AUTHOR ARCHIVE
Articles by 张雨薇
Browse 55 New Distribution articles by 张雨薇.
Published articles
55 articles · Page 1 of 3
Mom-and-Pop Stores Are Disappearing in Droves
A recent trip home revealed a neighborhood convenience store bustling with customers, but the owner revealed they were closing and selling off stock. The invisible competitors—online retail, instant delivery, and community group buying—are eroding the business of traditional small shops, which once thrived on information asymmetry, proximity, and product access. As these advantages vanish, the old business model is failing, though the community consumption scene remains, just with new players and rules.
张雨薇No Inventory Pressure, No Agency Fees! How a Distributor Captured 100,000+ Local Private Domain Users and Mastered Local Business
In the face of declining foot traffic and shrinking margins, a Tangshan-based distributor, Chang Tianxiao, built a successful S2b2C model with a team of fewer than 10 people, covering 800+ high-quality local outlets and 100,000+ private domain users. By giving away traffic to clients, sharing profits with employees, and charging higher prices than competitors, he found a sustainable path beyond scale.
张雨薇The "Products" That Brands Can't Do Well, Hema and Walmart Are Competing to Do
In the spring of 2026, Hema and Walmart both went "green" simultaneously. Hema launched its "Matcha Season" in March, introducing over a dozen matcha bakery products and even setting up a dedicated matcha section. In April, Walmart's private brand, "Wolmart Fresh," quickly followed suit with more than 40 matcha items, covering everything from bakery and beverages to snacks and sauces. Both leading retailers are betting on the same flavor. What common judgment lies behind this? Both are selling matcha, but their strategies are completely different.
张雨薇The Distributor Business: The More You Do It, the More Addictive It Gets!
While many distributors lament shrinking margins and tougher sales, Fang Fan, general manager of Guizhou Fangwangyuan Trading, has a different take: after 13 years, he finds the distributor business increasingly rewarding. Starting from scratch in Bijie, a fifth-tier city, he built a condiment trading company with annual sales exceeding 100 million yuan, maintaining nearly 30% growth for three consecutive years, with comprehensive loss rate below 1.2% and inventory turnover within 30 days.
张雨薇Why Are Distributors 'Losing More the More They Do'?
A recent field study reveals that many distributors are anxious and tend to seek external solutions, but the key to success lies in 'seeking inward'—strengthening internal management and operations. Through contrasting stories of two distributors, this article outlines five directions for internal optimization, emphasizing that a solid foundation is essential before expanding outward.
张雨薇From 'Meme Machine' to 'New Year Flavor Champion': What Did Master Kong Iced Tea Do Right?
As the 'atmosphere maker' of the Spring Festival, lanterns symbolize reunion and light up people's hopes for the new year. As the festival approaches, lanterns are being lit across the country, and the hashtag #彩灯一亮年味就有了# has surged to third place on Weibo's hot search list. Amid the festive atmosphere, giant 'cape-style' Master Kong Iced Tea lanterns that appeared in Harbin, Xi'an, and other cities stood out with their highly recognizable and majestic designs, quickly becoming a new favorite for young people to check in. Notably, this viral 'cape-style iced tea' image was not a brand fantasy but originated from an online meme.
张雨薇Breaking: How Many B2b Platforms Are There Across China's 293 Prefecture-Level Cities? First Batch of 100+ Platforms Detailed
Over the past decade, brands have relied on national platforms like Alibaba's Lingshoutong and JD's Xintonglu for distribution coverage. But with strategic shifts and Lingshoutong's exit, a huge market gap has emerged. Two years on, the industry no longer debates the giants' fate but asks: in a prefecture-level city, who should brands and channels turn to? We recently launched a call for information on regional B2b platforms for China's FMCG sector in 2026, and received a flood of leads. The first batch includes 100+ platforms...
张雨薇"Don't Call Me a Distributor Anymore, Call Me a 'Daoye'!"
A top regional distributor, Mr. Wang (pseudonym), has recently dropped most of his agency brands and been 'banned' by several former manufacturers, saying, 'Don't call me a distributor anymore; call me a daoye (a middleman who buys and sells goods for profit).' Just months ago, he reported a 20% sales increase and a 29% profit rise, but now he chooses to exit. This shift is becoming common among distributors who, despite making money, are quitting due to forced inventory loading, price system collapse, and shrinking profits.
