Podcasts about Tmall

Follow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/Video summary:In this ecommerce podcast, experienced ecommerce consultant James Gurd and Global Digital Director Will Lockie discuss the intricacies of expanding ecommerce brands into the Chinese market. They explore the unique dynamics of the Chinese consumer, the importance of compliance and local partnerships, and the strategies for successful market entry.The conversation also delves into the role of platforms like Tmall and WeChat, the significance of live shopping, and the challenges of performance marketing in China. Will shares valuable insights from his experiences, emphasising the need for a tailored approach to product strategy and marketing in this rapidly evolving landscape.Key takeaways:1. China teaches you how to accelerate digital.2. The customer journey is completely different to Western markets.3. Skincare is the top selling category in China.4. Spend time in the market to understand it better.5. Product formulations must be legally compliant.6. Allow yourself a bare minimum of 12 months.7. Hiring local talent is essential for success.8. Tmall Global is a great starting point for brands.9. WeChat is a mini CRM for brands.10. Live shopping is critical in a noisy market.Chapters:[00:35] Introduction to E-commerce Expansion in China [05:30] Understanding the Chinese Market Dynamics[10:25] Go-to-Market Strategies for China[14:20] Product Compliance and Adaptation[16:55] Navigating Bureaucracy and Compliance[18:00] Finding Local Advisors and Building Networks[20:20] Leveraging Tmall Global for Market Entry[22:40] The Role of WeChat in the Purchase Journey[27:50] Live Shopping Trends in China[35:00] Performance Marketing Strategies in China[40:27] Team Structure and Resourcing for Expansion

Chinese e-commerce platforms have taken steps to help the country's exporters sell their products at home, expand sales channels and alleviate inventory pressures, as part of a broader push to hedge against the impact of United States' tariff hikes and expand domestic demand.中国电商平台已采取多项措施，助力出口企业转战国内市场、拓宽销售渠道并缓解库存压力，以此对冲美国加征关税的冲击并扩大内需。They said that these supportive measures will help export-oriented companies open up the domestic market, strengthen domestic circulation and boost consumption, while further unleashing the vitality and potential of China's ultra-large market to address challenges posed by external shocks.他们表示相关扶持举措将助力出口导向型企业开拓国内市场、增强国内大循环、提振消费活力，进而充分释放我国超大规模市场的内生增长潜力，有效应对外部环境冲击带来的挑战。JD has announced it will purchase 200 billion yuan ($27.3 billion) worth of goods from exporters over the next year to help them sell products domestically. It will send professional procurement teams to foreign trade companies and directly purchase their high-quality products.京东宣布，明年将从出口商那里采购价值2000亿元（约合273亿美元）的商品，帮助他们在国内销售产品。公司将派遣专业的采购团队深入外贸企业，直接采购他们的高品质产品。The Beijing-based company said it will establish a special area on its online marketplaces to sell selected goods and provide data traffic and omni-channel marketing support for them. It will also provide training, step up subsidies and offer other resources and support for exporters to quickly boost domestic sales.这家总部位于北京的企业表示，将在其电商平台开辟专属频道销售精选商品，并为这些商品提供数据流量和全渠道营销支持。平台还将为外贸企业提供培训、加大补贴力度并配置专项资源，助力其快速打开内销市场。Alibaba Group's online marketplaces Taobao and Tmall said on Tuesday that it will provide assistance to at least 10,000 Chinese companies involved in foreign trade and promote domestic sales of 100,000 foreign trade goods, helping exporters shift their focus to the domestic market. Detailed measures include simplified registration, commission incentives, localized sales guidance and direct procurement services.阿里巴巴集团旗下淘宝和天猫平台5月12日宣布，将助力超1万家外贸企业拓展内销市场，推动10万款外贸商品实现国内销售，帮助出口企业转向内需市场。具体措施包括简化入驻流程、佣金激励、提供本地化销售指导及直采服务等。Chinese online discounter PDD Holdings has rolled out plans to invest 100 billion yuan over the next three years, including stepping up subsidy support for small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce to stabilize their production and help them cope with external challenges in overseas expansion.中国电商平台拼多多宣布启动未来三年投入100亿元的计划，包括加强对跨境电商中小企业的补贴扶持，稳定其生产经营，助力应对外贸拓展中的外部挑战。Zhuang Shuai, founder of Bailian Consulting and an expert in e-commerce and retail, said, "The increased US tariffs have raised export costs for Chinese enterprises and forced them to seek out new channels to expand sales."百联咨询创始人、跨境电商和零售专家庄帅表示："美国加征关税提高了中国企业的出口成本，迫使它们寻求拓展销售的新渠道。"These relief measures will help foreign trade companies tide over difficulties in the short term, while in the long run, they will be conducive to cultivate a new consumption ecosystem as the deep integration of foreign trade enterprises with the domestic consumption market may nurture more homegrown brands with international competitiveness, he added.他补充道，这些缓解措施短期内将帮助外贸企业渡过难关，长期来看则有利于培育新型消费生态，随着外贸企业与国内消费市场的深度融合，可能孕育出更多具有国际竞争力的本土品牌。Freshippo, Alibaba Group's grocery and fresh goods retail chain, announced similar supportive measures for Chinese exporters. The platform said it has opened a fast-track path for exporters to explore the domestic market, and set up a special zone on its platform where products from these companies will be sold.阿里巴巴集团旗下生鲜零售平台盒马鲜生宣布了针对中国出口企业的类似支持举措。该平台表示已为出口企业开辟开拓国内市场的快速通道，并在平台设立专属销售专区。Liu Junbin, a special researcher at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy, said such efforts to support foreign trade enterprises will provide a boost to domestic consumption and provide shoppers with a more diverse range of high-quality products to meet their expanding needs in pursuit of a better life.国内咨询机构互联网经济研究院特聘研究员刘俊斌表示，此类支持外贸企业的举措将助推国内消费升级，并为消费者提供更多元化的优质商品，以满足他们追求美好生活时日益增长的需求。Moreover, against the backdrop new US tariffs from the Trump administration, Chinese cross-border e-commerce app DHgate is gaining increasing traction among US consumers, and has secured the second spot on the free app download charts in the US Apple App Store, just behind OpenAI's ChatGPT.值得注意的是，在特朗普政府实施新关税政策的背景下，中国跨境电商平台敦煌网正加速赢得美国消费者青睐。该平台已攀升至美国苹果应用商店免费应用下载榜第二位，仅次于OpenAI的ChatGPT。Industry insiders attribute DHgate's sudden popularity in the US to Chinese suppliers and manufacturers using short-video platform TikTok to educate US consumers on the global luxury goods market. Many products, such as clothing, handbags, and accessories that are assumed to be European-made, originate from factories in China. Shoppers can now buy these products directly from Chinese suppliers via cross-border e-commerce platforms like DHgate, they added.业内人士认为，敦煌网在美突然走红是因为中国供应商与制造商通过短视频平台TikTok向美国消费者普及全球奢侈品市场知识。许多被误认为产自欧洲的服装、手袋及配饰等商品，实则源自中国工厂。消费者现可通过敦煌网等跨境电商平台直接从中国供应商处购买这些商品。external shocks外部冲击export-oriented companies出口导向型企业domestic sales内销new consumption ecosystem新型消费生态cross-border e-commerce platforms跨境电商平台

In this episode of The Negotiation, we're joined once again by Jacob Cooke, Co-founder and CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Jacob walks us through the key insights from WPIC's latest data report profiling the fastest-growing consumer segments in China's e-commerce market. Drawing from GMV data across Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin, the report reveals a story of recovery, consumer optimism, and evolving channel strategies.Jacob kicks off with an overview of China's current consumption environment, highlighting a return of consumer confidence fueled by government stimulus, higher disposable incomes, and a willingness to spend. He then breaks down performance across platforms, noting the rapid rise of Douyin and Xiaohongshu, and explaining how brands should adapt to a more fragmented, omnichannel landscape.We then dive into category-specific insights, from the booming beauty and fashion sectors to the rise of experiential consumption, pet care premiumization, and the ongoing expansion of health and wellness products. Jacob also discusses growth in outdoor and active lifestyle categories, with impressive gains in cycling, hiking, and ski gear.Stay tuned for an insight-packed discussion that challenges the doom-and-gloom narrative and positions China as a dynamic and essential market for global brands.Discussion PointsWhy consumer confidence is rebounding in China—and what that means for international brandsPlatform performance: Tmall and JD's staying power vs. Douyin's rise in social commerceXiaohongshu's triple-digit growth trajectory and strategic role for brand discoveryBeauty and fashion trends: science-backed skincare, expressive makeup, men's groomingThe suitcase boom: post-pandemic travel + lifestyle trends = experiential consumptionWhat's fueling China's demand for fish oil, vitamin B, and dietary fiberOutdoor gear goes mainstream: cycling, skiing, hiking, and the crossover with fashionPremiumization in pet care: what's behind the $11.2B marketRising spend in the mother and baby category despite falling birth ratesKey takeaways for brands: adopt an omnichannel, data-driven strategy for growth

Can you name the health and wellness retailer that generates between four to five times more revenue selling categorical products online than the combined efforts of GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe? And here's a hint for you…it's not Amazon! Since the bulk of my audience is located within the United States, I'm going to assume that iHerb probably wasn't the first health and wellness online retailer that popped into your head. So, despite its massive multibillion-dollar success…iHerb isn't widely known in the U.S. market, mostly because the vast majority of its commercial activity happens internationally. But before blooming into a global powerhouse, iHerb began almost three decades ago as a Yahoo store selling St. John's Wort supplements online. And after the founder forgot to disable the international orders feature when the website launched, iHerb started getting orders from countries like South Korea. But rather than turning off the feature, iHerb decided to start fulfilling them. As sales started to grow, iHerb opened its first fulfillment center in 2002…marking the beginning of a strategic expansion that will soon include nine state-of-the-art logistics operations across the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. And because of its relentless focus on revolutionizing logistics solutions, iHerb can serve the health and wellness needs of customers located in 180 countries…maintaining an average global shipping time of less than five days and offering free shipping in 80 countries. Moreover, iHerb strives to create a localized shopping experience by translating its shopping platform into 22 languages and accepting more than 80 different currencies. Furthermore, iHerb has expanded its online marketplaces presence…reaching more consumers worldwide through 25 digital stores on platforms like Amazon, Tmall, Rakuten, and Coupang. But after a 22-year long journey, from selling a single supplement product to becoming a global leader in the health and wellness industry…iHerb surpassed $1 billion in annual sales. And while that was an enormous accomplishment, it only took iHerb six more years to reach $2 billion in annual sales. In fact, iHerb exceeded $2.4 billion in net sales last year…reflecting a YoY growth of 14.5%. And then for the final portion of my latest first principles thinking content, I'll briefly share my professional experience with iHerb, but more importantly provide a helpful geographical expansion strategic framework (that includes how to best leverage iHerb) for all my brand operators within the intersecting CPG categories of functional foods, functional beverages, and nutritional supplements.

As the Year of the Snake approaches, sales of products with serpentine elements have witnessed explosive growth on major e-commerce platforms, which experts said showcases not only the strong resonance of traditional Chinese culture among shoppers, but also the vitality of the country's consumer market.随着蛇年的临近，各大电商平台上的“蛇元素”产品销售量激增。专家表示，这不仅体现了中国传统文化在消费者当中引起了强烈共鸣，也展现了中国消费市场的蓬勃活力。Snakes are the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, and are considered to be symbols of wisdom, longevity and good fortune.蛇是中国十二生肖12年循环中的第六个生肖，被视为智慧、长寿、好运的象征。Data from e-commerce platform JD showed that searches for snake-related merchandise via its online marketplace surged more than 100 percent year-on-year in the past week, with serpent-themed commemorative coins, spring couplets and gold ornaments leading the trend.电商平台京东的数据显示，过去一周，其线上市场“蛇元素”商品的搜索量同比增长超过100%，其中以蛇为主题的纪念币、春联、黄金饰品位居前列。The transaction volume of such reptilian-related home accessories topped the list, followed by cultural and educational supplies, clothing, toys, musical instruments and kitchenware, JD said.京东表示，从“蛇元素”产品销量看，家居饰品位居榜首，其次是文教文化用品、服饰、玩具乐器、厨具。According to JD, consumers from Guangdong province, Beijing and Jiangsu province purchased the most products featuring snake-themed elements, such as red envelopes, couplets, lanterns and zodiac decorations. Underwear and socks with images of the slithery creatures have gained popularity among Chinese consumers aged between 26 and 45, it added.据京东介绍，广东、北京、江苏成为购买“蛇元素”商品最多的省份，如红包、春联、灯笼、生肖挂饰。此外，印有蛇形图案的内衣和袜子在26-45岁的中国消费者中颇受欢迎。Online discount retailer Vipshop said sales of sweatshirts incorporating serpentine themes surged 71 percent between Jan 6 and Jan 12 compared with the previous week, while the turnover of similarly themed children's coats soared 68 percent.线上折扣零售商唯品会表示，1月6日至12日，“蛇元素”运动卫衣销量较前一周增长71%，相同主题的儿童外套销量则增长68%。Such themed nut gift boxes and bracelets are favored by consumers, with their sales jumping 53 percent and 31 percent, respectively, during the period, said Vipshop.唯品会称，“蛇元素”坚果礼盒和手链也深受消费者喜爱，同期销量分别增长53%和31%。Moreover, international luxury brands, including Burberry, Tiffany and Qeelin, have launched more than 1,000 styles of limited edition commodities with snake elements specially tailored for the Chinese market on Tmall, Alibaba Group's business-to-customer platform, ahead of Spring Festival.此外，在阿里巴巴集团B2C平台天猫上，博柏利、蒂芙尼、麒麟珠宝等国际奢侈品牌已推出1000多款为中国市场量身定制的“蛇元素”限量版商品，迎接春节的到来。Jason Yu, managing director and vice-executive president of CTR Media Convergence Institute, said the purchasing frenzy of zodiac-related products ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival holiday demonstrates Chinese consumers' aspiration for a better life in the new year.CTR媒体融合研究院总经理、执行副院长虞坚表示，春节前夕迎来生肖相关产品的购买热潮，体现了中国消费者对新一年美好生活的向往。Yu said China's Generation Z shoppers—those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s—are displaying a growing sense of national pride and confidence in Chinese culture, and snake-themed products weaving traditional Chinese cultural elements into their modern design are gaining traction among younger consumers.虞坚说，中国的Z世代消费者（即1996-2010年出生的人）展现出越来越强的中国文化自信和民族自豪感，将中国传统文化元素与现代设计融合的“蛇元素”产品正受到年轻消费者的青睐。Yu expects China's consumer market will gain growth momentum this year, fueled by a series of pro-consumption policies, such as the consumer goods trade-in program. He called for enhanced efforts to improve household incomes and boost people's ability and willingness to spend, so as to further perk up consumption.虞坚预计，在一系列促消费政策的推动下，如消费品以旧换新政策，今年中国消费市场将获得增长动力。他建议，加大力度提高家庭收入，增强人们的消费能力和消费意愿，以进一步提振消费。Spring Festival is the holiday that Chinese people attach the most importance to, and major Chinese online retailers have launched promotional events ahead of the weeklong holiday, said Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院副研究员洪勇表示，春节是中国人最重视的节日，中国各大线上零售商已在为期一周的春节假期到来之前推出了促销活动。The cultural connotations that the Chinese zodiac carries have stimulated people's passion for buying ahead of the long holiday, and this shopping surge is crucial for expanding domestic demand and promoting recovery of the consumer market amid downward economic pressure, Hong said.洪勇说，中国生肖所承载的文化内涵激发了人们长假前的购物热情，这一购物热潮对于扩大内需、促进消费市场在经济下行压力中复苏至关重要。He added that Chinese consumers' pursuit of Year of the Snake-themed products has also injected fresh vitality into the inheritance of traditional culture, adding that brands should capitalize on traditional Chinese culture to launch more innovative products.他补充说，中国消费者对蛇年主题产品的追求也为传统文化的传承注入了新的活力，并指出品牌应利用中国传统文化推出更多创新产品。turnovern.（一定时期内的）营业额，成交量

