Forrester: Online Retail Spending in China to Exceed $1 Trillion By 2019

Spending via mobile will grow twice as fast as online retail spending over the next five years

BEIJING--()--Online retail spending in China will exceed $1 trillion by 2019, according to a new forecast from Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR), up from $307 billion in 2013. The China Online Retail Forecast 2014 – 2019 also estimates that spending via mobile will grow at 44.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), twice as fast as online sales, which are estimated to grow at 19.9% CAGR. Mobile sales and online retailers’ expansion into new product categories will be the twin drivers for eCommerce growth in China over the next five years.

“To capture the opportunities in the increasingly competitive retail market, organizations must realize the importance of digital capabilities,” says Vanessa Zeng, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research. “Successful organizations must drive innovation to deliver compelling shopping experience and focus on enhanced customer segmentation, offering seamless customer experience across touchpoints, and leverage mobile to drive overall online retail business.”

Key findings from the report include:

  • Chinese consumers are shifting to mobile for online shopping. The frequency with which online consumers in metropolitan China shop via their mobiles is increasing rapidly, while those in lower-tier cities use smartphones as their primary means of network access and for online shopping. Major web players, Tmall and JD.com, will continue to dominate China’s eCommerce market -- with market shares of 57% and 21%, respectively -- and will try to seize control of the mCommerce market by enhancing their mobile investments and improving customer experience.
  • More categories of products traditionally sold offline, such as pharmaceuticals and furniture, are now made available online. The growing number of middle-class and affluent Chinese consumers adds to online demand for a wide variety of high-end products, such as fresh food, imported goods, and automobiles. The convenience, variety, and fast delivery associated with online purchase will boost eCommerce in these new categories.

For more information, please visit: https://www.forrester.com/

About Forrester Research

Forrester Research is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We work with business and technology leaders to develop customer-obsessed strategies that drive growth. Forrester’s unique insights are grounded in annual surveys of more than 500,000 consumers and business leaders worldwide, rigorous and objective methodologies, and the shared wisdom of our most innovative clients. Through proprietary research, data, custom consulting, exclusive executive peer groups, and events, the Forrester experience is about a singular and powerful purpose: to challenge the thinking of our clients to help them lead change in their organizations. For more information, visit forrester.com.

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Contacts

Forrester Research
Public Relations, Asia Pacific
Deborah Ng, +65 6426 7016
dng@forrester.com

Release Summary

Online retail spending in China will exceed $1 trillion by 2019, according to Forrester Research. Spending via mobile will grow twice as fast as online retail spending over the next five years.

Contacts

Forrester Research
Public Relations, Asia Pacific
Deborah Ng, +65 6426 7016
dng@forrester.com