Women's clothing line Inman has quickly become one of China's leading online apparel retailers since it was founded in 2008.
The brand is owned by Guangzhou Huimei Fashion Company, which previously made clothes for other brands. When business was slow during the global financial crisis, the company created Inman in an effort to build out an internet presence.
"Going online seemed to be a good opportunity," said Inman director Xiao Feng. The costs of running an online business, he said, were lower than a bricks-and-mortar store.
The brand, which sells cotton and linen apparel for women, has thrived online. It's done so well that the parent company recently acquired another clothing brand.
Xiao said that selling online has other perks. Alibaba's sites offer a chat option for customers to talk with sellers, allowing them to ask questions or even haggle over prices.
And like Amazon (AMZN), customers can rate sellers and post public comments about their experience.
