| Threat from online markets |
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| Tuesday,May 12,2009 Posted: 09:00 BJT(0100 GMT) |
| From:za Article type:Original |
It is not just financial difficulties being faced by many companies that have led to a fall in the number of people attending Canton Fair and placing orders, but also the growing maturity of online market places.
Alibaba.com in particular has experienced a dramatic rise in volumes of trading. It sells thousands of items from facemasks to flowers and tiles to toys.
Not only is its service comprehensive, customers do not even have to leave the comfort of their home to make purchases.
A typical example is Shi Mingfei, 40, who is general manager of a Shenzhen-based electronic enterprise. He acknowledged the economic gloom played a part in deciding not to attend the fair but added the most important factor was the ascendance of retail on the Internet. |
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