Wuxi has seen an increasing number of young talent starting businesses online in recent years, local media reported on Sept 17.
As a national e-commerce demonstration city, Wuxi's online retail sales exceeded 80 billion yuan ($11.8 billion) in 2019, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent. The total import and export volume of cross border e-commerce in Wuxi increased by 22.6 percent year-on-year to $2.15 billion, of which business-to-business (B2B) exports amounted to $1.7 billion.
E-commerce platforms have been introduced to rural areas which have benefited the sales of local agriculture products such as honey peaches, strawberries, teas and vegetables. Fresh agricultural and sideline products have become available to customers thanks to a promoted order and delivery network on e-commerce platforms.
According to the Wuxi commerce bureau, about 150 small and medium-sized companies have been incubated and developed with the annual cross-border e-commerce innovation and entrepreneurship competition in Wuxi.
Chen Bang, 26, is the founder of Wuxi Jinyide E-Commerce Co, a comprehensive e-commerce company that provides product sales and cross-border e-commerce services. The company sells retail products such as textiles to Russia and Brazil through international e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay and AliExpress.
"Monthly sales of a popular product amount to about $40,000," said Chen. "The per customer transaction amount ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 each month."
Chen started his business in 2015 when he was a student at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Commerce. He received his first overseas order from Australia on AliExpress at a training class in the institute's entrepreneurship park for college students.
Chen said that he succeeded by understanding the unique requirements on different platforms, and refined and professional operations.
