisher of strategic business information for e-commerce executives, announced today the release of its 323-page 2014 China 500 research publication. Available as a digital publication and as part of an online database, it provides previously unavailable competitive data and analysis on the 500 leading e-retailers in China, whose direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales grew 42% in 2013 to $305.5 billion from $214.8 in 2012, research firm iResearch estimates.

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Released in both Mandarin- and English-language editions, the 2014 China 500 incorporates a half year's worth of research conducted by Internet Retailer editors, furnishing scores of details on China's fast-growing web merchants, including their 2013 and 2012 web sales, market rank, monthly web traffic, conversion rate, average ticket, payments and performance metrics, key company executives and more. This inaugural publication reveals 130 financial and operating metrics on each of the 410 Chinese and 90 non-Chinese web merchants in the China 500. Each profile also describes the e-retailer's web-selling strategy.

These leading e-retailers spearhead growth in the world's largest national e-retailing market, one dominated by Alibaba Group's two big web shopping portals—Taobao and Tmall—which account for 80% of e-retail sales in China. The 2014 China 500 also provides details of the companies competing with Alibaba in building online portals where many merchants sell, as they do in the U.S. on eBay.com or Amazon.com.

While those marketplaces are dominant today, many China 500 retailers are carving out growing niches, aided by large capital inflows from abroad. For example, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. acquired a 51% stake in one of China's largest e-retailers, Yihaodian, whose web sales increased 69.7% to $1.91 billion in 2013, according to findings from the 2014 China 500. Wal-Mart is just one example of the many Western retailers, consumer brand manufacturers and technology vendors drawn to the dramatic growth in Chinese e-commerce, growth that shows no signs of slowing.

"Our intent in publishing this inaugural research guide is to help our readers—especially U.S.-based e-retailers and solutions providers looking to launch or expand their global e-commerce footprints—understand the sheer scope of the opportunities and challenges awaiting them in China's e-commerce landscape," says Jack Love, publisher of Internet Retailer. "Make no mistake: no e-commerce market is going to impact American retailers, manufacturers and vendors more than China."

The 323-page guide is now available in a digital version and all of its proprietary data can be accessed and customized by user preference through a subscription to Top500Guide.com, the world's largest online database of competitive e-commerce information.

For media inquiries, contact Chaz McCrobie-Quinn, circulation manager, 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 49,000 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 12 research guides—strategic content designed to equip e-commerce executives with the competitive data they need to help grow their online businesses.

SOURCE Internet Retailer