Wal-Mart Steps Into China's E-commerce Market

From PC World: Wal-Mart is testing the waters of China's e-commerce market by launching an online store for its Sam's Club warehouse chain in the country.

The online store is still in beta testing and is meant for Sam's Club members based in Shenzhen, a city of more than 8.9 million.

"We are currently making an effort to explore and develop an e-commerce platform that will better serve the emerging online shopping needs of our Chinese customers," Wal-Mart said by e-mail. "We do not have an exact timeline on national rollout."

Wal-Mart already has a large presence in China, with 78 Supercenter stores across the country, according to the company's website. The company also has three Sam's Club stores, located in Shenzhen, Beijing and Fujian. To buy from Sam's Club in China, a user has to pay for a one-year membership that costs 150 yuan (US$22).

In spite of its large presence, Wal-Mart has only started to tap China's booming e-commerce market, which is projected to reach US$61 billion at the end of the year, according to consulting group iResearch.

View: Article @ Source Site