A Coach online store in Chinese language will soon be permanent after a successful month-long trial at China’s online retail platform, Taobao Mall.
 
Achieving a successful one month web store trial in December, recording about 3.5 million hits, Coach will launch its official Chinese-language web store within the next 12 to 18 months.

Coach China president and CEO Jonathan Seliger said that through direct contact with Chinese online consumers, Coach had increased its understanding of the needs and preferences of China’s online shoppers.

“(We’ve) accumulated valuable experience in China’s e-commerce landscape and gained insights to potentially pave the way for the development and launch of a permanent online Coach store in China.”

The web store will offer convenience to customers, allowing them to choose between an online shopping experience or visit one of 65 bricks and mortar stores.

As the Chinese love for luxury products accelerates, more and more luxury brands are expected to launch online stores in China. Gucci, for example, has an e-commerce site in Japan and South Korea but not yet in China.

“We do not have an e-commerce operation in China at this moment but we are planning to,” said a Gucci spokesman. “The company continues to invest significantly in the digital area.”

Analysts consider Coach’s move to sell online in China to be perfect timing with the nation’s online market growing by 67.8 per cent last year to 800 billion yuan (US$127 billion). 

GB