Ihavetocompromiseandpaythepriceformycareerpursuit.ButIwantmydaughtertowitnessthespiritofpursuingone’sself-esteemandindependence.
LiuNan,founderofMia,leadingbabyandmothercareproductstore
Herownexperienceshoppingonlineforbabycareproductsturnsafull-timemomintoanastutebusinesswoman
ByLiuJian
LiuNanwentintobusinessin2011withasmallshoponTaobao,theChinesewebsiteforbusiness-to-consumerretail,sellingdiapersonline.Today,the32-year-oldhasgrownittoMia,oneofthebiggestonlinebabyandmaternitystoresinChina.
Lastyear,shewashonoredasoneof“China’sTop10Entrepreneurs”bytheStartupBlackhorseGroup,aChinesecompanyofferingstartupservices,forhere-commerceventure.TheawardisregardedasthehighesthonorintheChinesestartupcommunity.
Findinganichemarket
BorninXi’aninnorthwestChina’sShaanxiProvince,LiugraduatedfromBeijing-basedPekingUniversitySchoolofJournalismandCommunicationin2008.HerfirstjobwasasamanagementtraineewiththeAmericanmultinationalDowChemicalCo.Butshefoundthejobuninterestingandquit,becomingafull-timemotherin2011.
“Likeanynewmother,Iwantedtogivethebestintheworldtomylittledaughter,”shesaid,explainingwhatmotivatedhertostartheronlinestore.Tofindoutthebestbabyproductsavailable-fromdiapersandinfantformulastofeedingbottlesandstrollers-Liuscannedcustomers’commentsonforeignwebsitessuchasAmazon.Inthecourseofbuyingforeignbrandsforherbaby,shepostedseveralhundredreviewsherself,introducingandcomparingpopularones,whichmadeheranopinionleaderinChinesemoms’onlineforums.Whilesharinghershoppingexperiencewithherpeers,Liufoundabusinessopportunity,andherpassion.
“ThedemandforimportedmotherandbabycareproductsisgrowingrapidlyinChinaasmoreandmoreChineseparentsbelievetheyareofbetterquality,”shesaid.Parentswonderwheretobuyqualityimportedproductsatareasonablepricecombinedwithconvenience.“Inconvenientdeliveryservices,languagebarriers,relativelyhighretailpricesandcounterfeitproductscreatehurdlesforChinesebuyers,”shesaid.
Itmadeherthink,whynotopenastoretohelpnewmothers.Havingidentifiedabusinessopportunity,shestartedaTaobaostorein2011,sellingJapanesediapers.
Throughmothers’word-of-mouthadvertising,heronlinestorereceivedmoreandrepeatcustomers.Intwoyears,itsannualsalesexceeded30millionyuan($4.59million).
InMarch2014,LiuformedherowncompanywithanindependentonlineshopMia,sellingimportedmotherandbabycaregoodsatcompetitiveprices.ItsmaintargetisChina’srisingmiddleclass.
“Theirdemandforbestqualityproductsisincreasing,”shesaid.“InsteadofcheapitemssoldontheInternet,theywanthigh-endproductsfromacrosstheglobefortheirkids.”
Justatinkleaway
Competitivepricesareakeydriverforthegrowingdemand.Moreandmoree-commerceplayerslikeLiuarebypassingtraditionalimportersandsalesagentstosourcegoodsdirectlyfromabroad.Thisway,shecansavearound20percentoncostsandofferlowerpricestocustomers.
Takingcustomers’needsasthepriority,Liupaysmuchattentiontoconsumersbuyinggoodsontheircellphones.Hercompany’smobileapphasenjoyedsubstantialgrowthsinceitwaslaunchedinJune2014.AccordingtoLiu,mobileshoppingaccountsforover80percentoftotalsales.
It’salsomoreeffectivetopromoteproductsonthephone,accordingtoLiu.“Whenamotherbuysdiapers,weknowsheneedsspoonsandadiningchairforherkidinthenextstage,”Liusaid.“Buyersgetrecommendationsforotherproducts.”
Asanewcomertothise-commercearenawithfiercecompetition,Liurealizedthatshemustactfastandbemorecompetitive.“Otherwiseyoumaynotsurvivewhenotherscopyyourbusinessmodel,”shesaid.