A new report published by Peking University, Sun Yat-sen University and Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall, offers one of the most data-rich portraits yet of online consumption in China. The China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI) for 2023–2025, backed by big data from nearly a billion users, reveals a sharp shift in consumer behaviour, from price sensitivity to brand-driven, quality-first purchasing. Here are ten essential takeaways from the CBI that offer …
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e-commerce
Despite escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, Chinese e-commerce apps like Taobao and DHgate have experienced a remarkable surge in global popularity. This trend underscores the complex interplay between consumer behaviour, social media influence, and international trade policies. In April 2025, Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao, operated by Alibaba, catapulted from 47th to 5th place among free apps on the US Apple App Store. Similarly, DHgate, a platform …
Social commerce, a blend of social media and e-commerce, has become a key part of the retail landscape in the country – so what are the top social commerce platforms in China, and the trends that British businesses need to know? Social commerce combines social interaction with online shopping, leveraging platforms where users can share, discuss, and directly purchase products. This seamless integration has created an engaging and influential ecosystem …
It’s safe to say that many are amazed (and rather jealous) of the apparent success of China’s e-commerce market and the internet businesses that thrive within it. But how did they do it? New book From Click to Boom (Princeton University Press, 2024) asks that very question – how did the world’s largest e-commerce market highlight a digital path to development? Paul French caught up with its author, Lizhi Liu, …
Double 11 2024 (also known as Singles’ Day or 11.11) came to a close at the beginning of this week. The three-week online shopping event saw a resurgence in consumer engagement, setting new benchmarks and highlighting a shift in consumer behaviour, writes CBBC’s Celine Tang For UK businesses aiming to succeed in China’s competitive e-commerce landscape, here is a closer look at the key trends, data, and insights from Double …
China has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets, with fast growth in many consumer segments driven by the middle class’ expansion and shifting lifestyles. The report, Profiling China’s Fastest-Growing Consumer Segments by WPIC Marketing + Technologies, dives into several flourishing sectors – beauty, fashion, wellness, outdoor sports, pet care, and home goods – providing key insights for brands seeking opportunities within China’s consumer segments. The role …
China Consumer 2024, which took place on 14 October at London’s 4 Hamilton Place, saw over 200 delegates in attendance as brands and entrepreneurs joined expert speakers to understand the latest news, trends and opportunities in China’s growing consumer market CBBC’s newly appointed Chief Executive Peter Burnett opened the event, stating that China will be the single largest growing consumer market by 2030 and will contribute 40% of the worldwide …
China Consumer remains CBBC’s flagship consumer event and is a must-attend for any UK brand interested in making its mark in the Chinese market. With China undoubtedly a powerful engine for global growth, the country is emerging as a test lab for the future, with future global trends in retail, marketing and commerce sown and grown in China’s vast and highly sophisticated consumer marketplace. With leading expert speakers and global brand representatives speaking on topics ranging from sustainability to rising consumer industries and …
In the face of changing consumption habits and declining sales from online shopping festivals, Alibaba has cancelled Double 12 for 2023. What does this mean for international consumer brands involved in e-commerce in China? Since the explosion of e-commerce in China over the past decade, a number of annual shopping festivals have come to dominate the e-commerce landscape, including 520 (20 May), 618 (‘Mid-Year Festival’ on 18 June), and the …
E-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein are attracting a lot of attention for leveraging China’s technology and logistics advantages to bring cheap products to shoppers in the UK directly from manufacturers in China. But critics have raised concerns about sustainability, quality and data privacy Since launching in late 2022, Temu has captured the attention of millions of shoppers worldwide with its promise to let you “shop like a billionaire” at …