The Eslite bookstore in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, is popular among locals and tourists. [Photo by Liu Yang/For China Daily]

Taiwan-based major bookstore chain Eslite launched its e-commerce platform Eslite Online on Tuesday, extending its online business from books to general merchandise.

A wide variety of goods ranging from 2 million books in Chinese, English and Japanese to stationary, clothes, cosmetics and foods, is available in the newly unveiled venture.

"Eslite Online is a landmark for us, indicating that Eslite is on its way to becoming a hybrid of online and offline business,"Mercy Wu, the chairperson of Eslite, tells a news conference.

Currently still a website, Eslite Online will be incorporated in Eslite's app next year, Wu adds.

The new platform offers faster and friendlier shopping and payment services and is equipped with a new logistics system that can deliver the goods within 24 hours, says Frank Chang, vice-president of Eslite's e-commerce division.

The company will try to link its online platform with offline shops, enabling clients to order goods at offline stores and receive delivery through the online system, Chang says.

Founded in 1989, Eslite currently has 44 outlets in Taiwan, the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Japan, mostly large stores with comprehensive services, including bookshops, department stores, galleries, cafes and canteens.

"Now that we have Eslite Online as a store, with the most complete catalog and abundant supply, our future shops need not worry about space. Next, we are considering opening some small neighborhood shops to attract more clients," Wu says.

Xinhua