Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in China, updated continuously by our newsroom.
The new Toys’R’Us Asia-Pacific president is Andre Javes. Taking up the role on May 27, Javes will oversee all operations and business activities for the company’s growing number of stores in Japan, Southeast Asia, Greater China and Australia, and he will be…
After Alibaba had its IACC membership suspended, founder Jack Ma has cancelled his keynote address to the counterfeit-fighting group’s conference. Ma was to have been a drawcard speaker at this week’s two-day annual spring conference of the International…
Gap Japan will close its 53 Old Navy stores as its parent narrows its focus in Asia. But CEO Art Peck says the company “remains committed” to growing its brands in regions where it has a structural advantage. The relatively down-market Old Navy brand will…
US accessories and lifestyle label Coach Asia is remodelling its duty-free and travel retail stores to tie in with its new “modern luxury” concept, and is planning further expansion in the region. The company says the aim is to provide a “warm and inviting”…
The Victoria’s Secret Beauty & Accessory (VSBA) retail outlets in question are all situated within malls or airports across China, and sell a selection of the brand’s beauty products and accessories. Until now, they have been owned and operated by a domestic…
It’s already happened to middle-of-the-road stores across high streets and main streets. Now the world’s biggest luxury stores are starting to shutter outlets. The culprit is the Chinese consumer, who is starting to rein in spending at home and abroad. The…
Mainland Chinese have toned down their spending, shelling out 1,762 patacas ($220) per person in the first quarter on non-gambling purchases, down almost a third from 2014. That’s bad news for casino operators such as Wynn Macau Ltd. and Galaxy Entertainment…
The Philippines has surpassed China in terms of GDP growth, for the first time in three decades, making the country the best performer in Asia* in Q1 2016. From 5 per cent in Q1 2015, Philippine GDP surged by 6.9 per cent in Q1 2016, the highest since the…
StarHub TV and MyChinaChannel (MCC) have launched a dedicated Mandarin edutainment channel for kids aged three to 12, with a mix of cartoons and live action shows. In addition to offering carefully curated content from China, MaxToon—which is owned and…
A government-backed campaign to encourage healthy living is helping give Chinese sports brands traction again in the domestic consumer market. After three tough years with the slowing economy and over-expansion following the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the…
Hong Kong has been blamed for a further decline in Burberry profit and a consequential cutback of staff and products. The British luxury goods brand has reported an 8 per cent fall in adjusted pre-tax profit to £421 million in the year to March 31 on flat…
First-quarter Tencent Holdings revenues grew 43 per cent to RMB31,995 million (US$4893 million). The Chinese company’s subsidiaries provide media, entertainment, internet and mobile phone value-added services and online advertising services in Asia. Revenues…
China’s online shopping market expanded 36 per cent last year to CNY3.8 trillion ($586 billion) to account for 12.6 per cent of total retail sales of consumer goods. Mobile revenue of the country’s top two online retailers accounted for 72 per cent of total…
Chinese travelers still trust and use traditional travel agencies more than online booking sites in 2016. But the percentage of online travel agency penetration in China reached a record high level last year. According to a Chinese outbound market report from…
A takeover bid for Singapore-based Eu Yan Sang has valued the traditional Chinese medicine retailer at about S$269 million (US$196 million). A consortium comprising Singapore state investment company Temasek Holdings’ unit Blanca, Tower Capital TCM Holdings…
China’s Baidu Wallet has launched its mobile payment service in Thailand, on the eve of the traditional Thai new-year celebration Songkran. Part of the Baidu search-engine group, the digital payment service is now connected to more than 400 merchants in four…
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