Retail in Asia

Headline

How China and Amazon are changing the future of retail

Retail in Asia Amazon Ipad

If you can’t find something at your local store, chances are, you’ll find it on Amazon. And that’s great news for Chinese manufacturers who are now able to produce and sell directly to consumers abroad through Amazon Marketplace.

In an opinion piece for Forbes, Kenneth Rapoza discusses the phenomenon of Amazon teaming up with the Chinese to change the retail landscape forever.

Brick-and-mortar stores in the US like Staples, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Macy’s are going out of business because of how easy it is to find the same products online.

Companies in Asia, mostly small to medium-sized businesses, are the ones who are taking advantage of this trend. In January 2015, 70.6 million items were mailed across borders via purchases made on Amazon and other platforms — compared to just 27.7 million units in January 2014.

So far, Amazon is China’s gateway of choice for selling to American consumers. But Chinese manufacturers are also looking for new ways to reach them, such as through AliExpress.

On the flip side, Chinese consumers are also interested in buying products from abroad. This year, some 15% of Chinese consumers are expected to make purchases online of goods sold outside of China, and online retail research firm eMarketer expects the Chinese to spend around $86 billion in 2016 “shopping abroad from home.”

Subscribe to the Retail in Asia newsletter:

(Source: Forbes)