China is trying to shift away from traditional sources of economic growth like infrastructure investment, manufacturing and property, it is not very clear what the new sources of growth are going to be. Financial expert Maria Hsu ponders in The Diplomat what direction China´s government should take.Read More →
Disappointing retail growth shows that the economy is still weak, tells business analyst Shaun Rein at Bloomberg TV. The government should do more in getting a market economy, while it is still focusing too much on the state-owned enterprises. Sustainability is more important than growth.Read More →
Once upon a time Oreo was the most popular cookie in China, but its producer Mondelez International Inc is facing major challenges, as China´s consumers change preferences very fast, explains retail analyst Ben Cavender in the Wall Street Journal.Read More →
Famous brands are losing their star status in China, as preferences of consumers shift, tells retail analyst Shaun Rein at Adage, in its 2014 of changing consumer trends in China.Read More →
The luxury industry looks carefully on how China´s consumers are changing their attitudes. For AdAge Global Hurun and China rich list founder Rupert Hoogewerf explains that the current downturn in extravagant spending is here to stay.Read More →
Sales of luxury goods dropped in 2013, the third year of decline, and is expected to drop even further in 2014, according to a new Hurun report. “In terms of traditional luxury – leathers, accessories, watches – this year is going to be flat if not a little bit down,” Hurun founder Rupert Hoogewerf tells Reuters.Read More →
China is introducing new regulations that makes it possible to phase out animal testing for cosmetics. Shanghai-based lawyer Mark Schaub explains how NGO´s, international pressure and basic market forces have made it possible to give rabbits and mice a happier life, and consumers politically correct cosmetics.Read More →
China’s laws have not kept pace with its rapidly evolving retail sector. A major overhaul of consumer protection legislation is set to take effect on March 15, 2014. In short the Revision basically changes everything for consumers in China. As always, only time will tell as to how it is implemented but the intent is clear – consumers will be given greater protection, writes Mark Schaub, lawyer at King&Wood and Malleson.Read More →
Apple got after five years negotiating its deal with China Mobile, the world´s largest mobile telecom provider. But according to business analyst Shaun Rein it is very unlikely many of the 759 million China Mobile subscribers will fall for Apple´s 4G phones. The top-end users have already signed up subscriptions with for example Samsung, and 80% of the users use 2G and won´t switch easy to 4G.Read More →
Apple got after two years of negotiations its deal with the world’s largest telecom company China Mobile. But the 500 million customers of China Mobile might not all queue up for a 4G deal with Apple, tells business analyst Shaun Rein at Bloomberg. And recent reform plans might not spell well for China Mobile either.Read More →
E-commerce is booming with expected annual growth of 50%, tells business analyst Shaun Rein at BloombergTV. Costs for brick-and-mortar stores are high, labor costs are booming, so much business is going online. Without big US players like Amazon and Ebay though.Read More →
Retail analyst Shaun Rein expects e-commerce in China to grow 50% year-on-year, giving its leader Alibaba a gigantic headwind, now the industry has won the confidence of the consumers, he tells Bloomberg TV. And pollution forces buyers out of the shopping malls to Alibaba.Read More →