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley sits down with Anton Lapunov, WPIC's Key Account Manager and Strategy Lead for Japan. Anton shares his extensive experience and insights into the unique aspects of Japan's e-commerce landscape—and offers strategic advice for brands looking to enter this lucrative market.Anton begins by detailing his journey from China to Japan. He provides a comprehensive overview of Japan's e-commerce ecosystem, highlighting the major platforms, market penetration rates, and consumer expectations around delivery times which differ significantly from those in the West and China.The discussion shifts to comparing Rakuten with major Western and Chinese platforms like Amazon, Temu, Tmall, and JD.com, outlining key operational and strategic differences. Anton also draws on his experience in China to compare and contrast the e-commerce environments in China and Japan, noting cultural and logistical nuances.Further, Anton discusses emerging product categories that WPIC focuses on within the Japanese market and explores the extent to which social commerce and live-streaming have caught on in Japan. He outlines the main digital marketing channels that effectively drive e-commerce sales and brand awareness in Japan.To conclude, Anton lays out a strategic blueprint for foreign brands aiming to enter the Japanese market and highlights current trends and future opportunities within this diverse e-commerce landscape.Discussion Points:Anton Lapunov's career transition from China to Japan and his role in shaping e-commerce strategies.Detailed analysis of Japan's e-commerce landscape, including key players and consumer behaviors.Comparison of Japanese e-commerce platforms with those in the West and China.The rise of social commerce and digital marketing trends in Japan.Strategic entry points and growth opportunities for foreign brands in the Japanese market.

We're unpacking a critical issue affecting luxury and prestige brands operating in China's discount-heavy e-commerce landscape. With platforms like Tmall and JD and emerging competitors like Douyin and Pinduoduo, brands are constantly pressured to use aggressive discounting strategies to boost sales and visibility. Jacques Roizen, managing director of China Consulting at Digital Luxury Group, joins us as an industry expert who guides some of the world's top prestige and luxury brands through these challenges. Together, we'll explore the long-term impact of discount culture on brand equity, why some brands are starting to ‘detox' from discounts, and how the rise of the gray market is reshaping consumer expectations. 1. How did you enter the e-commerce luxury business in China? 2. Give us the history of premium/luxury e-commerce and how it evolved from its early days. 3. How important is e-commerce for new consumers to learn about new brands? 4. Where's the pressure for brands to discount so much? 5. Is GMV still an effective measure of performance in e-commerce? 6. How can brands discount detox? 7. Who in the organization can orchestrate a discount detox? 8. What should brands do to improve brand equity? Is livestream a way to do this?

In this episode of OFFBounds, host Paula Macaggi, fresh from her recent trip to Shanghai, takes you on an eye-opening journey into China's complex and rapidly evolving luxury market. Joined by retail expert Jacques Roizen, a 12-year Shanghai resident with an extensive background in managing top-tier brands like Pandora and Etam China, and today the Managing Director of DLG (Digital Luxury Group), Paula and Jacques dive into the unique challenges and opportunities within China's digital ecosystem for luxury brands.Together, they explore why China's appetite for luxury remains strong, even amid a slowdown, and how an unprecedented consumer appetite for "newness" impacts brand lifecycles in China. Jacques shares why he believes the current “luxury slowdown” narrative is misleading, breaking down how travel restrictions and economic shifts influence Chinese spending behavior at home and abroad. They also tackle the role of platforms like Tmall and JD in shaping brand perception and sales, and how some brands navigate this distinct ecosystem without sacrificing prestige.---Want to learn how RFID technology transforms retail, helping businesses shift from chaos to control?Join me and Nedap on December 4th -> Register Here ---Timestamps00:00 Let's learn about RFID technology with Nedap00:29 Understanding the Luxury Market in China01:28 Exploring Consumer Behavior in China03:10 The Appetite for Newness in Chinese Consumers05:06 Navigating the Unique Chinese Digital Ecosystem08:11 Luxury Market Dynamics and Consumer Spending Trends11:29 Analyzing Luxury Expenditure and Market Growth12:57 The Impact of Economic Pressures on Luxury Consumption13:51 The Rise of the Gray Market in Luxury Goods14:50 Challenges of Discounting in Luxury Brands17:07 Brand Strategy and Consumer Perception19:08 The Future of Luxury Brands in China

Chinese consumers have exhibited robust purchasing power for high-quality and intelligent products containing innovative technologies during the Singles Day shopping extravaganza.在“双十一”购物狂欢节期间，中国消费者对包含创新技术的高品质和智能产品表现出强劲购买力。Experts said this has played a vital role in promoting the recovery of consumption and shoring up economic growth in the country.专家表示，这对促进国内消费复苏和支撑经济增长起到了重要作用。Major Chinese e-commerce platforms have extended the promotional period, and adopted a simple and more pragmatic approach by canceling presale campaigns this year.中国的主要电商平台都延长了促销期，并采取简单务实的做法，取消了今年的预售活动。Instead, direct price cuts have become the preferred strategy to attract price-conscious customers and bolster sales during China's biggest online shopping event. 直接降价反而成为吸引价格敏感型顾客的首选策略，在中国最大的网购活动期间助力促售。Experts also said that unlike in the past, when record-smashing gross merchandise volume, or GMV, through discount-led sales had come to characterize the 11-11 or Double Eleven promotional campaign, chasing high GMV is no longer the focus now.专家们还表示，以往通过折扣带动销售来创造破纪录的商品交易总额（GMV）是双十一促销活动的特点，而现在，追求高GMV已不再是重点。Chinese shoppers are becoming more rational and carefully reviewing their needs, with an emphasis on the quality and value of commodities, they added.专家补充，中国购物者变得更加理性，他们会仔细思考自己的需求，注重商品的质量和价值。Data from Tmall, Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group's business-to-customer platform, showed that in the first four hours after the shopping carnival officially kicked off at 8 pm on Oct 21, 174 brands saw their sales surpass 100 million yuan ($14 million).中国科技巨头阿里巴巴集团旗下B2C平台天猫的数据显示，在“双十一”于10月21日晚8点正式拉开帷幕后的四个小时内，有174个品牌的销售额超过了1亿元人民币（约1400万美元）。During this period, the turnover of more than 12,000 brands surged over 100 percent year-on-year and the sales of nearly 6,000 brands skyrocketed more than 500 percent compared with the same period last year.在此期间，12000多个品牌的营业额同比增长超过100%，近6000个品牌的销售额同比增长超过500%。The transaction volume of Apple Inc's products on Tmall exceeded 1 billion yuan within five minutes, while sales of domestic smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo all surpassed 100 million yuan in the first four hours of the promotional event, according to Tmall.天猫数据显示，苹果公司产品在天猫上的交易额5分钟内就突破10亿元，而华为、小米、vivo等国产智能手机品牌在促销活动的前4个小时内销售额均突破1亿元。Consumers preferred to snap up bargains via livestreaming on e-commerce platforms, with sales from some top-tier livestreamers on Taobao Live, Alibaba's livestreaming arm, surpassing 100 million yuan within a short period.消费者更喜欢通过电商平台上的直播抢购特价商品，阿里巴巴旗下直播平台淘宝直播上一些头部主播直播间的销售额在短时间内就突破了1亿元。JD, another major Chinese e-commerce player, has launched a subsidy campaign worth 10 billion yuan, and given discounts for commodities included in the consumer goods trade-in program, such as home appliances and computers. It has also stepped up efforts to upgrade supply chains and logistics services.中国另一家大型电商平台京东推出了价值100亿元的补贴活动，并为家电、电脑等以旧换新计划中的商品提供折扣。京东还加大力度升级供应链和物流服务。JD said it recorded a double-digit year-on-year growth in transaction volume, orders, and user numbers between 8 pm on Oct 14, when its promotional gala opened, and 9 pm on Oct 31.京东称，从10月14日晚8点促销活动开始至10月31日晚9点，其交易量、订单数和用户数量均实现了两位数的同比增长。More than 16,000 brands saw their sales surge over threefold year-on-year, while the number of brands exceeding 100 million yuan in turnover increased over 400 percent compared with the same period last year. More than 17,000 merchants witnessed their order volumes soar over five times from a year earlier.16000多个品牌的销售额同比增长超过3倍，营业额超过1亿元的品牌数量同比增长超过400%。17000多家商户的订单量比去年同期激增5倍多。New users who bought apparel and cosmetics via JD's online marketplaces skyrocketed over 140 percent year-on-year, while JD's livestreaming channel saw a 245 percent year-on-year increase in order volumes.通过京东网上商城购买服装和化妆品的新用户同比激增超过140%，而京东直播频道的订单量同比增长245%。Consumer electronic devices witnessed robust growth during the shopping extravaganza.电子设备消费在购物节期间实现了强劲增长。The transaction volume of gaming laptops rose 120 percent year-on-year during the shopping spree, and AI smartphones and 4K projectors experienced 100 percent growth in turnover, while the sales of AI learning devices and 3D printers surged over 10 times from the same period last year, JD said.京东表示，“双十一”期间，游戏笔记本电脑的成交量同比增长120%，AI智能手机和4K投影仪的成交量增长100%，AI学习设备和3D打印机的销售量比去年同期激增10倍以上。Furthermore, a series of products that represent scientific and technological innovations achieved by Chinese enterprises have been made available on e-commerce platform Taobao. These products cover fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, aerospace, new energy and quantum technology. 此外，代表中国企业科技创新成果的一系列产品已在电商平台淘宝上进行销售。这些产品涵盖信息技术、人工智能、航空航天、新能源和量子技术等领域。For example, consumers can directly purchase the country's independently developed AS700 civil manned airship and enjoy discounts. The airship can be used for sightseeing, emergency rescue and geophysical exploration of the skies, among other things.例如，消费者可以直接购买中国自主研发的AS700民用载人飞艇，并享受折扣优惠。该飞艇可用于观光旅游、紧急救援和天空地球物理勘探等。The Double Eleven festival was just a 24-hour event on Nov 11 when it was unveiled by Alibaba in 2009, but has stretched into a weekslong shopping spree lasting from mid-October to mid-November this year. Online retailers initiated the promotional event one week earlier this year than previously.阿里巴巴在2009年推出“双十一”活动时，该购物节还只是一个在11月11日举行的24小时活动，但今年的“双十一”已发展成从10月中旬持续到11月中旬的长达数周的购物狂欢节。与以往相比，今年的促销活动提前了一周。"Consumption has become the main driving force boosting China's economic growth, and the Singles Day shopping carnival is pivotal to unleashing consumers' purchasing potential, bolstering domestic demand and promoting consumption recovery," said Wang Yun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research.中国宏观经济研究院研究员王蕴表示：“消费已成为拉动中国经济增长的主要动力，‘双十一'购物狂欢节对于释放消费者购买潜力、拉动内需、促进消费复苏具有举足轻重的作用。”More stimulus policies are needed to stabilize and expand employment, improve household incomes, and boost people's ability and willingness to spend, so as to further perk up consumption, Wang added.王蕴补充，需要更多的刺激政策来稳定和扩大就业，提高家庭收入，增强人们的消费能力和意愿，从而进一步刺激消费。China's retail sales, a significant indicator of consumption strength, rose 3.3 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of this year, said the National Bureau of Statistics. Online sales remained a bright spot, rising 8.6 percent year-on-year during the January-September period. 国家统计局数据显示，作为衡量消费实力的重要指标，今年前三季度，中国社会消费品零售总额同比增长3.3%，线上消费仍是一大亮点，网上零售额1-9月同比增长8.6%。Based on a survey by global consulting firm AlixPartners in early October, consumers still view Singles Day as the most important shopping festival. Most consumers are likely to maintain their spending levels from the previous year, with 25 percent of interviewed shoppers saying that there would be an increase in their overall spending, the consultancy said.根据全球咨询公司艾睿铂10月初的一项调查，消费者仍将“双十一”视为最重要的购物节。咨询公司称，大多数消费者可能会保持去年的消费水平，25%的受访购物者表示他们的总体消费会有所增加。Most of the increased spending based on the survey would be in apparel, daily necessities and cosmetics. Consumers are likely to remain sensible in their spending given the current economic backdrop, it added.根据调查，大部分增加的支出将用于服装、日用品和化妆品。该调查补充，在当前的经济背景下，消费者可能会保持理性消费。Online retailers have made promotional methods simpler this time, with a key focus on improving user experience and seeking high-quality and long-term growth, as Chinese consumers are more prudent and rational about potential purchases, said Jason Yu, managing director and vice-executive president of CTR Media Convergence Institute.央视市场研究（CTR）总经理、CTR媒体融合研究院执行副院长虞坚认为，随着中国消费者对潜在购买行为更加谨慎和理性，网络零售商此次将促销方式变得更加简单，重点放在提升用户体验、寻求高质量和长期增长上。Yu said retailers hope to roll out new products to attract consumers and build brand image during the shopping spree.虞坚表示，网络零售商希望在购物热潮中推出新产品来吸引消费者，并树立品牌形象。High-quality and intelligent commodities are crucial for stimulating the purchasing appetite of consumers and unleashing new consumption potential, he said.他说，高品质、智能化的商品对于刺激消费者的购买欲、释放新的消费潜力至关重要。"A series of pro-consumption policies, such as the consumer goods trade-in program, have played a significant role in bolstering the sales of consumer electronic products and household appliances on major online marketplaces," Yu added. 虞坚补充：“消费品以旧换新等一系列有利于消费的政策，对促进电子消费品和家用电器在主要线上市场的销售发挥了重要作用。”Meanwhile, Taobao and Tmall have officially integrated JD's logistics during this year's shopping carnival as sellers on these platforms can choose JD Logistics as the delivery method. JD has accepted the mobile payment option from Alipay, which is operated by financial technology company Ant Group.与此同时，淘宝和天猫在今年“双十一”期间正式整合了京东物流，这些平台上的卖家可以选择京东物流作为配送方式。京东已接入由金融科技公司蚂蚁集团运营的支付宝提供的移动支付方式。Industry insiders said these moves signify a key step in breaking down barriers between the two leading internet companies, enhancing interconnectivity of different platforms, and elevating the online shopping experience of users.业内人士表示，这些举措标志着两家先进互联网公司在打破壁垒、加强不同平台互联互通、提升用户在线购物体验方面迈出了关键一步。Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy, said major e-commerce platforms have ramped up efforts to offer steep discounts and shopping subsidies as well as simplify promotion methods during the prolonged shopping carnival to rev up sales.网经社电子商务研究中心高级分析师莫岱青表示，各大电商平台已加大力度，在持续很久的购物狂欢节期间提供大幅折扣和购物补贴，并简化促销方式，以刺激销售。"The policy measures to encourage trade-ins of consumer goods have not only stimulated consumers' desire to purchase, but also bolstered the sales and upgrades of household appliances, and propelled the popularity of green and energy-saving products," Mo said.“消费品以旧换新的政策措施不仅刺激了消费者的购买欲望，还促进了家电产品的销售和升级换代，推动了绿色节能产品的普及。”莫岱青说。She noted that Chinese consumers have become more value-conscious and are paying more attention to the quality and cost-effectiveness of commodities. Mo also emphasized that online retailers should launch new products and upgrade supply chains to attract a new breed of young shoppers.她指出，中国消费者变得更加注重价值，更加关注商品的质量和成本效益。莫岱青还强调，线上零售商应推出新产品并升级供应链，以吸引新一代年轻购物者。It is noteworthy that generative artificial intelligence technology has witnessed a ramp-up in China's retail industry during this year's 11-11 promotion.值得注意的是，在今年的“双十一”促销活动中，生成式人工智能技术在中国零售业迎来了爆发期。According to a report from consultancy Bain & Company, Chinese retail players are investing in generative AI to boost sales and Singles Day could be the perfect opportunity.根据贝恩咨询公司的一份报告，中国零售商正在投资发展生成式人工智能技术，以期拉动销售额，今年的“双十一”成为生成式AI大显身手的好机会。The report said 52 percent of the surveyed merchants have used at least one generative AI-enabled tool. More than half of them have used generative AI-powered customer service chatbot tools, while about one in three have used AI to generate content. The survey interviewed over 500 merchants trading on China's major e-commerce platforms.报告称，52%的商家使用过至少一种生成式AI工具，其中超过50%的商家使用过AI智能客服机器人，还有约1/3的商家利用AI生成内容。这项调查访问了中国主要电子商务平台上的500多家商户。It stated that the era of high double-digit increases in the GMV during the Singles Day shopping spree has come to an end, forcing retailers to focus more on sustainable growth, profitability and customer loyalty, rather than a win-at-all-costs obsession with the top line amid current economic headwinds.该报告指出，“双十一”期间GMV以两位数高速增长的时代已经结束，这迫使零售商更加关注可持续增长、盈利能力和客户忠诚度，而不是在当前的经济逆风中一味追求最高利润。Kelly Liu, partner at Bain & Company's Greater China retail and performance improvement practices, said AI's increasing prominence across Chinese retail sector offers a timely boost to a maturing industry that is facing challenges such as slower retail sales growth.贝恩公司全球合伙人、大中华区零售和绩效提升业务领导团队成员刘洋表示，人工智能在中国零售业的影响力和作用与日俱增，这为面临零售销售增长放缓等挑战的成熟行业提供了及时的推动力。Generative AI gives Chinese retailers access to a powerful tool for increasing sales and lowering cost, Liu said.刘洋认为，生成式人工智能为中国零售商提供了促进降本增效的强大工具。"It is vital that Chinese retailers deepen their customer engagement. AI tools can energize customer retention efforts, enabling e-commerce players to hyper-personalize their engagement with consumers and create bespoke shopping experiences for them," said James Yang, head of Bain & Company's Greater China retail practice.贝恩公司大中华区零售业务主席杨大坤表示，“中国零售商必须加强与顾客的互动。AI工具可以优化顾客挽留措施，帮助电商平台打造高度个性化的顾客互动方式，为顾客带来量身定制的购物体验。”Chinese retailers need to transition faster from AI experimentation to deployment at scale. The retailers that master generative AI in three key areas — deepening customer engagement, turbo-charging productivity and cost savings, and finding new growth beyond trade — could build a lasting strategic advantage, according to the report.中国零售商需要加快从AI实验过渡到大规模部署的步伐。报告指出，零售商如果能掌握生成式AI技术，并利用其成功强化顾客经营、推动降本增效、找到新增长点，就能建立长久的战略优势。Singles Day shopping extravaganza“双十一”购物狂欢节price-conscious customers价格敏感型顾客appareln. 服装gross merchandise volume商品交易总额

