Conclusion

          DHGate has successfully created a worldwide brand and managed to position its brand across North America and Europe as an e-marketplace where small and large retailers can source and purchase a wide range of consumer products directly from 1.2 million vendors across China. The brand loyalty and satisfaction from customers are increasing as DHGate is offering its customers a clear view of its brand value.

          DHGate differs from other China based e-marketplace by focusing only on smaller scale manufacturers and suppliers. The platform provides benefits to small suppliers which lead them able to get quick and easy access to the global supply chain. In addition, the transactions and payments made through the platform had offered some degree of trust and reliability for the buyers.

          Moreover, DHGate provides a comfortable purchasing environment and positive online experience for buyers and sellers. DHGate upgraded its Merchant Rating System (MRS) for rating sellers to improve customer satisfaction by helping sellers to maintain positive interaction with buyers. MRS embraces various measures such as sellers’ response time to enquiries, product quality, product information, and the information sellers furnished on the shipping status of orders. This support service would help to generate more transactions.

          By implementing the e-marketplace, DHGate had provided superior value for users with its continuous innovation in terms of its value proposition and business model. DHGate does not charge a membership fee from the buyers and sellers. Instead, it charges the commission with a percentage ranges from 3% to 10% of every successful transaction amounts. This would benefit the sellers from increase their profit, shorter business cycle and broaden their global reach. At the same time, buyers can enjoy a faultless and secure bulk purchase experience on the website. Nonetheless, DHGate is taking to launch further exclusive services, so that it can compete with other online wholesale market.

          Furthermore, the implementation of e-marketplace in DHGate had built the buyers’ confidence through its Escrow buyer protection system. The system is in place to help to reduce buyers’ anxieties about purchasing from unknown sellers and limit any potential fraudulent behavior on the website. DHGate’s buyer protection system guaranteed secure payments on every transaction. DHGate also provide the refund to customers if their products are not delivered or not as described on the website. Thus, this may help to build the buyers’ confidence.

          Besides, the implementation of e-marketplace in DHGate had improved the efficiency of the buying and selling processes. DHGate has provided seller feedback through the rating given by various buyers. A higher rating indicates that the seller has higher degree of reliability based on previous performance. The comments section also provides the details about seller attitude, credibility, reliability and support. This enabled the customers to refer at those reviews and allowed them to give their own feedbacks or recommendations to the sellers. Moreover, DHGate also provided the information and overview of the product. This would help the customers to search for the products they want easily. Furthermore, the exchange of information and experiences on the website allows the customers to reduce the risk of an inappropriate purchase. Thus, the efficiency of the buying and selling processes would be improved.

          As a result, the implementation of e-marketplace in DHGate has strengthen its foothold in online wholesale market as it attract more users to use its e-marketplace to sell products or purchase the listed products across the vast selection of product categories. Eventually, DHGate has become one of the successful e-marketplace platforms.