Amazon Prime launches in China
Amazon Prime has reached China.
The online retail giant on Friday announced its launch of Amazon Prime China, a version of Prime tailored to Chinese customers.
The shipping service, which costs 388 yuan or about $57 a year, began operating in China on Friday.
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The Chinese version of Prime is focused solely on shipping, without the TV, music and additional benefits that come with a $99 annual Prime membership in the U.S. Amazon says its Chinese service is the "first-ever membership program offering unlimited free cross-border shipping" on products from the Amazon Global Store.
Global products will reach customers in 82 Chinese cities within five to nine days, Amazon said. The minimum purchase for free cross-border shipping is 200 yuan, or about $29. Free domestic shipping requires no minimum purchase.
“Launching a unique program designed for our Chinese customers shows our obsession with Chinese customer needs, and demonstrates our long-term commitment to growing our business in China,” Amazon Senior Vice President Russ Grandinetti said in a statement. “We will continue to innovate for customers in China to deliver more value over time.”
Amazon in China is up against Alibaba and JD.com, the country's largest e-commerce retailers.
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Emma Hinchliffe is a business reporter at Mashable. Before joining Mashable, she covered business and metro news at the Houston Chronicle.