雙十一 shuāng shí yī - Double Eleven; a major shopping holiday in China on November 11 購物 gòu wù - shopping 光棍節 guāng gùn jié - Singles' Day 演變 yǎn biàn - evolution; the process of change or development over time 購物狂歡日 gòu wù kuáng huān rì - shopping carnival day 追溯 zhuī sù - trace back 脫單 tuō dān - to get out of being single; to find a romantic partner 男大學生 nán dà xué shēng - male university student 自嘲 zì cháo - self-deprecate 單身 dān shēn - single 由...發起 yóu...fā qǐ - initiated by 即將 jí jiāng - about to 來臨 lái lín - arrival; the act of coming to a place 校園 xiào yuán - campus 流傳開來 liú chuán kāi lái - spread widely 光棍 guāng gùn - bachelor; a term used to refer to single men. 名氣 míng qì - fame 傳播開來 chuán bō kāi lái - spread; to disseminate information or ideas widely. 認可 rèn kě - recognition; acceptance or approval of something. 電商平台 diàn shāng píng tái - e-commerce platform 淘寶 táo bǎo - Taobao; a popular online shopping platform in China. 天貓 tiān māo - Tmall; a premium online retail platform in China. 商機 shāng jī - business opportunity 推出 tuī chū - launch; to introduce or release something new. 大促銷 dà cù xiāo - major sale; 打出了...口號 dǎ chū le...kǒu hào - launched a slogan 犒賞 kào shǎng - reward oneself; to give oneself a treat or gift 標語 biāo yǔ - slogan 瞬間 shùn jiān - moment 引起 yǐn qǐ - arouse; to provoke or stimulate a reaction 單身人士 dān shēn rén shì - single individuals 共鳴 gòng míng - resonance; an emotional response or connection 概念 gài niàn - concept 盛行 shèng xíng - prevalent; widely accepted or practiced 銷售額 xiāo shòu é - sales volume 逐年攀升 zhú nián pān shēng - increase year by year 年度 nián dù - annual 實體 shí tǐ - physical; tangible or relating to material objects 商場 shāng chǎng - shopping mall 集體 jí tǐ - collective; involving a group of people 優惠 yōu huì - discount; a reduction in price 免運 miǎn yùn - free shipping 蝦皮 xiā pí - Shopee; a well-known online shopping platform in Taiwan If you've been learning Chinese or preparing for the TOCFL exams but feel stuck or frustrated with your progress, book a one-on-one trial lesson with me

On today's MadTech Daily, Dot discusses: AI-powered search engine Perplexity seeks massive funding round; Alibaba Group's Quanzhantui digital marketing tool boosts revenue on Taobao and Tmall platforms; TV seeks Head Of Generative AI Innovation to drive AI-driven content creation for TV shows, films, and digital-first content.

Starting Friday, consumers shopping on Alibaba's Taobao platform can now use Tencent's WeChat Pay for transactions, according to an official statement from Taobao.根据淘宝的官方声明，9月27日开始，消费者在阿里巴巴淘宝平台购物时，可以使用腾讯的微信支付进行交易。The new payment option allows users to complete purchases with WeChat Pay, and subsequent updates will enable users to access transaction records and bills directly within the WeChat app, WeChat Pay said.微信支付方面表示，新的支付选项允许用户使用微信支付在淘宝购物，后续更新将会支持用户在微信内查询相关支付凭证、用户账单等操作。Additionally, Taobao and Tmall are set to officially integrate JD Logistics, with the service expected to be available by mid-October. Once live, sellers on Taobao and Tmall will have the option of selecting JD Logistics for shipments.此外，淘宝天猫平台预计将于10月中旬正式接入京东物流服务。上线后，淘宝天猫平台上的卖家即可选择使用京东物流发货。JD.com will also introduce services from Cainiao's delivery network, including Cainiao Express and Cainiao Post, which offers parcel pickup points.京东还将接入菜鸟配送网络的服务，包括菜鸟速递和菜鸟驿站，后者可提供包裹自提点。JD.com is also preparing to add Alipay as a payment option, expected to launch ahead of the Nov 11 shopping festival. Both companies have confirmed that their logistics and payment cooperation agreements are now in place.与此同时，京东也将正式接入支付宝支付，预计将在双11购物节前夕推出。两家公司都确认，他们的物流和支付合作协议现已签订。The collaboration indicates that Chinese tech companies are moving toward more efficient resource integration and enhanced user experiences, said Liang Qiang, dean of Shantou University's School of Business.汕头大学商学院院长梁强表示，此次合作表明中国科技公司正朝着更高效的资源整合和增强用户体验的方向发展。The partnership is also aligned with China's macro policies to advance digital infrastructure and facilitate the dual circulation of domestic and international markets while enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese e-commerce platforms in the global supply chain, he added.梁强补充，这一合作顺应了中国的宏观政策，即推进数字基础设施建设，促进国内国际双循环，同时增强中国电子商务平台在全球供应链中的竞争力。transactionn. 交易；买卖logisticsn. 物流；后勤dual circulation双循环

Chinese Companies Going Global: Challenges and Opportunities with Guoli ChenWelcome to another exciting episode of the Asia Business Podcast! Our host, Art Dicker, invites us on a fascinating journey with esteemed guest Professor Guoli Chen from INSEAD in Singapore. Professor Chen, a strategy expert and author of the book Seeing the Unseen: Behind Chinese Tech Giants' Global Venturing, offers an in-depth look at the rapid growth and global expansion of Chinese companies.Connect with Guoli ChenUnderstanding Chinese Companies' Rapid GrowthKey Factors behind Domestic SuccessThe conversation kicks off with a discussion about why Chinese companies grow so swiftly in domestic markets, and a significant question: Is this growth due to a looser legal framework allowing for faster advancement? Professor Chen clarifies that while government policies play a role, deeper factors contribute to this phenomenon.Professor Chen provides insights into his research on corporate governance and strategic leadership, focusing on the phenomenal growth of consumer tech companies like Alibaba, JD, Tencent, and TikTok. He explains that one of the primary reasons for their rapid growth is the unique market conditions within China that foster quick adaptations and innovations.Challenges of Going GlobalWe examine whether the complexity of the Chinese market makes it easier or harder for these companies to adapt to Western standards and regulations.Professor Chen points out that the successful business models developed in China do not always translate well abroad due to different market ecosystems, supply chains, and customer behaviors. For instance, Tencent's WeChat ecosystem is deeply integrated into Chinese daily life, which does not easily replicate in other countries.Opportunities and Constraints for Chinese Multinational CorporationsSupply Chain and Operational EfficiencyProfessor Chen emphasizes the strength of Chinese supply chains, particularly in manufacturing. Companies like Shein and Pinduoduo leverage China's powerful production capabilities and seamless integration to deliver goods to global markets efficiently. This operational efficiency is a competitive advantage that is tough for others to imitate.Data Utilization and Consumer InsightChinese tech firms excel in harnessing data to understand and predict consumer behavior. Companies like Shein and Tmall use sophisticated algorithms to adapt quickly to market demands, offering tailored solutions to consumers, which enhances their global competitiveness.Leadership Styles and Organizational CultureThe conversation takes an insightful turn as the hosts delve into the differences in leadership styles between Chinese and Western companies. Professor Chen points out that many Chinese leaders adopt a low-profile, authoritative style, setting clear directions for their teams. This contrasts with the more visible and charismatic leadership common in Western tech firms.However, this authoritative style also poses challenges, especially when expanding globally. The ability to manage diverse teams and integrate different cultural perspectives is crucial for international success. Professor Chen stresses the need for Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) to embrace diversity and cross-cultural management practices.Adapting to Global Markets: Lessons and StrategiesIterative Market ApproachNico brings up an interesting point about Chinese companies' iterative approach to market feedback. Instead of relying heavily on focus groups, Chinese firms often launch products quickly and iterate based on real-time consumer feedback. This method allows for rapid adjustments and continuous innovation.Integrating Global TalentThe importance of integrating non-Chinese talent into Chinese MNCs is another crucial topic discussed. Professor Chen emphasizes that for Chinese firms to succeed internationally, they must attract and retain local talents who understand the specificities of foreign markets.ConclusionProfessor Chen leaves us with a thought-provoking insight: while Chinese companies have shown incredible growth and innovation, their ability to adapt and navigate the complexities of global markets will determine their long-term success. Continuous learning, adaptability, and embracing a global mindset will be essential for these enterprises as they compete on the world stage. Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:18 Understanding Chinese Business Dynamics04:00 Challenges for Chinese Companies Overseas10:24 Successful Chinese Business Models21:57 Leadership and Organizational Culture33:43 Future of Chinese Companies Globally38:13 Conclusion and Farewell ProducerJacob ThomasFollow UsLinkedInApple Podcasts

Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's online marketplaces Taobao and Tmall announced on Thursday that they will accept mobile payment options from Tencent's WeChat Pay gradually from Sept 12, a significant step in breaking down payment barriers between the two internet companies, enhancing interoperability and interconnectivity of different platforms and improving user experience, experts said.中国科技巨头阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司旗下的在线市场淘宝和天猫于9月5日宣布，将从9月12日起逐步接受腾讯的微信支付作为移动支付选项，专家称这是打破两家互联网公司支付壁垒的重要一步，这将增强不同平台之间的互操作性和互联互通，提升用户体验。They added the move is conducive to elevating payment convenience, invigorating the vitality of consumption, and bolstering the innovation and development of payment modalities.他们补充说，这一举措有助于提高支付便利性，激发消费活力，并促进支付方式的创新发展。Taobao and Tmall said in a statement on Wednesday that they had issued notices on their platforms to solicit feedback from merchants about accepting WeChat Pay as an additional payment method, as part of a broader push to improve the shopping experience.淘宝和天猫在9月4日的一份声明中表示，他们已在平台上发布通知，征求商家关于接受微信支付作为支付方式的反馈，这一举措将有助于改善购物体验。The two platforms said they are upholding the concept of openness and cooperation and actively exploring interoperability and partnerships with various platforms to enhance user experience and make consumers' shopping activities more convenient, enjoyable and efficient.这两个平台表示，他们坚持开放和合作的理念，并积极探索与各种平台的互通性和合作伙伴关系，以提升用户体验，使消费者的购物活动更加方便、愉快和高效。Alipay, a popular mobile payment tool launched by Chinese fintech company Ant Group, said in a statement following the announcement, "Openness, collaboration, innovation and sharing are fundamental principles of the internet and the driving force behind the industry's development."由中国金融科技公司蚂蚁集团推出的流行移动支付工具支付宝在公告后发表声明称，“开放、合作、创新和共享是互联网的基本原则，也是行业发展的驱动力。Alipay said it will continue to deepen cooperation with Taobao and Tmall, and step up innovation in technologies and products. Apart from payment products, the company will further expand open cooperation in broader ecosystems such as internet technology and artificial intelligence to create more business opportunities, it added.支付宝表示，它将继续深化与淘宝和天猫的合作，并加强技术和产品的创新。除了支付产品，该公司还将在更广泛的生态系统（如互联网技术和人工智能）中进一步扩大开放合作，创造更多商机。As the main rival to WeChat Pay, Alipay is a major payment service provider for Taobao and Tmall. WeChat Pay said it is always open to collaborations, and is actively exploring interoperability with various sectors, adding it plans to continue exploring new partnerships and improving convenience for users on the basis of ensuring transactional security.作为微信支付的主要竞争对手，支付宝是淘宝和天猫的主要支付服务提供商。微信支付表示，它始终对合作持开放态度，并积极探索与各个行业的互操作性，同时计划在确保交易安全的基础上，继续探索新的合作伙伴关系并提高用户便利性。Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, said the move is a win-win result for the two Chinese tech giants as both Taobao and Tmall could attract WeChat users by adding WeChat Pay as a payment option and help bolster their business performances, while WeChat Pay will greatly expand its application ecosystems via its access to e-commerce platforms.工业和信息化部信息通信经济专家委员会成员潘和林（音）表示，这一举措对两家中国科技巨头来说是双赢的结果，因为淘宝和天猫可以通过增加微信支付作为支付选项来吸引微信用户，帮助提升他们的业务表现，而微信支付则可以通过接入电商平台大大扩展其应用生态系统。Pan said Taobao and Tmall have access to several mobile payment tools — such as Cloud QuickPass of payment giant China UnionPay — and digital renminbi, so accepting payments from WeChat Pay will not affect the current digital payment landscape.潘和林（音）表示，淘宝和天猫已开通包括支付巨头中国银联的云闪付在内的多种移动支付工具，以及数字人民币，因此接受微信支付不会影响当前的数字支付格局。"It is foreseeable that there will be more frequent and closer cooperation among different platforms and payment companies," Pan said, adding that allowing users to transact through WeChat Pay on Taobao and Tmall will help the platforms gain more users from smaller cities, where WeChat Pay has a higher penetration rate than Alipay.潘和林（音）说“可以预见，不同平台和支付公司之间的合作将会更加频繁和紧密”，他还表示，允许用户在淘宝和天猫上通过微信支付进行交易，将有助于这些平台吸引更多来自小城市的用户，那里的微信支付渗透率高于支付宝。Industry statistics show that WeChat Pay and Alipay together control 90 percent of China's mobile payments market. Experts said the acceptance of WeChat Pay on Taobao and Tmall is a landmark event in enhancing the interconnectivity of payment methods.行业统计数据显示，微信支付和支付宝共同控制了中国移动支付市场90%的份额。专家表示，淘宝和天猫接受微信支付是一个增强支付方式互联互通的里程碑事件。Wang Pengbo, a senior analyst at market consultancy Botong Analysys, said the move will allow consumers to choose their preferred payment methods freely, enhance their shopping experience, unleash consumption potential as well as provide more possibilities for bolstering the innovation of payment technology.市场咨询公司博通分析的高级分析师王鹏博（音）表示，此举将允许消费者自由选择他们偏好的支付方式，提升他们的购物体验，释放消费潜力，并为支付技术的创新提供更多可能性。Alibaba and Tencent have been taking measures to integrate services since 2021 after Chinese authorities urged tech companies to tear down their so-called walled gardens that block competitors' products.自2021年中国当局敦促科技公司打破所谓的“封闭平台”，即封锁竞争对手产品这一行为以来，阿里巴巴和腾讯就已开始采取联合服务措施。Alibaba has incorporated WeChat Pay into its on-demand food delivery app Ele.me, video-streaming platform Youku and online ticket booking platform Damai. Tencent, which once limited the sharing of links to Alibaba stores on WeChat, has gradually allowed users to open a variety of links and content from rival platforms within its messaging app.阿里巴巴已经将微信支付整合到了其即时配送应用“饿了么”、视频流媒体平台“优酷”以及在线票务预订平台“大麦网”中。腾讯曾经限制在微信上分享阿里巴巴店铺链接，但如今已经逐渐允许用户在其消息应用中打开来自竞争对手平台的各种链接和内容。Moreover, Meituan, a popular on-demand services platform, has launched its food delivery and hotel booking services as Alipay's mini programs, offering exclusive coupons and merchant discounts.此外，美团已经使食品配送和酒店预订服务进入了支付宝的小程序，并提供独家优惠券和商家折扣。Interoperabilityn.互用性，协同工作的能力upholdv.支持，维护，拥护

In this second installment of our engaging dialogue with Ed Sander on The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley continues to explore the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of China's digital technology scene. Ed, known for his deep insights into the intricacies of Chinese e-commerce, shares his expertise on the roles of major players like Alibaba and JD.com and dives into emerging platforms like Douyin and Little Red Book. The episode begins with a discussion on Alibaba and JD.com, traditional giants in the Chinese e-commerce space. Ed analyzes how these companies are adapting to changes in consumer behavior and technological advancements. He specifically touches on Alibaba's "user-first" strategy and its implications for Taobao and Tmall's performance this year. Shifting focus to Alibaba's grocery arm, Hema, Ed explains why this segment of Alibaba fascinates him due to its innovative integration of online and offline retail, which significantly enhances the consumer shopping experience. The conversation then pivots to Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, which has successfully morphed into a robust e-commerce platform. Ed discusses the reasons behind Douyin's e-commerce success and offers strategic advice for brands considering launching a store on the platform. Additionally, Ed assesses the potential of Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu) as an e-commerce platform built on top of its social media roots, exploring its unique position in the market. The episode also delves into the intense competition in local services in China, identifying key players and analyzing who is leading and why. Finally, Ed highlights other exciting trends in China's digital space that are shaping the future of e-commerce and digital interaction in one of the world's most vibrant markets. Discussion Points:The adaptation of Alibaba and JD.com in the evolving e-commerce landscape.Analysis of Alibaba's "user-first" strategy and its impact.Insights into Hema's role within Alibaba's ecosystem.Douyin's rise as a formidable e-commerce platform.The potential of Little Red Book as an e-commerce site.Overview of the competitive local services market in China.Emerging trends in China's digital space that are reshaping the industry.

Dave joins the podcast today to talk about Prime Day 2024; what their early sales look like, whether Chinese Marketplaces are going to start more shopping holidays, and why this might be the worst Prime Day so far.   Today's episode is sponsored by Clearco, a company that provides ecommerce businesses with working capital to fund inventory, marketing, shipping and logistics, and more! Check them out today!    Prime Day 2024 has been nowhere close to what we've seen in sales the year before.    Now these might be niche and brand specific, but it's worth pointing out that maybe this year hasn't been as great as last year, where we saw 2.5x to 3x the number of sales.    From a mixture of the early results and an overall negative perception of the shopping holiday, here's why Dave and I think this might be one of the worst Prime Days since its inception.    Big Takeaways Prime Day sales boosts might not be felt by everyone - it could vary depending on brand and niche. If you aren't trying to spread brand awareness, it might not be worth it to sell your products at a loss. Chinese competitors like Temu and Shein might start to challenge Amazon's dominance on Prime Day and create their own shopping holidays in the US.   Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction and Sponsor 02:17 - Early Results of Prime Day 02:39 - Feelings about Prime Day 04:17 - Why this might be the worst Prime Day 06:32 - Pent-up demand and scouting orders the day before 09:57 - The Negative Perception Around Prime Day 12:41 - Will chinese competitors hop on the same trend? 14:17 - Predictions: More shopping holidays are coming 18:10 - Casual stories with Mike and Dave   As always, if you have any questions or anything that you need help with, reach out to us at support@ecomcrew.com if you're interested.    Don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes if you enjoy our content. If you have any questions, send us an email at support@ecomcrew.com. We'd love to help you in any way we can.    Thanks for listening!   Until next time, happy selling!

Hardly any other platform has moved the market as much as Temu in the past 12 months: shoppers are delighted with cheap bargains, and around one in four online shoppers in Germany has already ordered there - across all age groups. The low-cost competition is not just a problem for retailers and brands, marketplaces also need to find answers to Temu's presence.  Reason enough to demystify Temu. And that's what Ed Sander, an expert in online retail in China, does in episode 69. Sander not only runs the Chinatalk learning platform, he also writes in-depth analyses of important Chinese players such as Alibaba, Shein, TMall and Temu and its parent company Pinduoduo for China TechBuzz.  In the podcast episode, he describes in detail why Temu is not actually a marketplace and how Temu's business model works, for example by strictly dictating prices to Chinese manufacturers or using sophisticated marketing tricks to constantly attract new customers. And Ed makes it clear that Temu is constantly adapting its business model very quickly to the changing market in order to secure the greatest possible growth. Ed's main message: the Temu phenomenon is here to stay and European companies need to find ways to differentiate themselves from the competition by offering added value. Ed also has some tangible tips on this. So, listen to the new episode! Newsflash: Otto increases marketplace fees: Trading on Otto's marketplace will become more expensive for all partners from August 1. The basic fee will rise from 39.90 euros per month to 99.90 euros and - even more seriously - sales fees are rising drastically for some categories such as technology and DIY.  KaDeWe Group discontinues e-commerce: The KaDeWe Group got off to a late start in e-commerce and is now pulling the emergency brake early. As part of the restructuring, Chief Restructuring Officer Josef Schultheiß is leaving the online business. Zooplus marketplace is official: Zooplus CEO GEoffroy Lefebvre has announced they will open a pet centric marketplace by November. More news is available every Monday in the Marketplace Universe Weekly newsletter. Don't miss anything and subscribe right here! Chapters:  00:00 Introduction and Overview 03:14 Demystifying Temu and the Chinese Retail Market 09:53 Newsflash 15:39 Lack of attention paid to the Chinese market by European e-commerce experts 24:54 The Consignment Model of Temu and the Potential for Western Brands 30:55 How Temu dictates the selling price 36:22 The Unsustainable Business Model of Temu 41:49 Regulating Temu: Legal Options and Impact 46:02 Competing with Temu: Strategies for Brands and Retailers 52:01 Staying Informed: Opportunities to Learn More

Tangible use cases are important for AI implementationBrands and retailers are hesitant to start implementing AICompanies like Shein and Tmall succeed despite slower delivery timesOpinions on the hype around retail media varyRetail industry lags behind other sectors in AI adoptionRegulation and geography impact retailers

With students about to sit in test rooms for the all-important national college entrance examination, or gaokao, on Friday, parents and teachers have been racking their brains to give them emotional support.随着学生们将在6月7日坐在考场上参加极其重要的全国高考，家长和老师们正绞尽脑汁给他们情感上的支持。Zongzi, a festive food for Monday's Dragon Boat Festival, has emerged as a star on the list of good-wish items.粽子，6月10日端午节的节日食品，已经成为祝福物品清单上的明星。This year's gaokao starts on Friday and will take two to four days depending on the location. The scores will largely determine candidates' destinies in higher education — whether they can go to college, and what level of college they will be eligible for.今年的高考从6月7日开始，不同地区需要两到四天时间不等。分数将在很大程度上决定考生在高等教育中的命运——他们是否能上大学，以及他们能够上什么样的大学。As the flipping of pages of study materials comes to an end, teachers and parents have shifted their attention to easing candidates' nerves and wishing them good luck. Many have chosen to do so by using something that can be interpreted as having auspicious meanings.随着高考复习接近尾声，老师和家长们已经将注意力转移到缓解考生的紧张情绪上，并祝他们好运。许多人选择使用一些可以被解释为具有吉祥含义的东西来期盼好运的到来。Primarily made with glutinous rice and often wrapped in bamboo leaves, triangular zongzi are a festive food for the Dragon Boat Festival.三角形粽子主要由糯米制成，通常用竹叶包裹，是端午节的节日食品。Because the start of the exam and the festival are close together this year, the festive food has been turned into an edible talisman for good grades.因为今年考试的开始和节日离得很近，节日食物已经变成了取得好成绩的可食用护身符。In Wuhan, Hubei province, students at Wuhan No 23 Senior High School who are about to take the test went into the canteen on Tuesday by entering through a door decorated with strings of zongzi, as school leaders waited to give them a pep talk. Many students also leaped to hit the food with their heads, Wuhan-based Jimu News reported.在湖北省武汉市，武汉市第二十三中学即将参加考试的学生6月4日从一个装饰着粽子的门进入食堂，学校领导等着给他们打气。据武汉极目新闻报道，许多学生还跳起用头撞食物。The little ritual represents the Chinese word gaozhong, or "achieving high grades", as students jump "high", while zongzi serves as a pun for zhong, or "right on target".这个小小的仪式代表着中文词汇“高中”，即学生跳得“高”，而粽子则是钟的双关语，即“正中目标”。"Through such creative activities, we hope to enhance their confidence so that they can have a more positive mindset for the exams," an unnamed school official told Jimu News.一位不愿透露姓名的学校官员告诉极目新闻:“我们希望通过这样的创意活动来增强他们的信心，让他们对考试有一个更积极的心态。”Zongzi merchants have also taken advantage of the pun to boost their sales. They have rolled out special packaging that wishes test-takers good luck, along with handwritten gift cards, with hundreds of products sold on the Tmall e-commerce platform.粽子商家也利用这个双关语来提高销量。他们推出了祝愿考生好运的特殊包装，以及手写的礼品卡，在天猫电子商务平台上销售了数百种产品。In addition to online promotions, at one supermarket in Fuzhou, Fujian province, a zongzi gift package even included a picture depicting someone ranking first in a top-level exam.除了网上促销，在福建省福州市的一家超市，粽子礼包甚至包括一张图片，图片上的人在重要考试中名列第一。talisman护身符pep talk鼓舞士气的讲话

Alibaba Group Holding Limited continues to make strides in the e-commerce and tech industry, as highlighted in their latest earnings call. The company reported a 7% increase in total consolidated revenue for Q4 2024, reaching RMB 221.9 billion, despite facing challenges such as a decline in non-GAAP net income. Alibaba's financial strategies, including a share repurchase program, demonstrate its ability to navigate complex financial situations and maintain profitability.The company's adaptability and innovation have been crucial to its ongoing success, evident in the double-digit growth of Taobao and Tmall's GMV year-over-year. Alibaba stated its commitment to bolstering SME success by making it easier for them to advertise and ensuring a solid return on investment for their marketing investments. The company acknowledged adjusting algorithms and training models to enhance ROI for merchants.Alibaba's competitive pricing strategies and investments in user experience have increased quarterly buyer numbers and purchase frequency, solidifying its market position. The shift towards refining cloud product offerings, particularly public cloud services, has resulted in robust revenue growth in this sector. The explosive growth in AI-related revenues underscores the strategic significance of Alibaba's investments in technology.Alibaba's ability to align its strategies with consumer behavior changes in the competitive Chinese market has been instrumental in its GMV growth across Taobao and Tmall platforms. This achievement stems from offering a diverse product range, optimizing efficiency, enhancing conversion rates, and attracting customers, reflecting a customer-first philosophy.Looking ahead, Alibaba plans to continue its strategic focus on developing an AI-driven, user-centric approach, including enhancing product supply, maintaining competitive pricing, and improving service quality. Alibaba Cloud will prioritize harnessing technological advancements, with AI exploration being a critical focus area. The company aims to invest in international e-commerce platforms and expand Cainiao's global logistics network to fortify its customer service proposition.While Alibaba's recent financial performance and adherence to core business strategies project resilient and consistent growth, the company's future success will depend on its ability to navigate market shifts through technology adoption and platform growth, as well as its sensitivity to consumer preferences and strategic future planning. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theearningscall.substack.com

