China’s technological acceleration has come as a shock to many, particularly DeepSeek, however the country’s centrally planned economy, long-term planning and wealth of resources means it is increasingly well-positioned to make breakthroughs. All the more so when cornered by economic pressure such as semiconductor restrictions which contributed to the rise of DeepSeek.

A mixed bag for category and platform advertising last year, but some clear winners are reflected in the advertising spend

WeChat has been the quiet achiever of China’s online platforms. Despite the hype of Douyin and RED, the value of goods sold on WeChat reportedly doubled last year

Jack Ma launched New Retail with a roar in 2016 starting a scramble for the New Retail crown on both sides of the Pacific. The buzzword has since fizzled out and Alibaba has divested in much of its bricks & mortar retail properties, but the need to rethink retail is more important than ever. Here's why...

A softening ad spend market in China reveals some changes in priorities across online platforms and shifts in spending from major categories

Alibaba has put together a fun and quirky guide to help foreigners, cats and martians understand 618 better, while also appealing to Chinese consumers

Despite increasing geopolitical tensions, rising nationalism and Covid fears, imports of consumer goods grew 8.2% in China last year. Sales of domestic goods contracted 3.9%. Chinese consumers' historic pursuit for beauty helped see imported cosmetics as one of the biggest drivers of this growth, with their value rising over 30% according to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) figures published last week.The strong growth in cosmetics imports further reinforces the attractiveness of foreign skincare brands, and is well timed to coincide with the launch of the China Skinny Skincare Tracker.

Another year, another huge hit for Alibaba!

With the heralded Singles’ Day looming over the minds of anyone with an ear towards China, Alibaba’s gargantuan sales machine has primed its engines. With its fashion week in the rear-view mirror, a gloomy Sunday in Shanghai saw the Oriental Sports Stadium play host to the Tmall Collection, China’s ground-breaking fashion show, or maybe more accurately, ‘fashion festival’.

Alibaba's growth has been remarkable over the past few years, cementing its position the central pillar of China's ecommerce industry. With Tmall and Taobao, Alibaba is successfully furnishing the market needs in China by providing B2C and C2C platforms.