iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Update: Despite her work being sold without her consent, Teacher Wang received a notification that the merchant did not violate Xianyu’s rules. 🤔

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

HOW ALIBABA’S XIANYU (IDLE FISH) FACILITATES THEFT FROM FREELANCE TEACHERS “Teacher Wang, do you know somebody is selling your lessons on Xianyu?” one of the freelance teacher's students asked. Read more: substack.com/@chinadigita...

substack.com

China Digital Retail Report (@chinadigitalretailreport)

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

EU TARIFFS KILL GUANGZHOU FACTORIES, TEMU’S XINPINMU RESURRECTS THEM Are EU tariffs affecting Chinese platforms and their supply chains? You betcha. But the effect might be different from what people suspected. substack.com/@chinadigita...

substack.com

China Digital Retail Report (@chinadigitalretailreport)

EU TARIFFS KILL GUANGZHOU FACTORIES, TEMU’S XINPINMU RESURRECTS THEM Recently, I read an interesting article from the WeChat account of ‘Sixth Brother’s research’. I have summarised the article below...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

This week on China Digital Retail Report, a translation of the live commerce chapter of the Report on the Development of New E-commerce in China (2026). This government report offers interesting insights into the latest e-commerce trends. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/media-live...

chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com

[Media] Live Commerce Trends in China 2026

China Digital Retail Report is a publication by analyst Ed Sander, focussing on the online and offline retail activities of China’s internet companies, both domestically and globally. It published rep...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I was delighted to be asked to discuss instant retail (quick commerce) with Ingrid Lommer of the Let’s Talk Marketplace podcast. You can watch or listen to the conversation in this week’s China Digital Retail Report. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/video-inst...

chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com

[Video] Instant Retail: Anything, in 30 Minutes (podcast)

Inside China’s 30-Minute Retail Boom.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

MEITUAN’S KEETA AND DIRTY BUSINESS IN BRAZIL Last week, 36kr shared some information on the progress of Meituan’s Keeta overseas meal delivery business in Brazil. A few highlights: substack.com/@chinadigita...

substack.com

China Digital Retail Report (@chinadigitalretailreport)

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

MEITUAN’S KEETA TURNS PROFITABLE IN SAUDI ARABIA Last week, 36kr published an update on the status of Meituan’s Keeta overseas meal delivery business. Read the highlights on China Digital Retail Report. substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

YOUR OWN JD COOKING ROBOT FOR $3,000? JD's 7Fresh kitchens, you can watch livestreams of cooking robots tipping selected ingredients into a stir-frying pan. JD now also offers a comparable technology for your home: Chefresh (七鲜大厨). Learn more at CDRR: substack.com/@chinadigita...

substack.com

China Digital Retail Report (@chinadigitalretailreport)

YOUR OWN JD COOKING ROBOT FOR $3,000? In recent years, JD .com has launched some eyebrow-raising initiatives under the 7Fresh label. The brand first launched a supermarket copying Alibaba’s Hema and ...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Oh, can we please roll this out to all public transport in the whole of China? The choice between a fine and finally buying some cheap earbuds will be a no-brainer for all the anti-social folks blasting their games, short dramas and other rubbish in subways and trains.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

TikTok Watch #7: The Battle for Southeast Asia chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-tik...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

MERCHANT UNEASE ABOUT PDD’S XINPINMU HAS BEGUN Paidai Cross-border reports that, with the launch of Bemuvo, Pinduoduo/Temu's first private label, unease among merchants has started. Read more: substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

In this episode of Let’s Talk Marketplace, I was invited by host Ingrid Lommer to discuss Xinpinmu, a new private-label division with a planned investment of 100 billion yuan over three years. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/video-temu...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

SEE THAT BUILDING ON THE LEFT? PDD Holdings acquired this 19-floor building, which houses an entity called Shanghai Xinpinmu Pudong E-Commerce Co., Ltd. That might not ring a bell. But what if I told you that PDD is the parent company of Temu? Read more: substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

