China :: Business :: Deals

Yougou Denies Rumors of Baidu Investment National Business Daily, 8/31/11 Yougou.com, Chinese online fashion company Belle's B2C footwear platform, has denied earlier reports that it received investment from Chinese internet company Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU). Several investment funds have expressed interest in Yougou, according to a senior executive in the company, but management aims to find a strategic investor in the internet sector. CEO Zhang Xuejun recently disclosed that the company has set a three year target for profitability. According to another source within the company, Belle completed a 17,000 square meter warehouse for Yougou in Shenzhen two months ago. Yougou currently uses its own warehousing facilities and third-party logistics providers. Zhang added that Yougou will consider developing its own delivery services once it reaches certain internal sales targets. Editor's Note: For more information on this topic, please see " Yougou Obtains USD 200 Mln Funding from...

In reading Caroline Wheelers article in The Globe and Mail I got to thinking about a paradox, wrapped in a riddle and infused with mystery, that has been on my mind a lot lately. Ive had a lot of names for it over the years but the most succinct one is EMPTY STORE SYNDROME. It is a phenomenon somewhat particular to China. If you have spent any time traveling or doing business in China you know the scene. Three thousand square feet of retail space in a luxury mall staffed by pretty/handsome/fashionable young people. Every product looks perfect, the fixtures, lights and other aspects of merchandising are perfect and the tenant is a world famous top 50 brand, onlythere is no one in the store. There never is. If you step into one of these stores you are either a. surrounded by five staffers eyeballing you suspiciously or b. ignored by the five sleeping, reading, dreaming staffers In general the people are in the mall and they may pass through the store, but they NEVER BUY ANYTHING!!!! ...

Source : Kirin Aug 22 2011 --- Kirin Holdings Company, Limited and China Resources Enterprise, Limited have proceeded with the preparation to establish a joint venture and completed the procedures, which was announced in the previous news release "Kirin and China Resources Enterprise, Limited agreed to establish a Non-Alcohol Beverage Joint Venture in China" dated January 24, 2011. Through a series of procedures, China Resources Kirin Beverages (Greater China) Company Ltd. has been established with 40% and 60% shares held by Kirin and China Resources Enterprise respectively. Accordingly, Kirin's stake in each of its subsidiaries, Shanghai JinJiang Kirin Beverage & Food Co., Ltd., Kirin Beverage (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Kirin Beverage & Food Co., Ltd., Beijing Flying Kirin Beverage Co., Ltd., will be soon transferred to under China Resources Kirin Beverages Group. At the new joint venture, excellent synergy will be created by the combination of Kirin Group, w...

First they came for Baidu, then they came for Weibohow soon you Taobao? Sina Weibo has taken steps to warn users against spreading rumors and false reports. I think this is part of the bigger, more established government method of keeping the natives calm by forcing them to self-police through vague directives. It also seems to be part of a larger effort to ensure state control over every aspect of the Internet. I think Beijing was rattled by the role social media has played in revolutions across the Arab world. One truly wonders what the future of the Internet in China will be. The hallmark of he Internet around the world is the open-ended, find, do, say, buy anything beauty of it all. Will China show us what the first State-Owned and Operated Internet will look like?