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Ed Sander

@edsander.bsky.social
129 followers 93 following 383 posts

China Digital Retail Analyst for chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com Speaker for ChinaTalk.nl | edsander.com Study tour leader for ChinaRetailTrip.com

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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Because of its heightened activity in Europe, I presented a briefing on JD and its retail activities in China during a study tour in April. Over the next few weeks, I will share a slidecast video of this briefing in three parts. This is part 1: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/video-unde...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Tried both flavours. They are okay, but I'm not blown away and if it wasn't on the bag I would not have identified them as Lao Gan Ma. My biggest complaint would be that the pieces are thin and broken.
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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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 17/06/2026
Today's gig ...
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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 · 06/06/2026
Nou zeg, onder elkaar in m'n feed. Ik weet wel waar ze er nog een paar over hebben.
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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 · 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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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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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 · 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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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 · 05/05/2026
Dat laatste bedoel ik dus ... Ik geloof echt niet dat dit een normale daling is bij uitschakelen van de brandstof. Zelfs als je de knuppel niet meer aanraakt ...
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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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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
This week in China Digital Retail Report ... It's been quite some years since the shared bikes war of the mid-2010s. Only a few brands survived. But does the business model of shared (electric) bikes make any sense? chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/shared-ele...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
AFTER JOYBUY, WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT CHINESE WEBSHOP? In a recent interview, I was asked an interesting question. ‘We have had AliExpress, Shein and Temu. Now that Joybuy has arrived, should we expect more Chinese platforms?’ chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/after-joyb...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
WHY DID COMMUNITY GROUP BUYING FAIL? In a recent article, instant retail expert Lao Zhang shared some interesting things about CGB. Read some excerpts from the article on China Digital Retail Report: substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
THE ‘NEW’ BATTLE: IN-STORE GROUP-BUYING Wasn’t that settled in the ‘1000 Groupon Battle’ in the early 2010s? Well, yes. Meituan came out on top, but the war is on again, with Alibaba entering this space at the start of 2026. Read more on China Digital Retail Report: substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
In Temu Watch #13, I examine Temu’s adjusted pricing strategy, developments in competition and Temu’s GMV and profitability status. I also take a close look at what to expect from the platform in 2026. I wrap up the report with a summary video. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/report-tem...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
LEGO BANS DISTRIBUTORS SELLING ON TEMU, SHEIN AND ALIEXPRESS There are three reasons for this move. Read more and learn how other brands are bound to follow. substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
No, these are not F1 drivers' racing suits... To find out what's going on here, check out this Note on China Digital Retail Report: substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
A RANT ABOUT JD’S JOYBUY substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Today, JD's European website is officially launching after Ochama was rebranded in August, and Joybuy has been in 'beta phase' for a year. In a series of articles, I examine how JD needs to do a much better job than it has in the past 5 years. chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/why-jdcom-...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
AI AGENT IN WECHAT - CAN IT BE A WINNER? An interesting perspective on whether traffic or fulfilment capabilities will be a decisive factor and how successful WeChat could be. substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
This week in China Digital Retail Report, I’m summarising and commenting on two interesting articles on instant retail in the Chinese business press. ▶️ Meituan’s alcohol-delivery service ▶️ A comparison between Sam’s Club, Hema and ALDI chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/media-in-c...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
AI CAUSES COLLAPSE OF LIVE-ACTION SHORT DRAMA STUDIOS What’s going on? I have published a shortened version of a Tech Planet article on China Digital Retail Report. substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
WHY 3.000 FRONT-END WAREHOUSE ORDERS IS BETTER THAN 5,000 Why does Pupu Supermarket, a front-end warehouse format instant retail player in southern China, have 3,000 orders per warehouse rather than 5,000? Find out in a new note on China Digital Retail Report. substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Spring Festival saw Tencent, Alibaba and Bytedance poor an estimated RMB 10 billion into campaigns that tried to get consumers to use their AI apps. Red envelopes (basically discounts) were flowing freely to trigger such onboarding. Read more: chinadigitalretailreport.substack.com/p/media-spri...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Earlier this month, I was a guest on the Let’s Talk Marketplace podcast. We discussed JD’s acquisition of Ceconomy (owner of the Media Markt and Saturn consumer electronics retail chains), the lack of success of its Ochama business, and the relaunch of its Joybuy brand.
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
I'll be in China in April and July, but in between, the June 2026 tour is starting to shape up nicely. 😉 vnc-china.nl diysummit.org ecommerceday.de/en k5.de
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
INSTANT RETAIL’S 60 BILLION YUAN CLUB After Meituan took over Dingdong Maicai (see my article here), they became a member of the ’60 billion yuan club’. Read more here: substack.com/@chinadigita...
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Ed Sander @edsander.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
CHINESE RETAILREUS GAAT THUISBEZORGEN IN NEDERLAND Het is zo'n dag dat je een hoop werk probeert te verzetten, maar de journalisten blijven bellen omdat een Chinees bedrijf een persbericht heeft verstuurd. 😂 Na het interview op BNR Nieuwradio nu dus ook RTL Z ... www.linkedin.com/posts/edsand...
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