https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/326775/feed Latest news, analysis and opinion on ecommerce, covering new technology, consumer habits and the growth of digital payment options. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Daniel Ren Daniel Ren German sportswear giant Adidas is bent on new fashionable outdoor and street dance apparel to sustain its growth in China amid heightened competition against domestic and international rivals, according to its CEO Bjorn Gulden. “We see that there’s a running boom and an outdoor boom [in China],” he told reporters in a media briefing in Shanghai on Sunday. “We see new sports like street dance [becoming] new activities that look to be relevant for the young people in the universities.” He said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370520/adidas-ceo-taps-outdoor-sport-street-dance-new-drivers-china-competition-heightens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3370520/adidas-ceo-taps-outdoor-sport-street-dance-new-drivers-china-competition-heightens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Ben Jiang,Xiaofei Xu Ben Jiang,Xiaofei Xu In February 2023, the budget shopping platform Temu announced itself on the world stage in the brashest way possible: becoming one of the youngest ever brands to buy a Super Bowl advertising spot. “Download the Temu app and shop like a billionaire,” a voice proclaimed in the 30-second commercial, as a woman danced on screen and ordered a series of outlandishly cheap items: from a US$8.99 dress to a US$4.99 wig. The commercial – which aired twice during the game, costing Temu an estimated US$14... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369595/temu-took-world-storm-has-shopping-app-lost-its-thunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3369595/temu-took-world-storm-has-shopping-app-lost-its-thunder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso You’d likely never guess that a jewellery brand which leans into everything from punk rock aesthetics to Gothic art, and is worn by everyone from Teyana Taylor to Chappell Roan, is actually from Singapore. That brand is Ask & Embla, the brainchild of life and business partners Ryan Gomes and Olivia Eleazar, who started the brand in 2013 first by selling a curated edit of body jewellery products procured from other suppliers before Eleazar transitioned to creating her own designs. “I was 19 years... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3368322/punk-gothic-how-singapores-ask-embla-built-global-jewellery-brand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3368322/punk-gothic-how-singapores-ask-embla-built-global-jewellery-brand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Singaporeans are among the most open to allowing an artificial intelligence agent to shop for them, but they also want the strictest guard rails, research shows. The latest agentic AI study from Global Payments released on Wednesday indicates the hoops agentic AI will need to jump through to be trusted to make purchases without human intervention. The study, which surveyed seven countries including the United States, China and the United Kingdom, found 59 per cent of Singaporeans are open to an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368447/most-singaporeans-ready-let-ai-agents-shop-them-more-safeguards-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368447/most-singaporeans-ready-let-ai-agents-shop-them-more-safeguards-study?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 02:01:39 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Female tech entrepreneurship is a rapidly growing field, but not all female founders, it seems, are shown equal treatment. That’s why Phoebe Gates, the 24-year-old daughter of now-divorced Bill and Melinda Gates, made headlines this summer as controversy surfaced over her AI-powered shopping app Phia, which she launched with her former Stanford University classmate Sophia Kianni just last year. Phia was, for all intents and purposes, a huge success story upon launch – the start-up counted Khloé... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3368233/beyond-phoebe-gates-phia-5-female-owned-fashion-tech-apps-have-your-radar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3368233/beyond-phoebe-gates-phia-5-female-owned-fashion-tech-apps-have-your-radar?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Taobao Instant Commerce, Alibaba’s on-demand delivery service that was revamped last year and is known as Taobao Shangou in Chinese, won a top French Design Award prize on Saturday for its delivery worker uniform, marking the first time the prize was awarded for a design for frontline workers. “We think the [Taobao Shangou] suit design would transform delivery workwear into a recognisable professional uniform, helping reshape how society sees this essential profession,” said Dario Olivero, chair... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368121/first-top-european-design-prize-awarded-eu20-uniform-chinas-delivery-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368121/first-top-european-design-prize-awarded-eu20-uniform-chinas-delivery-drivers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Qatar is stepping up efforts to attract Chinese companies as the US-Israel war on Iran disrupts trade routes in the Gulf, adding urgency to a broader push by Chinese businesses to diversify supply chains and establish operations closer to customers. “Diversification of supply chain is going ahead anyway, right across the world,” said Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s ruling Thani family and chief executive of Qatar-based logistics solutions company WareOne. Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3367284/qatar-seeks-capture-chinas-growing-gulf-logistics-push-war-disrupts-trade-routes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/markets/article/3367284/qatar-seeks-capture-chinas-growing-gulf-logistics-push-war-disrupts-trade-routes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 02:00:30 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng For Cindy Wang, the newly opened “community store” near her home in Guangzhou has been a godsend: the small outlet is cheaper than a traditional supermarket, but offers a bigger range of groceries than convenience stores like 7-Eleven. The 20-something now often stops off at the shop after work to pick up a few items. On an early September evening, she has bagged a bottle of milk for just 7 yuan (US$1), a 2.5 yuan beer and some mangoes priced at 10 yuan per kilogram. “It’s convenient and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367228/why-chinese-shoppers-are-ditching-supermarkets-small-community-stores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367228/why-chinese-shoppers-are-ditching-supermarkets-small-community-stores?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Products widely considered “ugly” or “bizarre” have gone viral online in China as millions of young consumers embrace the items’ quirky humour and distinctive character. Cumulative sales of such products on Taobao – an e-commerce platform of Alibaba Group Holding – have surpassed 230 million yuan (US$34.3 million) since 2020, when Taobao launched its so-called Uglies Award to celebrate creatively unusual goods, the platform said recently without specifying exactly what constitutes an “ugly”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367218/taobaos-ugly-goods-find-growing-market-among-chinas-young-consumers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3367218/taobaos-ugly-goods-find-growing-market-among-chinas-young-consumers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil on Wednesday eliminated its federal import tax on small overseas parcels, moving in the opposite direction from US and European Union efforts to close a loophole that saw such Chinese retail giants as Shein and Temu expand rapidly. The elimination will hurt the country’s tax base, but the levy on lower value shirts, electronics, toys and kitchen gadgets ultimately proved too unpopular among Brazilians ahead of the October 4 presidential election, forcing Brasilia to back down. In an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3366975/brazil-scraps-tax-small-parcels-chinese-platforms-lose-us-and-eu-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3366975/brazil-scraps-tax-small-parcels-chinese-platforms-lose-us-and-eu-access?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:26:38 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Sino Land’s annual profit rose 14 per cent as losses on its investment properties narrowed, although a decline in underlying earnings pointed to continued pressure on its core business. Net profit attributable to shareholders rose to HK$4.59 billion (US$585 million) in the year ended June 30, from HK$4.02 billion a year earlier, the Hong Kong developer said on Tuesday. Losses from the revaluation of investment properties narrowed to HK$192 million from HK$1.08 billion. Strip out those valuation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3366010/sino-land-profit-rises-14-property-losses-narrow-core-earnings-fall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3366010/sino-land-profit-rises-14-property-losses-narrow-core-earnings-fall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:24 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Fast-fashion retailer Shein fell on its Hong Kong trading debut as the unprofitable company contends with rising competition and the loss of tax breaks in key markets. Its shares dropped 0.1 per cent from the initial public offering (IPO) price to close at HK$48.50. They earlier slumped as much as 10 per cent. The company raised HK$13.6 billion (US$1.7 billion) in its IPO, the fourth biggest in Hong Kong this year. The sale valued Shein at about US$26 billion, compared with a peak of about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3365973/shein-slips-hong-kong-debut-amid-fast-fashion-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3365973/shein-slips-hong-kong-debut-amid-fast-fashion-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:11:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France will from Tuesday impose a fee on ultra-fast fashion items that will eventually reach almost €20 (US$23.20) per garment, as the government targets major Asian e-commerce platforms including Shein. The levy follows legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate “ultra-fast fashion” companies, known for selling large volumes of lower-quality clothing at rock-bottom prices. It is part of a push to rein in Asian e-commerce giants including Shein, Temu and AliExpress, which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365889/france-takes-aim-ultra-fast-fashion-new-levy-targeting-asian-e-commerce-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365889/france-takes-aim-ultra-fast-fashion-new-levy-targeting-asian-e-commerce-platforms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:52:41 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye JD.com’s rapid expansion in Hong Kong could challenge the property model that has long made the city’s busiest streets and shopping centres its most valuable, analysts say. The Chinese e-commerce giant has invested more than HK$10 billion (US$1.3 billion) in Hong Kong property over the past two years, building a network of stores, warehouses and other assets that analysts said could reduce the importance of footfall for some retailers while increasing the value of logistics hubs and other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3365657/jdcoms-us13b-expansion-could-test-hong-kongs-footfall-driven-retail-property-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3365657/jdcoms-us13b-expansion-could-test-hong-kongs-footfall-driven-retail-property-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma After the intense European heatwave beginning in late May fuelled a surge in imports of Chinese air conditioners, drought across the continent is now driving unexpected overseas demand for Chinese-made water-saving hardware. In Yiwu – a city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province known as the world’s small-goods capital – Liu Junming has spent more than two decades exporting kitchen and bathroom hardware. He said exports of taps and showerheads had risen unusually sharply this summer. Taps bound... