The B2C e-commerce, which was once popular and then fell silent for a period of time during the cold winter of the Internet, has once again invaded the mainstream consumption fields of businessmen and netizens in an extremely explosive way over the past year since the outbreak of the financial crisis...
In 2008, China's online shopping transaction volume for fashionable goods increased by 136.8% quarter-on-quarter, reaching 27.46 billion yuan, accounting for 21.4% of the total online shopping transaction volume throughout the year; another set of data from DCCI survey in 2008-2009 shows that the Internet has become the main channel for users to obtain information about clothing. When users have a demand for clothing information, 44.5% of the respondents said they would obtain relevant information through the Internet, followed by word-of-mouth and recommendation channels (25.9%), while the proportion of television is only 19.3%. These two sets of data undoubtedly convey a message to us: even under the 09 crisis, the fashion e-commerce such as clothing and accessories is still developing vigorously and has the potential to disrupt the traditional industry.
The accumulated strength of the industry gives enterprises market space. Some B2C enterprises focusing on the fashion field performed relatively well. For example, Dear98 Mall, which officially went online in September last year, achieved a monthly sales volume exceeding 5 million yuan within one year of operation. For those who are accustomed to reading Microsoft and Intel financial reports, 5 million yuan might not seem significant. However, insiders know that a monthly sales volume of 5 million yuan means that Dear98 Mall has completed in 12 months what other well-known fashion shopping websites take two years to accomplish. From this perspective, Qianxin.com indeed has some commendable aspects in enterprise operations. At least in terms of revenue growth rate, it has made great strides to surpass the "predecessors" in the B2C sector.
The question is, apart from market demand, why is the B2C industry booming against the trend? Let's analyze the reasons behind this phenomenon together.
Strength, the hard truth of B2C
To date, the development of China's B2C industry can be divided into two peaks. The first phase was the trial stage in 2004 when leading companies introduced a new sales model, allowing users to experience the convenience of shopping without leaving home for the first time. Subsequently, the standardization of the industry led to a brief downturn in B2C until the 2009 financial crisis brought a second spring to the e-commerce industry. However, at this point, the rules of the game had changed, and the strength of companies had evolved significantly compared to before. The era of winning customers with concepts has long passed; now, it is more about the competition of hard power - capital, products, promotional activities, customer service, etc. It is precisely these points that have become the battlegrounds between B2C enterprises.
Survival of the fittest, changes in market rules will inevitably eliminate a batch of small and medium-sized enterprises with limited strength. "Without hard power, it's not only difficult to seize market share but also survival itself is a problem. Since its establishment, Dear98 Mall has had a very clear corporate strategy. Under this strategy, we launched around 50 promotions within 12 months, averaging nearly four per month, equivalent to one every week. This is to give more benefits to consumers and allow them to purchase more cost-effective international brand products on Dear98 Mall. Of course, among these promotional activities, Dear98 Mall alone invested millions of RMB." A responsible person from Dear98 Mall indicated.
Thus, it is not difficult to understand why almost all mainstream B2C enterprises in the country have joined hands with venture capital companies for survival and development.
Products, the essence of B2C development
Besides the hard power of enterprises, another key factor determining business development is the composition of website products. Data shows that online shopping users are most concerned about product quality, with approximately 72.4% of consumers indicating that they would primarily consider this factor. Therefore, when consumers develop the habit of purchasing certain types of goods on a particular website, it is because that website has a distinct advantage in similar products or caters to the dual demands of the market and consumers. B2C enterprises have certainly put a lot of effort into the composition of their products. VANCL bombarded the public with advertisements, making everyone realize how cheap men's clothing could be; JD promised the lowest prices for 3C products in Beijing; Dear98 Mall, although a latecomer, impresses with its strong ability to attract European, American, Korean, and domestic fashion brands. Regardless of the method or structure, success lies in capturing the interest and purchasing desire of young urban groups raised in a network environment.
When discussing the products of Dear98 Mall, the responsible person for Dear98 Mall’s products stated, "The composition of products is one of the characteristics of Dear98 Mall, distinguishing it from other websites with relatively single product compositions. A multi-layered brand structure aims to meet different fashion needs. With over a hundred brands and more than ten thousand products, it can fully satisfy the consumer demand of staying at home and shopping globally."
The responsible person from Dear98 Mall continued, stating that all products sold on Dear98 Mall are directly sourced from the original place of production and delivered to consumers, ensuring the quality of each item.
Reputation, the long-tail effect of experience
Attracting users and retaining users is crucial for the development of any B2C e-commerce website. Among these factors, user satisfaction determines the future development of the website, and satisfaction mostly comes from the users' personal experiences and good reputation.
In terms of customer service, Dear98 Mall promises to be online 7x24 hours waiting for user inquiries and issues. The customer service director of Dear98 Mall stated that the company is continuously striving to handle various problems encountered by consumers and members on Dear98 Mall online and provide solutions. Compared to other shopping websites, Dear98 Mall has a longer peak shopping period, making it also the time when the most customer phone consultations occur. Moreover, a website that has been operational for 12 months and quickly increased its monthly sales to 5 million RMB is a testament to the trust placed in Dear98 Mall by numerous consumers. Dear98 Mall's customer service will continue to expand personnel, improve services, and provide the best service possible to repay the many members of Dear98 Mall.
[About Dear98 Mall]
Dear98 Mall was established in September 2008, based on insights into the development trends of China's online shopping market and effective integration of powerful commercial forces at home and abroad. Dear98 integrates more than a hundred international clothing brands, providing domestic and foreign brand products that align with fashion trends and consumer needs as its core mission, and strives to create a unique and perfect online shopping experience to enhance the quality and taste of life for Dear98 consumers.
Dear98 Mall's headquarters is located in Nanchang, the city of heroes, with nearly a hundred employees. The company consists of five main teams: merchandise, operations, technology, customer service/logistics, and marketing, with multiple professional logistics and warehousing centers set up in major medium and large cities across the country.
The people of Dear98 strive tirelessly for perfection and will always innovate and work hard for every pleasant shopping experience of our customers!