One report cites a company spokeswoman saying the site wants to take advantage of its Japan connections to transform itself into an e-commerce platform with a distinctly Japanese flavor, including Japanese brand products and a more Japanese look and feel.

FORBES: Baidu Struggles for an E-commerce Hit

Amazon has been one of the pioneers of the e-commerce world, and fans of the firm has said that this "first mover" advantage will be one of the biggest strengths in the online marketplace.

BBC: Will Amazon ever make a profit?