Bidding Fierce For Chinese Online Buyers / Great Prospects For eBay Growth, But Local Competition is at Its Heels

Bidding Fierce For Chinese Online Buyers / Great Prospects For eBay Growth, But Local Competition is at Its Heels

Shanghai — Ji Yuwen skips work at least once a week, but not because he’s slacking off. It’s just that he can make more money selling jewelry from home on eBay than he can at the home inspection business he started a year ago.

For the past three years, Ji, 23, has been selling shoes, cell phones and jewelry on eBay EachNet, the Chinese version of the San Jose online auction giant eBay. He makes about $120 a month selling online. Some months, he has made $400 to $500, roughly twice the average monthly salary in Shanghai.

Ji Yuwen of Shanghai sells jewelry, cell phones and shoes on EachNet. Photo by Ling Liu, special to the Chronicle.

EBay ads in China involve a play on words, as the Chinese term for “auction” sounds like the words to “pat” or “clap.” Photo by Ling Liu, special to the Chronicle.

By Ling Liu, Special To The Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco, California

31 May, 2005 |

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