The E-commerce market grows in size year after year. Which country is on the top? The answer is China. China is the biggest eCommerce market in the world. How did Chinese B2C e-commerce become so big?
Chinese B2C ecommerce
In the 2000s, China accounted for less than 1% of the world’s e-commerce market. In 2022, China was the world’s largest e-commerce market, with an estimated value of USD 1.5 trillion, about half of the global market. It makes it the only country to exceed the USD 1 billion mark. The next biggest market is the US (USD 875 billion), and the third biggest is Japan (USD 241 billion).
In China, Alibaba Group owns the biggest online marketplaces. The list includes Taobao, Alibaba.com, and Tmall. Alibaba’s biggest competitor is JD.com, the largest retailer in China. Pinduoduo also holds a lot of the market share.
JD.com
JD.com is an online marketplace that provides a wide range of commodities in all main product categories, such as:
- home furnishings
- clothing
- electronics
- fresh food
- fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
Pinduoduo
Pinduoduo has over 500 million users and is one of China’s most visited online marketplaces. In the beginning, it specialized in agriculture and connected farmers directly to consumers. Now it offers a wide range of products:
- fashion
- beauty
- cosmetics and personal care
- electronics
- fresh produce (next-day delivery)
- food and beverages
- household items
- sports and fitness items
- auto accessories
- and more.
Meituan
Meituan is an online shopping platform. It offers China-sourced consumer products and retail services, such as groceries and hotel booking.
The most valuable e-commerce company in China: Alibaba Group
Alibaba Group is a technology company providing e-commerce solutions and more. Its portfolio includes marketplaces as:
- Tmall (B2C)
- Taobao (C2C)
- AliExpress (B2C)
- Alibaba (biggest B2B platform).
Since China is a market with the biggest number of internet users, listing your goods on such sites gives you access to a large customer base. Check out our tips on exporting to China and the types of business presence in China.