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Riding the boom in online buying
By Vivian Yang |
April 12, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JOYO Amazon, a popular domestic online shopping site whose parent company is the global e-commerce giant Amazon.com, is experiencing a major boom powered by China's ever-increasing number of Internet users.
Wang Hanhua (pictured right) is president of Joyo Amazon, joining the company in 2005, five years after it was established.
He has turned the original Chinese online bookstore into the current sophisticated shopping portal with an impressive inventory of over 1 million items ranging from books, audio and video products to toys, jewelry and digital gadgets.
Wang, a 40-something Beijing native, was Motorola's Asia Pacific vice president before shifting into the thriving e-commerce market.
Q: You had climbed the ladder to become VP at Motorola, an enviable position at your age. What prompted your move from the well-developed telecommunications industry to the burgeoning e-commerce business?
A: I had been working at Motorola for nearly eight years before I joined Joyo Amazon in 2005. After gaining my telecommunications industry experience, I was looking for new challenges at a time when e-commerce was considered a "sun-rise" industry in China. So when Joyo Amazon came to me, I simply accepted their job offer.
Q: What did you find most "challenging" when you took over the company in 2005?
A: The greatest challenge I've met so far was how to develop Joyo Amazon into a more comprehensive online shopping portal with as low cost as possible.
Most people got to know about Joyo Amazon through our extensive selection of Chinese books. Even today, we are considered one of the country's largest online bookstores. But Joyo Amazon is more than a mere online bookstore selling discounted books, audio and video products.
Over the past few years, we have been expanding the business scope to the current inventory of over 1 million items covering most aspects of life. And this has given customers a wider shopping selection on our Website than before.
Q: Backed by your parent company Amazon.com, is there any major difference between the companies in terms of how the business operates?
A: Yes, of course. One of the major differences we've had is the payment method.
In the United States, over 95 percent of our customers will use credit cards to cover their bills, but in China, more than 70 percent of our online registered members prefer cash on delivery (COD) payments.
Another big difference is in the logistics. In China, we've made greater efforts to develop Joyo Amazon's systems by setting up three multi-functional operation centers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Suzhou.
With upgraded storage capacity and an advanced inventory management system, each operation center is able to enhance its transaction capacity and order efficiency and provide a better shopping experience for our customers.
Q: China's e-business has developed at a rapid rate and a myriad of online shopping sites have sprouted up over the years. How has Joyo Amazon managed to survive against its competitors? And what do you think is the core advantage that makes your company continue to grow?
A: I think we're more committed to improving our online shopping service, or to be more customer-oriented. And this spirit is reflected in three ways.
Firstly, Joyo Amazon boasts an inventory of over 1 million items over 20 product categories - a number that is rarely seen in domestic B2C (business-to-consumer) trade.
This means our customers have a wider choice, ranging from books, electronic products and kitchen appliances to health and personal care supplies.
Secondly, customers can get discounts on most items because we've established a good, stable relationship with many manufacturers and wholesalers from home and abroad.
This long-term connection has enabled us to increasingly expand our product lineup with a lower cost price.
Thirdly, a more efficient delivery service can be offered with our three operation centers.
Q: We're now in a time of global economic downturn and almost everyone is feeling the pinch. Has the recession affected your business?
A: No, not really. On the contrary, our business has grown over the past few mo°?nths. With more and more customers becoming budget-minded, they tend to adopt a more rational buying habit. So they'd do online shopping more often, as most shopping Websites offer cheaper prices and a wider selection.
Q: After such rapid expansion, what future plans do you have for Joyo Amazon?
A: We will try to provide a more enjoyable online shopping experience for our customers. Take payment as an example.
We understand that most Chinese traditionally feel more comfortable paying when they receive products. So we extended our cash-on, carriage-free delivery service to over 550 cities across China by the end of 2008. And we also introduced the use of mobile POS (point-of-sales) terminals in some cities.
Q: We've been talking a lot about online shopping. Do you go shopping online as well?
A: Sure, I am a virtual SVIP (super very important person) at Joyo Amazon and since I'm running an online shopping site, how can I not be involved in trading on it?
Q: What kind of items do you buy online?
A: I usually buy such stuff as books, CDs and DVDs for personal use. But for my family and friends, I'll buy what I need at Joyo Amazon.
