AUTHOR ARCHIVE
Articles by 联商网编辑部
Browse 54 New Distribution articles by 联商网编辑部.
Published articles
54 articles · Page 1 of 3
2026 Global Retail Top 50 Released, Only Two Chinese Companies Listed
Recently, the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Kantar released the '2026 Global Retailer TOP50 list'. Data shows that the total revenue of listed companies in 2026 reached $3.57 trillion (approximately RMB 25.70 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 2.50%; the total number of stores was 308,700, a year-on-year decrease of 11.71%, showing a distinct feature of 'slight revenue growth and store contraction'. From the changes in the two lists, several core trends can be clearly observed: discount retail and membership warehouse formats are resilient, while hypermarkets and convenience stores continue to face pressure; Japanese retail giants generally slipped in rankings, and Latin American regional retailers saw weak growth; omnichannel integration, smaller store formats, and AI technology application are becoming common choices for retailers to cope with cyclical fluctuations.
联商网编辑部ALDI Surpasses 100 Stores in China, Marking a Key Milestone
After seven years of deep cultivation and expansion, ALDI has finally reached the milestone of 100 stores in China. On March 21, two new stores opened in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, and one in Shanghai, bringing the total to over 100 and signaling accelerated expansion in the Yangtze River Delta region.
联商网编辑部Walmart CEO Doug McMillon's Latest Thinking: Long-termism Is the Greatest Certainty
In the global retail industry, few companies have influenced daily life as persistently and profoundly as Walmart. From a small store in Arkansas in 1962 to operations in 19 countries, nearly 10,800 stores, and serving hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, it is undoubtedly the most representative benchmark in global retail. Walmart's global CEO Doug McMillon joined the company as an hourly associate in 1984 and became CEO thirty years later. During his tenure of over a decade, Walmart has consistently held the top position in global retail.
联商网编辑部Pet Fresh All Closed, Hou Yi Launches 'Chong Tiantian' to Re-enter Pet Track?
Recently, as the closure of 'Pet Version Hema' Pet Fresh sparked industry discussion, founder Hou Yi's team quietly launched a new online brand, Chong Tiantian, focusing on fresh pet food. This marks a strategic correction and model iteration in the pet sector, leveraging supply chain and human-grade production standards.
联商网编辑部Exclusive: All Stores of Pet&Fresh, Founded by Hema Founder Hou Yi, to Close
According to exclusive information obtained by Lianshang.com, all stores of Pet&Fresh, the pet fresh food brand founded by Hema founder Hou Yi, will close, less than nine months after its first store opened. As of now, 7 of its 18 stores have shown "suspended" or "closed" status on Dianping, and remaining stores are offering discounts to clear inventory.
联商网编辑部Freshippo NB Establishes Franchise Department, Promotes Chaohesuan NB Franchise Business
Freshippo's Chaohesuan NB is transitioning from self-operated hard discount to franchise hard discount, having established a dedicated franchise department to fully advance the franchise business. This strategic shift is a key step in achieving its 'thousand-store plan' and responding to retail market changes.
联商网编辑部Visiting Tao Xiaopang's First Chongqing Store: Full of Life, Still Queuing Two Weeks After Opening
Most companies' new stores lose their novelty after a weekend, but Tao Xiaopang's first Chongqing store, which opened on August 28, still requires queuing during peak hours half a month later. On the afternoon of September 13, Lianshang.com visited the store located on the basement floor of Dadukou Wanda Plaza in Chongqing. Due to high popularity, the store began limiting foot traffic around 15:00, with queues stretching from the atrium of Gate 5 to the first-floor entrance of the supermarket, estimated to be over 100 meters long.
联商网编辑部Chasing 7-Eleven and Aeon: What Drives This Famous Discount Store?
As department stores lose their appeal and convenience stores and general merchandise supermarkets hit bottlenecks, the next protagonist in Japan's retail market may be surprising: Don Quijote. Its parent company, PPIH, has achieved 36 consecutive years of sales growth during Japan's 'lost three decades,' closing in on 7-Eleven, Aeon, and Uniqlo. In 2024, over 20% of the 36.86 million foreign visitors to Japan shopped at Don Quijote, and its tax-free sales reached 84.6 billion yuan, surpassing department store giant Isetan Mitsukoshi.
