China's 267 billion yuan online spending spree in 2009
China's 267 billion yuan online spending spree in 2009
15:09, March 15, 2010 
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Last year, 130 million Chinese consumers spent a total of 267 billion yuan shopping online, according to a report released by China IntelliConsulting Corporation on March 15. This is a roughly 91 percent increase from 2008. At the same time, the survey showed satisfaction with online shopping is second only to large-scale shopping malls and supermarkets, and the rate of complaints fell by nearly 28 percent.
The report shows that the amount of online shopping in 2009 is equivalent to around 2 percent of the country's total retail sales, while in 2008 this figure was a little over 1 percent. Although the number is on the rise, the amount of online shopping in China is relatively low compared to developed countries. Clothing, digital products and cosmetics are the best-selling products online but they are also sectors with most disputes.
Taobao.com, China's largest online shopping Web site will launch a program called "Consumer Year" in 2010, aimed at improving customer service. The consulting agency predicts that this, along with the introduction of a series of consumer rights protection measures, will cause consumer satisfaction with online purchases to continue to rise.
The following are the highlights of the report:
The rapid development of online shopping is the result of an improved online shopping environment. It is estimated that in 2009, industrial and commercial administration departments and consumer rights protection associations registered one complaint for every 934,000 online shopping transactions. This complaint rate is a nearly 28 percent reduction from 2008.
More than 90 percent of the disputes are resolved through consultations with sellers or through the shopping sites' platforms. Only about 5 percent of the cases will be submitted to industrial and commercial administration departments or consumer rights protection associations.
Compared with offline shopping, online shopping makes filing complaints more convenient and highly-targeted. When problems arise with online shopping, around 32 percent of consumers will make complaints to shopping platforms or through other channels, whereas only about 22 percent of consumers make complaints in offline cases.
By People's Daily Online
The report shows that the amount of online shopping in 2009 is equivalent to around 2 percent of the country's total retail sales, while in 2008 this figure was a little over 1 percent. Although the number is on the rise, the amount of online shopping in China is relatively low compared to developed countries. Clothing, digital products and cosmetics are the best-selling products online but they are also sectors with most disputes.
Taobao.com, China's largest online shopping Web site will launch a program called "Consumer Year" in 2010, aimed at improving customer service. The consulting agency predicts that this, along with the introduction of a series of consumer rights protection measures, will cause consumer satisfaction with online purchases to continue to rise.
The following are the highlights of the report:
The rapid development of online shopping is the result of an improved online shopping environment. It is estimated that in 2009, industrial and commercial administration departments and consumer rights protection associations registered one complaint for every 934,000 online shopping transactions. This complaint rate is a nearly 28 percent reduction from 2008.
More than 90 percent of the disputes are resolved through consultations with sellers or through the shopping sites' platforms. Only about 5 percent of the cases will be submitted to industrial and commercial administration departments or consumer rights protection associations.
Compared with offline shopping, online shopping makes filing complaints more convenient and highly-targeted. When problems arise with online shopping, around 32 percent of consumers will make complaints to shopping platforms or through other channels, whereas only about 22 percent of consumers make complaints in offline cases.
By People's Daily Online
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