Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in China, updated continuously by our newsroom.
China’s wine market is as riddled with pitfalls as it is exciting. The Chinese thirst for wine is notoriously insatiable with both money and growth fueling it, this has created a thriving market – but one that definitely has its own peculiar set of…
Following series-A funding of US$2.75 million, Taiwan online retail platform Citiesocial seeks to expand into other parts of Asia. Its funding round was led by the Taiwan fund of Alibaba Group Holding. Citiesocial, which sells items such as water bottles and…
Việt Nam’s rice export volume in 2018 is expected to increase by 400,000 tonnes from 2017 to reach 6 million tonnes, due to increased demand from Southeast Asia, especially from the Philippines, with China expected to be the country’s largest rice market. The…
Tencent’s WeChat Pay is now linking to non-Chinese credit cards for mobile payments. This means expats in China and foreign residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can now bind and activate WeChat Pay accounts with credit-card services provided by JCB,…
Alibaba’s C2C e-commerce site Taobao aims at seniors and their families on a newly launched shopping channel on its platform. Taobao for retirees aims to be easier for seniors to register an account and browse products, delivering an improved user experience…
Chinese investors have become a powerful force on the global M&A scene. Companies such as La Perla, C&A and Bally are all reported to be courting Chinese capital. This chimes well with BoF’s 2018 The State of Fashion Report, published in partnership with…
Following the success of its cafe in Milan, which launched in 2016, Italy’s Moleskine stationery brand has opened a second outlet – in Beijing’s Taikoo Li shopping centre. It continues the minimalist concept with neutral colours, space and natural light. The…
Continuing momentum in Alibaba Group’s New Retail business helped drive a 56 per cent year-on-year growth in sales for the quarter to December 31. The performance of the New Retail category – which combines its online (non-marketplace) and fast-growing…
After just four months, Chengdu’s first unmanned supermarket, Gogo Nobody, has reportedly shut down. This follows the unmanned shelf project Gogo Small, run by the same Chengdu-based startup Xiao Mang Guo Technology, closing down in November. It is reported…
In contrast with data about digital transformation and government’s engagement in promoting digital solutions for retail, Singaporeans have not fully embraced e-commerce. Credit Suisse data show that Singapore falls behind China, US, and Japan in terms of…
American subscription fashion rental service Le Tote is making its international debut with Le Tote China. The San Francisco-based company said the launch is still in beta phase with a full roll out expected to the China public in spring 2018. Le Tote is the…
Japan’s tourism bonanza shows no signs of abating. The country welcomed a record 28.6 million visitors from abroad in 2017, an increase of 19.3% on the year. Travelers also spent significantly more: 4.4 trillion yen ($39.68 billion), up 17.8%. So, where are…
The latest Ralph Lauren sales figures come with a mixed dose of both optimism and pessimism. The pessimism is from the continued slide in sales, which tumbled on both a total and comparable basis. More optimistically, the drop in sales is now flattening out,…
The company with the biggest grip on Thailand’s brick-and-mortar retail market is expecting a partnership with China’s JD.com Inc. to pursue online growth. Central Group, which controls Thailand’s biggest operator of shopping malls and department stores,…
Stung by a profit slump, the H&M group is pinning its hopes on China by launching a store on Alibaba’s Tmall next month. As well, the Swedish fast-fashion retailer is targeting India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE with new digital stores this year. Releasing its…
Coca-Cola China has once again revived its festive ‘Clay Doll’ figures to help promote Chinese New Year festivities. The commercial from McCann Shanghai features “evolved and refreshed” versions of the animated dolls, which first appeared in Coca-Cola festive…
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