Imports are Us
All of them seem to be focused on import items. There is a fallacy that some of these are items are hard to get and hence demand a premium in price. Ok... so exorbitant tariffs, 'round-the-world shipping, and the need to make a jiao have something to do with that also. There is a premium cost associated with getting these items here and available. They provide some premium imported goods at premium prices without taking into consideration that there are good local alternatives in many of these categories. A few small businesses with online stores have staked out a particular niche. They have identified a need and added their value by making or importing items that have a niche demand. One example would Justbeer.cn. Another is Helekang.com. Some of them are listed later in the article.
The Biggies
CityShop http://www.cityshop.com.cn/ used to be top of the niche for delivery of imported groceries, but with a mediocre website, no online shopping in english, and marketing consisting of handing out an out of date paper catalog, they are likely to have their lunch eaten by upstarts with decent online options. What they have done well, is open more locations close to their buyers (such as the one on XinHua Lu at PanYu Lu) and focused on having a well-stocked in-store shopping experience with key items priced to bring people back. At the new location mentioned, the box of fresh, washed, and crisp salad greens for 10 RMB, or slab of pretty good bananna bread with walnuts for 6RMB, and high quality deli meats for 6-14 RMB per 100 grams is enough to bring a hungry expat back a couple times a week. In spite of the fact that they still push $10 boxes of cereal, they have managed to create a good, cost effective, high quality product that is a draw in itself.
Retail behemoth Carrefour http://e-shop.carrefour.com.cn/index.do just launched its online shopping site (complete with english version). As of this writing, it appears they are still getting some bugs worked out. The advantage is that they have some decent local stuff and, for some things, the prices are unbeatable. There have been complaints that requires refrigeration, is at this point, not being handled correctly in the heat of summer. It is only place online you can order a flat of Schweppes soda water and their 750ml bottle of San Pellingrino for 17RMB is a buy. One can also order cat sand and cat food, toilet paper, and reasonable baked goods. Still there are big holes in the selection compared to what you can get at the real supermarket, Essential items that would entail having to make the trip anyway, it's generally best to restrict oneself to only ordering the heavy, bulky, or good deals to make up the 200RMB min. As they work out the bugs and get more of their product offering, this could be a resource.
Newcomers
Startups Ezymart http://ezymart.cn/ and Smartdirect http://www.smartdirect.cn are now working hard to fill out their product lines, each pushing to set itself apart. Currently, their offerings are similar. Imported items and a smattering of local and even for the expat, the killer item that is essential might be hard to come by. Browsing through their catalogs reveal a decent selection by no deals that stand out. Factoring in their relatively recent openings, time will help them figure out that not all expats order everything imported, and that they need to have some excellent deals to draw people in. Not much personal experience has been shared from users of their service, so their stock status, delivery, and order handling are yet to be discussed.
Beans, Bread, Beef, Beer
Focusing on niche seems to make the best business sense. It's tough to be everything to everyone and when businesses scale to serve a small niche there is profit to be made. Narrow your focus, and do what you do well is a good philosophy no matter what your business - here are few who are doing their niche well.
- Elders http://www.elders.com.cn/en/ has been around for a while. They specialize in Aussie imports, with a focus on the much-lauded Australian beef.
- Matt, at Just Beer http://www.justbeer.cn/catalog serves Imported Beer and Wine that is tough to get anywhere else. He has brought it and he has the goods. If Aussie beer, wine and other goodies are your thing - you need to meet Matt.
- HeleKang http://www.helekang.com/english/ delivers real organic fresh veggies, and has filled out its product line rather nicely with other local and imported organic foods. Something to take a look at.
- Abendbrot http://www.abendbrot.com.cn/ found their niche in baking and deliver good German bread to the hungry and health-conscious crowd and developed quite a following.
An Expat Opinion
What does of the expat user say about this? One expat user of a few of these shopping service had the following comment: "I look for good deals. High quality and low price. I refuse to pay the equivalent of USD$10 for a box of cereal, no matter how much I want it. I won't by a slab of steak, regardless of origin, for USD $20 per pound or more. There is no need for paying those prices. I can purchase a gallon of breakfast cereal at a fraction of what it costs to buy an imported box, and it is better, fresher, tastier, and cheaper. I won't pay USD $10 for a big bottle of imported sparkling water, when I can get the locally made international brand version for 20% of the price."
Undoubtedly, as the market develops as it has in other countries, online grocers will come and go. It will take some time for some of these players to find their legs and set themselves apart from the crowd. In the end, it will come down to quality of goods, prices, and service - as it does with any other business venture. Those who are just trying to make some quick money on a perceived trend will crash and burn, and those dedicated to their businesses and their customers will rise above the rest.