[Report] Temu Watch #16: Building Xinpinmu’s Supply Chain A deep dive into the way Pinduoduo organises the supply chain for its private brands. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-tem...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

OH SNAP! JD’S JOYBUY WANTS TO LOOK IN YOUR SUPERMARKET BASKET From the UK platform The Grocer: “Joybuy has launched a promotion that gives its customers loyalty points and discounts in return for scanning their supermarket receipts.” Read more: substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

On September st, Shein will finally have its long-sought-after IPO. This week's China Digital Retail Report is based on new interviews with experts close to Shein and answers many questions people had after reading the prospectus. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-why...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

WHY ALIBABA’S HEMA IS CLOSING STORES Recently, Chinese business media have been reporting that Alibaba’s Hema Supermarket (a.k.a. Freshippo) has been closing stores. To find out what's going on, read this note on China Digital Retail Report. substack.com/profile/4484...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

COMING UP: WHY IS SHEIN'S GROWTH SLOWING? A lot has been speculated about the Shein IPO and its prospectus. On Wednesday, I'm publishing a new report based on very recent expert interviews that answers many questions. Subscribe: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/subscribe

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

TEMU HAS LAUNCHED ITS FIRST XINPINMU BRAND Temu recently launched its (first) Xinpinmu self-operated brand, Bemuvo. Shanghai XPM Hongqiao E-Commerce Co., Ltd. (PDD Holding’s Xinpinmu division) registered the brand on June 10th. substack.com/profile/4484...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

DON’T MISS THESE REPORTS! If you have ever considered getting a paid subscription to China Digital Retail Report but never got round to it, now might be the time. substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

A FEW THOUGHTS ON JD’S NEW BUSINESSES Q2 RESULTS I shared a few thoughts about the JD .com Q2 results on China Digital Retail report. substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Reposted by Ed Sander

Yicai 第一财经 @yicaiglobal.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The Relevant Practices of EU in Investigation of JD.Com Constitute Improper Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, MOJ Says www.yicaiglobal.com/news/the-rel...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

TikTok Shop Watch #6: Southeast Asia 2026 Update I am publishing a series of updates on TikTok Shop: the first two focus on Southeast Asia, and another, to be published next month, covers TikTok Shop in the rest of the world. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/tiktok-sho...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be publishing a number of updates on TikTok Shop. The first two, this week and next week, will focus on developments in Southeast Asia and competition with Shopee in the region. Subscribe here: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/subscribe

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Net profit jump seems good. Until you realise how much money was burned in the instant retail subsidies war last year ...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Very worrying trend I've seen all over my WeChat Channels feed in recent weeks.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I wonder what happens to JD's sales when this stops.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

REDSHOP IS HERE! The next Chinese webshop has entered the global market. Is this the next Temu, Shein, AliExpress, TikTok Shop or Joybuy? Find out in this week's China Digital Retail Report: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/media-reds...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

COMING UP: REDSHOP, ANOTHER CHINESE WEBSHOP?! In April, the media were abuzz about a new Chinese webshop that would launch in June. In the past few days, I dove deep into the topic because Redshop is here! Subscribe here to receive the article: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/subscribe

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

[Report] Temu Watch #15: Forward Warehouse Strategy Why tomorrow's new rules on direct-to-consumer imports from outside the EU won't make Temu disappear. Plus a look at Temu's other growth strategies. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-tem...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Alibaba is making a $1.5 billion bid for independent online grocery platform Pupu Supermarket. Who is this Pupu? This week, I’m publishing a deep-dive report on Pupu, packed with insights from expert interviews. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/pupu-super...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

For years, there have been discussions about whether ‘dark stores’ can be truly profitable. Beyond shedding light on the situation in China, this article offers valuable lessons for Western quick-commerce platforms and traditional supermarkets. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/media-are-...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Considering last year's subsidies war in meal delivery, which started in Q2 2025 and continued into Q1 2026 this YoY comparison needs some context.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Just when you thought Hema had rid itself of strange experiments ...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

In this week's China Digital Retail Report, I have included a recording of last year’s keynote for Virke, so you can learn more about Temu's first two phases. Next month, I will give several keynotes to explain phase 3. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/video-temu...

