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Amazon Launches Prime In China (usatoday.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the world-economy dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from USA Today: Amazon is bringing its popular Prime service to China. Chinese Prime is different from that available in other nations, with no video offering but instead a focus on no minimum, unlimited free domestic and international shipping. That is a nod to Chinese consumers' growing desire for products from the West, which they perceive as often being of better quality. Chinese Prime members will be able to shop for over 4 million international products from the Amazon Global Store, a storefront the company launched in 2014 to cater to that interest in international goods. The most popular products for Chinese consumers to buy on Amazon are apparel, shoes, baby, toys, home, kitchen and beauty, the company said. The Prime China orders from Amazon's Global Store will be processed at Amazon fulfillment centers in the United States, then flown to China and delivered to the customer's door via Amazon's global logistics network. Amazon says it will deliver the packages to 82 Chinese cities within five to nine days. Amazon has an extremely tiny footprint in China, where it is estimated to account for 1.5% of the online commerce market, according to iResearch. In China, online sales are dominated by Alibaba and JD.com. Last year Amazon quietly launched a store on Alibaba's Tmall site as a way to reach the Chinese market. The Prime service will cost 388 yuan a year, about $58.

28 comments

  1. What a coincidence! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    That is a nod to Chinese consumers' growing desire for products from the West, which they perceive as often being of better quality.

    Consumers in the West have the same perception! When do we refer to it as a global consensus?

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:What a coincidence! by SeaFox · · Score: 2

      That is a nod to Chinese consumers' growing desire for products from the West, which they perceive as often being of better quality.

      Consumers in the West have the same perception! When do we refer to it as a global consensus?

      I want to know where these Chinese are finding products made in the West -- so I can get them, too.

    2. Re:What a coincidence! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Products made in most of the West are trash, worse than the Chinese crap (eg: American cars and electronics), but there's a few places where they're worthwhile (eg: Germany). The difference is the good products are luxury items and can charge a premium. Cost-competitive gear has to cut so many corners it is useless, or doesn't have the pedigree so everyone whines that it's too expensive.

    3. Re:What a coincidence! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is a nod to Chinese consumers' growing desire for products from the West, which they perceive as often being of better quality.

      Consumers in the West have the same perception! When do we refer to it as a global consensus?

      No wonder Amazon is missing it financial targets, with such wrong headed market research.

    4. Re:What a coincidence! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ask your parents what "Made in Japan" used to mean 50 years ago - hint: shitty quality. China is going through the same ting, but improvement is inevitable.

  2. lololo by fubarrr · · Score: 1

    I remember, back in 2010 or so: i was reselling cheapo $1.4 Chinese plastic sunglasses on eBay for around 100 to 200 USD each. Every weak at least one guy was making a purchase.

    Some of the biggest volume buyers who requested shipping abroad were Chinese. I wonder, did they think that those sunglasses were made in Canada where I was living back then?

    1. Re: lololo by fubarrr · · Score: 1

      omg, im beginning to forget English...

  3. Slogan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Amazon Prime China: When you absolutely need your stuff right Mao.

    Play me off, Johnny!

  4. Western products by manu0601 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    products from the West, which they perceive as often being of better quality

    You mean the western products made in China?

    1. Re:Western products by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, because at least we have decent QA (compared to China).

    2. Re:Western products by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      You mean the western products made in China?

      Here's the thing - the Chinese factories are all able to produce to quality. You pay for the quality you want, and China will deliver that quality to you at the price.

      The problem is in China the lack of IP protection has created a bunch of knockoff products, typically sold under Chinese labels. The Chinese themselves are smart - they know these knockoffs are just that - low quality POS made to be as cheap as possible and therefore low quality.

      So there's a belief that the quality of western-made goods is higher - and they want to pay for that quality.

      Essentially, the Chinese don't want cheap crappy low quality knockoffs, they want higher quality goods, and the local market is just not supplying them focusing instead on low quality crappy knockoffs.

    3. Re:Western products by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ahh, the circle of life.

      american company imports product from china, sells to amazon who exports it back to china for retail sale. chinese guy buys product on amazon and ebays it back to someone in the u.s.

    4. Re:Western products by adolf · · Score: 1

      What Western-made goods?

      Other than some rather high-end audio components, I don't see much around me that wasn't of Asian origin other than a Bic lighter and an old Craftsman screwdriver.