张雨薇From a Sugar-Free Can to a Citywide Craze: How Pepsi Turned Co-Branding into a New Channel Business
Zootopia 2 has exploded in popularity, and Pepsi's 7UP co-branded cans have taken both consumers and channels by storm. By matching IP, audience, and scenario, Pepsi has turned a marketing event into a sustainable channel business, driving family consumption and repeat purchases.
张雨薇If Distributors Can't Make Money Themselves, Why Should They Help Customers Make Money?
Some say bluntly, "If I can't make money myself, helping downstream make money is pure fantasy." Others wonder, "Without price differences, are distributors just working for applause?" Some complain, "Execution is too hard—it requires capital, teams, and terminal cooperation that small and medium distributors can't handle." Others equate it to the 'big and comprehensive' store model of a decade ago, saying, "Tried it, didn't work." Reading these comments one by one, I understand that sense of helplessness—in a reality of price wars and inventory pressure, any new approach is bound to be met with skepticism. But the more I read, the more I realize one thing: while everyone is anxious about the future, there's a deep misunderstanding of the term 'category operations.'
张雨薇Abandoning 150 Million P&G Business, B2b Startup Hits 6 Million Monthly Sales in Six Months! What Did Leguan Yigou Do Right?
In China's FMCG industry, the past three decades were a period of 'easy wins.' A generation of distributors once dominated channels thanks to a few major brand dividends. But today, that path is clearly no longer viable. After talking with many distributors, we found that brand dividends are gone, business growth is sluggish, and transformation seems to be the only consensus—but how exactly to transform? We've seen many successful cases, and we've been thinking: is there a more down-to-earth example that ordinary distributors can see themselves in and truly learn from? Yes! The story of Leguan Yigou is such a case.
张雨薇Distributors Who Make Money on Price Differences Have Reached the End of the Road
“SKUs are increasing, but money is getting harder to make.” This is the most common feedback heard while visiting distributors recently. Warehouses are full of goods, but accounts show no cash; salespeople run their legs off, but terminal sales don't rise. The old playbook has failed, familiar experience no longer works, and the era of making money by simply securing agency rights and laying out channels is gone forever. When slow sales become the norm and calls for disintermediation grow louder, many distributors are shrouded in unprecedented confusion and loss. Has the value of distributors truly reached its end?
张雨薇When the Industry Struggles with 'Slow Sales', Why Can Xiangpiaopiao Create a 'Phenomenal Hit Product'?
Amid widespread industry anxiety over new products failing quickly, Xiangpiaopiao's launch of its original-leaf tea series, endorsed by Olympic champion Sun Yingsha, has become a phenomenal success. Through strategic value alignment, visible product upgrades, and heavy supply chain investment, the brand offers distributors a rare sense of certainty and a clear roadmap for long-term growth.
张雨薇When the Beverage Business Enters 'Hard Mode,' What 'Certainty' Can We Still Seize?
During a recent market survey in East China, a distributor lamented, 'I've never found the beverage business this tough.' With new products emerging endlessly, price wars raging, and consumer demands becoming increasingly picky, growth seems a luxury in today's water and beverage market, where anxiety and unease are the norm. But there are exceptions. 'Ice tea is doubling, Alien electrolyte water is up 20%, monthly sales target achievement is consistently above 110%, and for the full year, exceeding the target by 20% is highly likely,' said Mr. Huang.
张雨薇Abandoning a Traditional Business Worth Tens of Millions, He Achieved a 10-Fold Performance Increase in Four Years of Transformation!
In the FMCG landscape of Chongqing, Jiecang Wanggou and its founder Zhong Xiaoping are names that cannot be ignored. In 2020, while many distributors were still hesitating about online transformation, Zhong Xiaoping resolutely gave up a traditional business worth tens of millions to fully commit to the B2b wave. Four years later, Jiecang Wanggou's platform has a stable daily sales of 1.2-1.3 million yuan, an annual sales scale heading towards 500 million, covering over 10,000 small stores, and has become a regional B2b giant. To most, this is already a successful transformation story...
张雨薇Three Squirrels, Weilong and Other 20 Snack Companies Release Half-Year Reports: Some Earn Over 4 Million Yuan a Day, Others See Net Profit Plunge 490%
In the 2025 half-year reports of 20 listed snack companies, 14 (70%) saw net profit declines or losses. While some companies like Zhou Hei Ya achieved nearly 228% net profit growth through operational efficiency, others like Qiaqia Food saw profits plummet over 70% due to rising raw material costs, highlighting a stark divide in the industry.
