【禁聞】美團購鼻祖進軍中國 前程不明

【新唐人2011年2月23日訊】美國團購鼻祖Groupon計劃和大陸騰迅公司合作,進軍大陸市場,目前已經緊鑼密鼓的開始了籌備工作。但是,有報導認為,與谷歌和雅虎等試圖在中國大陸互聯網市場大展鴻圖的所有互聯網公司一樣,Groupon最後可能也會鎩羽而歸。

據《華爾街日報》的消息,目前,Groupon正在北京組織面試工作,並在中國的招牌網站和大學的官方網站上發佈招聘廣告。很明顯中國超過4.5億的互聯網用戶,也讓Groupon躍躍慾試。但是這個網站面對的是一個受到嚴格管控的互聯網市場,它將面臨種種挑戰。

Groupon在中國一開始就出師不利。據英國《金融時報》消息,Groupon在中國推出了團購網站——高朋網,頁面上展示了Groupon的標識及其他信息。但短短數小時之後,網站就被撤下。據當地監管部門說,這個網站還沒有領到合法牌照。報導說,這個新網站自身前途不明,再一次凸顯了外國互聯網企業在中國大陸遭遇的種種困難。

不僅如此,Groupon內外都遭遇了不少困難。據《南方都市報》最新消息顯示,剛上任不久的Groupon中國區市場副總已經辭職。外部環境也是不甚友好,由於Groupon從各團購網站招聘了很多人,因此,遭到了大陸團購網站的聯合抵制。據說,他們達成了一個共同進退的口頭“聯盟協議”,聲明“永不錄用”曾在Groupon工作過的員工,聯合抵制Groupon。

不過,對Groupon來說,最大的問題可能還是如何開拓市場的問題。大陸去年團購業務中頻頻出現詐騙事件,市場監管不力導致的信譽危機,讓大眾對團購模式以及團購行業的誠信產生了質疑。大陸電子商務巨頭阿里巴巴21號宣佈,由於2010年出現了大約1000名“中國供應商”客戶涉嫌欺詐,阿里巴巴首席執行官及首席運營官同時辭職。

美國加州大學商學院教授納瓦羅(Peter Navarro),一直關注中國互聯網商業發展。他這樣分析在大陸投資的外國公司所面臨的挑戰,他說:“任何進軍中國的公司都得擔心他們的技術可能會被拿走;他們不得不擔憂,來自中國當地公司的不公平競爭。這些是最大的障礙。” 所以,到目前為止,沒有一個互聯網公司在大陸的成功案例。

至於哪些因素制約外國公司在大陸的發展,納瓦羅教授對《美國之音》表示:“在我看來,地方市場的保護主義、腐敗、從技術和互聯網的角度來說,審查制度、對控股權的限制等等。這不是我們美國人所了解的自由市場。”

新唐人記者宋風、孫寧綜合報導。

U.S. Groupon plans to cooperate with China』s
Tencent to enter the Chinese market.
It has started the preparation.
However, there are reports saying that Groupon
might return in failure, just like Google and Yahoo
that tried in vain in Chinese Internet market.

Is Groupon wise enough to enter China?
Analysts are not optimistic about its move.

According to The Wall Street Journal, currently
Groupon is preparing for the recruitments in Beijing.
It has put up recruitment ads on China』s prominent
websites and university websites.
Obviously, China』s 450 million netizens are attractive
to Groupon, but China』s tight Internet control also
poses serious challenges to Groupon.

Groupon』s start in China was not smooth.
Financial Times reported, Groupon launched its
official Gaopeng website in China, but within hours,
it was taken down. Local regulators said
the site had not yet received a valid license.
The report said, the unknown future of this new website
highlights the struggles of foreign Internet companies
in Mainland China.

Groupon encountered many other difficulties, too.
The Southern Metropolis Daily said, Groupon』s
newly inaugurated VP of China Market resigned.
Its external environment is also not very friendly.
Since Groupon recruited many talented people
from its competitors, they initiated a joint boycott.
It is said that they reached an oral agreement to
“never employ" anyone who worked for Groupon.

Nevertheless, Groupon』s biggest problem is how to
open up markets in China.
In 2010, the group purchase business in China
involved many frauds. Lack of market supervision
causes the public to question the credibility of
group purchase business and operators.
On Jan. 21, China』s e-commerce giant Alibaba
announced the resignation of its CEO and COO
due to the suspected fraud of about 1000
“China Suppliers."

Peter Navarro, a professor in the School of Business,
University of California, has followed China’s Internet
business development. He analyses the challenges
faced by foreign companies investing in China.
He said: “Any company entering China is concerned
if its technology would be stolen; they have to face
unfair competitions from local Chinese companies.
These are the biggest obstacles.” Therefore,
no Internet companies succeeded in China so far.

Then, what factors have hindered the development
of foreign companies in China?
Professor Navarro told VOA, in his view,
market protectionism, corruption, censorship,
and limit to stock holding are all factors.
This is not a free market that Americans know about.

NTD Reporters Song Feng and Sun Ning

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