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365653/europe-drought-drives-demand-chinese-water-saving-goods-eu-trade-tensions-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365653/europe-drought-drives-demand-chinese-water-saving-goods-eu-trade-tensions-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Alibaba raised HK$80 billion (US$10.2 billion) in a record Hong Kong secondary stock sale as the e-commerce giant pours money into artificial intelligence (AI). Shares were priced at HK$112.70 apiece, an 8.4 per cent discount to Friday’s close, according to a Hong Kong stock exchange filing. The Hangzhou-based company, which owns the South China Morning Post, closed at HK$112.50 on Monday. All of the sale proceeds will support Alibaba’s AI drive, with the company planning to spend more than 380... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3365060/alibabas-record-stock-sale-adds-hong-kong-tech-flood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/business/banking-finance/article/3365060/alibabas-record-stock-sale-adds-hong-kong-tech-flood?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:09:53 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China’s battery king Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) is enabling direct sales to smaller energy storage system makers via its own e-commerce platform, as competition with its domestic peers intensifies. The platform, officially launched on Friday, would offer orders as small as three boxes of its energy storage products, according to a social media post by the firm. CATL is currently the world’s largest producer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3365039/catl-debuts-e-commerce-platform-direct-sales-small-buyers-competition-sharpens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3365039/catl-debuts-e-commerce-platform-direct-sales-small-buyers-competition-sharpens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:11:37 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Coco Feng Xinmei Shen,Coco Feng The top two executives at Alibaba Group Holding bought a combined HK$120 million (US$15.3 million) worth of the company’s ordinary shares on Monday in a vote of confidence after the tech giant unveiled one of China’s biggest fundraising rounds dedicated to AI. The share placement, the first since Alibaba’s listing in Hong Kong in 2019, was oversubscribed three times amid strong investor sentiment, according to people familiar with the situation, reflecting what analysts said was “stronger growth... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365003/alibaba-sets-price-us102-billion-new-share-offer-fuel-ai-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365003/alibaba-sets-price-us102-billion-new-share-offer-fuel-ai-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:59:29 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Two years after the Audit Commission called out Hongkong Post for its lack of profitability and other failings, the postmaster finally moved to fix a structural expense: staff costs. But the audit report probably wasn’t the main catalyst for change. Rather, it was the fact the government had to ask the Legislative Council for a HK$4.6 billion (US$510 million) bailout to keep Hongkong Post operating for the next three years that forced the postmaster to act. The crisis facing the city’s postal... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3364788/hongkong-post-should-focus-public-service-not-profit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3364788/hongkong-post-should-focus-public-service-not-profit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Ann Cao Xinmei Shen,Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding will issue HK$80 billion (US$10.2 billion) worth of new shares and use all of the proceeds to invest in AI, the Chinese tech giant said on Sunday. The move aims to “extend the company’s global AI leadership”, it said, adding that Alibaba would use the funds raised to “invest in its full-stack AI capabilities”, including expanding and enhancing its AI infrastructure. The decision underscores Alibaba’s efforts over the past few years to transform from an e-commerce giant into... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364957/alibaba-issue-hk80-billion-new-shares-global-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364957/alibaba-issue-hk80-billion-new-shares-global-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 05:18:31 +0000 Ann Cao,Wency Chen Ann Cao,Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday reported revenue growth of 45 per cent for its cloud and artificial intelligence division in the June quarter, driving adjusted profit to a better-than-expected 27.3 billion yuan (US$4 billion). The company assured investors that its soaring spending on AI infrastructure would pay off, with executives noting in an earnings call that its AI computing investments would break even within three years – or possibly two as gross margins rose. AI Cloud and Compute... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364705/alibabas-ai-cloud-growth-surge-drives-earnings-despite-soaring-tech-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364705/alibabas-ai-cloud-growth-surge-drives-earnings-despite-soaring-tech-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:16:24 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng On a recent weekday morning, the Repulse Bay post office, in one of Hong Kong’s most affluent coastal neighbourhoods, stood almost empty. In an hour, only five customers walked through the door, with two staff members serving them. One of them was Dicky Lo, who had sent a parcel to Europe, citing the service’s reasonable price compared with private couriers. “I come here two to three times a month, mostly to collect online shopping packages,” the 43-year-old freelancer said. “Not many residents... