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Retailing

Retailing
Latest news and features on retailing with a particular focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia, covering consumer goods and services, retail strategies, shopping habits, sales results and trends.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
Zhong Shanshan is China’s richest man and the founder of bottled-water giant Nongfu Spring. Photo: @newmoney_gr/Instagram
Nongfu Spring

Billionaire founder of China’s Nongfu Spring pledges to end price war

Low prices are destroying the quality of Chinese products and undermining the economy, tycoon says.

China economy

Opinion | Stimulus will boost China’s economy, but for how long?

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E-commerce

China’s super app WeChat bolsters e-commerce credentials via gift-giving feature

Hong Kong property

Tourism, student accommodation to give hotel assets a bump, experts say

A promising year awaits hoteliers as tourism rebounds and owners looking to sell their assets for better prices, industry experts say.

Hotel porters in Tsim Sha Tsui help guests with their luggages on December 31, 2024. Photo: Eugene Lee
Banking & finance

China’s consumer sentiment nears ‘tipping point’ on stimulus: UBS

Domestic brands and private labels stand to benefit as households save less and spend more, Swiss bank says.

Architecture and design

The design trends to know for 2025

The Year of the Snake also brings opposing views in home decor this year.

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Hong Kong

Struggling with Taobao? It’s now available in English for Hongkongers

The Chinese e-commerce platform has soft-launched an English interface in Hong Kong.

The Taobao mobile application with English-language interface. Photo: Taobao
Hong Kong tourism

Weak yen to fuel more Hong Kong outbound travel to Japan: tourism sector

But retail insiders say they are hopeful resumption of multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen residents will mitigate local spending decline.

Gen Z

Who buys Jellycat and Squishmallows toys? They’re older than you think

The soft toy industry’s most important consumers are not toddlers, but millennials and members of Generation Z. Experts examine why.

Hong Kong property

Distressed property deals to rise in Hong Kong this year as sellers cut prices

High interest rates and uncertainties in the global economy are cited as reasons why distressed deals will rise in 2025.

A man walked through Kai Tak with construction in the background. Photo: Nora Tam
China's economic recovery

From toys to trading cards, China’s ‘goods economy’ drives generational spending

Cute and playful collectibles are a trillion-yuan industry in China, and their impact on commerce is expected to continue surging.

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LuLu the Piggy toys are among a growing market featuring collectable figurines. Photo: Instagram/luluthepiggy_official
China property

Shanghai property deals to rise this year amid bargain hunting: JLL

Landlords are willing to reduce prices while high-net-worth individuals pursue safe returns amid deflationary pressure.

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Hong Kong stock market

Pop Mart’s Labubu: From Blackpink fave to fading frenzy

Elfin character loses value on speculative market, but gives investors faith in Pop Mart’s formula for monetising intellectual property.

Climate change

Outside In | The industry is in crisis, but wine lovers should hold their panic

The future looks dire with consumption pivoting away, especially in China and France, and grape growers worldwide hit by climate change, but the wine sector is a long-term sector.

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Visitors browse and taste wines from all over the world at the 16th Hong Kong Wine & Spirit Fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai on November 7. Photo: Fan Chen
Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong cultural district’s housing scheme to include more arts elements

District councillors express concerns the proposed residential development may undermine art hub’s image.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority is proposing to build seven residential blocks in the area. Photo: Jelly Tse
China economy

Opinion | China will rein in vicious competition at the root of its overcapacity

New reforms for a unified national market, including addressing unfair competition, will rein in unchecked competition and the damage it is causing.

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China-Russia relations

Can China’s consumers bear a glut of phoney Russian goods?

Spurred by stronger trade relations, stores selling Russian products have popped up in China – but many are doubting their authenticity.

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Apple

Apple’s pricey iPhones ineligible under China’s new subsidy scheme

China’s latest stimulus measure offers a 15 per cent subsidy for purchases of smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.

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China’s new subsidy scheme puts Apple and other foreign premium smartphone vendors at a disadvantage against domestic rivals. Photo: Shutterstock
China's economic recovery

China’s logistics sector stands and delivers with busiest year ever in 2024

State Post Bureau reports highest delivery volume ever, estimates a banner 2025 as consumption becomes economic imperative.

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US-listed Chinese stocks

Miniso issues US$550 million of debt for global expansion, share buy-backs

The Chinese retailer has been ramping up its overseas expansion efforts in a bid to create a global network of 40,000 stores.

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E-commerce

PDD’s billionaire investor Duan Yongping showers praise on Temu

In a speech at his alma mater Zhejiang University, Duan professes his admiration for PDD founder and fellow alumnus Colin Huang Zheng.

Duan Yongping, a Chinese-American billionaire investor and entrepreneur. Photo: Handout
TikTok

TikTok expands e-commerce operation into Mexico amid potential US ban

TikTok Shop’s geographic expansion south of the United States shows it is undeterred by Washington’s ‘sell-or-ban’ law.

TikTok Shop enables various brands and online merchants to showcase and sell their products directly via popular short video app TikTok. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong expo footfall ‘back to pre-pandemic levels’ but no sales boost

Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo draws 1.3 million visitors, but sales expected to remain flat at around HK$1 billion.

Japan

Short on workers, Japan retailer hires remote cashiers living overseas

Lawson, a 24-hour convenience store chain, is looking for staff based in Europe and the Americas to serve customers at its outlets in Japan.

E-commerce

E-commerce giants jump on China’s new trade-in programme for home appliances

Alibaba and JD.com are among the earliest to join the country’s renewed subsidy programme for home-appliance shoppers.

A washing-machine production line at a factory in China. The government has renewed its trade-in subsidy programme for home appliances in 2025. Photo: AFP
China's economic recovery

Calling all smartphone seekers: China to subsidise personal electronics

In a bid to galvanise business and shore up weak consumption, last year’s trade-in programme is being expanded, making it a good time to save on electronics.

China will subsidise purchases of personal devices such as smartphones this year. Photo: Reuters
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, January 3-5

Catch some bargains at a Hong Kong products expo, see a Korean artist’s pop-up show of paintings, learn how to map your body, and more.

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Alibaba

Alibaba set on growth path after divesting offline retailing assets: analysts

After disposing of Sun Art and Intime, an ‘asset-light’ Alibaba is expected to be in a better position to compete against e-commerce rivals.

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