1.Fresh food is a big barrier in online shopping market in China

  (Chinese people buy fresh food in market. Source: TimeOut Beijing)

As the rapid growth of online population in china, B2C market has become most popular in China. Indeed, since economic reforms and improved policy in the late 1970s, the Chinese e-commerce has a breakthrough achievement over the past three decades. “Recent data reveal that China had 87.88 million users on the Internet compared to 74 million the previous year” (CNNIC, 2009). 

When I first come to United Kingdom, I think out a question that when you want to buy some fresh meat and vegetables for cooking a meal, but there is nothing meat or vegetables in your refrigerator, will you prefer using online food shopping to purchase fresh food you like, or to go a retail store like the nearest supermarket by foot for ten minutes? Which one would you like to choose? However, there is a strange phenomenon that most of people who lived in China are not willing to purchase fresh food online, so that less online food retailers would like to sell fresh food online. Even there have not online fresh food online shopping service in some areas in China. On the contrary of that, I found that people who lived in UK are able to purchase fresh food from several online food retailers. For example, Tesco, ASDA, and Sainsbury.  And their orders will be delivered in their home on time. 

I think the culture issue is the main factor of influncing Chinese online shopping behaviours. Raven (2007) pointed that China’s cultural preference for face to face business interactions as well as regulatory issues as factors that may inhibit the development of online shopping.

In order to acknowledge a deep understanding of China’s e-commerce market statement and Chinese customer online food shopping behaviours and intention. Therefore, in the following posts, I will research online articles and journals which relate to China's e-commerce market and Chinese customer online shopping adoption to think over what factors influencing current Chinese online shopping market, how to face and deal with these issues. 

References:

• CNNIC Statistical Survey, 2009, Number of Mobile Phone Internet Users. [Image online]. Available at: [http: //www.renesas.eu/edge_ol/global/09/index.jsp ] [Accessed 19^th February 2016].

• China Internet Network Information Centre, 2013, Number of Online Shoppers in China 2009-2015E (in Millions). [Image online] Available at: [http: //www.tmogroup.asia/for-luxury-e-commerce-matters-3-facts-about-china-e-commerce/] [Accessed 6^th April 2015].

• Raven, P.V., Huang, X. and Kim, B.B., 2007, E-Business in Developing Countries: A Comparison of China and India. [E-journal] Available through: Anglia Ruskin University library website< http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk > [Accessed 19^th February 2016]