Chinese e-commerce giant Taobao is now stepping up its heated rivalry with bricks-and-mortar retailers, with the launch of a five-story home furnishings showroom here in Beijing.
Taobao, which is owned by Alibaba, has opened the showroom for customers to try out sofas, tables and other big-ticket items before placing an order online.
Analysts expect China's online commerce to grow at annual rates of 30 to 40 percent in coming years.
