Azoya Attracts Investors to Help U.S. Retailers Expand into China’s Booming Market
CLSA Capital Partners invests in leading cross-border e-commerce solutions provider and retail operator in China.
by Azoya
LAS VEGAS, March 20, 2017 – Today, Azoya International (“Azoya”) announced at the annual Shoptalkretail and e-commerce conference in Las Vegas that it has already completed the third round of capital raising, led by CLSA Capital Partners’ ARIA IV (“ARIA IV”). As a ‘bridge to China retail,’ Azoya is an integrated turnkey e-commerce solution provider, helping global retailers enter the large and growing Chinese market through a fully-managed cross-border e-commerce model. The Shoptalk conference runs March 19-22, 2017 at Aria, Las Vegas; Azoya is at Booth #PK13.
China is the world’s largest e-commerce market. Increasing affluence among Chinese shoppers has led to stronger demand for U.S. products, which consumers can now purchase online through cross-border e-commerce. A recent report from iiMedia estimates that Chinese cross-border e-commerce trading volume reached US$ 920 billion in 2016 with YoY growth of over 23%. By 2018, market size of Chinese cross-border e-commerce will reach US$ 1,280 billion, representing a lucrative opportunity for U.S. retailers seeking new growth drivers overseas.
As a leading, cross-border e-commerce solutions provider in China, Azoya offers a low risk solution for retailers around the world to gain access to China’s online retail market with comprehensive offerings including setup of e-commerce platform, merchandising, localized marketing, payment, fulfillment and logistics, as well as post-transaction customer services.
Azoya’s O2O solution is an effective omni-channel strategy that manages online and offline traffic through extensive promotions and branding activities in China on behalf of retailers in overseas to drive sales and create loyalty. It converts outbound offline traffic (e.g. tourist) to online and encourages online subscribers to visit brick-and-mortar stores through integrated cloud-based e-commerce systems.
To help U.S. retail companies achieve growth in a fast and sustainable fashion, Azoya sets up the Chinese sites, manages a broad scope of on-the-ground operational services to connect U.S. retailers directly with Chinese consumers, and adds value to their China businesses via long-term partnerships. Unlike other competitors, Azoya shares the risk as an accountable partner, and aids in strategic planning, financing solution and operational consulting for the retail partners.
Since its official U.S launch in January 2017, Azoya has already achieved rapid growth. In earlier this month, Azoya augmented its global network of retail partners by signing with Babyhaven, a California-based retailer, with a target of launching its e-commerce site in China in June 2017. Babyhaven is a premium retailer that sells mom and baby products, including clothing, accessories and toys. According to iResearch, mom and baby products are the second most popular category for e-commerce sales in China, only behind cosmetics and personal care.
ARIA IV is the fourth generation pan-Asia private equity fund managed and advised by CLSA Capital Partners (“CLSA CP”). For more than two decades, CLSA CP has tracked the dynamic consumption patterns shaped by demographic and socioeconomics across Asia.
Azoya co-founders, Alex Huang and Don Zhao said, “ARIA Funds are among the most respected and experienced private equity investors in Asia. Their investment in Azoya is recognition of our strong business model and high growth performance over the past three years.”
About Azoya
Established in 2013, Azoya International is a leading solutions provider in cross-border e-commerce to China, assisting global retailers to expand into China through cross-border e-commerce model, a cost-effective and lower risk method. To date, over 35 retailers in 11 countries are partnering with Azoya to expand into China with ease, including French fashion retailerLa Redoute, Australia’s largest pharmacy group, Sigma, as well as Feelunique, the largest online beauty retailer in Europe.
About CLSA Capital Partners
CLSA Capital Partners is the alternative asset management arm of CLSA, an award winning institutional equity brokerage and investment group. CLSA Capital Partners has more than US$3 billion under management and offices across the region, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. CLSA Capital Partners offers a diversified and increasing range of investment strategies managed by a diverse team of industry professionals with expertise in private equity, banking and finance, law and accountancy, and various industry specializations.
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