ASOS in China: Expanding in Brick-And-Mortar Presence
Author : Sarah DeMattio – 153166861
Course title : MFBM503 Introduction to International Fashion Retailing
Tutor’s name : Louise Cootes
For the purposes of this report, an in-depth examination of international e-retailer,
ASOS, and its capability to further develop operations by taking its business from selling
strictly online-only, to also incorporating brick-and-mortar stores throughout the Chinese
marketplace will be under discussion.
I. Current Market Structure: ASOS and the Competitive Landscape in China
Founded in 2000, ASOS was born out of the intention of becoming a leader in the
online world of fast fashion. According to ASOS’ professional profile on Hoover’s, “the
UK-based company is a fast-growing online apparel retailer specializing in discount
celebrity-style fashions. ASOS (which stands for “as seen on screen”) caters to Web-
savvy, fashionable 16- to 34-year–old men and women (it emulates the designer looks of
celebrities such as Kate Moss and Alexa Chung). ASOS offers 850 brands of T-shirts,
denim, dresses, footwear, lingerie, swimwear, beauty products, accessories, and jewellery
through its website, and its own brand merchandise.” With 13 million visitors each
month, ASOS has localized international operations through the form local-language
websites in Germany, France, the US, Australia, Russia, Italy, Spain, and now China
(Biesada, n.d.; Tong, 2014)
In July 2014, Wang Yiqun, ASOS China’s General Manager, was honest about her
disappointment in the retailer’s sales performance for the first five months of operations
via Asos.cn (its new local-Chinese website) when she presented the figures to the 2014
World Retail Congress China Conference in Shanghai. Although ASOS had reportedly
sold over $10million from its new local site during those months, Yiqun urged, “(ASOS)
