NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How is instant retail changing stores, platforms, and supply chains?
Coverage of flash warehouses, front warehouses, discount stores, supermarket transformation, and local commerce platforms in China.
Related research and analysis
2996 articles · Page 88 of 125
After 26 Years in China, Why Are Vending Machines Still Struggling?
Vending machines first appeared in China in 1993, but despite interest from FMCG giants, they remain a tiny part of the retail landscape. Differences in population distribution, labor costs, culture, and retail diversity, among other factors, have hindered their growth compared to Japan.
李青林Hema Reflects, What About Alibaba?
Reflection has been Hema's theme for the past six months, but its problems stem not only from its own management and strategy but also from Alibaba's positioning and coordination. This article argues that Alibaba's strategic planning, supply chain delegation, and organizational culture issues have hindered Hema's development, leaving it in a difficult position.
刘 宇 豪Can We Only Rely on Promotions to Make Consumers 'Buy More'?
Digital empowerment at the consumer end (the so-called C-end) is essentially an upgrade of promotional methods, and it cannot yet be regarded as a 'strategy' as public opinion suggests. This article analyzes the limitations of private domain traffic and live-streaming e-commerce, pointing out that they are more about promotional diversification and refined management, and that sustainable competitive advantage requires a comprehensive analysis of the entire business.
张德昭Opening a FamilyMart Convenience Store: You Can Save a Little Money, but Don't Expect to Get Rich
FamilyMart appears to be powerful, but it can only be described as 'small profits, quick turnover.' In 2018, the convenience store industry experienced a 'song of ice and fire' with expansion and closures, such as Bianlifeng's rapid growth in Beijing and the overnight collapse of Linjia's 168 stores. This article analyzes the profitability of opening a FamilyMart store in Shanghai, concluding that it is not very profitable.
庄涂Mengniu, Yili, Wahaha, Nestle Rush into Social E-commerce: Pitfall or Treasure?
Once dismissed as a scam, social e-commerce is now being embraced by major FMCG brands like Mengniu, Wahaha, and Nestle. This article explores the evolution from personal WeChat business to social e-commerce, the underlying forces driving its rise, and how traditional FMCG players can seize the next wave of opportunities.
袁来Heavy Investment in Shihui Tuan! Is Alibaba's Social E-commerce Ambition Still Alive?
Alibaba has reportedly made a significant investment in community group-buying platform Shihui Tuan, marking its latest move in social e-commerce. The deal, which insiders say was finalized around May, reflects Alibaba's strategic push into community-based retail as it seeks to counter Tencent's growing influence in the sector.
新经销刘少德Avoiding Laoganma, How Hubang Overtook in the Chili Sauce Market from the Delivery Scene?
The chili sauce market is worth 40 billion yuan, with Laoganma dominating at around 4.5 billion in annual sales. Hubang, a startup, avoided direct competition by focusing on the delivery scene, developing over 100,000 restaurant terminals and achieving 200% annual growth.
袁来The "Old vs. New" Battle in Convenience Stores!
Alibaba's Tmall Xiaodian, JD's JD Convenience Store, and Suning Xiaodian's ambitious plan to open 20,000 stores are disrupting the traditional convenience store sector. Local chains like Meiyijia and Tianfu are accelerating, while Japanese chains like 7-Eleven and Lawson are also expanding downward. The real path for China's convenience stores is a dual-driven model of new retail and operational excellence.
零售商业评论Nine Years of Legal Battle with Guangzhou Pharmaceutical: Who Did JDB Really Lose To?
The long-running trademark dispute between JDB and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical over the 'Wong Lo Kat' brand has taken a new turn, with the Supreme People's Court ordering a retrial. Despite this, JDB has suffered significant setbacks in the market, facing financial, marketing, and distribution challenges.
林川In-Depth Analysis: Beyond 'Counterfeits', What Else Does Pinduoduo Have?
Pinduoduo has created another legend: it went public in the US in just three years, with a market value ranking among the top ten Chinese internet companies, and founder Huang Zheng's personal wealth even surpassed that of JD.com's Liu Qiangdong. While most people are caught up in criticizing its 'counterfeits', perhaps we need to rationally ask another question: besides 'counterfeits', what else does Pinduoduo have? This article is an in-depth case analysis of Pinduoduo by renowned product manager Liang Ning, who will soon teach at Chaos University, offering a penetrating look at the industry, company, products, people, and business value.
梁宁International Brand Endorsement, Douyin Influencer Boost: This Product Is Selling Like Hotcakes!
In the diverse world of snack foods, bear-shaped cookies have stood the test of time. Known for their cute design and delicious taste, they are a favorite among young people and children. In 2019, Meiji bear-shaped cookies went viral on Douyin, with the 'shake the cookie into a ball' challenge attracting millions of views, making them a hot commodity for distributors.