张雨薇From the Hit 'Guoyi Shaonian Zhi 2' to the Viral 'Drink More Boiled Water': How Traditional Wisdom Reaches a New Consensus with Young People
A convenience store owner noted a significant increase in customers buying Master Kong Boiled Water in recent months, often selling out shortly after restocking. The brand's success stems from the rising trend of traditional Chinese wellness among young consumers and its consistent youth-oriented communication, exemplified by its partnership with the TV show 'Guoyi Shaonian Zhi 2'.
张雨薇Distributors: The Current Market Is Not About Earning More or Less, but About Losing Money If You're Not Careful!
Recently, the author visited over a dozen distributors and heard about their operations and market challenges. One distributor's remark stood out: "The current market is no longer about earning more or less, but about losing money if you're not careful!" Distributors have become a high-risk business, burdened by heavy assets, upstream constraints, and downstream restrictions. Now, with naked procurement and direct supply advocating 'de-intermediation,' they risk elimination at any moment.
张雨薇“Incomprehensible” Businesses Are Being Reshaped by Post-90s Distributors
A 70s-born distributor admitted, “I can’t understand today’s business,” reflecting a generational shift. Post-90s and even post-95s distributors are using data-driven decisions, proactive channel expansion, and innovative team management to reshape the traditional FMCG distribution industry.
张雨薇After the Pay and Performance Reform, All My Employees Quit
Recently, salesperson Xiao Yang called to say he had been thinking it over and decided to resign. When asked why, he was furious: "The boss keeps making random reforms, I can't work like this!" According to Xiao Yang, his trading company had undergone a round of pay and performance reform, which made him, a four-to-five-year veteran, very dissatisfied. "The previous 'base salary + commission' model was simple to calculate based on sales amount, but now with so many added assessment items and such complexity, isn't it just to make us work more for less pay? It's simply..."
张雨薇Why Are Distributors 'Losing More the More They Do'?
A recent field survey reveals that many distributors are anxious and tend to seek external solutions, but the key to success lies in 'seeking inward'—consolidating existing business before expanding. Through contrasting stories of two distributors, this article outlines five directions for internal optimization: organization, business processes, warehousing, product mix, and channel focus.
张雨薇Zero-Yuan Cola, One-Hour Clearance! In the Fiercely Competitive Instant Retail Market, Should Distributors Jump In?
Recently, 'zero-yuan purchases' and 'one-cent flash sales' have frequently topped search trends, with one platform claiming daily orders exceeding 200 million, nearly 20% of which come from essential FMCG products like rice, flour, oil, beverages, and frozen foods. 'Zero-yuan cola' sold out within an hour of launch, and amid the subsidy frenzy, inventory cleared faster than during the 618 promotion. In the past, instant retail was more of an 'icing on the cake' option for distributors, but now platforms are directly competing for terminal business, eroding the share of offline stores, leaving distributors with no choice but to seriously consider whether to enter this business.
张雨薇Distribution: No Longer a Business for Everyone
“Our business is down 30% this year. If we don't develop more new channels and open more new customers, we won't even be able to pay salaries!” This is the real feedback from a distributor boss during our field research. During the day, he visits customers; at night, he livestreams. Facing declining sales, he works harder than ever. But the problem is: more investment, worse results, and less certainty in the business. This is not an isolated case. In our research, we found that despite widespread pressure, many distributors are not slowing down: adding staff and vehicles, expanding customers, launching new products, and investing more effort than ever, but returns are increasingly unstable.
张雨薇Precise Placement of Multiple New Products: Master Kong Breaks the Homogenization Dilemma in the Beverage Market through Category Innovation
The current beverage market is trapped in an awkward situation: many new products, but few truly innovative ones. Packaging, flavors, and functional selling points are highly homogenized, leaving consumers unable to taste differences and distributors unable to command premium prices. Amid this industry-wide 'collective sameness,' Master Kong has launched over a dozen new products in the first half of the year, spanning health drinks, functional water, and vitamin fruit juice beverages, earning overwhelmingly positive reviews and signaling a shift toward category innovation.
张雨薇