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DHgate.com

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DHgate.com
Native name
敦煌网
Company typePrivate
IndustryCross-border e-commerce
FoundedAugust 2004 (2004-08)
FounderDiane Wang (CEO)
HeadquartersBeijing, China
Number of locations
Area served
Worldwide
Products
  • E-commerce
  • mobile commerce
  • logistics platform
  • cross border payments
Services
  • B2B
  • trade
  • import
  • export
Websitewww.dhgate.com

DHgate.com (Chinese: 敦煌网; pinyin: Dūnhuángwǎng) is a Chinese business-to-business (B2B) and Business-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce marketplace that facilitates the sale of manufactured products from suppliers to small and medium retailers. It is one of the largest B2B-cross-border e-commerce trade platforms in China. The company is based in Beijing and has offices worldwide, including in the US and UK.

History

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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 the Chinese government'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 launched physical stores called Digital Trade Centers (DTCs),[6] which were designed as a temporary experimental service to allow retailers and wholesalers to inspect products prior to purchasing them.[11] DTCs were set up in the United States, Hungary, Australia, Spain, Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Peru,[12] but the service has since been discontinued.

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]

In 2022, the Office of the United States Trade Representative added DHGate to its list of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy.[15][16]

In April 2024, DHgate Group honored with "Best B2B Cross-Border e-commerce Marketplace Company China 2024"[17] by the Global Finance (magazine) .

Operations

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DHgate.com is a cross-border business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform that links primarily Chinese SMEs to businesses and individuals worldwide. As of June 30 2020, the platform had 31 million global registered buyers, 2.2 million in sellers and other countries from over 220 countries and regions,[18] and 32 million products available.[19][20] 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.[21]

In 2017, DHgate also operated physical[21] locations known as Digital Trade Centers (DTCs) in which prospective clients could inspect goods before ordering. DTCs were located in numerous countries globally as a temporary experimental service but have since been discontinued..[12][22]

In 2020, DHgate launched MyyShop, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product to build a decentralized cross-border e-commerce industry.[20] Facing the COVID-19 crisis, DHgate accelerated the digital transformation of international traders, connecting global buyers with virtual exhibitions.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Wang Shutong, A Ladylike Success in China's IT Field". CRI. 20 July 2009. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b Liangfeng, Zhao (20 June 2012). "Wang Shutong: Reaping E-Business Success". Women of China. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "【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. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  5. ^ Limin, Chen (30 January 2013). "DHgate enters Vietnam's B2B market". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Shi Ping, Low (14 August 2017). "String of firsts". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  7. ^ Wenjie, Li (17 November 2014). "DHgate CEO Diane Wang Shines in APEC". Women of China. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  8. ^ a b Wolf, Alan (4 February 2015). "Shopify Adds DHGate Access". Twice. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  9. ^ Feifei, Fan (27 February 2017). "Feminine touch to e-commerce". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  10. ^ Yingzi, Tan (1 April 2016). "Sino-Turkish e-commerce platform ready". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ a b Yiran, Zheng (25 December 2017). "Delivering world to Chinese sellers". China Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  13. ^ Kihara, Takeshi (15 March 2019). "Chinese wholesaler DHgate.com links to Japan's small businesses". The Nikkei. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  14. ^ "「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).
  15. ^ Singh, Kanishka (2022-02-18). "U.S. adds e-commerce sites operated by Tencent, Alibaba to 'notorious markets' list". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  16. ^ "USTR Releases 2021 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy". United States Trade Representative. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  17. ^ "DHGATE Group wins "Best B2B Cross-Border e-commerce Marketplace Company China 2024" at the Global Business & Finance Magazine". PR Newswire. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "【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.
  20. ^ a b "DHgate Launches MyyShop to Build a Decentralized Ecosystem". www.businesswire.com. 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  21. ^ a b Khetarpal, Sonal (6 May 2018). "Spreading Tentacles". Business Today. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  22. ^ "DHgate.com lanza en México programa de comercio online". eSemanal - Noticias del Canal (in Spanish). 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  23. ^ 孙迟. "Innovative e-commerce stabilizes foreign trade". global.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
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