In this episode of The Negotiation podcast, host Todd Embley is joined by Dean Diabate, an expert in the world of China e-commerce and Africa/EU-China trade relations.  From his early career beginnings in Paris, Dean recounts his initial venture into China's burgeoning e-commerce sector, the pivotal transitions that led him to Alibaba, and the lessons he learned along the way. A significant part of the conversation focuses on the opportunities for African industries on Chinese e-commerce platforms, which Dean helped drive as part of Alibaba's eWTP program. Dean also discusses his experiences managing business development for the pet, beauty, and personal categories at Tmall Global, highlighting key consumption trends and growth opportunities for international brands in these categories. He also elaborates on why cross-border e-commerce has become a crucial channel for tapping into China's vast consumer market. Dean then addresses the major changes currently reshaping the e-commerce landscape and offers strategic advice on how brands can succeed in this evolving market. Finally, the discussion turns to his relocation to Bali, his thoughts on Indonesia's rising economy, and the vibrant e-commerce scene in Indonesia that is increasingly attractive to global brands. Discussion Points:Dean's transition from Paris to China and his early career milestonesHis experiences and roles at Alibaba GroupOpportunities for African industries in Chinese e-commerceTrends and growth in the Pet, Beauty, and Personal Care sectors on Tmall GlobalThe rise of cross-border e-commerce as a strategy for entering ChinaCurrent transformations in the global e-commerce landscapeDean's relocation to Bali and his current projectsIndonesia's economic ascent and its e-commerce potential

Unclear prospects for demand in China have already weighed on luxury stocks since the post COVID restrictions. And it's promoted a reassessment of such luxury brands' business strategies. But can luxury stocks rebound from its rout? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Tao Zhang, China Markets Editor, Bloomberg to find out how investors can navigate the luxury market.    Highlights: 1. What factors contributed to the significant increase in return rates for upscale labels on Tmall during the shopping festival? What does this tell us about China's economy and consumer sentiment? - 1:22 2. Does the increase in product returns highlight the imperative for luxury brands to redefine their strategies for the Chinese market? Should they venture out to other markets around the world? - 3:24 3. Does this have a big impact on luxury stocks itself? How have luxury stocks fared so far? - 5:13 4. Do analysts believe that sentiment towards luxury brands will return, or are they in a new normal right now? - 9:57 5. Are there any other possibilities of luxury stocks rebounding or surging anytime soon? - 11:17See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Alibaba Group recently publicized the data from their latest earnings report. During the call, CEO Toby Xu outlined a progress update to investors stating, "We see the early success of the execution of our strategy because as we announced earlier this year, the strategy for Taobao and Tmall is user-centric. We need to build up the supply for all our consumers, particularly for the price-competitive product. This early success shows the effectiveness of our executed strategy." Contrary to their recent attention on Artificial Intelligence (AI), the predominant themes of this earnings call revolved around e-commerce, improvements in customer shopping experiences, advancements in cloud computing, and overall growth strategies. Notably, AI was not significantly addressed during this call, with no specific case studies concerning this latest earnings call being highlighted. Alibaba has continued to show a sound financial performance. As reported during the call, the company's total consolidated revenue has experienced a growth rate of 5%, climbing to RMB260.3 billion. Furthermore, their consolidated adjusted EBITDA grew by 2%, reaching RMB52.8 billion. The company maintains a substantial net cash position of RMB487 billion, reinforcing its strong financial status. A notable contributor to Alibaba's success is the implementation of a user-centric strategy and competitive pricing in the realms of Taobao and Tmall Group. These aspects have been instrumental in driving year-on-year growth in gross merchandise volume (GMV). The International Commerce initiative has also aided in revenue growth through the expansion of cross-border offerings and prominence given to improved shopping experiences. Additionally, developments in the Cainiao smart logistics network and cross-border logistics fulfillment solutions have strengthened Alibaba's performance. In cloud computing, the focus of Alibaba Cloud on public cloud services and the optimization of its business structure has yielded improved profitability. Looking at the company's future undertakings, Alibaba projects continued investment in their core areas of operations such as e-commerce and cloud computing to foster growth. They aim to launch initiatives associated with product supply, competitive pricing, efficiency, and quality service enhancement in Taobao and Tmall Group. Though the company's recent focus on AI does not tie directly with the themes of the Last Quarter Earnings Call Analysis, they are demonstrating solid financial performance, adherence to a user-centric strategy, and committed investments in essential areas. By preserving the focus on e-commerce, cloud computing, and enhancing shareholder value, and responding effectively to evolving consumer trends, Alibaba is positioning itself for long-term growth and profitability. However, this assessment is based on the current status quo and may be subject to change with evolving business and market conditions. As with any business prediction, this projection should be treated as an educated assumption, not an absolute guarantee. BABA Company info: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BABA/profile For more PSFK research : www.psfk.com  This email has been published and shared for the purpose of business research and is not intended as investment advice.

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, sales of products with dragon elements have witnessed explosive growth on major e-commerce platforms, which experts said indicates not only the strong resonance of traditional Chinese culture among consumers, but also the vitality of the nation's consumer market.龙年将至，各大电商平台龙元素产品销量爆发式增长，专家表示，这不仅体现了中国传统文化在消费者中的强烈共鸣，也体现了我国消费市场的活力。Dragon, or long in Chinese, a mythical and auspicious creature that is the fifth animal of the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle, is considered to be a sacred symbol of good luck, strength and fortune in China. The purchasing frenzy ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival holiday is expected to further shore up consumer confidence and bolster the recovery of consumption, the experts added.龙，一种神秘的吉祥物，是中国十二生肖中的第五位，在中国文化中被认为是好运、力量和财富的神圣象征。专家补充说，春节假期前的抢购狂潮预计将进一步提振消费者信心，促进消费复苏。Data from e-commerce platform JD showed that searches for dragon-related merchandise via its online marketplace have surpassed 23 million since January, with dragon-themed Moutai, commemorative coins and apparel leading the trend.电商平台京东的数据显示，自1月份以来，网上市场上与龙相关的商品搜索量已超过2300万次，其中以龙为主题的茅台酒、纪念币和服饰引领潮流。Since the launch of JD's Spring Festival promotional campaign on Jan 17, the transaction volume of dragon-themed commodities in more than 800 subcategories has soared more than tenfold year-on-year, according to the company.据京东介绍，自1月17日春节促销活动启动以来，800多个小品类的龙主题商品交易额同比猛增十倍以上。It said products with dragon-themed elements, such as car ornaments, household accessories, clothing, daily necessities, alcohol, maternal and infant goods, and gold jewelry have been favored by consumers. Purchases by the post-1990s and post-2000s generations accounted for nearly 55 percent of the total, while consumers in Guangdong province, Beijing, Jiangsu province, Shanghai and Shandong province, in that order, were the top five spenders on dragon-featured items, according to JD.车饰、家居饰品、服装、日用品、酒类、母婴用品、黄金首饰等龙主题产品深受消费者青睐。90后、2000后消费群体占比近55%，龙类商品消费前五位依次为广东省、北京、江苏、上海、山东省。Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, a market research provider, said that because the dragon is an important symbol of Chinese traditional culture and is believed to bring good luck, Chinese consumers who buy dragon-themed goods are expressing their hopes for a better life in the new year.市场研究机构凯度消费者指数中国区总经理于杰表示，由于龙是中国传统文化的重要象征，被认为会带来好运，因此购买龙主题商品的中国消费者都表达了对龙的期待。新的一年生活更美好。Yu noted that China's Generation Z shoppers — those born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s — are displaying a heightened sense of national pride and confidence in Chinese culture, and "their pursuit of the Year of the Dragon products has also injected fresh vitality into the inheritance of traditional culture".于杰表示，中国的Z世代购物者（即20世纪90年代中期至2010年代初出生的消费者）表现出高度的民族自豪感和对中国文化的自信，他们对龙年产品的追求也为传统文化传承注入了新鲜活力。Dragon-themed red envelopes, refrigerator magnets, mobile phone cases, underwear and socks have gained popularity among Chinese consumers, according to Taobao, the online marketplace of Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group. Searches for dragon-related products skyrocketed 640-fold year-on-year between Dec 27 and Jan 2 on Taobao, according to the company.据中国科技重量级阿里巴巴集团的在线市场淘宝网称，以龙为主题的红包、冰箱贴、手机壳、内衣和袜子受到中国消费者的欢迎。据该公司称，12月27日至1月2日期间，淘宝上与龙相关的产品搜索量同比猛增640倍。Among the items, gold ornaments with dragon elements saw a 500-fold increase in search volume, while searches for "limited collections for the Year of the Dragon" soared more than thirtyfold compared with the same period last year. More than 30 museums, such as the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Gansu Provincial Museum and the British Museum, have launched over 1,000 limited editions of dragon-related products on Tmall, Alibaba's business-to-customer e-marketplace.其中，带有龙元素的金饰搜索量同比增长500倍，“龙年限量收藏”搜索量较去年同期飙升逾30倍。北京故宫博物院、甘肃省博物馆、大英博物馆等30余家博物馆在阿里巴巴B2C电子市场天猫推出了1000多件限量版龙相关产品。The rich cultural connotations and the good wishes that the dragon carries have not only stimulated people's passion for buying, but also satisfied their rising demand for personalized and creative products with unique cultural symbols, said Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation's e-commerce research institute.中国科学院国际贸易经济合作部电子商务研究所副研究员洪勇表示，龙丰富的文化内涵和美好祝愿不仅激发了人们的购买热情，也满足了人们对具有独特文化符号的个性化、创意产品日益增长的需求。"Spring Festival is the traditional festival that Chinese people attach the most importance to, and it's also a peak season for consumption," Hong said, emphasizing that brands should capitalize on traditional Chinese culture to launch more innovative products.The shopping craze for dragon-related products ahead of Lunar New Year is crucial for expanding domestic demand and promoting the recovery of the consumer market, he added.洪勇表示：“春节是中国人最重视的传统节日，也是消费旺季。品牌要结合中国传统文化，推出更多创新产品。春节前的相关产品对于扩大内需、促进消费市场复苏至关重要”。Lunar New Year春节a peak season for consumption消费旺季

In this episode of The Negotiation, we welcome back to the show, Charles Lavoie, VP of Marketing & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing & Technologies and longtime guest of the pod. In our conversation, we explore the transformation that China's e-commerce scene has witnessed due to the rise of Douyin, which has provided global brands with a new platform to connect with Chinese consumers We examine how Douyin fostered consumer trust by initially incentivizing local brands to lower their prices, gradually cultivating a habit of buying through the app. As trust in the platform increased, larger international brands joined the mix. Today, Douyin hosts not just discounted items, but serves as a launching pad for innovative brand initiatives and drives substantial revenue. Charles dives deep into how the brand strategy on Douyin differs from Tmall and the comparative advantages of each platform. Our discussion also touches on Little Red Book Pinduoduo, and how these platforms reshape brand strategy.  Finally, Charles also explains why a comparable video-driven social commerce platform has not emerged in the West. Enjoy this insightful conversation on some of the most significant trends in China's retail marketing landscape!   Topics Discussed and Key Points: ●      Rise of Douyin●      The difficulties of growing Douyin-like platforms in the West●      Most successful product categories on Douyin●      The process for brand store setup and operation on Douyin●      Marketing on Tmall vs. Douyin●      Livestreaming and influencer collaboration on Tmall vs Douyin●      Keyword bidding and consumer intent●      Attribution in closed ecosystems: Understanding consumer behaviour, tracking data importance●      The rise of micro-influencers in China●      The impact of Little Red Book●      The culture of excessive discounting in China●      Pinduoduo and brand strategy: platform potential, consumer behaviour, collaboration strategies●      Impact of AI on search engines●      Lesser-known platforms and trends in China

We dive into the evolving e-commerce and consumer trends in China for 2024, starting with analyzing the performance and tactics of leading e-commerce giants like Douyin, Pinduoduo, Taobao, and Tmall. What drove ByteDance's revenue growth of 30% to $110 billion? How is Pinduoduo's western-facing discount platform Temu adding to its incredible growth, if at all? And where does all of this leave Alibaba, the darling of e-commerce in China for over a decade?Our discussion also touches on the influence of changing consumption patterns and consumer confidence on the market dynamics. This episode offers a comprehensive overview of China's digital commerce landscape. Enjoy!Topics Discussed and Key Points:Overview of China's e-commerce landscapeMajor e-commerce platforms in ChinaThe rise of video in e-commerceSocial shopping and group buying trendsEstablished marketplaces and their innovationsChanging consumption norms in ChinaConsumer confidence factorsPredictions for the future of e-commerce in China

The latest earnings call by Alibaba Group Holding Limited conveyed the sentiments of its executive team, focusing on the accelerating technological advancements that are redefining industries and lifestyles. As emphasized by the CEO, the future growth trajectory in their sector will revolve around technology and more crucially, artificial intelligence (AI). Expressing an increased demand for cloud computing tailored for AI, the company's roadmap includes constructing an interoperable cloud setup supporting AI, leading the change from traditional to AI computing. Alibaba's focus on this emerging field is reflected in the financial results, with an astonishing Q2 2024 earnings per share (EPS) reaching $15.63, highly exceeding the predicted $2.11. The company's stability is further solidified by the robust balance sheet boasting of a net cash of $63 billion along with a generated free cash flow of $27 billion in the past fy. This underlines the company's proficiency in capitalizing its diverse investment portfolio, steering returns back to the stakeholders. Articulated by its investments in AI-powered tech endeavours, global commerce chains, and an efficient cloud computing ecosystem, Alibaba upholds its priority towards enriching customer value. The company has multiple platforms serving a variety of consumer needs while focusing on developing an advanced AI foundation through its AI business divisions. Their strategic focus encompasses the ideation of a worldwide smart logistics network to facilitate global e-commerce solutions. Projecting into the future, Alibaba intends to enhance the returns on the invested capital and explore fresh potential territories while working on monetizing the non-core assets. The company's pathway to unlocking value and enhancing shareholder returns involve strategies like share buybacks or cash infusions through dividends. Alibaba remains focused on investing in core businesses like Taobao, Tmall, Cloud Intelligence Group, and Alibaba International Digital Commerce. They continue to bolster their capabilities in the domains of public cloud infrastructure, digital media, and AI-infused tech businesses. Summarizing the earnings call, Alibaba's exceptional performance, impressive financial stability, and commitment to continual technological innovation convincingly demonstrate the company's profound commitment to the future. With continued investments in AI, cloud computing, and forming strategic alliances, the company stands well positioned to persist as a leader in the new age of business. BABA Company info: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BABA/profile For more PSFK research : www.psfk.com  This email has been published and shared for the purpose of business research and is not intended as investment advice.