      --
      Kid-proof tablet..
    5. Re:Western products by piojo · · Score: 1

      It's not the US that has better QA, it's the importer. If the item isn't purely generic (if it has a brand), nobody wants to bring a shoddy product into the market and tank their own business. If it's generic, then the global marketplace means it's very, very hard to get good quality from any source.

      --
      A cat can't teach a dog to bark.
  5. How does one purchase "baby"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...The most popular products for Chinese consumers to buy on Amazon are apparel, shoes, baby, toys, home, kitchen and beauty, the company said...

    1. Re:How does one purchase "baby"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the one child policy coming back to bite them in the butt!

  6. Fantastic news by Zibodiz · · Score: 1

    This is really fantastic news. One of the environmental problems the world is facing relates to all the miles of empty travel back to China, for exporters. More export from the USA to China means planes & ships with cargo going both ways; it costs the shippers next to nothing, and it puts the fuel to better use. The other benefit that stands out to me, is the fact that this could help with the USA's trade deficit. Every dollar of goods Amazon exports is a dollar into our economy that wouldn't be here otherwise. I hope this does well.

  7. Canadian Prime by CanEHdian · · Score: 1

    How interesting.... here in Canada we also don't get video. And this post sums everything else up quite nicely: http://youngandthrifty.ca/amaz...

    --
    When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
    1. Re: Canadian Prime by corychristison · · Score: 1

      I am Canadian and am a Prime Subscriber.

      I signed up simply for being able to order basically anything I need and get it quick. No "standard" shipping. Everything comes in 2 days or less. That I find valuable, others may not. Our shipping options in this Country suck for the most part.

      I used to deal pretty extensively with NCIX.com for computer parts and peripherals, and would always pay extra per order for 2 day delivery. With Amazon, I can usually find what I need via Prime Eligible products, and have it shipped at all around lower cost, even if I factor in the yearly fee.

    2. Re: Canadian Prime by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah but since you're not getting the other stuff shouldn't the prime membership cost less? No because fuck Canada I guess

    3. Re: Canadian Prime by corychristison · · Score: 1

      While I agree, and do wish we had Prime Video here, it doesn't bother me. I place value in the expedited shipping and cam justify the yearly cost.

      Others may not. Everyone's situation is different.

  8. Western standards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Chinese products that can be legally imported into the US or EU have met standards that aren't required at home.

    1. Re: Western standards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You did meant that seriously didn't you ?
      We,have you bought anything off Amazon co.uk lately ?
      The majority of what is on there is fake rubbish,with no better safety than other dangerous sub-standard fake craps elsewhere in the world.
      Even if you complain to Amazon about specific items sold by specific sellers,all the happens is that front closes and another front opens with one letter or number changed and selling exactly the same fire starting lethal crap...
      If it's important/vital items,do t buy off Amazon,even some of a.axons own tatt,sold direct by Amazon,with amazons name on it,is sub-standard..
      Try starting a case against them and see how you do...

    2. Re: Western standards by Dogtanian · · Score: 1
      I'll draw your attention to what the OP said:-

      Chinese products that can be legally imported into the US or EU have met standards that aren't required at home.

      Emphasis on the word "legally". Just because they're getting away with it doesn't mean it's legal to import and sell blatantly "fake" and "sub-standard.. fire starting lethal crap" here.

      OTOH, if they *are* getting away with it, that does admittedly negate the benefit of buying somewhere with all these regulations if they aren't enforced...

      --
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  9. In China, online sales are dominated by Alibaba a by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So much dominated this announcement is laughable. Sell ice to the Eskimos.

  10. Where are these Western products they speak of? by ayesnymous · · Score: 1

    I am not aware of any.

  11. prime by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So the best thing us western prime members can do is to look for stuff on prime China,then we won't have to wade through all the fake,knock off Chinese tatt that now makes up the majority of what Amazon .com/co.uk sells,it should be much easier searching,and the reviews system cannot be any worse than the load of rubbish that Amazon count as reviews..

  12. Movies/books/music by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah but do they miss all the stuff that is lacking from non-US Prime like how they fucked over Canada? Amazing how much shit is blocked here despite still being able to buy the same content, even on YouTube and everything else. Probably the CRTC's fault and Quebec's requirements for French. CRTC and OLF are why we can't have nice things.