The much-anticipated New Year of 2009 is approaching. Looking back at 2008, it has left us with countless memories, as Premier Wen stated - "a country prospers through hardships." 2008 was also a year of dramatic changes and endless challenges for China's Internet industry. There were many stories in the Chinese Internet sector worth recording this year. Web 2.0 gradually transitioned from a concept to reality; e-commerce and online software faced significant market challenges. The number of internet users in China surpassed that of the United States for the first time, ranking first globally... However, the industry also had to confront the challenges of an economic downturn. Various branches of the internet saw a large increase in user numbers this year, and the industrial structure became more rational, developing at a rate far exceeding traditional industries.
The e-commerce industry developed rapidly and has been integrated into most sectors. New trends and major events continued to emerge. According to the latest statistics, the total transaction volume of corporate e-commerce in our country reached 1.5 trillion yuan. According to national plans, by 2010, at least 25% of large enterprises' procurement will be completed online.
Despite this, the financial crisis still had varying degrees of impact on e-commerce: companies are visibly cutting costs and conserving resources. Some companies, in order to get through the difficulties and secure more orders, have increased their efforts in online marketing. Meanwhile, it can be seen that many companies are making substantial investments in promotional efforts and hardware. The financial crisis has created a situation where some of China’s e-commerce platforms thrive while others struggle. Industries with low technology and high energy consumption are gradually on the brink of collapse, whereas well-managed and market-savvy enterprises gain development opportunities in the crisis.
In the new year, to enable more businesses to get the most benefits with the least expense, Era Interconnect (www.now.cn) has launched a big promotion titled “Celebrating New Year's Day, Welcoming the New Year.” Many products, including domain names and virtual hosting, come with a buy two, get one free offer. For instance, if you purchase two .com domain names, you receive another .com domain name for free. Purchasing web space also enjoys the same discount. This aims to collaborate with SMEs and individuals for common progress and achieve a win-win situation.
E-commerce platforms are the backbone in resisting the economic downturn. Enterprises using e-commerce can explore markets via the internet without being constrained by time and space, saving a large amount of costs, and securing more orders. "Facing difficulties, SMEs should improve efficiency, seek opportunities in crises, and capture new development opportunities," said industry insiders.
The e-commerce market is an ideal way out for domestic SMEs to achieve industrial restructuring and escape difficulties. Some SMEs with strength in traditional fields, by building industry-specific websites, change their business models, save various operating costs, and explore new marketing ideas, which will undoubtedly bring greater development.