Chinese shoppers swarmed to e-commerce platforms and snapped up discounted items worth hundreds of billions of yuan during this year's Singles Day shopping extravaganza, pushing up the sales of domestic brands and premium goods.Experts said this indicates the enormous vitality and resilience of the country's consumer market.As China's biggest shopping event of the year, the Double 11, or 11-11, promotional gala, which began in late October and peaked on Saturday, has played a vital role in stimulating people's purchasing appetites and bolstering the recovery of consumption and economic growth, they added.Past Double 11 festivals were characterized by record-smashing gross merchandise volume, or GMV, through discount-led sales. However, chasing high GMV is no longer the focus, industry observers said, noting that Chinese shoppers are becoming more rational and carefully reviewing their needs, with an emphasis on quality and value.Tmall, Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group's business-to-customer platform, said that 402 brands, including 243 domestic ones, saw their sales surpass 100 million yuan ($13.7 million) from 8 pm on Oct 31 to midnight on Saturday. The turnover of 38,000 brands surged more than 100 percent year-on-year during this period.Neither Alibaba nor JD, another prominent e-commerce platform, disclosed specific GMV figures for this year's shopping spree. Alibaba said only that the scale of users and merchants registered "remarkable "growth, which drove the overall growth of order volume and GMV.JD said its transaction volume, order volume and user engagement "reached record highs". The sales of over 60 brands surpassed 1 billion yuan, and nearly 20,000 brands witnessed their turnover increase threefold year-on-year over the weekslong promotion gala.Young Chinese consumers increasingly opt for high-quality homegrown brands, with the spending from the post-1990s and post-2000s generations accounting for 62 percent of the total sales of domestic brands, it added.Moreover, turnover of high-end electronic devices surged on JD's online marketplaces, with foldable smartphones up 300 percent, digital cameras higher by 100 percent, and gaming laptops up 50 percent during the shopping spree."Consumption has become the main driving force boosting China's economic growth, and the Singles Day shopping festival is pivotal to unleashing consumers' purchasing potential and promoting the recovery of the economy," said Wang Yun, a researcher at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research affiliated with the National Development and Reform Commission.According to Wang, domestic brands, especially those featuring creative designs incorporating traditional Chinese elements, are gaining popularity among China's younger generations, who have a growing sense of national pride and confidence in Chinese culture.Added significanceThis year's Double 11 promotion has added significance, as it was the first since China optimized its COVID-19 response measures, Wang said, adding that the country's consumer market has gained growth momentum, with the overall growth rate expected to reach about 7 to 8 percent this year.Major e-commerce players emphasized low prices and made their promotion methods simpler during this year's Singles Day shopping carnival, with direct price cuts being a preferred strategy.Britton Russell, who leads the consumer and retail practice at global consulting company Alix-Partners' China division, said that"2023 marks the first post-pandemic Singles Day, where consumption returns to normal levels. We are seeing stronger sentiment and spending, evidenced by the 18 percent increase in total spending compared with 2022".While value-based shopping is nothing new, consumers are more prudent and knowledgeable about potential purchases than ever before, as they seek maximum value with every purchase, he said.Russell also emphasized that "rational consumption drives the search for quality rather than flashy promotion".Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, a market research provider, said that Chinese consumers were more value-conscious during this year's shopping spree. "They hope to buy cost-effective commodities, rather than just obtaining low-priced goods at the cost of quality."China's consumption market recovered in the first three quarters of this year. Retail sales, a significant indicator of consumption strength, grew 6.8 percent year-on-year during the January-September period, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.Chinese shoppers are also willing to devote their attention to more novel platforms that blur the boundaries between entertainment and retail, particularly in livestreaming e-commerce provided by short-video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou, a report from consultancy Bain& Co said.Reporter: Fan Feifei

In this episode of our APAC Masterclass, Amber Chen - SVP Strategic Partnerships & Global Account Development, China, at Flywheel Digital walks us through three of the 6 key marketplaces fueling digital commerce in China - Alibaba, Tmall, and Taobao. From retail elements such as consumer behavior & expectations, business models, and ways of working on-site to media elements through Alimama, you'll leave this episode with a deeper understanding of how these marketplaces compare and contrast to those such as Amazon in North America & EMEA. Be sure to listen to part two for three more key Chinese marketplaces!

Starting last year I became a big fan of many of the new shows that have been emerging from Singapore, India, China, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia. My buddy at 1UP Media, Yeo Guang Jin is running a multi-part series that looks at the humble rise of Alibaba and how Jack Ma built this into one of the great success stories in global corporate history. I'm sharing Part 3 of the series here on the CHP feed which tells the story of how Jack Ma took on mighty eBay and emerged from the competition with Taobao and TMall. Empires features compelling deep dives into some of the most renowned companies in all of Asia: Ten Cent, Sony, and Samsung to name a few. I heartily recommend this show to any and all lovers of International business. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting last year I became a big fan of many of the new shows that have been emerging from Singapore, India, China, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia. My buddy at 1UP Media, Yeo Guang Jin is running a multi-part series that looks at the humble rise of Alibaba and how Jack Ma built this into one of the great success stories in global corporate history. I'm sharing Part 3 of the series here on the CHP feed which tells the story of how Jack Ma took on mighty eBay and emerged from the competition with Taobao and TMall. Empires features compelling deep dives into some of the most renowned companies in all of Asia: Ten Cent, Sony, and Samsung to name a few. I heartily recommend this show to any and all lovers of International business. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting last year I became a big fan of many of the new shows that have been emerging from Singapore, India, China, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia. My buddy at 1UP Media, Yeo Guang Jin is running a multi-part series that looks at the humble rise of Alibaba and how Jack Ma built this into one of the great success stories in global corporate history. I'm sharing Part 3 of the series here on the CHP feed which tells the story of how Jack Ma took on mighty eBay and emerged from the competition with Taobao and TMall. Empires features compelling deep dives into some of the most renowned companies in all of Asia: Ten Cent, Sony, and Samsung to name a few. I heartily recommend this show to any and all lovers of International business. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting last year I became a big fan of many of the new shows that have been emerging from Singapore, India, China, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia. My buddy at 1UP Media, Yeo Guang Jin is running a multi-part series that looks at the humble rise of Alibaba and how Jack Ma built this into one of the great success stories in global corporate history. I'm sharing Part 3 of the series here on the CHP feed which tells the story of how Jack Ma took on mighty eBay and emerged from the competition with Taobao and TMall. Empires features compelling deep dives into some of the most renowned companies in all of Asia: Ten Cent, Sony, and Samsung to name a few. I heartily recommend this show to any and all lovers of International business. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the RETHINK Retail Podcast, host Paula Macaggi and special guest Zarina Kanji from Alibaba explore how virtual reality has revolutionized luxury retail. Zarina shares her journey into the metaverse, where she discovered immersive shopping experiences and the potential of virtual influencers. Listeners will gain insights into the groundbreaking shift brought by the metaverse, explore Taobao Life's virtual reality, and learn about personalized shopping experiences. The episode also touches on the success of Tmall Luxury Pavilion in China and the future possibilities of the metaverse in Western markets. Get ready to be astonished by the transformative power of virtual reality in shopping. Are you ready to be crowned hottest retail tech of the year? Sign up to participate in RETHINK Retail's Nxt Gen Technology Program at rethink.industries/nxt-gen-retail-tech or shoot us an email at media@rethink.industries. If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by subscribing to our channel and giving us a 5 star rating us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. - - - - - - Hosted by: Paula Macaggi

Contact your hostcharles_martin@appleinsider.comLinks from the showSeveral new Macs will launch at WWDC, says GurmanPopular music game 'Beat Saber' may be heading to Apple's VR headsetApp Store developers surpass $1 trillion milestone from sales in 2022Apple goes all in on live video shopping & iPhone sales for China's big '618' festivalApple's iPad is propping up a collapsing tablet marketAmazon gets slap on the wrist over privacy violations with Ring camerasWhy Android users have been switching to iPhone in greater numbersSubscribe to the AppleInsider podcast on: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Spotify Subscribe to the HomeKit Insider podcast on:•  Apple Podcasts•  Overcast•  Pocket Casts•  Spotify

This episode is our Year In Review: 2022 Greatest Hits Part 1! We've put together some of our favourite clips and moments for you to enjoy over the holidays, and look forward to seeing you again in 2023 for some of our best guests to date! The 2022 guests featured in this episode are:#1 Patrick Deloy, E146 & E147, September 7th & 14th, 2022Our first feature comes from episodes 146 and 147 on September 7th and 14th with Patrick Deloy, Managing Director at Merkle, an award-winning e-commerce solutions provider which supports medium to large B2C and B2B companies with the planning, development, localization and long-term support of multi-country e-commerce website deployments in the APAC region. I had asked Patrick ‘what is the omni-channel retail ecosystem and environment today in the APAC region?#2Liam Mather, E134, March 15, 2022Our second clip features Liam Mather, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at WPIC Marketing + Technologies. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, Liam helps guide WPIC's public and government affairs, strategic communications, media engagement, corporate branding, and sales enablement. Liam previously worked in BCW's Corporate and Public Affairs practice in Beijing, where he helped clients manage reputations, respond to crises, and navigate policy issues. This was from episode 134 released on March 15th, and for those who didn't get to hear the full episode, it's quite unique as we had the opportunity to talk to Liam about his time covering the Winter Olympics from within the Olympic bubble. Specifically, Liam was able to cover the hockey event, so we asked him about the state of hockey in China, specifically women's hockey, and here's what he had to say.#3William Bao Bean, E152 & E153, October 19th & 26th, 2022Up next is a clip from episode 152 on October 19th, the first of two episodes with an old friend of mine and an old friend of the podcast, William Bao Bean. William is a General Partner at SOSV and Managing Director of Orbit Startups. Orbit Startups helps companies scale breakthrough technologies across emerging and frontier markets to the regions with the most aggressive growth. William is a senior advisor at SOSV who has been a pioneer in the tech and telecommunications space in Asia. During his time with SoftBank China & India Holdings, he led investments in companies such as Yodo1, DemystData, Lekan, and Massive Impact. He was also an equity research analyst at Deutsche Bank covering the Internet and Telecom Equipment sector in Asia for 11 years before joining Innov8 Ventures as Managing Director where he is focused on supporting China investments. He is definitely one of the foremost experts on early-stage startups and investing in Asia Pacific, and in this particular clip I asked him ‘what are the strengths and differences of the teams you invest in and work with within Asia versus outside Asia?'#4Zarina Kanji, E133, March 7th, 2022On March 7th we released episode 133 with Zarina Kanji. Based in London, Zarina is the Head of Business Development for Health & Wellness and Food & Beverage Brands at Alibaba. She previously served as VP of Global Fashion Brand Partnerships at Lazada in Singapore. Zarina spoke with us about Tmall's upcoming International Women's Day—a key event tied to the company's Super Brand Day—on March 8, 2022. It has proven in previous years to be the third-largest shopping festival in the nation, behind 11.11 and 6.18, and is a unique opportunity for brands to engage with women across China. So, for this clip, we chose her response to my question ‘Can you tell us a little bit about what the Gen Z female consumers really care about in China right now, and how does that differ from their elder counterparts?'#5Alvin Wang Graylin, E125, January 12th, 2022On January 12th we were blessed to be able to interview Alvin Wang Graylin, China President at HTC. For anyone unfamiliar, HTC is an award-winning developer of smart mobile, connected technology, and virtual reality products. Alvin is also the Vice President of the Industry of Virtual Reality Alliance (IVRA) and the President of the Virtual Reality Venture Capital Alliance. He has almost three decades of business management experience in the tech industry, including 20 years in Greater China beginning with a Senior Management position at Intel in 1993. Prior to HTC, Alvin was a serial entrepreneur, having founded four venture-backed startups in the mobile and internet spaces, covering mobile social, "ad tech", search, AI, big data and digital media. I asked Alvin to tell us about some of the coolest & most innovative examples of VR that are heading our way in 2022 and beyond.#6Charles Lavoie, E154 & E156, November 2nd & 16th, 2022Our last clip for Part 1 of our Year in Review is from our conversation with Charles Lavoie on November 16th, episode number 156. Charles is the VP of Creative & Head of Creative Labs at WPIC Marketing & Technologies. A creative strategy & data analytics leader, Charles has incredibly strong cross-cultural backgrounds in international growth, go-to-market strategy, growth marketing, data analytics, creative planning, storytelling, sales, e-commerce, design and retail in the APAC region with projects focused in China, Hong Kong, Japan & Singapore. I asked Charles a very nuanced question at one point, probably one of the most granular questions I've asked anyone about brand entry into the APAC region, specifically “if a brand wants to take a multi-market strategy, how do you advise them, especially if they are also trying to stay ahead of an aggressive market competitor who might be going after the same regions for expansion themselves and may not have time to take a step by step approach?'

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Jacob Cooke to the show. As the CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, Jacob is the perfect guest to discuss what's going on in Asia right now, and how brands can take advantage of the growth opportunities. In this conversation, we dive deep into the current state of China's consumers, and what Jacob is seeing from his vantage point as we are in the midst of the 11/11 Singles' Day shopping festival. We also discuss Douyin's evolution as a platform for commerce, how it compares to other Chinese platforms like Tmall, evolutions in the Japanese online ecosystems, and so much more! Let's dive in!Topics Discussed and Key Points: Jacob's currently sitting in quarantine in Shanghai, after travelling throughout North America. What does that look like today?. The world of creativity in Asia. The changes in consumer behavior over the past few years This year's 11/11 Singles' Day shopping festival and what to expect The Chinese consumer class in 2023. Austin Li's return to Taobao Live. The impact of Douyin on commerce in Asia and the difference between satisfying existing demand versus stimulating new demand Evolutions in the Japanese online ecosystems.

Nanushka, one of fashion's fastest-growing brands, is out to make a big splash in China, targeting nine stores across the world's second-largest economy by 2026.The Budapest-based fashion house also launched on Alibaba Group's business-to-consumer marketplace Tmall and opened a store in Shanghai in October.In this episode of Alicast, we're joined by Péter Baldaszti, the co-founder and CEO of Nanushka and fashion investment platform Vanguards Group to talk about his China vision.  

The streams are crossing somewhere along the Vegas Strip, as this week's episode features our news segment recorded at the National Association of Convenience Stores event, while our interview was conducted live at GroceryShop.Our guest this week is Tony Shan, Head of Tmall-the Americas, for the Alibaba Group. We learn a bit about the scale, scope and evolution of the world's third largest retailer, before going deeper on the innovative Freshippo grocery concept. We touch on essential elements of providing a more harmonized shopping experience that is at the heart of "New Retail" before getting Tony's perspective on what is key to driving and prioritizing innovation. We also unpack the definition and importance of "fresh" and its interplay with convenience, price and sustainability.But first we share our top take-aways from the week that was in retail, starting with the contrast of a strong US job market report with the third straight quarter of GDP declines. Then we take on earnings reports from Bed, Bath & Beyond (yuck), Nike (huh?) and Costco (wow!). Peloton continues to take the D out of DTC as they announce a wholesale partnership with Dick's Sporting Goods.Instead of a trip to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner we lift up some pretty nice capital raises from DNVB darlings Caraway, Monos, and Everlane. It also turns out that physical retail is still not dead, as store openings continue to outpace closures. And fresh on the heels of our interview with Sam's Club SVP Tim Simmons we learn about the brand's planned new innovation center. About Tonyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/shantony/Tony Shan joined Alibaba Group in 2017 and now serves as the Head of the Americas region for Alibaba Group's cross-border B2C platforms, Tmall Global & Kaola. He leads a team of category experts in North America working with brands, retailers and SMEs to sell into the growing Chinese market. Prior to his work with ecommerce in China, Tony was the Merchandising and Marketing Lead for the apparel & footwear business at an Amazon subsidiary that operated U.S. ecommerce sites such as Diapers.com and Soap.com. He also gained global retail expertise working at luxury fashion brand, Coach, in global merchandising and planning. He is currently based in Alibaba's New York office in Manhattan. About UsSteve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada's top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  ,      The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and now in its second season, Conversations with CommerceNext!  You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

Thank you for listening! This week I wanted to figure out if there was a way to use card prices to rank NBA Rookies from the last 5 classes (2017-2021) while taking into consideration print count differences year over year. But I start by expanding a little bit on what I think is a little known fact about Impeccable TMall and the unnumbered base cards found in those boxes. Coming soon: An appearance on the Hoops and Cards podcast and next episode will (finally) go deep into VBAGame, the players and strategies I employ and what I've learned about it so far. Thank you again!