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3364607/does-cash-strapped-hongkong-post-need-deliver-profits-or-just-public-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3364607/does-cash-strapped-hongkong-post-need-deliver-profits-or-just-public-services?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding has agreed to sell its wholly owned gaming business Lingxi Games to Trustar Capital as the Chinese technology giant pivots away from noncore sectors to prioritise e-commerce and artificial intelligence, according to an internal letter issued on Monday. “As part of Alibaba’s broader strategy to sharpen its focus, the group has decided to entrust Lingxi to Trustar Capital,” stated the letter seen by the South China Morning Post and signed by Lingxi CEO Zhou Bingshu. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364287/alibaba-sells-gaming-arm-lingxi-games-tech-giant-sharpens-focus-ai-and-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364287/alibaba-sells-gaming-arm-lingxi-games-tech-giant-sharpens-focus-ai-and-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com saw its second-quarter net profit soar 15 per cent year on year to 7.1 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion), beating market expectations despite a slight dip in overall revenue, as it contends with sluggish domestic consumer demand, fierce competition and a push into new business lines. Net revenue for the three months ended June 30 fell 2.9 per cent to 346.4 billion yuan, according to a company announcement on Thursday, but still surpassed the 342.1 billion yuan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363931/jdcoms-second-quarter-profit-climbs-15-food-delivery-losses-narrow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3363931/jdcoms-second-quarter-profit-climbs-15-food-delivery-losses-narrow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:11:07 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang While rising trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels continue to dominate headlines, Chinese exporters face a far more immediate and concrete threat: the boxes, wraps, and plastic bags protecting their goods. On Wednesday, the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) became applicable across the bloc. Replacing a 1994 directive, the regulation sets requirements for every piece of packaging placed on the EU market, covering chemical restrictions, recyclability,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3363746/why-chinas-traders-e-commerce-merchants-feel-boxed-new-eu-packaging-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3363746/why-chinas-traders-e-commerce-merchants-feel-boxed-new-eu-packaging-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Los Angeles-based yoga apparel brand Alo Yoga, a rival of Lululemon, will open its first online flagship store on Alibaba Group Holding’s e-commerce platform Tmall on Wednesday, ahead of launching bricks-and-mortar stores in China. The move comes as China’s premium “athleisure” market grows increasingly competitive, with emerging yoga brands and domestic sportswear makers targeting similar consumer groups. Alo is among a group of niche foreign brands – including American fast-food chain Church’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3363539/lululemon-rival-alo-yoga-enters-china-market-online-store-alibabas-tmall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3363539/lululemon-rival-alo-yoga-enters-china-market-online-store-alibabas-tmall?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong delivery rider Raj Bhattarai* felt the pain – both physically and financially – after a vehicle rear-ended his motorcycle on the job about a year ago. Bhattarai, who is in his forties, spent a month on sick leave with a back injury and waited 10 months before he received compensation for the accident. The payout was a paltry HK$3,000 (US$382). “It is not enough at all,” said the father of one young child and the family’s sole breadwinner. “I used to earn around HK$30,000 a month, but I... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3362840/why-are-hong-kong-delivery-drivers-unhappy-about-proposed-payouts-injuries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3362840/why-are-hong-kong-delivery-drivers-unhappy-about-proposed-payouts-injuries?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:30:05 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has launched a smart helmet for food couriers with features enabled by artificial intelligence technology, following similar roll-outs by rivals Alibaba Group Holding and Meituan as they seek to improve rider safety and boost delivery efficiency. The helmet integrates an AI-driven voice assistant with a camera that can “see” the surrounding environment, JD.com’s food delivery unit announced on Monday. The company said the device was designed to minimise... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3362761/chinas-tech-giants-race-put-ai-delivery-riders-heads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3362761/chinas-tech-giants-race-put-ai-delivery-riders-heads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:00:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Guangzhou delivery vehicle driver Zhang Liang watches on warily as more graduates, former factory workers and other jobseekers join him plying their trade on the roads. “The streets are flooded with delivery drivers and payouts per order have plummeted,” Zhang said. “To make what we earned last year, we have to stay on the road longer and ride faster, leading to a sharp rise in traffic accidents among us.” Official estimates put the nation’s flexible workforce at nearly 300 million, most of whom... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362553/stronger-social-security-proposed-law-sparks-pushback-gig-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3362553/stronger-social-security-proposed-law-sparks-pushback-gig-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2026 03:00:06 +0000 CNA CNA Singapore fashion retailer Love, Bonito said that some customers’ personal data may have been exposed after a security vulnerability on its website allowed unauthorised access to account information. In an email to customers on Thursday, CEO Dione Song said the company identified the vulnerability on Sunday and resolved it on the same day. Based on its investigations, the data that may have been affected includes customers’ names, dates of birth, email addresses, shipping addresses, phone... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3362472/singapore-retailer-love-bonito-warns-customers-scam-risks-after-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3362472/singapore-retailer-love-bonito-warns-customers-scam-risks-after-data-breach?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jul 2026 03:03:02 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Malaysia is stepping up scrutiny of foreign-run businesses amid concerns from local operators over competition from China. The government wants to retain Chinese investment, technology and affordable consumer goods, while assuring local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that foreign competitors are not subject to different rules. Former trade and investment minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, now chairman of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, said government social media analysis had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362204/malaysia-moves-protect-local-firms-cheap-chinese-goods-fill-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362204/malaysia-moves-protect-local-firms-cheap-chinese-goods-fill-market?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:30:14 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft An annual e-commerce shopping festival supporting Hong Kong’s small and medium-sized enterprises will expand into the Asean region for the first time via Singapore and Malaysia, with plans to include other countries in future. The Trade Development Council, the organiser, said on Tuesday that the third edition of the annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival, launching next month, had attracted a record number of local brands across its mainland China and Asean editions this year. The annual festival,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3362145/hong-kong-shopping-festival-eyes-asean-expansion-singapore-malaysia-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3362145/hong-kong-shopping-festival-eyes-asean-expansion-singapore-malaysia-first?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:47:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠From humble origins as a family business run out of an ⁠apartment near Moscow, Wildberries has grown in under two decades into Russia’s top online retailer and a key economic driver in the country. It has now become a target of strikes by Ukraine. Ukraine has attacked four Wildberries warehouses over the last week in a widening campaign of drone strikes against a company at the heart of Russia’s consumer economy, bringing the war closer to millions of ordinary Russians. In towns across Russia,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3361507/ukraines-strikes-russias-amazon-bring-war-closer-ordinary-russians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3361507/ukraines-strikes-russias-amazon-bring-war-closer-ordinary-russians?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:07:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ann Cao Xiaofei Xu,Ann Cao Beijing expressed “strong dissatisfaction and serious concern” on Wednesday, urging the European Union to treat Chinese companies fairly after Brussels slapped e-commerce platform AliExpress with a €550 million (US$630 million) fine for breaching the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). “China firmly opposes the EU’s use of platform regulation as a pretext to erect digital barriers and adopt discriminatory measures that restrict and suppress the normal business operations of Chinese e-commerce... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361491/beijing-vows-protect-chinese-firms-after-eu-hits-alibaba-unit-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361491/beijing-vows-protect-chinese-firms-after-eu-hits-alibaba-unit-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:00:22 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu AliExpress, a cross-border shopping platform owned by Alibaba Group Holding, has vowed to fight a €550 million (US$629 million) fine it received from the European Union on Monday, after the EU accused the company of violating the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). “We are surprised by the EU decision and disproportionate fine and we disagree,” the firm said in a statement to the South China Morning Post. The e-commerce firm vowed to appeal the decision, describing the fine as “disproportionate”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3361255/alibaba-vows-appeal-us629m-eu-fine-breaches-digital-services-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3361255/alibaba-vows-appeal-us629m-eu-fine-breaches-digital-services-act?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The EU on Monday slapped a €550 million (US$630 million) fine on online retailer AliExpress for allowing the sale of illegal products, including unsafe toys and cosmetics. The European Union said AliExpress also did not do enough to stop the sale of counterfeit products and that when the platform detected illegal goods were on sale, many remained online for several weeks. The EU found some of the products sold on the platform did not meet the bloc’s strict environmental and safety standards... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361233/eu-fines-aliexpress-us630-million-over-illegal-products?