联商网编辑部Why Is Alibaba Reducing Its Stake in This Ningbo Supermarket Leader for the First Time?
Following the divestiture of Intime and Sun Art Retail, Alibaba has made a new move in exiting traditional physical retail. On April 21, Sanjiang Shopping Club Co., Ltd. (601116.SH) announced that Alibaba Zetai plans to reduce its shareholding by no more than 16.43 million shares, or 3% of total capital, marking the first such reduction in nine years.
联商网编辑部Convenience Store Giants' Hidden Battle: 7-Eleven's "Zero" Growth, FamilyMart and Lawson "Close In"
According to Lianshang.com statistics, globally as of the end of February 2025, 7-Eleven had 85,816 stores, significantly more than FamilyMart (24,620) and Lawson (22,098). Its overall sales were about four times that of FamilyMart and more than four times that of Lawson. In terms of market scale, 7-Eleven's position remains unshakable. However, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents are stirring. In the just-concluded fiscal year 2024, in stark contrast to the continuous profit growth of FamilyMart and Lawson, 7-Eleven's profits declined significantly. More critically...
联商网编辑部Beyond ALDI: How Lidl Became the World's Largest Hard Discount Chain
At the 2025 China Supermarket Week, Jiang Shijia, head of Lianshang.com's overseas center, shared insights on Lidl's success as the world's largest hard discount retailer. Lidl's model focuses on high quality at low prices, efficient operations, and a strong private label strategy, offering lessons for Chinese retailers.
联商网编辑部Hema Reports Nine Consecutive Months of Profitability: How Does the New CEO Score?
Starting from the first half of 2024, Hema has embarked on a new development model under a revised strategic direction. This adjustment has proven correct, as Hema now appears more stable and focused on operational efficiency. In March 2024, Yan Xiaolei, former CFO, succeeded founder Hou Yi as CEO, signaling a shift toward steady growth. Her annual report card includes nine months of profitability and double-digit growth, but challenges remain in competition and supply chain development.
联商网编辑部Ten Forces Shaping China's Retail Industry in 2024
In 2024, China's retail industry faced significant changes, from the decline of hypermarkets and the rise of instant retail to the transformative influence of Pangdonglai's store overhauls. This article extracts ten key forces from the year's retail events, emphasizing the importance of finding certainty amidst uncertainty and the shift towards quality, sincerity, and long-termism.
联商网编辑部What Exactly Are Chinese Retailers Missing Compared to Walmart?
Global retail giant Walmart has been in the Chinese market for 28 years. On November 19, at the '2024 China Retail Leaders Summit' hosted by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA), Walmart China President and CEO, and CCFA Vice President, Zhu Xiaojing delivered a speech titled 'Reshaping Customer Value, Leading the Future with Trust.' She said, 'The evolution of retail is not about the replacement of concepts, but about the persistence and innovation of every retail practitioner, supplier, and partner, jointly creating lasting value for consumers...'
联商网编辑部Price Wars and Disintermediation: Why Is the Retail Industry So Controversial Today?
Hope is not just about seeing the future, but about finding long-term value in action. At the 2024 National Private Label (Products) Conference and Ant Business Alliance Annual Meeting held in Changsha, speakers offered multi-dimensional insights, revealing opportunities in practice iteration, edge growth, structural combination, quality markets, and better business. Each conclusion has its own conditions, and binary opposition can provide more diverse perspectives for companies. Ultimately, every company must seek a self-consistent ecological flywheel within its own logic and resource loop.
联商网编辑部Top Revenue, Is the 'First Stock of Bulk Snacks' Solidifying Its Lead?
Debt risk: According to Wanchen Group's interim report, as of June 30, 2024, total assets were 4.868 billion yuan, up 129.71% year-on-year, with monetary funds of 2.111 billion yuan, accounts receivable of 18.1418 million yuan, and inventory of 847 million yuan. Total liabilities were 3.682 billion yuan, up 152.10% year-on-year, with accounts payable of 1.007 billion yuan. The debt-to-asset ratio was 75.65%, and total shareholders' equity was 1.186 billion yuan. The debt ratio has hit the red line.