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Tmall's International Women's Day●      The most sought-after products among women in 2022●      Trends in the food & beverage space●      Why there is more demand for sleep supplements●      Health and wellness trends in the West that might make it to China very soon●      UK and Nordic products that have captured the attention of Chinese consumers●      What Gen-Z female consumers look for compared with their older counterparts●      Differences between consumers across different geographies in China Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we talk with Zarina Kanji. Based in London, she is the Head of Business Development for Health & Wellness and Food & Beverage Brands at Alibaba. She previously served as VP of Global Fashion Brand Partnerships at Lazada in Singapore.Zarina speaks with us about Tmall's upcoming International Women's Day—a key event tied to the company's Super Brand Day—on March 8, 2022. It has proven in previous years to be the third-largest shopping festival in the nation, behind 11.11 and 6.18, and is a unique opportunity for brands to engage with women across China.From influencer parties to limited edition product launches, International Women's Day, or “Queen Day” as it is sometimes called, is a celebration of all things female.The five major trends predicted for this International Women's Day are inner beauty, beauty tech, probiotics (gut health), sleep supplementation (which include the phenomenon of 朋克养生 or pengke yangsheng, also known as “punk health”), and sportswear.With regards to food & beverage, Zarina notes that China is rapidly becoming the world's largest market for healthy eating, and especially healthy snacking. This trend, adopted primarily by millennials and Gen-Z, was largely spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 30 million consumers purchased healthy food on Tmall global alone in 2020, a 30% rise from the previous year. Alibaba saw a 56% rise in healthy on-the-go foods, which include sesame balls, goji berry beverages, and meal replacement shakes. Zarina sees plant-based consumables as an upcoming trend in the near future.She also says that there is a  growing demand for health and wellness products in the UK and Nordic countries thanks to the quality of ingredients typically used in these items.Finally, Zarina discusses the importance of catering to the demands of younger female consumers as a Chinese brand. With Tmall Global alone, around 70% of consumers are female. 85% are 39, and 59% of those consumers are under 30. Key Quotes:“The health and wellness industry is estimated to grow by 19% from 2020 to 2025—up to $145 billion. Much of this will cater towards China's 685 million women.” “In China, what you put in and on your body absolutely matters.” “China is rapidly becoming the world's largest market for healthy eating, and notably healthy snacking is what we talk about a lot.” “It's really important that brands are looking towards the demands of Gen-Z, millennial, female consumers in China. If we take Tmall Global alone, around 70% of our consumers are female. 85% of our consumers are under 39, and 59% of those consumers are under 30.”

We discussed a number of things including: 1. Mark and Sonia's entrepreneurial journeys 2. Mark's new venture, Creator Nova 3. Sonia's vision for Signet Beauty 4. Funding outlook for startups in creator space Sonia first launched @badgirlnails in 2014 as a way to break a lifelong nail biting habit. From there a passion for nail art grew, and before long she was sharing her designs with an audience of over 1 million followers on Instagram. In the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, Sonia recognized the need for artisan quality, innovative nails in the press on nail space, and so she founded Signet Beauty - using her online community as a springboard to propel the brand forward.------ While living in China, Mark worked for Alibaba Group's Tmall, Tmall Global, and Taobao marketplaces to build partnerships with U.S. startups looking to enter global markets. He has helped startups at every step: from supply chain, to government regulations, to marketing, to technology builds. He began focusing on how content creators are building the future of commerce after helping over 50 US startups enter the China market. He knows intimately the pain that content creators feel when building consumer products. Whether in China or the United States, from a poor or rich nation, young and old, Content Creators will play a vital role in building the startups of the future. Today, Mark leads Creator Nova which helps Content Creators build new global consumer startups.

Livestream shopping festivals in the US are ramping up during the holiday season. From Facebook and YouTube to even Twitter. And our RockWater team has been participating in all of them. Yet livestream commerce sales forecasts of $5 billion in the US still significantly lag China's sales forecast of $300 billion.  Chris and Andrew therefore analyze the key market drivers explaining the revenue gap.  Subscribe to our newsletter. We explore the intersection of media, technology, and commerce: sign-up linkLearn more about our market research and executive advisory: RockWater websiteEmail us: rounduppod@wearerockwater.com--EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: Chris Erwin:So Andrew, over the past few weeks, our team has been tracking some interesting activity in the livestream shopping space. So we've seen some holiday livestream shopping specials from social incumbents, like YouTube, like Facebook, and even Twitter. You and the rest of the team have really been digging into some of these case studies to learn more. Andrew Cohen:Yeah. No, we've been having a good time going through watching all of these big, new launches from all the major social incumbents for livestream shopping. And they're all have varying degrees of qualities, all are doing some things right, something's not as right. All in all it's been a big kind of improvement for the US livestream shopping ecosystem. But all of them still remind me of actually a 2021 prediction article that maybe we got right, maybe we didn't get right because the problem that we called out in that article really still seems to be persisting. That's the common theme that I'm seeing across all these streams. That problem is what we're calling the product gap. Chris Erwin:The product and the authenticity gap is part of that. Andrew Cohen:Exactly. Chris Erwin:So let's dive into that. Listeners, if you're familiar with our writings and some of our forecast dating back around 12 to 18 months ago, you've probably heard us talk about this before, but we're going to go through this observation that we cited dating back nearly a year ago. Talk about how it's evolved and then how we think things are going to change in solving this product gap going into 2022. So let's dive in. Chris Erwin:There's currently an authenticity gap in the US livestream shopping market, and it's preventing creators and thus consumers from really adopting the medium. And although the current sales volume in US livestream shopping is low. I think we're looking at some numbers of around 5 billion. The investor interest is quite high at, I think around 220 billion of investments that we've been tracking. So we surveyed around 10 prominent digital talent managers over the past year who represent hundreds of clients that influence hundreds of millions of fans. And the goal is to learn about their initial experiences with livestream selling in the US. And Andrew, I think to our surprise, there's only one manager we spoke to who ever had a client actually participate in livestream selling. And even then it was only one client in one campaign. Chris Erwin:We were surprised to hear that livestream selling is barely on the radar of most major US creators. Despite the fact that all the major social and commerce platforms have been developing products and features to make it easy for them to host livestream shopping experiences. So we asked them why and Andrew, one of the answers that we heard a lot was, and it really stuck out to us is many US creators view livestream selling as an overly commercial venture that will alienate their core fans through perceived in authenticity. And to quote, one manager told us specifically, "My clients don't want to be a walking, talking billboard. You can only ask your fans to do so many things. Pushing too many things, especially when you're doing a ton of brand deals is not a good long term look." Andrew Cohen:Seems like right now, amongst traders livestream selling is kind of being framed as a choice. Choosing either direct to consumer revenues or fan delight, but really at its best, we believe that it's an opportunity to do both. And I was surprised by the sentiment because digital creators are already massively influencing purchasing decisions. The US influencer marketing industry has grown about 50% year over a year since 2016. I think it's currently valued around 14 billion, 44% of gen Z consumers say that their purchasing decisions are based on recommendations from a social influencer. So, and made us ponder, where is this disconnect? How do we bridge this gap between the indirect influence of social marketing and this kind of direct salesmanship of livestream to commerce? And how come one is accepted as organic and natural and is part of our kind of everyday commerce experience and the other one is more distasteful? And I believe and we believe that it's due to a lack of access to sellable product inventory. Basically in other words, it's the authenticity gap, which is a direct byproduct of the product gap in the US livestream shopping ecosystem. Chris Erwin:Before diving into explaining the authenticity gap. Also just want a note, Andrew, so estimating the influencer marketing ecosystem around 14 billion, and I think just another number to add on to that, which you had actually wrote about the creator economy just over the past few weeks that that's estimated at over 104 billion. And that creator economy intersects in a very strong way with livestream shopping. So I think it just reinforces just how big the opportunity is here. But on your last note, I think as you're talking about the authenticity gap, I think we want to better understand why does that exist? Can you give us a little bit more color? Andrew Cohen:Really we think that the authenticity gap, this idea that creators feel that they're being inauthentic by pursuing livestream shopping is really because of this product gap, which is that creators don't have enough products to create genuine livestream selling content on a frequent basis. So it's always, let's look to China for an example. So on average, the top grossing streamers in China go live more than 300 times a year. They average about eight hours per stream, featuring all sorts of different items in each stream. And as a result, 25% of livestream shopping consumers in China are daily active users. And 71% consume it at least once per week. So this recurring active engagement is one of the major differences that explains why China's total livestream revenues are so much bigger than those in the US. I think China is running 300 billion today because Chinese viewers, they tune in on a regular basis because their favorite KOLs stands for key opinion leaders, basically their word for creators or influencers, but they always have cool new products to offer that they can authentically endorse. Andrew Cohen:So Chinese creators are able to stream every night without having to worry about being inauthentic because they have enough access to product inventory to enable them to service and delight their fans by consistently offering discounted access to the products that they genuinely love and personally endorse, which just makes for a much more engaging experience. And this is because brands and retailers in China are fully invested in this livestream shopping economy and it's become a vital part of its infrastructure. So over 100,000 brands and retailers participate in the Chinese livestream shopping market. On Singles Day, for example, Alibaba's version of Prime Day, it generated 75 billion last year in total livestream sales and over a thousand different brands participated. Chris Erwin:Yeah, the numbers from China are eye popping and particularly when you compare it to the current situation in the US. So let's talk about that. So by contrast in the US livestream shopping market, many creators, including those with millions of fans, they often don't have products to sell besides their own merch or products from a brand sponsor. Right. Now that may be enough to host a few successful live streams, but in order for a creator to go live on a recurring basis, like you were just talking about in China, they need a recurring stream of products that they can authentic and enthusiastically endorse. So then the question arises, why are US creators so limited in the products they can sell? Again, going back to our talent manager and talent rep survey, we've heard from their reps that even if they were interested in pursuing more direct commerce initiatives between product sourcing, development, and deal rights management, that procuring a wide array of products that fit their brand in audience is a logistical nightmare, right? A ton of work. Chris Erwin:So despite the creator's ability to influence purchasing and the high profile celebrity led product launches that circulate across all of our LinkedIn feeds and on social media, the reality is that most US creators rarely sell products directly to their fans. Their D2C commerce footprint is usually limited to just a few skews of brand and merch. So as a result, many established US creators are reluctant to pursue live stream selling because they believe that continuously pushing the same few products is actually going to alienate their fans and really dilute the sense of authenticity and trust that their influence is built upon. Andrew Cohen:But then the flip side of this is by only participating in livestream selling when they have a new brand sponsorship or merch line to launch, US creators are failing to kind of cultivate the user habits, the recurring long term usership that will drive the US livestream shopping market to the scale of China. And on the other hand, most of the US participants in livestream shopping who do have a diverse and robust product inventory, they're mostly, small boutiques or even national retailers like Fred Segal, who's on talkshoplive, Walmart who just did something with Twitter, but they don't necessarily have the audience influence or the reach or the engaging on camera charisma that's necessary to fulfill the potential of livestream shopping. So really the US livestream shopping market has to bridge this gap in order to drive those outside revenues that come through active and recurring engagement at scale. Andrew Cohen:And creators can use the live medium to engage and entertain fans in a personal and interactive format while also sharing the products that they love most. They're kind of performing the role of like the cool best friend with the deep product passion and expertise. And that level of authenticity and trust is going to be what powers the livestream shopping experience in the US, just like it has in China. However, until there is enough product accessibility to enable creators to host on a consistent basis, creators are not going to adopt the medium and neither will their fans. And I think it's going to kind of stay in this in between zone until we cross that gap. Chris Erwin:And I think that's just an interesting note is you gave some of the examples of Fred Segal on talkshoplive, or Walmart or JapanLA on Popshop. That consideration is a lot of these retailers, they were originally brick and mortar. And then during the eCommerce migration and digital transformation, they went online and they created web and mobile based storefronts. But it's completely different to think about putting your product in a livestream shopping environment where users are used to having a personality, right, in a livestream situation. Chris Erwin:And I think a lot of these brands got a lot of work to do, to think about how do they attach the right personality, the right influencer, whether it's someone that they incubate in house or that they find on social media accounts that already have an affinity for their brand. There's a lot to do there, but when they do it right, it's really powerful. So, okay, Andrew, so with your last point, a big question arises is how do we bridge the product gap in the US? How do we drive retail adoption and these product creator marketplaces that you're describing? What do you think? Andrew Cohen:So far we've seen, especially the major social incumbents, the ones who have launched recently, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, they've attempted to solve it three different ways. I don't think either of them have quite hit the mark. One is using brands and retailers as the primary sellers. So rather than hosting it on a creator's feed, just letting a, like, for example, be Vuori hosted one on Facebook and they could use their own talent to sell, but that's one attempt. The second is using creators with their own product lines. Again, it's tough to do on an occurring basis, but YouTube, when they do work with creators, it's creators that have their own merch to sell. And then number three is sponsored streams. So these will pair a creator with a retail sponsor with inventory that they want to promote and sell directly. So these are all attempts. However, this doesn't really sufficiently bridge that divide and we believe that there needs to be more done. And we think that more will be done. We highlighted two. Chris, what do you think? Chris Erwin:So I think diving into one of them it's that more brands and retailers will turn to livestream eCommerce as a new sales channel, which will in turn increase the volume of sellable product inventory that is available to creators. So just to give some background numbers here in 2020, US brick and mortar retail sales declined by 10 and a half percent, right, primarily driven by COVID. But meanwhile, eCommerce revenues grew by 44%, right? We saw a massive pull forward migration into eCommerce purchases. Because livestream eCommerce is an extension of social selling, with the added elements of time and interactivity to drive urgency and increased conversions, our team actually anticipates that many of the same retail categories that perform well in eCommerce and influencer marketing will likely be the first to meaningfully invest in live streaming. Chris Erwin:So in particular, these retail categories include beauty, health and wellness, food and beverage, fashion, home goods, parents and kids, and technology, which are actually among the most popular livestream shopping categories in China last year in 2020. Andrew, the influx of product inventory into the livestream shopping space will be a meaningful step in the evolution of the US livestream shopping market. But that alone will not fully close the product gap, nor will it be enough to address the looming authenticity gap. Even when there is enough product volume and diversity to power frequent and consistent habits, one major challenge will still remain, how will best fit creators and products actually find each other? I think you has some interesting ideas here. Andrew Cohen:I think what really is going to need to happen to close that gap is that tech enabled marketplaces are going to emerge that connect creators with best fit products and vice versa. So again, let's look to China for some inspiration. So not only are there 100,000 plus brands and retailers that are pumping product into this ecosystem, but almost more importantly, Chinese livestream commerce platforms make it really easy for KOLs to access these products. So when a KOL logs on to Taobao Live, Pinduoduo, Tmall or [inaudible 00:13:30] to plan an upcoming livestream, they can easily search through all of the product inventory that has been uploaded onto the platform by brands and retailers and select the products to feature based on what kind of feels authentic to them and their audience and what they can speak to and sell. Andrew Cohen:So actually a rudimentary version of this does exist on Amazon Live today, but really nowhere else that we've seen in the US. On Instagram, even as more and more brands and retailers are uploading their inventories to the platform shopping portal, the products are still siloed from the personalities who might be most effective at selling them. So brands and retailers still need to do all of the heavy lifting to create the content or to find the right content creators to actually drive traffic to their Instagram storefront. Meanwhile, the perfect creator who's out there who's most well positioned to move the products that are on that brand's Instagram shopping portal is over on their page engaging a dedicated community every day on the platform, but likely failing to monetize their influence because they don't have any products to sell. Andrew Cohen:So that's really the product gap, which flows downstream of this authenticity gap, which flows downstream of just a lack of recurring user ship for livestream stopping in the US, which is really one of the biggest differences between the 300 billion that's happening in China and the five billion that's happening in the US. However, we do believe that this is going to change in the coming years. We believe that influencer and brand marketplaces kind of like what was originally the vision for YouTube's FameBit, that they're going to emerge to connect best fit products and sellers. And that really ultimately the right technology will play the role of matchmaker. And perhaps these solutions will be built out by a dominant social platform, or by a dominant commerce platform, maybe by one of the incumbents like whatnot or network. Excited to find out though. Chris Erwin:And I think on a closing note that our team is actually doing some interesting advisory work for some of those companies, which is fun. All right, Andrew, I think we're out of time. So as always, till next time. Andrew Cohen:See you then.

