2014 China SME B2B E-commerce Industry Annual Monitoring Report
2014 China SME B2B E-commerce Industry Annual Monitoring Report
📊 Core Market Size & Penetration
📌 2013 Review: Online transactions, finance, industrial belts & big data
🔄 Shift to online transactions
DHgate launched “full-process foreign trade open platform”.
Hui360 introduced “Huifubao” online payment.
Alibaba’s 1688.com recorded a single-day transaction value of CNY 41.9 billion.
Platforms integrate into whole transaction process, reducing communication costs and unlocking deeper data potential for SMEs.
💰 Supply chain finance
Alibaba’s micro-loans served over 250,000 SMEs, with over 1 million loans per quarter.
NetSun (Zhejiang Netsun) launched financing guarantee services.
B2B finance fills the gap left by traditional banks (small, short-term credit needs).
🏭 Industrial belts + O2O
Standard model “Enterprise + Government + Service Operator + B2B Platform” took shape in 2013.
Alibaba ran over 150 industrial belt projects; Hui360 launched Smart Home City in Shunde.
Blending online info and offline clusters boosts local e-commerce adoption.
📈 B2B big data emerging
Alibaba gained access to customs data and shipping manifests.
NetSun released “Bulk Commodity Delivery Index”.
Although big data applications are still limited, as online transactions prosper, data value will surge.
The “Six Measures for Foreign Trade” and pilot cross-border payment licenses fueled growth.
DHgate cooperated with Ningbo Haishu District on a cross-border platform.
Alibaba opened customs data to suppliers and enhanced buyer sourcing tools.
📈 SME B2B Market Monitoring Data
Annual transaction scale (2009-2017)
📅 Total B2B platform revenue (2013 Q1-Q4)
Q1: ¥4.42 bn Q2: ¥4.76 bn Q3: ¥5.12 bn Q4: ¥5.15 bn
Q-o-Q growth Q4: +0.7%, YoY +15.7%. Growing commission income from online transactions drives industry revenue.
👥 Monthly unique visitors
According to iResearch iUserTracker, average monthly unique coverage of SME B2B platforms reached 162.4 million in 2013. H2 growth rates were higher than H1, reflecting stronger user engagement.
🏢 Listed Company Revenue Comparison
| Company | 2013 Revenue (¥ bn) | YoY Growth | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mysteel | 12.4 | +29.9% | Procurement agency model of its e-commerce subsidiary matured. |
| Global Sources | 12.2 | - | Dual pillars: website (46.3%) & exhibitions (43.4%). Exhibition share rising. |
| Hui360 (HC International) | 8.4 | +52.7% | Strong domestic growth, paid member increase, expansion in new industries. |
| Focus Tech / Netsun etc. | Steady performance, innovation in online financing and big data. | ||
Website: 46.3% Exhibitions: 43.4% Magazines/others: 10.3%
Exhibition business share increased 5 p.p. YoY, reinforcing offline sourcing value.
🔎 Key Operator Research: Global Sources & Industry Players
🌐 Global Sources
Multi-channel B2B media company: website, magazines (print/digital), sourcing reports and trade shows.
Revenue model: promotion fees from suppliers, membership, exhibition participation fees.
2013 website revenue share 46.3%, exhibitions 43.4%. Expanding exhibition footprint in Johannesburg, Miami, São Paulo.
⚙️ HC International (Hui360)
Launched Huifubao and online trading platform in 2013.
Integrated with Shunde Home Appliance City; online info + offline experience.
+52.7% revenue growth driven by paid member increase and deeper industry coverage.
🚀 Alibaba B2B
1688.com hit CNY 41.9bn single-day GMV. Gained access to customs and import manifests.
Alibaba Micro-loan served over 250k SMEs, pioneering data-driven finance.
📦 DHgate & Netsun
DHgate transformed into full-service open platform, removing membership fees.
NetSun launched Bulk Commodity Delivery Index and financing guarantee business, exploring new supply chain models.
💡 B2B Evolution Milestone
From information directories (early stage) → online transaction + payment + supply chain finance → big data + industrial belts + cross-border integration. 2013 marked the critical shift toward closed-loop trading. Future online transaction penetration will accelerate.
🌏 Cross-border E-commerce Policies & Opportunities
July 2013: State Council “Six Measures for Foreign Trade” to facilitate trade efficiency.
August 2013: Guidelines supporting cross-border e-commerce retail exports, encouraging comprehensive foreign trade service companies to provide financing, customs clearance, tax rebates.
17 third-party payment firms obtained pilot qualifications for cross-border foreign exchange settlements.
- DHgate partnered with Ningbo Haishu District to build a cross-border platform, modular value-added services.
- Alibaba opened customs data, launched online inspection/certification procurement channel, and boosted direct sourcing tools.
🔮 Outlook & Forecast (2014-2017e)
iResearch predicts total SME B2B transaction value will exceed CNY 10 trillion by 2017, with penetration increasing steadily.
As online transaction infrastructure matures, big data monetization and cross-border integrated services will reshape revenue models. Industrial belts, supply chain finance, and compliant cross-border payments remain key variables for future differentiation.
📚 Methodology & Data Sources
This report combines in-depth industry interviews and desk research using government data, corporate financial reports, iResearch iUserTracker and proprietary statistical models. Transaction scale and revenue data refer to the National Bureau of Statistics, General Administration of Customs, and public company filings.
Copyright © 2014 iResearch Consulting Group. All rights reserved. For reference only, not for commercial redistribution without permission.
© 2014 iResearch Inc. · SME B2B Annual Monitoring Report (English version) · Data accurately based on original report
- 2014年中国中小企业B2B电子商务行业年度监测报告 艾瑞咨询.pdf
