Suning Appliance Co, China biggest electronics retailer, said consumers can pre-order Apple Inc's iPhone 5 at its Beijing stores starting Nov 5, according to a report by newspaper Beijing Times.

Consumers can pre-order the devices with their identity cards at Suning's stores without paying a deposit. Suning said the iPhone 5 will go on sale on the Chinese mainland in early December.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said earlier that the new handset will be on sale by December but didn't give a specific date.

Apple has been attaching bigger emphasis on the Chinese market as consumers' enthusiasm for its products have help increase the US company's revenues.

Apple revealed that its earnings in China from July to September increased by 26 percent year-on-year, with sales hitting $5.7 billion.

China took up about 15 percent of Apple's total revenues during the period, which stood at $36 billion, according to Apple's financial reports.