How e-commerce giant Alibaba is giving grassroots entrepreneurs the power and drive to succeed in the e-commerce market—and you can, too… The world’s largest online trading platform, Alibaba has created an astounding model for enterprise and growth in the 21st century. The story behind Alibaba’s incredible success is not only fascinating, it’s truly inspiring—especially if you’re a small business owner or ambitious entrepreneur who wants to increase sales, satisfy customers, and drive innovation in the e-commerce world. THE ALIBABA WAY will show you: * How rural villagers with little experience—and even less resources—are lifting themselves out of poverty using Alibaba’s online trading site, Taobao.com * How small local businesses are growing into nationwide industries by adapting to the needs, preferences, and buying habits of Alibaba customers * How online sellers are finding exciting new ways to “routinize” innovation by using the Alibaba platform to identify trends, customize services, and boost production * How grassroots individuals can borrow money without a credit record or collateral; and make money by establishing a wealth management account Now available in America for the first time, the case studies and targeted essays in this eye-opening book reveal the greatest sales secrets of China’s amazing online successes—secrets that can be used to grow your own small business into a sustainable, global powerhouse. This is the most cost-effective way to make the most of your resources—and take the e-commerce world by storm. This is The Alibaba Way—growing by unleashing grassroots entrepreneurship. It’s the ultimate e-commerce success story—a powerful new growth model for small business start-ups and grassroots entrepreneurs. Part eBay, part Google, part PayPal, the Chinese company known as Alibaba was launched by its founder Jack Ma in 1999 in a small apartment with a staff of only eighteen people. It quickly became one of the fastest growing Internet companies in the world, with more than 10 million e-commerce participants and a digital ecosystem serving a hundred million consumers per day. In The Alibaba Way—the first full-length account of this e-commerce phenomenon—you’ll go behind the scenes and inside the sites that drive seemingly ordinary online sellers to extraordinary levels of success. Their stories will provide you with not just a road map to riches, but an invaluable lesson in entrepreneurship. You’ll learn how to: * Unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and grow a grassroots empire * Make innovation a routine of your daily business operation * Use emerging technologies to expand your company across multiple markets * Tailor your online presence to meet changing customer’s needs and habits * Increase your productivity by making your venders more productive * Go global, get mobile, and turn your e-business start-up into a worldwide success Featuring brilliant insights and advice from global business experts, The Alibaba Way offers American entrepreneurs a rare opportunity to see the latest innovations—and borrow the greatest ideas—from a new generation of young Chinese entrepreneurs inspired by the Alibaba model. You’ll learn how to compete with the biggest and the best—even if you have the smallest of budgets—by leveraging the power of microfinance and e-commerce to help level the playing field. You’ll hear exhilarating stories from a small rural community transformed by the introduction of Internet access, discovering creative new ways to sell and trade and grow their businesses, the Alibaba way. Most importantly, you’ll find practical, proven strategies of online selling that have turned small businesses into major players—and Alibaba into the e-commerce giant it is today. There are so many ways to take your business online. But the best way to make it grow and succeed beyond your wildest dreams is The Alibaba Way. Dr. Ying Lowrey is an Economics Professor at the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, and Deputy Director of Tsinghua Research Center for Chinese Entrepreneurs. Previously she was senior economist at the US Small Business Administration and professor of economics at several US universities. She believes in that the Internet makes small even more beautiful.