New DistributionBlue Moon: A Channel Revolution That Ends Where It Began
Blue Moon's decade-long rise was built on strategic foresight and aggressive KA retail investment, but a 2015 break with big-box stores and a radical 'Moon House + O2O' overhaul backfired, forcing a quiet return to offline channels. The case offers lessons on consumer education, employee incentives, and the risks of betting on a single new product.
比月皎A Convenience Store Evolution War Triggered by Cooking Oil
The traditional retail industry's long-held principle of maximizing profits by lowering raw material costs is undergoing a conversion. Recently, a subtle yet profound change has been occurring in the industry, as convenience store chain Bianlifeng announced it has adopted Arawana non-GMO soybean oil in all its self-operated hot meals, making it the first chain convenience store in China to do so.
周天财经Social E-commerce Growing Downward
This article analyzes how social chains and channel sinking have driven the success of social e-commerce, using Pinduoduo and Gome Meidian as primary case studies. It explores the challenges Pinduoduo faces in supply chain and service systems, and contrasts its model with Gome's more established infrastructure and shared retail approach.
我是庄帅We Have Been 'Deceived' by New Retail
The article argues that 'New Retail' is a pseudo-concept that has blinded the industry. It contends that retail's essence remains unchanged, and that consumers prioritize products and transactions over novel concepts, urging businesses to focus on fundamentals rather than chasing trends.
冯丹丹RT-Mart Tears Off the 'New Retail' Label
In April 1997, a sign reading 'Shanghai RT-Mart Co., Ltd.' was hung by the Huangpu River, marking the beginning of a journey that would transform Chinese retail over the next two decades. RT-Mart, founded by Taiwan's Ruentex Group, initially struggled but found success by shifting from a wholesale model to a hypermarket format, offering abundance and low prices. However, with the rise of e-commerce, RT-Mart faced challenges and partnered with Alibaba in 2018 for new retail transformation, yet it remains uncertain whether this partnership will restore its former glory.
号司君Foreign Retail Giants' Failed Gold Rush in China: Once Easy Money, but Chinese Rivals Prove Too Tough?
This article examines why foreign retail giants like Carrefour and Walmart, which once dominated China's market, have retreated or struggled, attributing their decline to supply chain inefficiencies and the rise of agile local competitors like Dazhong and Yonghui, as well as the shift to e-commerce.
蒋培宇The 38-Year History of Chinese Supermarkets: How Did They Grow Under the Pressure of Walmart and Carrefour?
This article traces the evolution of China's supermarket industry over 38 years, from the early self-service stores to the rise of domestic chains like Yonghui and Dazhong, and the eventual retreat of foreign giants like Carrefour and Walmart. It highlights the impact of e-commerce and the new retail revolution led by Alibaba and Tencent, which have reshaped the sector.
甲方研究社My Month Living in a 'Lower-Tier Market'
The author, an entrepreneur focused on C-end internet and consumer industries, spent a month living in a county-level city to understand the 'lower-tier market'. Through observations and user interviews, he found that price sensitivity, cognitive differences, and local business forms differ significantly from first- and second-tier cities, offering insights for businesses entering such markets.
十一爸爸Carrefour's Tang Jianian: Seven Years in China, a Story of Success and Failure
This article reviews the seven-year tenure of Thierry Garnier as head of Carrefour China, detailing his achievements and the challenges that led to Carrefour's decline in China. It examines the factors behind Carrefour's exit from the Chinese market and what Garnier's departure signifies for his career.
孙园Community Group Buying Is Cooling Down
Community group buying, once booming, is showing signs of cooling as consumer interest wanes due to loss of novelty, inconsistent product quality, and limited variety. Platforms must improve product selection, operations, and customer engagement to survive an impending industry shakeout.
柳二白Practical Thoughts on Several Approaches to Digitizing Small Stores: From Sit-Down Merchants to Cloud Merchants
Small stores have become the frontier of FMCG industry internetization. This article explores various methods to empower these stores, from optimizing existing operations to leveraging new channels like community group buying, and outlines the evolution from traditional sit-down merchants to cloud merchants.
任小东Offline Carrefours are 'Selling at a Loss', Will 'Online Carrefours' Be Far Behind?
The decline of traditional supermarkets is not new, but Carrefour's 'bargain sale' to Suning has stirred nostalgia. The article argues that new retail must return to value-based retail, criticizing the fee-collecting model of big-box stores that squeezed suppliers and lowered efficiency, while warning that online platforms are becoming 'online Carrefours'.
苗庆显8 Bidders, Metro China's Race Against Time
Metro China is reportedly up for sale, with at least eight bidders competing. The frequent rumors of a sale reflect Metro's challenging situation in China, where its revenue has been declining and its strategy has faced difficulties.
董枳君