Themen sind Singles Day in China, Alibaba verliert Marktanteile an JD und Pinduoduo. ByteDance mischt in China überall mit E-Commerece und Social Media, usw.. Chinesische Tech Giganten sind immer noch sehr stark, trotz der Kursregulierung von Seiten der Regierung.Was meint ihr über den Chinesischen Markt?Themen des Podcasts:Singles Day: 00:00Konkurrenten von Taobao & Tmall: 04:21Ist ByteDance bald größer als Alibaba: 08:57Wächst der Chinesische E-Commerce Markt immer noch?: 09:57Unterschied zwischen Douyin & TikTok: 18:18Gaming & Metaverse in China: 20:18Investments in chinesische Tech Giganten: 24:08Fazit: 27:46Kommt in den Discord und werdet Teil der großartigen Comunity. 1. Abonniert meinen Daily Newsletter für die neuesten Trends aus Tech und Media2. Podcast abonnieren: Apple, Spotify, Google & Amazon3. Folgt mir LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok & Twitter4. Ihr wollt euch weiterbilden? Hier sind unsere Masterclasses

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How Singles' Day performed relative to Jacob's expectations●      Platforms that will gain traction at next year's 11.11●      Notable creative or marketing tactics used at this year's festival●      How this year's GMV may compare to 2020s●      Whether there is still room for foreign brands going forward●      What to know about Pipl (Personal Information Protection Law)●      WPIC's plans for Southeast Asia●      Demographic differences in China versus Southeast Asia Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jacob Cooke who shares his observations on Singles' Day in 2021 and how closely the festival met his expectations.In his words, how 11.11 unfolded was “almost bang on” with what Jacob anticipated, with a couple of categories “going a little bit over” and toys being the only underperformer.It was a “Tmall-dominated shopping festival” that was largely untouched by the influx of new government regulations this year which, again, Jacob expected. He predicts more platforms gaining traction at next year's 11.11 as Walled Gardens continue to come down and cross-platform functionality increases in scope.Platforms also doubled down on live streams which had already been immensely popular in the Chinese market for some time, precisely because they know that live streams have become such an effective way to move product.In many ways, “China is starting to become comfortable in their skin,” pushing for local champions in each of the different categories. While the country had been playing catch-up as recently as a decade ago, today local brands have been dominating in the market.Finally, Jacob gives his thoughts on how companies will have to deal with the legal implications of Personal Information Protection Law, WPIC's budding work in the Southeast Asia market, and demographic differences between the China market and that of Southeast Asia. Key Quotes:“There are a lot of misconceptions about why local brands are doing well. In a lot of cases, they have an easier time because they're focused solely on China. Very few of them have global ambitions because the market is so large here.” “I don't think we're done with regulators in terms of what's done with personal data. I think that's actually going to be further enhanced. [...] I think that what's happened this year [with Pipl] is that the regulators have started to take action to make people take these new laws seriously.” “eCommerce has normally been adopted by younger consumers. China's done a really good job at making eCommerce universal.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Trends that shaped consumer behaviour in 2021●      How different categories have fared over the past year●      How consumer trends have evolved in the past 18 months●      Sectors to lead the charge in China's economic growth going forward●      Which categories are predicted to be successful on Singles' Day●      New tactics brands will use aside from discounts●      How important it is to have inventory on the ground for Singles' Day●      How the impact has impacted manufacturing and logistics●      Potential long-term effects of this year's 11.11●      How brands are preparing for fallout due to supply chain issues Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jacob Cooke, co-founder of WPIC Marketing and Technologies, to get his pre-and post-11.11 insights and predictions. As 2021 comes to a close, Jacob does a deep dive into the consumer trends that have emerged in China over the past year.The biggest factor that rippled out into all aspects of commerce and consumer behaviour in 2021 was operational continuity. Both buyers and sellers are no stranger to having to navigate ever-changing logistical challenges in the market, and this has led to increased vigilance and meticulousness in the way people purchase.Online retail quickly became the preferred way to shop, the health and wellness category has soared, and even high-end fashion has seen a resurgence over the past year as brands have finally learned to adapt to the limitations brought about by COVID-related restrictions and other obstacles. On the other hand, mother and baby brands have fallen due to lower birth rates. Most other categories, Jacob observes, have seen linear growth.The result of these adaptations is that brands have now gotten their predicted sales down to a science. They do not expect to overperform or underperform on Singles' Day as big data and machine learning have given companies the ability to calculate the precise amount of inventory they would need to prepare in time for 11.11.“Nothing is truly made in its country of origin,” Jacob reminds us. As manufacturing and logistics continue to experience complications, inventory will become increasingly precious. Companies will largely be playing on defense to preserve the inventory they have along with finding more creative solutions to moving product beyond discounts. Key Quotes:“In general, when we look at the history of 11.11 (I think we're at year 12 now), a lot of the growth in those early years was from DAU (daily average users) and MAU (monthly average users). A couple of years ago, Tmall hit that $900 million mark [and] reached saturation in the market. Growth then started coming from increased spends between that $900 million but also from broader and broader categories.” “This 11.11 may potentially be smaller than last year's 11.11 due to the supply crunch. It's going to be the biggest issue. I don't think it's been in the press nearly enough. [...] This is not a new problem. This has been going on for several months. I think now people are starting to notice it with empty shelves; but, it's no different anywhere in the world. Global supply chains are extremely complicated.” “The Chinese eCommerce system is very public. Those comments are always there. The ratings are incredibly important. And it all feeds back into the search algorithm. So, you have this monstrous platform, but you're also up against a ton of other brands. Customer feedback is incredibly important. Your reputation is everything. You don't ever want to misrepresent the products that you're selling. You want to be as accurate as possible. And if there are disadvantages to your product, you want to be clear about that, too, and provide reasons. You don't want any consumer to be surprised about the item that they receive at home versus what they think they're purchasing online.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How has merchandising transformed in the age of eCommerce?●      Justice's typical day as Director of Merchandising at WPIC●      Examples of companies that exemplify effective online merchandising●      Why it is so difficult to master online merchandising●      Global merchandising trends, specifically focusing on trends in China●      The future of merchandising globally and in China●      Why did WPIC develop its merchandising capabilities? Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Justice Hampton, Director of Merchandising at WPIC Marketing + Technologies.Justice joined WPIC in March 2021, bringing with him 15 years of experience in merchandising. He previously held roles at a number of luxury apparel brands, including Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch, Coach, Ralph Lauren, and Club Monaco.Justice speaks on how the world of merchandising changed forever with the rise of the digital era. At the same time, the fundamentals remain the same, and these fundamentals should, in fact, be the basis of all decisions made by the merchandising department. That is, social media and eCommerce platforms are at their most powerful when they are used to “amplify the things that you [already] do at the brick-and-mortar level”.Asked for the best examples of digital merchandising done well, Justice points to menswear brand Mr. Porter for its masterful translation of the unique visual and tactile experience of shopping in-store to the online shopping environment.Justice looks at the market in China as “aggressive” wherein consumer products are advertised—in large part by KOLs—as “need-to-haves” more often than not. Chinese consumers also spend a large amount of time on Tmall beyond browsing for products to buy. True to its name, Tmall is very much the new mall-going experience for the modern Chinese.For every new social media platform adopted by the masses, the merchandising world evolves. From Facebook to Instagram, and now to TikTok, the online marketplace has found itself having to adapt to changing consumer trends at a faster rate than at any other time in history. Key Quotes:“Despite all the changes, what makes a really solid merchandising strategy is being able to use digital technology to amplify the things that you do at the brick-and-mortar level. You have all these amazing ways to accentuate your product story and meet the consumers where they are on multiple platforms.” “One of the really cool things that certain online brands do really well is, they take best [practices for great] in-store experience and they figure out a way to replicate [them] as seamlessly as possible online.” “You can localize a brand by having the right look that is appropriate for the country, having the right logos, having the right copy, and having the right visual experience online. But you also have to localize the assortment. This is where the merchandising role comes in.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Why is it vital for 21st century businesses to focus on data●      Innovations in the data and AI space in China●      What is “growth hacking” and why is it most applied to early stage startups?●      What distinguishes data collection and analytics in China from those of other countries?●      The typical customer journey in China versus that of the West●      How an expat stays on top of all the tech developments in China●      Creating brand loyalty in China●      How businesses can avoid data overload●      Data collection tools businesses can use and Daphne's favorite strategies Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Daphne Tuijn, a specialist in China's eCommerce and technology space.She is the Co-Founder and CEO at Chaoly, a Shanghai-based company that offers a proprietary cloud-based data platform that integrates their clients' data together with big data sources from major Chinese platforms such as Tmall, Baidu, WeChat, Weibo and Little Red Book. Chaoly's Insights-as-a-Service then provides actionable insights and intelligence derived from the data.Daphne is also the Co-Founder and CEO at WebshopinChina.com, a full-service eCommerce agency with offices in Shanghai and Amsterdam.With 900 million internet users in the country and 52% of all retail being conducted online, China is truly a pioneer in the eCommerce space, globally. This has naturally led to China becoming known for its enormous data collection capabilities; however, Daphne says that data availability is one thing; being able to use it is another. In fact, in China, “there might be too much data. As they say, ‘Data is the new oil.' But similar to oil, data needs to be refined in order for it to be used.”Daphne also shares her best practices for creating brand loyalty in China as well as how the role of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) differs between the Chinese and Western markets. She also touches on the various ways brands can collect data in China both personally and from third-party sources while avoiding data overload. Key Quotes:“Data is extremely important in two ways: On the one hand, it allows you to make educated decisions instead of basing your decisions on gut feeling. [...] Using data as a preparation point to understanding the market is a good way to assess your success and to see if, indeed, you should put your money on [a decision]. Also, data helps you assess whether your performance is okay.” “In China, the issue is not the availability of data. On the contrary, there might be too much data. As they say, ‘Data is the new oil.' But similar to oil, data needs to be refined in order for it to be used.” “You can look at the data but, ultimately, data itself is just a snapshot.”

If you're a brand looking for serious growth opportunities than chances are you've been looking at China's dynamic consumer market.Never before has there been a market that has offered so much opportunity.  1.3 billion people,  a huge rapidly increasing middle class, and e-commerce sales figures so massive that it almost sounds as if you're making them up.While the opportunities are great, so are the challenges.  If you're entering China thinking that the same strategies that have worked brilliantly in other markets can simply be rolled out in China - you might be in for a rude awakening.This vast digital-first market is fast moving and constantly changing.  To succeed in China brands need to start from scratch and learn to do things the China way.To better understand how to succeed in China's complex e-commerce market, I reached out to Josh Gardner, CEO and Co-Founder of Shanghai-based Kung-fu Data.Josh is a senior China strategist whose helped hundreds of brands with China e-commerce launches.  His company manages a portfolio of successful flagship stores on Tmall and JD.com.  And works with clients from strategy and structure to activation and optimisation.Before we get started, if you are looking to develop knitwear collections that will be bestsellers - both online and offline - then Spinexpo is the place to go.  It is the primary exhibition for yarn and knitwear.The fair offers a carefully curated selection of high quality yarns and knitwear that's bursting with creativity.  Not to mention outstanding  trend information that can not be found anywhere else.  You can learn more at www.spinexpo.com.  I'm pleased to share that A Seat at The Table now has its own website.  You can find all of the podcast episodes, the show notes and lots of other useful information.  You can find it at www.seat.fm.Learn more about SPINEXPO:  www.spinexpo.comLearn more about Kung-Fu Data:  www.kungfudata.comConnect with Josh Gardner on LinkedIn:  /joshgardnerContacts for A Seat at The Table podcast:  jane@seat.fm;  guests@seat.fm

In this episode of the Sport Lifestyle Network Podcast, our friend of the Network, Rob Langstaff, catches up with his good friend and former adidas colleague, Sandrine Zerbib. They originally met at adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, in the winter of 1994. Sandrine began her career as an investment banker in Paris, working for the famed financier Robert Louis-Dreyfus. Robert was an entrepreneur who believed in making bets on people; this is why he made a Parisian, non-Chinese speaking woman the head of adidas in China. In a booming China, Sandrine would catch the entrepreneurial bug, founding Full Jet in 2013. As many may not know, retail in China is different than anywhere else in the world. It requires an expert to navigate the Alibaba's and Tmall's of the world, and this is why brands like Adidas, Under Armour, Skechers, Brooks, Hoka, and many more engage Full Jet as a leading TP partner. Full Jet's success as a bespoke TP partner made them a desirable acquisition for China's leading e-commerce and digital technology company, Baozun. This acquisition closed in February of this year. Today, Bauzun is the TP partner for both Nike and the Adidas Group. Rob and Sanderine's business relationship blossomed beyond their time working for the three stripes, as Rob brought Brooks and Toms to Full Jet. If you're interested in expanding your consumer goods business in China, or Asia for that matter, you should consider engaging Rob Langstaff's Sweet Onion Consulting for guidance and introductions to subject matter experts like Sandrine Zerbib.