Our blog: China’s technology, consumer and new retail insights

WeChat began life as a basic messaging app focused on text messages. Then, it added phone and video calling capabilities.

China’s internet celebrity economy has expanded exponentially in recent years. According to a report released by iResearch, the number of online celebrities in China with more than 100,000 followers has increased by 57.3 percent since 2016. With a single embedded ad in a WeChat post worth up to $145,000 USD for influencers with dedicated followings, and a […]

In an increasingly digital world, traditional media such as print, radio and TV are losing ground, while the Internet takes an ever-larger role. The web, and in particular the mobile web, allows information to spread rapidly and opens the door for anyone who proves capable and trustworthy to enlarge their influence. Nowhere is this truer […]

Alibaba offered the tech world a double-whammy in the last fortnight, first with the ceremonial passing of the torch from chairman Jack Ma in a heartfelt open letter, then with the unexpected signing of a joint venture arrangement with Russia’s leading tech player a week afterwards. The deal with Mail.ru — a wide-reaching media conglomerate that […]

China’s economy has been on the rise for decades. Improved living standards, a growing interest in tourism and relaxed travel regulations for Chinese citizens has led to a huge rise in the number of outbound Chinese tourists. As of November 2017, 120 million Chinese citizens hold passports which is approximately 9% of the Chinese population. […]

While most of you are using Amazon and eBay, people in China are shopping on sites and apps like Tmall,  Taobao,  JD,  Suning,  Kaola,  VIP.com, and the very popular new kid on the block, Xiaohongshu. Xiaohongshu (小红书), or Red, first came to my attention when I heard two colleagues discussing beauty products. “I’ve been looking for waterproof […]

While the majority of luxury brands operating in China have opened WeChat Official Accounts, many of them are still reluctant to run their businesses entirely on WeChat, instead opting to drive their subscribers to external websites and e-commerce platforms. In this article, we’ve summarized some key points about external links on WeChat, so you can use them […]

At Alibaba’s 2016 Computing Conference, Jack Ma focused his speech on five areas that are being transformed by technology. The list included new finance, new manufacturing, new technology and new energy with new retail at the center. Alibaba wants to use data and technology to transform retail, including offline retail, which accounts for 82% of […]

There is no denying that social media is the best way to approach target customers and raise brand awareness in China, as the country has an extraordinarily high mobile device penetration rate. With new social media products and programmes constantly appearing, 2017  witnessed countless innovative and enlightening social media marketing ideas and events in China. […]

Alibaba is playing a key role changing the face of retail in China and, probably, the rest of the world. During November’s Double 11 Global Shopping Festival, or Single’s Day, Alibaba set a record in total gross merchandise volumes. A more connected retail experience between online and offline The amount of GMV processed by Alipay, which […]

Recently I saw a guy filming himself with his phone while crossing the street in China. It seemed like he was Facetiming with a friend. But he was actually doing a livestream, an extremely popular hobby for young people in China. China is way ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to […]

You know that WeChat is a powerful channel to market your business and even sell your products. But what else? Some official WeChat accounts are also great sources of information about digital marketing in China. Plenty of WeChat accounts regularly publish informative articles so WeChat is also the perfect platform for you to learn more […]