Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Principles of consolidation

The interim consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of all the subsidiaries and VIEs of the Company. All transactions and balances between the Company and its subsidiaries and VIEs have been eliminated upon consolidation. According to the agreements between Beijing CNET Online and Shanghai Borongdingsi, although Beijing CNET Online legally owns 51% of Shanghai Borongdingsi’s interests, Beijing CNET Online only controls the assets and liabilities related to the bank kiosks business, which has been included in the financial statements of Beijing CNET Online, but does not control other assets of Shanghai Borongdingsi, thus, Shanghai Borongdingsi’s financial statements were not consolidated by the Company.

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Basis of presentation

The interim consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

The interim consolidated financial information as of September 30, 2013 and for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 have been prepared without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures, which are normally included in annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, have been omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. The interim consolidated financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, previously filed with the SEC.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position as of September 30, 2013, its consolidated results of operations for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, and its consolidated cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, as applicable, have been made. The interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full fiscal year or any future periods.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of these consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company continually evaluates these estimates and assumptions based on the most recently available information, historical experience and various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign currency translation and transactions

The functional currency of the Company is United States dollars (“US$”), and the functional currency of China Net HK is Hong Kong dollars (“HK$”).  The functional currency of the Company’s PRC operating subsidiary and VIEs is Renminbi (“RMB”), and PRC is the primary economic environment in which the Company operates.

For financial reporting purposes, the financial statements of the Company’s PRC operating subsidiary and VIEs, which are prepared using the RMB, are translated into the Company’s reporting currency, the United States Dollar (“U.S. dollar”). Assets and liabilities are translated using the exchange rate at each balance sheet date.  Revenue and expenses are translated using average rates prevailing during each reporting period, and stockholders’ equity is translated at historical exchange rates. Adjustments resulting from the translation are recorded as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity.

Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions.  The resulting exchange differences are included in the determination of net income of the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the respective periods.

Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Advertising costs

Advertising costs for the Company’s own brand building are not includable in cost of sales, they are expensed when incurred or amortized over the estimated beneficial period and are included in “selling expenses” in the statement of income and comprehensive income. For the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, advertising expenses for the Company’s own brand building were approximately US$292,000 and US$224,000, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, advertising expenses for the Company’s own brand building were approximately US$148,000 and US$56,000, respectively.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Research and development expenses

The Company accounts for the cost of developing and upgrading technologies and platforms and intellectual property that are used in its daily operations in research and development cost. Research and development costs are charged to expense when incurred. Expenses for research and development for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 were approximately US$1,490,000 and US$1,112,000, respectively. Expenses for research and development for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 were approximately US$578,000 and US$356,000, respectively.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income taxes

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740 “Income taxes” and uses liability method to account for income taxes.  Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will be in effect in the period in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance to offset deferred tax assets, if based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in statement of income and comprehensive income in the period that includes the enactment date.

Income Tax Uncertainties, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Uncertain tax positions

The Company follows the guidance of ASC Topic 740 “Income taxes”, which prescribes a more likely than not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. This Interpretation also provides guidance on recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, accounting for income taxes in interim periods, and income tax disclosures.

The Company recognizes interest on non-payment of income taxes under requirement by tax law and penalties associated with tax positions when a tax position does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties. According to the PRC Tax Administration and Collection Law, the statute of limitations is three years if the underpayment of taxes is due to computational errors made by the taxpayer or the withholding agent. The statute of limitations is extended to five years under special circumstances, where the underpayment of taxes is more than RMB100,000. In the case of transfer pricing issues, the statute of limitation is ten years. There is no statute of limitation in the case of tax evasion. The tax returns of the Company’s PRC subsidiary and VIEs are subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities. The Company did not have any material interest or penalties associated with tax positions for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, and did not have any significant unrecognized uncertain tax positions as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent accounting standards

In February 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2013-02, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income”. The ASU does not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in financial statements. However, this ASU requires an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The guidance is effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012 for public entities. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In March 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, “Foreign Currency Matters, (Topic 830): Parent's Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity”, to resolve a diversity in accounting for the cumulative translation adjustment of foreign currency upon derecognition of a foreign subsidiary or group of assets. This ASU requires the parent to apply the guidance in Subtopic 830-30 to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a reporting entity (parent) ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets within a foreign entity. Accordingly, the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary or group of assets had resided. Further, this ASU clarified that the parent should apply the guidance in subtopic 810-10 if there is a sale of an investment in a foreign entity, including both (1) events that result in the loss of a controlling financial interest in a foreign entity and (2) events that result in an acquirer obtaining control of an acquiree in which it held an equity interest immediately before the acquisition date. Accordingly, the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income upon the occurrence of those events. The provisions in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes, (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. The provisions in this update provide guidance on the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss, or tax credit carryforward exists. These provisions provide that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion thereof, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except to the extent that a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date to settle any additional income taxes that would result from disallowance of a tax position, or the tax law does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, then the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a liability. The provisions in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standards-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements upon adoption.