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361233/eu-fines-aliexpress-us630-million-over-illegal-products?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:23:53 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Sales of intangible heritage products are on the rise, highlighted by the online frenzy sparked by Elon Musk’s six-year-old son Little X wearing a Chinese-style silk jacket and carrying a tiger-head bag in May, when they accompanied US President Donald Trump on a state visit to Beijing. The surge is part of a wider boom, with industry data showing intangible cultural heritage and traditional handicraft goods had reached an annual transaction value of 100 billion yuan (US$14.8 billion) across... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3361104/musk-sons-viral-tiger-head-bag-shines-light-chinas-us148b-heritage-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3361104/musk-sons-viral-tiger-head-bag-shines-light-chinas-us148b-heritage-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jul 2026 10:00:07 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Chinese technology stocks trading in Hong Kong are emerging as beneficiaries of tumult in the South Korean market, analysts say, pointing to investors rotating out of crowded bets and into undervalued assets, positioning for a rebound. The Hang Seng Tech Index, which tracks Alibaba and other key Hong Kong-listed Chinese tech companies, has risen about 10 per cent from a June 26 low. Meanwhile, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) has technically slid into a bear market after a 20 per... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360904/south-koreas-turbulence-seen-boon-hong-kong-stocks-capital-migration-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3360904/south-koreas-turbulence-seen-boon-hong-kong-stocks-capital-migration-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:59:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters Shein Executive Chairman Donald Tang will step down as his mission of taking the company public nears completion, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday, retreating to an advisory role after three years as the public face of the global fast-fashion retailer. A Chinese-American billionaire who began his career in banking, Tang has acted as the Western proxy of ‌secretive Shein founder Sky Xu, liaising with politicians and regulators around the world while also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3360431/shein-executive-chairman-step-down-ipo-nears-completion-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3360431/shein-executive-chairman-step-down-ipo-nears-completion-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:09:10 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Taobao Shangou, Alibaba’s instant commerce and on-demand delivery service that was revamped last year, won a top French Design Award prize on Friday for its delivery worker uniform design. This marks the first time a uniform has received the Gold Award in the prize’s 11-year history. According to the award’s organisers, the design sets a new standard for safety, comfort and performance for delivery riders, while helping the workforce build a stronger sense of dignity and identity. “Its... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360228/chinese-delivery-worker-uniform-wins-top-french-design-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360228/chinese-delivery-worker-uniform-wins-top-french-design-award?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jul 2026 10:24:27 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese authorities have fined four internet celebrities 13.3 million yuan (US$1.9 million) for tax evasion after they racked up millions of followers but paid nearly zero tax, Xinhua said on Friday. The penalties, including fines and late-payment fees, were paid in addition to the outstanding taxes, the state news agency reported. “The streamers involved have high popularity and large sales volume in their live broadcast spaces and often receive donations from fans, but the tax declarations and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3360116/china-fines-four-internet-celebrities-us19m-over-tax-evasion-involving-e-commerce-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3360116/china-fines-four-internet-celebrities-us19m-over-tax-evasion-involving-e-commerce-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:30:05 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma With retail sales growth cooling in May to the slowest pace since December 2022 and persistent weakness in big-ticket items extending through last month, Beijing has stepped in to reinvigorate bricks-and-mortar operators facing intense price competition from e-commerce platforms. The Ministry of Commerce, together with eight other relevant authorities, on Thursday released guidelines to accelerate the innovative development of the retail sector. The document charts out a path for differentiated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3359984/china-aims-revive-physical-stores-make-them-immersive-shield-against-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3359984/china-aims-revive-physical-stores-make-them-immersive-shield-against-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Reports of sweeping lay-offs at Tokopedia, the Indonesian e-commerce giant majority-owned by China’s ByteDance, have renewed concerns about Southeast Asia’s largest digital economy as analysts warn the country’s tech winter shows few signs of easing. The cuts have also raised questions over the future of one of Indonesia’s best-known home-grown digital champions, with analysts saying Tokopedia’s deeper integration into ByteDance’s ecosystem could shift more technology, product and strategic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3360001/indonesias-tokopedia-denies-mass-lay-offs-restructuring-deepens-tech-winter-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3360001/indonesias-tokopedia-denies-mass-lay-offs-restructuring-deepens-tech-winter-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:22:40 