China's Baidu - B2B - A Delicious Meal Or a Hot Potato?

Baidu, the leading Chinese language internet searchThis year sees both SMEs and b2b market are
provider, is rumored to be secretively planning a B2Bentering winter. Many SMEs and b2b companies are
platform, similar to that of Alibaba, and is to adoptlooking for their way out. The Chinese B2B Study
free mode to rival Alibaba (1688.HK), the top industryCenter releases an article, in which experts point out
player in China, according to Beijing Business Today.Alibaba is substantially a kind "Huangye Promotion
Hu Xinran, COO of China.tootoo.com, the No.3Mode", and its limitations and hysteresis will further
Chinese B2B foreign trade website, has joined Baiduvisualize. In this sense, at least three shortcomings
recently, which was considered to be a sign Baidu isexist. First, its effect is hard to evaluate; second, this
set to explore the B2B market.mode can just provide the basic information of sellers
Baidu.com, has just announced his Q3 net profit,as its resource is limited, then the more famous
rosing 91.4 pct year-on-year to 347.9 mln Yuan,Alibaba is, the more sellers are attracted, which will
driven by a strong paid-search business. Now it is atlead to information jam and harder transaction. Then
the summit of its power in the search engine field,search engine is a best choice for enterprises to
while the B2B field is confronting its transformationspend this cold winter. We can see from three
stage. Then does it's an wise move for Baidu tofacets: at first, it can save cost for the businesses.
enter b2b market in this time? Is it a delicious meal orComparing to the year-cost of Alibaba, from several
a hot potato?thousands to millions, it cost much less by using Baidu
As a giant search engine in China, Baidu enjoys lotssearch engine.
of advantages in building a B2B platform. There is aAnd encountering the world economic depression and
saying "dancing with the search engine" in America,international financial crisis, Alibaba stock (HKSE:
which reveals the importance of search engine for1688.HK) declined heavily. While the mainstream
e-commerce business. So enterprises e-commercesearch engine companies, such as Baidu, Goolge, still
tend to depend on search engine, and more andcan maintain their high perch in stock market, and
more buyers and sellers get orders and makeclimb continually. The industry experts, such as Wang
successful business through search engine. AndJuntao, the father of Chinese e-commerce, points
search engine marketing will become a favorite forout searching engine sale is more advanced
SMEs as its low threshold. Baidu can take itscommercial pattern compared to "Huang Ye" sale
advantage in search engine field and adopt "cost formode. Then we can expect a fascinating viewing on
action mode". Another tendency we should realize isBaidu in 2009.
that enterprises are eager for an independentHaving established a trusted and successful business,
e-commerce platform, breaking its rely on B2Be-commerce titan Alibaba should be a clear favorite
companies .b This is why there is a saying "dancingto win in the B2B arena. Where Baidu could have a
with the search engine" in America, which reveals thechance is in bundling a B2B play with its growing
importance of search engine for business. Whilesearch marketing business. However, this is what its
Baidu's mature internet technology can help them topower exists and where b2b e-commerce tends to
build their own b2b platform and promote to thedevelop. This is what called "E-commerce based on
e-commerce web2.0.search engine times".