There was a time when to advertise on Autotrader, you needed an employee to come out to tke the picture. Now we do it ourselves, just like Ebay. technology is the key to reduce the costs here.

I myself started a car leasing company in the Uk around 5 months ago, right in the middle of a recession, one of the biggest ressions ever known, i must be mad, but what inspired me was Ling, even though she is one on my competitors you have to hand it to her business model, compare her site to the traditional site in the car leasing market in the uk and you will get many different takes on the site, youl either love it or hate it.

Hopefully in the near future Ling may move her business into china and leave me some room to grow in the uk for my car business

There is tons of stuff on my site about my business model.

No, BitAuto (I have looked) are providing portal for Chinese dealers to develop their sales. Traditionally (still) Chinese do not have a vibrant auto market; they are learning what to do with used cars. This BitAuto is a central repository for all things car.

I am surprised that Auto Trader has not established in China. However, BitAuto provides more than them (which may actually mean less focus). In the growing market they should be safe, but if at 1,000 employees they are still losing money – sheesh! You wonder if they will ever make any? That number of employees seems excessive, but then that’s how they do everything in China – throw numbers at it. In the UK I think profitability would have to kick in before that stage. Would probably do what they do with <50 people.

Me, I lease new cars of all brands to credit-worthy customers in the UK. I am the UK’s favourite car leasing website.

Plus, I am a Chinglish bird!

Ling

I have lots of discussions about this approach. If you want some boring site, visit another. If you want to see something worthwhile (that no one else bothers to do) check http://www.ling...com/sitemap.php

That shows all the live visitors in real time, plus customers online, plus there is a singing cat and a Pump up the Jam Jar (Jam Jar is a competitor owned by Royal Bank of Scotland – booo, hisss, greedy banks).

Cars should be fun. Intelligent customers find their way around and I sell loads of new cars. Website is only route to market.

Unlike BitAuto I do not have 1200 employees, but I do have over 1200 attributed customer testimonials.

Ling

Good luck!

Big difference between us, apart from BitAuto scale, is that I have always been profitable. I build a business that makes money every year, not one that waits to get snapped up for RMB Billions.

It may be interesting to see if there is any common ground between us, as I move >1,000 new cars of all brands in the UK each year, simply from a website. The good thing is that using my model, I have been unaffected by the current (terrible, 25%+ down) car trading conditions in the UK.

Ling!

Learning Mandarin Chinese has become easier with new online tools over the years. ChineseTeachers.com try to help by bringing real native teachers and Chinese professionals to learn Chinese but also better understand the cultural differences.

China has so many entrepreneurs that are eager to partner with companies abroad, some have good Chinese but it is always helping to have more appreciation of these entrepreneurs to find the optimum win-win deals.