DHgate.com
 | |
Native name | 敦煌网 |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Cross-border e-commerce |
| Founder | Diane Wang (CEO) |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
Number of locations | |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products |
|
| Services |
|
| Website | www |
DHgate.com (simplified Chinese: 敦煌网; pinyin: Dūnhuángwǎng) is a Chinese business-to-business (B2B) and Business-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce website that facilitates the sale of manufactured products from suppliers to small and medium retailers. It is the largest B2B-cross-border e-commerce trade platform in China. The company is based in Beijing and is available worldwide.
History
DHgate was founded by Diane Wang in Beijing in August 2004[1] and was officially launched in 2005.[2] The "DH" in DHgate refers to Dunhuang (Mandarin 敦煌 (Dūnhuáng)), a Chinese city in modern-day Gansu province and formerly a strategic point on the Silk Road which linked China to the rest of the world during ancient times.[3] The name alludes to the company's place as a modern, online version of the Silk Road linking SMEs between China and abroad.[4] Early on, the company struggled to remain profitable, but capital investments in 2006 and 2007 helped DHGate remain afloat.[2] In 2008, it was listed 7th on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for the Asia Pacific region. By the following year, it had over 1 million registered users worldwide.[1]
In January 2013, DHgate began assisting small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam with exporting goods internationally. Prior to this, the company had primarily worked to connect Chinese SMEs with foreign buyers.[5] DHgate also became the first Chinese cross-border e-commerce company to provide internet financial services.[6] An April 2014 report by the International Finance Corporation advised Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies to follow the company's model. DHgate's founder and CEO, Diane Wang, had been a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) since 2011.[7] In February 2015, access to DHgate was added to the Shopify platform.[8]
In November 2015, DHgate helped facilitate a bilateral e-commerce treaty between Turkey and China at a ceremony during the G20 summit in Antalya that was attended by leaders of both nations and Diane Wang. The agreement was signed as a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative.[9] A Sino-Turkish e-commerce platform was established by DHgate (in conjunction with Chongqing Logistics City) in April 2016.[10] In 2017, the company began developing physical stores called Digital Trade Centers (DTCs),[6] which were designed to allow retailers and wholesalers to inspect products prior to purchasing them.[11] By the end of 2017, it had set up DTCs in the United States, Hungary, Australia, Spain, Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Peru.[12] In 2019, DHgate began helping Japanese SMEs sell their products through the platform,[13] and continued its strategy in Turkey to enable suppliers in the country to sell online.[14]
Operation
DHgate.com is a cross-border business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform that links primarily Chinese SMEs to businesses and individuals worldwide. Estimates suggest that the platform has 21 million global registered buyers, 2 million Chinese sellers,[15] and 22 million products available.[16] The website sells numerous products, including a range of electronics, apparel, and health and beauty items, among many others.[8] It is considered the largest digital platform in China that focuses exclusively on B2B transactions,[6] and is available in 8 languages including Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, and French.[17]
Kurac[17] locations known as Digital Trade Centers (DTCs) in which prospective clients can inspect goods before ordering. DTCs are located in numerous countries globally.[12]
References
- ^ a b "Wang Shutong, A Ladylike Success in China's IT Field". CRI. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ^ a b Liangfeng, Zhao (20 June 2012). "Wang Shutong: Reaping E-Business Success". Women of China. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ^ Tse, Edward (14 July 2015). China's Disruptors: How Alibaba, Xiaomi, Tencent, and Other Companies are Changing the Rules of Business. Portfolio. p. 57. ISBN 978-1591847540.
- ^ "【人物專訪】敦煌網擬港上市 「目前沒有時間表」". Apple Daily (in Chinese). 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ^ Limin, Chen (30 January 2013). "DHgate enters Vietnam's B2B market". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ a b c Shi Ping, Low (14 August 2017). "String of firsts". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Wenjie, Li (17 November 2014). "DHgate CEO Diane Wang Shines in APEC". Women of China. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ a b Wolf, Alan (4 February 2015). "Shopify Adds DHGate Access". Twice. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Feifei, Fan (27 February 2017). "Feminine touch to e-commerce". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Yingzi, Tan (1 April 2016). "Sino-Turkish e-commerce platform ready". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Sun, Celine (19 August 2015). "DHgate.com chief makes sure China's SMEs really deliver to overseas customers". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ a b Yiran, Zheng (25 December 2017). "Delivering world to Chinese sellers". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Kihara, Takeshi (15 March 2019). "Chinese wholesaler DHgate.com links to Japan's small businesses". The Nikkei. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "「一带一路 合作共赢」敦煌网：为中小企业开辟一条网上国际贸易通道". Baidu (in Chinese).
- ^ 延宇, 梁 (26 November 2018). "【人物專訪】從老師到電商巨頭 「女版馬雲」：商場對女性不公平是常態". Apple Daily (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "【一带一路 合作共赢】敦煌网：为中小企业开辟一条网上国际贸易通道" (in Chinese). CNR. 11 April 2019.
- ^ a b Khetarpal, Sonal (6 May 2018). "Spreading Tentacles". Business Today. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
