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E-commerce
Latest news, analysis and opinion on ecommerce, covering new technology, consumer habits and the growth of digital payment options.
Zhang Jiaqi (left) won the synchronised 10m platform diving with Chen Yuxi at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Photo: Xinhua
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Olympic diving champ Zhang Jiaqi defends career switch, says she needs ‘new job’

Retired diver’s live stream e-commerce venture is met with criticism, but she says gaining ‘economic freedom’ would be ‘the greatest freedom’.

Alibaba

Alibaba targets US$100b in annual cloud, AI revenue despite results miss

US-China tech war

China’s global tech push

Artificial intelligence

Tencent and Alibaba quarterly earnings preview: key things to watch

Analysts expect steady growth, but investors will focus on AI strategy, capex and signs of monetisation at China’s tech giants.

Shenzhen-based Tencent, operator of China’s largest social media platform and the world’s biggest video gaming business by revenue, is expected to report results on Wednesday after the market closes. Photo: Reuters
Mainland China

Guess says it will shut all mainland China stores amid retail rethink

US fashion brand tells customers it will close all mainland China stores by end of March as analysts cite weak localisation, strategy gaps.

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Mainland China

JD.com posts quarterly loss amid costly instant delivery battle

Profit for 2025 cut in half amid expensive fight with Alibaba and Meituan, as well as dampened consumer spending.

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Li Chenggang

JD.com renews on-demand delivery fight with US$2.9 billion in grocery subsidies

JD.com says the subsidies will make the ‘Billion-Yuan Supermarket’ its largest subsidised product category, surpassing electronics.

The JD.com logo is seen outside its sorting centre building in Beijing, November 11, 2025. Photo: Reuters
US-China relations

Immigration slows, but America’s appetite for ethnic groceries keeps growing

Weee, now topping $1 billion in annualized revenue, says demand for Asian and Latino foods is spreading well beyond immigrant communities.

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Shein

Rarely seen Shein founder praises Guangdong ‘roots’ as offshore listing stalls

Shein initially eyed a New York listing before switching to London after scrutiny by Washington over its supply chain and ties to China.

China economy

Opinion | How the next China shock is shaping hearts and minds

No longer confined to trade and technology, competition between China and the West is now playing out in the realm of cultural imagination.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Britain

Co-founder of British retailer Asos dies after falling from balcony in Thailand

Quentin Griffiths’ friend told police the Briton had been worried about lawsuits from his former wife, a Thai national.

Asos co-founder Quentin Griffiths’ body is found at the bottom of this residential building in Pattaya on February 9. Photo: Reuters
Pop Mart

Pop Mart balances boom and bust: can Labubu’s leap match Molly’s momentum?

As Labubu’s meteoric rise cools, Molly’s longevity highlights the challenge Pop Mart faces in turning hype into stable intellectual property.

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Meituan

Meituan warns of US$3.5 billion loss amid intense food delivery price war

Food delivery giant expects losses to continue into at least the first quarter of 2026 ‘due to ongoing competition’.

Food delivery apps

China calls on delivery, ride-hailing firms to respect gig-worker rights

Meituan, Alibaba, Didi Chuxing among 16 firms summoned for guidance session on rights of country’s more than 200 million gig workers.

A delivery driver rushes with an order on February 8, 2026, in Beijing. Photo: Getty Images
Fashion

Q&A | Thailand’s Gentlewoman: viral totes and Covid resilience

Discover how 3 Thai accountancy and finance graduates steered the fashion brand’s rapid rise using smart data-driven design and being nimble enough to adapt.

Gentlewoman’s viral tote bag. Photo: Handout
China’s private sector

China’s Year of the Horse shoppers let emotional satisfaction take the reins

Brand prestige fades in importance as consumers favour festival-themed toys, playful designs and pet items.

Artificial intelligence

Sweet surge: Qwen overtakes Yuanbao after Alibaba’s bubble tea campaign

More than 10 million free orders put Alibaba’s AI app in the spotlight amid a high-stakes battle for Spring Festival attention.

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China’s private sector

China’s Kuaishou slapped with US$17 million fine after explicit content probe

The fine comes days after a separate e-commerce penalty, adding pressure on China’s No 2 short-video platform to tighten controls.

Beijing’s Cyberspace Administration launched an investigation following reports of a surge in pornographic streams Photo: Shutterstock
Sweden

Multinationals race into China’s US$143.9 billion instant retail market

Ikea, Continental and Aldi Nord enlist local partners to launch faster, more comprehensive delivery services than they offer abroad.

Kuaishou

China slaps US$3.7 million fine on Kuaishou for live-streaming e-commerce breach

The penalty reflects a broader regulatory crackdown on content and operations deemed undesirable or harmful on Chinese online platforms.

United States

Amazon cuts 16,000 jobs amid AI shift, post-pandemic restructuring

The restructuring and cost-cutting come despite soaring profits and strategic hiring in key areas.

Amazon plans to cut its workforce worldwide to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy across the company. Photo: Shutterstock
China travel

China’s Trip.com probe targets algorithms, prices after vendor anger: analysts

Regulators accuse one of the world’s biggest travel platforms of abusing market power, with analysts warning of wider industry scrutiny.

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The investigation follows years of complaints about data-driven price discrimination and rising commissions, according to analysts. Photo: Shutterstock
US-China trade war

At America’s biggest retail show, the China question never really goes away

Tariffs may ebb and supply chains may detour, but US shoppers – and giants like Walmart and Amazon – still rely heavily on Chinese goods.

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China economy

China fines e-commerce firm PDD for tax violations amid probe

Operator of leading online retail platform was cited for failure to comply with Shanghai’s tax requirements.

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Pinduoduo

Chinese-owned Temu catches up with Amazon in global cross-border e-commerce

Shein, another Chinese-founded retail giant, stabilised its market share at 9 per cent in 2025, while AliExpress held 8 per cent.

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Temu saw its share surge from less than 1 per cent to 24 per cent last year, on par with Amazon. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Artificial intelligence

Alibaba’s upgraded Qwen chatbot app receives warm consumer reception

Qwen’s upgrade transforms the chatbot into a virtual ‘life assistant’, making lives easier for hundreds of millions of consumers.

Qwen’s AI app aims to help people get things done in everyday scenarios, according to Alibaba. Photo: Shutterstock
Alibaba

Alibaba’s Qwen AI app hits 100 million users as update widens role in daily life

Chinese e-commerce giant deepens integration of its fast-growing app to enable voice-powered shopping, travel and digital tasks.

India

Gig workers’ strike in India spurs debate on human cost of delivery race

More than 200,000 gig workers recently staged protests across major Indian cities, prompting concerns about the necessity of quick commerce.

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