Recently, we just moved into a new apartment in Beijing, and my wife bought many things online, from bedding and kitchenware to furniture and electronic appliances.
Wang Hanhua (pictured right) is president of Joyo Amazon, joining the company in 2005, five years after it was established.
He has turned the original Chinese online bookstore into the current sophisticated shopping portal with an impressive inventory of over 1 million items ranging from books, audio and video products to toys, jewelry and digital gadgets.
Wang, a 40-something Beijing native, was Motorola's Asia Pacific vice president before shifting into the thriving e-commerce market.
Q: You had climbed the ladder to become VP at Motorola, an enviable position at your age. What prompted your move from the well-developed telecommunications industry to the burgeoning e-commerce business?
A: I had been working at Motorola for nearly eight years before I joined Joyo Amazon in 2005. After gaining my telecommunications industry experience, I was looking for new challenges at a time when e-commerce was considered a "sun-rise" industry in China. So when Joyo Amazon came to me, I simply accepted their job offer.
Q: What did you find most "challenging" when you took over the company in 2005?
A: The greatest challenge I've met so far was how to develop Joyo Amazon into a more comprehensive online shopping portal with as low cost as possible.
Most people got to know about Joyo Amazon through our extensive selection of Chinese books. Even today, we are considered one of the country's largest online bookstores. But Joyo Amazon is more than a mere online bookstore selling discounted books, audio and video products.
Over the past few years, we have been expanding the business scope to the current inventory of over 1 million items covering most aspects of life. And this has given customers a wider shopping selection on our Website than before.
Q: Backed by your parent company Amazon.com, is there any major difference between the companies in terms of how the business operates?
A: Yes, of course. One of the major differences we've had is the payment method.
In the United States, over 95 percent of our customers will use credit cards to cover their bills, but in China, more than 70 percent of our online registered members prefer cash on delivery (COD) payments.
Another big difference is in the logistics. In China, we've made greater efforts to develop Joyo Amazon's systems by setting up three multi-functional operation centers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Suzhou.
With upgraded storage capacity and an advanced inventory management system, each operation center is able to enhance its transaction capacity and order efficiency and provide a better shopping experience for our customers.
Q: China's e-business has developed at a rapid rate and a myriad of online shopping sites have sprouted up over the years. How has Joyo Amazon managed to survive against its competitors? And what do you think is the core advantage that makes your company continue to grow?
A: I think we're more committed to improving our online shopping service, or to be more customer-oriented. And this spirit is reflected in three ways.
Firstly, Joyo Amazon boasts an inventory of over 1 million items over 20 product categories - a number that is rarely seen in domestic B2C (business-to-consumer) trade.
This means our customers have a wider choice, ranging from books, electronic products and kitchen appliances to health and personal care supplies.
Secondly, customers can get discounts on most items because we've established a good, stable relationship with many manufacturers and wholesalers from home and abroad.
This long-term connection has enabled us to increasingly expand our product lineup with a lower cost price.
Thirdly, a more efficient delivery service can be offered with our three operation centers.
Q: We're now in a time of global economic downturn and almost everyone is feeling the pinch. Has the recession affected your business?
A: No, not really. On the contrary, our business has grown over the past few mo°?nths. With more and more customers becoming budget-minded, they tend to adopt a more rational buying habit. So they'd do online shopping more often, as most shopping Websites offer cheaper prices and a wider selection.
Q: After such rapid expansion, what future plans do you have for Joyo Amazon?
A: We will try to provide a more enjoyable online shopping experience for our customers. Take payment as an example.
We understand that most Chinese traditionally feel more comfortable paying when they receive products. So we extended our cash-on, carriage-free delivery service to over 550 cities across China by the end of 2008. And we also introduced the use of mobile POS (point-of-sales) terminals in some cities.
Q: We've been talking a lot about online shopping. Do you go shopping online as well?
A: Sure, I am a virtual SVIP (super very important person) at Joyo Amazon and since I'm running an online shopping site, how can I not be involved in trading on it?
Q: What kind of items do you buy online?
A: I usually buy such stuff as books, CDs and DVDs for personal use. But for my family and friends, I'll buy what I need at Joyo Amazon.
Recently, we just moved into a new apartment in Beijing, and my wife bought many things online, from bedding and kitchenware to furniture and electronic appliances.
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