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Yicai 第一财经 @yicaiglobal.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

After rumors that Alibaba, JD.Com, and Meituan are competing to buy Pupu Supermarket, valued at between USD2 billion and USD5 billion, JD.Com said it has not been in contact with the fresh grocery platform, while Alibaba and Meituan have not commented, Sina Tech reported yesterday.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

TWO MORE WEEKS UNTIL THE VNC CHINA PUB QUIZ! On the 1st of June in Den Bosch, Fred Sengers and I are teaming up with VNC again for a thrilling China Pub Quiz. There are still some seats left, so register as a team or individual while you still can. www.vnc-china.nl/event/vnc-ch...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

TEMU WATCH #14: XINPINMU, TEMU'S PRIVATE BRAND STRATEGY chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-tem...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

WILL RT-MART’S METAMORPHOSIS BE ENOUGH? Last year, Alibaba sold the RT-Mart hypermarket chain. RT-Mart is now undergoing a metamorphosis into 'life centres', community supermarkets, front-end warehouses (dark stores) and membership stores. But will it be enough? substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Fred Sengers @blogaap.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Na het succes van vorig jaar gaan @edsander.bsky.social en ik nogmaals voor de Vereniging Nederland China een pubquiz presenteren in Den Bosch. www.vnc-china.nl/event/vnc-ch...

vnc-china.nl

VNC China Pubquiz! - VNC | Vereniging Nederland China

Invitation to VNC China Pubquiz: A Fun and Educational Event for Chinese and Dutch People!

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

JD SCALED BACK FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE Zouma Finance argued that, in addition to fewer red delivery drivers on the road, there are signs that JD scaled back its meal delivery service, which it launched at the end of Q1 2025. Read a summary on China Digital Retail Report. substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Reposted by Ed Sander

Yicai 第一财经 @yicaiglobal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Tencent’s net profit jumped 19% in the first quarter from a year ago to CNY58.1 billion (USD8.6 billion), according to the Chinese tech giant’s latest earnings report released today. Total revenue climbed 9% to CNY196.5 billion (USD28.9 billion).

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Reposted by Ed Sander

Yicai 第一财经 @yicaiglobal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Alibaba’s net profit more than doubled in the three months ended March 31 from a year ago to CNY25.5 billion (USD3.7 billion), according to the earnings report released by the Chinese e-commerce giant today. Revenue climbed 3% to CNY243.4 billion (USD35.8 billion).

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

After webshops like Temu, AliExpress, and Joybuy have penetrated Western markets, often using low-price strategies with white-label products, they are entering a new phase. Chinese webshops are becoming distribution channels for Chinese brands. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/video-afte...

chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com

[Video] After the Chinese platforms, the Chinese brands

After opening the global market, this is the next phase for Chinese webshops.

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Does delivering milk tea and chicken nuggets by drone make sense? Find the report here: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-doe...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

DOUYIN’S NEW MOVES INTO INSTANT DELIVERY After several iterations of meal delivery over the past few years, Douyin launched ‘Douyin Instant Delivery’. ByteDance also quietly launched a standalone group-buying app called "Doushengsheng". Read more here: substack.com/@chinadigita...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

In this new report, I assess the possibilities and limitations of meal delivery by drone and answer the question, ‘Does this actually make sense for consumers and the meal delivery companies?’ chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-doe...

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

DISCOUNT SUPERMARKETS DOING QUICK COMMERCE?! Intuitively, this sounds like an impossible combination. But it is happening in China. The operator of China's largest army of delivery couriers is adding instant retail to its self-operated discount supermarket. Read more: substack.com/profile/4484...

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