Chinese electronics and home appliances retailer Gome's e-commerce website and the maternal and baby products website Qinqinbaby.com have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly operate a maternal and baby products channel.

With an investment of CNY1 billion, the channel is expected to be launched on January 14, 2012, and it aims to become a top channel in the Chinese maternal and baby B2C market.

This is reportedly the first move since Gome integrated its two major e-commerce websites. At the beginning of December 2012, Gome implemented the integration of its two e-commerce website, the online store of Gome and Coo8.com. After the integration, the two websites still maintain their respective domains and the different styles of operation.

In the current Chinese maternal and baby B2C market, Suning.com, with the acquisition of Redbaby, leads the market along with 360buy.com. A representative from Gome.com.cn said that the company is now only a beginner in this market and it plans to explore the market via in-depth cooperation with other companies. It does not have any acquisition plans for the moment.

In regards to the development plan of Gome.com.cn in 2013, Mu Guixian, senior vice president of Gome and chairman of Gome.com.cn, said during an interview that in the coming year, the company will focus on four major categories, including maternal and baby supplies; health and medical areas; home textiles; and culture and arts. Meanwhile, they plan to complete member information sharing between online and offline sites over the next three months.