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Shares of Alibaba Group Holding surged to a high of 13.8 per cent in Hong Kong on Wednesday as equity analysts expect revenue to reaccelerate in the June quarter, driven by growing demand for artificial intelligence and narrowing losses in food delivery. The gain, the strongest this year, came before the company closed up 12.2 per cent at HK$107.5 (US$13.71). Rivals Tencent Holdings and Meituan saw their shares grow 3.8 and 3.3 per cent, respectively, while the Hang Seng Tech Index increased by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3359878/alibaba-shares-spike-12-hong-kong-t-head-chips-ai-revenue-fuel-earnings-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3359878/alibaba-shares-spike-12-hong-kong-t-head-chips-ai-revenue-fuel-earnings-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau At Carousell’s Singapore office, a red tunnel greets employees with the company’s mission to “make second-hand the first choice” – a slogan its leaders say is moving closer to reality as the platform for buying and selling used goods recorded its first positive adjusted operating profit. The Singapore-headquartered company, last valued at US$1.1 billion in 2021, said on Tuesday it had achieved positive Ebitda – earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation – for the first time,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3359639/singapores-carousell-hits-profitability-milestone-banks-ai-force-multiplier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3359639/singapores-carousell-hits-profitability-milestone-banks-ai-force-multiplier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jul 2026 02:01:05 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat Amid weeks of intense heat across Europe, a niche Chinese air conditioner has become one of the hardest-to-buy products in the region this summer, selling out within just a few weeks. A type of portable air conditioner (AC) made by Chinese home appliance giant Midea – the PortaSplit – has sold out across multiple e-commerce platforms as temperatures in parts of Europe have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The unit has gained traction in the region, in part, because it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3359346/why-chinese-made-portable-ac-selling-out-across-heat-stricken-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3359346/why-chinese-made-portable-ac-selling-out-across-heat-stricken-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The operator of budget online marketplaces Temu and Pinduoduo is ramping up its commitment in a state-backed development zone – dubbed a “city of the future” in official discourse – months after the e-commerce group was hit by the heaviest penalty in a record food-safety crackdown and accused by regulators of obstructing enforcement. PDD Holdings had more than 600 employees at its unit in the Xiongan New Area by the end of June, making it the development zone’s largest privately owned internet... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3359060/pdd-embraces-chinas-city-future-after-bruising-regulatory-clash-and-record-fine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3359060/pdd-embraces-chinas-city-future-after-bruising-regulatory-clash-and-record-fine?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 02:30:10 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Alibaba Group will pay US$600 million to settle a US Department of Justice investigation into allegations that its e-commerce platforms enabled the sale of thousands of illegal pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, and other prohibited products into the United States, marking one of the largest criminal resolutions involving a Chinese technology company. The settlement, announced on Wednesday, resolves the investigation through non-prosecution agreements with Alibaba and AUS Merchant Services,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359087/alibaba-agrees-pay-us600-million-settle-us-probe-illegal-product-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359087/alibaba-agrees-pay-us600-million-settle-us-probe-illegal-product-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:39:39 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Eva Alexandridis, co-founder of 111Skin, is not afraid to bust myths and dispel misconceptions about skincare, a field fraught with gimmicky promises of quick fixes. Alexandridis co-founded the luxury skincare label with her plastic surgeon husband Yannis in 2012 from the clinic they still operate in London (the brand’s name comes from its address, 111 Harley Street) so she knows a thing or two about science-backed skincare. Known for its proprietary technology – NAC Y2, a complex designed to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3358877/eva-alexandridis-co-founder-111skin-why-best-beauty-routine-ingredient-patience-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3358877/eva-alexandridis-co-founder-111skin-why-best-beauty-routine-ingredient-patience-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao A heatwave sweeping across Europe has triggered a massive surge in sales for Chinese home appliances, with e-commerce giant Alibaba recording triple-digit growth for air conditioners and fans on its overseas platforms. On AliExpress, Alibaba’s international retail site, the June debut of air conditioners in Germany saw warehouse inventory for a 2.35-kilowatt Midea model completely wiped out by Thursday, according to data from Alibaba. The trend was also stark in southern Europe. Fan sales in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3358795/chinas-cooling-e-commerce-giants-reap-windfall-scorched-europe-scrambles-relief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3358795/chinas-cooling-e-commerce-giants-reap-windfall-scorched-europe-scrambles-relief?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:39:47 +0000