Group Buy network gradually lost independent integration of industrial capital into a trend

Only when the tide is gone does it know who is swimming naked. After the "Battle of the Thousand", there are few companies that can still lead the group buying market.

January 8, the United States network released data show that 2012 of the total turnover exceeded 5.5 billion yuan, of which only December turnover exceeded 800 million. Sufficient capital makes the United States Regiment in the national "siege pull out" group buying war, rapid access to scale benefits. American Mission Network CEO Wang to this newspaper, the company has achieved a phased profit.

At the same time, the closure of 24 coupons officially closed, which makes 24 coupons to restart or resell completely hopeless. Du Yinan, founder and CEO of 24 coupons, said in an interview with The Economist, "The investor is on my leave condition and cannot exist as a shareholder." ”

Lost "right of speech"

January 6, a Shanxi original 24 coupons female staff, overnight in a building in Beijing residents in the corridor. After the incident was exposed by the media, once again attracted outside the attention of the 24 coupons. At the same time, a large number of departing employees from Jiangsu 24 Coupons said to the newspaper that the company's money owed to merchants has not yet been repaid, and these funds are charged by the lead sales staff.

And all the fuse is Du Yinan led by the entrepreneurial team and the investor's contradictions.

Before the closure, 24 coupons have nearly 300 employees, liabilities of 60 million yuan, a monthly loss of 2 million yuan. Du Yinan said that the company has been given full authority to the investment representative, no longer ask about 24 coupons.

Dating back to last October, 24 coupons issued a statement on its official website as "all 24 coupons", announcing that the company had decided to temporarily enter a "long holiday" for a period of time as a result of major adjustments to its business.

From the time of the announcement to the close, Du Yinan to seek the potential solution from the investor's active mediation. "I negotiated with the management for half a year, and even stayed at the investment side's home in Shanghai." "Du Yinan said.

Public information shows that 24 coupons from the establishment has been six financing, a total of 50 million U.S. dollars, the investment side including the United States Wei up, Ding Fai, Vov, and so on, KK is represented by the investor refers to the Malaysian individual investor Ken-neth Chang.

At the peak, 24 coupons had a staff of 4500 people, sales scale to do the first five of the industry. A group buying industry evaluation of 24 coupons, early learning handle, regiment treasure net crazy expansion burning money, capital cold winter follow-up financing hopeless and capital chain break, more important is the main investors have no industry experience.

In this respect, Du Yinan admits that the investor has not had the industry experience, also cannot give any suggestion, when 24 coupons makes the direction judgment, not only has not the investor support, also intends to let him out.

Coincidentally, early last year, outgoing "volume of the Run" of the group Treasure Net founder Ninchunre in the reflection of the company, it is the greedy investor greed caused the network into a desperate situation, "the first half take money to catalytic you accelerate expansion, the second half take money to coerce you, do not lay off the money".

The only impact on the Nasdaq-listed market is the clash between infighting and the capital side.

After the failure of the IPO, handle network executives began to leave frequently, the performance plummeted. China Electronics Business Research Center announced the third quarter turnover, the handle net to 396.2 million yuan slipped to 5th. Under the company's internal and external pressure, founder Wu choose to leave.

Handle network can be said to be Jinshanjiang venture in the field of group buying gamble, the first round of investment handle net 4.9667 million U.S. dollars, B-round, C-round and successively with the vote, to become the first big shareholder, to grasp the right to speak. In the handle experience of the storm, the Jinsha venture partner Zhu Yuhu always rushed in front, as if to become a spokesman for the handle. He has not given up on the hope of restarting the IPO, "it needs to wait for the right time".

Lack of capital supply, group buying sites have been transformed or closed down.

China's E-commerce Center released the third quarter group buying industry data showed that as of the end of September 2012, the number of group purchase site reduced to 2,919, 2011 year-on-year Reduction of 42%, equivalent to 5.9 daily purchase site disappeared or transformation.

After jumping out, I have been not optimistic about the group buying industry. "The first is that the merchant's premium capacity is limited, followed by the high flow cost," Du Yinan said. "But do not rule out the current group buying based on new innovation." "he said.

Become the "hands and feet" of industrial predators

Group buying started early, quickly ignited the enthusiasm of capital investment, and for the influx of "hot money", entrepreneurs also lost direction.

According to the statistics of the Qing Branch database, 2010 to date the group buying industry a total of 43 investment events, the total amount invested is about 719 million dollars. Among them, a total of 20 investment in 2010, investment amount of about 140 million U.S. dollars, in 2011, a total of 15 investment, investment amount of about 534 million U.S. dollars.

The time shift is easy, only 3 investment in 2012, the total amount of only 45 million U.S. dollars, of which Group F completed 40 million U.S. dollars financing, and the funds are mainly from Tencent and Groupon's additional investment.

Tide after the sand, group purchase as an independent business model is gradually corrected, with industrial capital, as the "hand" and "foot" layout, gradually be confirmed. In this regard, whether Tencent, Alibaba, or Groupon, investment agencies or companies to buy more inclined to focus on their own business strategic layout, is an example.

At present, domestic group buying enterprises are divided into three major categories: to gather cost-effective, the United States Regiment, handle net-oriented vertical group purchase site; to the public comments network, Qi Jia Network, glutinous Rice Network for the representative attached to the original brand on the purchase business, as well as the group 800, group Friends for the representative of the group buy navigation site.

December 25, 2012, the U.S. group purchase website Bloomspot 35 million U.S. dollars sold to JPMorgan Chase. Bloomspot's business model is to use user credit card data to help businesses find the best deals.

And JPMorgan Chase is the bank's grasp of the merchant data information, its operational capabilities and the traditional enterprise data advantages combined.

The domestic internet giant Baidu in 2011 put forward "The middle page strategy", namely realizes the service chain to be longer the non-standard business and the Baidu user search behavior docking, realizes the flow realization.

Based on this strategy, Baidu has invested in the online travel of the electric business to where, video site Archie art, Life Service shopping guide Platform Philharmonic Live, home group purchase site Qi Home network. "Baidu is not an investment in E-commerce, but the investment user search behavior related to the industrial layout." "Qi Jia Net CEO Deng Huaqin said.

The United States network in 2011 to obtain Alibaba, the Northern Lights, Walden International and Sequoia participated in the 50 million U.S. dollars. "The American Regiment is Ali in the local life service domain important extension." "Wang thinks.

Tencent, in addition to its own layout group buying business QQ Group purchase, but also actively seek external investment.

Groupon, the US-listed group-buying company, joined Tencent to set up a peer network and merged with the Group F of another Groupon investment last June. A former Groupon employee, who declined to be named, told the newspaper that Groupon had contacted a number of internet companies when it came to China to buy a group, but had finally taken a fancy to Tencent's huge user traffic, while Tencent needed Groupon's buying experience.

In addition, the internet giant Sina, Sohu, NetEase, Shanda has also dabbled in the field of group buying. "The flow of liquidity is the direct motivation for them to step into the league to buy business." Lei, director of China e-commerce Research Center, said.