联商网编辑部To Avoid Being Sold, 7-Eleven Teams Up with FamilyMart Against 'Barbarian' Takeover
In other words, this MBO plan is also a defensive measure against ACT's potential hostile takeover. The Ito family, Itochu Corporation, and their partner banks have entered concrete negotiations. Seven & i Holdings has formed a special committee to conduct a thorough evaluation. The committee's chairman, Stephen Dacus, stated they will continue dialogue with stakeholders to maximize value. Following the news, Seven & i's stock surged up to 17%, while Itochu fell 3.4%. The financing plan involves about 3 trillion yen from the Ito family and Itochu, with the remaining 6 trillion yen provided as a syndicated loan by three major Japanese banks.
联商网编辑部All Retail Efforts Are Aimed at Achieving Certainty
All retail efforts are aimed at achieving certainty, which gives customers peace of mind; if certainty is broken, repeat purchases cease. Retailers should focus on cultivating five types of certainty: product, price, quality, time, and service, and maintain them to ensure customer loyalty.
联商网编辑部A Supermarket Outperforming FamilyMart and Lawson in Daily Sales Per Store: What's Its Secret?
In Japan's capital region, where competition among supermarkets is fierce, AEON launched a convenience-store-sized food supermarket chain called "My Basket" in 2005. By February 2024, it had nearly 1,200 stores in central Tokyo, achieving daily sales per store that surpass FamilyMart and Lawson, thanks to its low-cost operations and strategic store placement.
联商网编辑部Another UK Internet-Famous Juice Brand Exits China Market
In 2020, innocent, a UK-born internet-famous juice brand, was brought to China by Coca-Cola. With its health-focused selling point of 'no additives except fruit', it was once seen as a rising star in China's juice market. However, within just four years, the brand has quietly retreated, closing its official stores on Taobao and JD.com and disappearing from offline retail channels. After ending its foodservice business with Starbucks China in March, innocent has officially concluded its 'China journey'.
联商网编辑部Discount Retail Enters Its Second Phase
The industry has recently seen a new wave of discount stores. On June 1, 2024, Zhongshang Supermarket's discount brand 'Baokou Zhexuan' opened in Wuhan's Optics Valley, covering about 1,000 square meters and offering authentic discounted products across snacks, daily chemicals, beauty, beverages, toys, and fruits. On May 21, 2024, Lotus's opened its first discount store in Chaoyang District, Shantou. On April 2, 2024, Tianfu Convenience Store opened two discount stores in Dongguan, each about 80 square meters, focusing on major-brand snacks, beverages, and daily necessities.
联商网编辑部Closing Inefficient Supermarkets Is Also a Good Thing
A phrase seen online years ago, 'You're old, so you deserve to die,' reflects the harsh reality facing traditional supermarkets amid the rise of new retail formats. With heavy store inventories and many failing operations, closing inefficient stores may be the best option, allowing resources to be focused on successful ones, as exemplified by Pangdonglai's approach to loss-making stores.
联商网编辑部Famous Retail Giant in Crisis, Local State Capital Steps In Again
Guoda 36524, Hebei Province's largest convenience store chain, is facing a crisis as its parent company Hebei 365 Group struggles with unpaid wages and a funding shortage. In a critical moment, Hebei state capital has quietly intervened, forming a joint venture with a 51% stake.
联商网编辑部What Happened to the Top 20 Convenience Stores from a Decade Ago?
In 1992, Japan's 7-ELEVEn opened in Shenzhen, pioneering the mainland convenience store market. Since then, with foreign entrants and local players rising, convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores have shaped China's retail landscape. Over the past 30 years, retail has evolved dramatically: e-commerce disrupted physical retail, department stores declined, and supermarkets saw their golden age pass. Amid these shifts, convenience stores have steadily advanced to the next stage.
联商网编辑部