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☆ How Trader Joe's Mini Tote Bags and Stanley Cups Became so Popular
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Trader Joe's mini tote bags are the new Stanley cups. Trader Joe's earlier this year released a limited-edition set of canvas bags that look like its normal-sized bags but are smaller. The Trader Joe's bags are cute, I guess? Ask someone who's not very online if they've heard about the Trader Joe's tote bags, and you'll probably get a "huh?" AdvertisementIf you got a coveted Trader Joe's mini tote bag, congratulations.

Persons: Stanley, Joe's, they're, Jesus, it's, Charles Lindsey, Lindsey, That's, Instagram, who's, they've, you'll, Valeria Penttinen, Bean, Jaehee Jung, TikTok, Jung, Emily Stewart Organizations: eBay, University of Buffalo, Trader, Northern Illinois University, Hydro, University of Delaware, Business

☆ Gen Z Is Saving Money by Living With Parents; It's Going to Cost Them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

There are 620,000 more adults living with their parents in the UK than a decade ago. In the US, the percentage of young adults living at home has climbed 87% over the past two decades, according to the US Census Bureau. More than one-third of Gen Z respondents in a 2022 Freddie Mac survey said it's something they thought they'd never be able to achieve. A similar share of young adults lived with their parents in the wake of the Great Recession in 2010 — 44%. For many young adults, living on your own is an important step to feeling grown up.

Persons: Bethany Clark, didn't, she's, Clark, they'd, Moody's, renter, Zers, homebuyers, Gen, Freddie Mac, millennials, Z, grads, We're, Amy Lewthwaite, Lewthwaite, shouldn't, I've, Sarah Obutor, who'd, Obutor, —, Gen Zers, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Arnett Organizations: Census Bureau, Bloomberg, Harris, National Association of Realtors, Bloomberg Businessweek, Guardian, Financial Times, Urban Institute, Northumbria University, Clark University Locations: Surrey, England, America, London, Georgia

☆ Consumer culture’s queen Martha Stewart walked so a generation of lifestyle influencers could run
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Catherine | Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —In the spring of 2015, homemaking expert Martha Stewart was giving Justin Bieber some dating advice. Long before Kylie Jenner may or may not have become a self-made billionaire, Stewart became the first woman to actually achieve that status when the company she founded, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, went public in 1999. But the “Martha Stewart” brand lives on across thousands of products that reach approximately 100 million consumers each month, according to a tally from the current owner, Marquee Brands. There is no modern lifestyle brand without Stewart, who taught a generation of women how to turn themselves into a brand and grow a business. After she sold her namesake brand, Stewart has turned to social media to unlock new streams of revenue while still forging what feels like authentic connections with her millions of followers.

Persons: Martha Stewart, Justin Bieber, Stewart, Justin, Long, Kylie Jenner, Omnimedia, MSLO, Martha Stewart ”, ”, Michael Kupinski, “, ” Kupinski, ” It’s, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, TikTok, ” Martha Stewart, Marc Bryan, Brown, ” Claire Saffitz, Gary Nardilla, Martha, ” Nardilla, Stewart’s, Tang ”, Martha’s, Saffitz Organizations: CNN, Comedy, Marquee Brands, Noble Financial Capital Markets, Bloomberg, Everett, CNN Studios Locations: West Virginia, Instagram, Martha’s Chard

☆ I'm a Canadian who's lived in NYC and Toronto. Quality of life is better in Canada, but I still prefer the US.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Anna Haines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

After eight years of living between New York City and Toronto, I find the quality of living is better in Canada. And yet, as a Canadian, I still prefer living in the US — particularly New York City — over my home country. I think Americans are friendlier than CanadiansThe stereotype is that Canadians are nice, and I think that does hold true. In my experience traveling across the US and meeting Americans abroad, Americans are often chattier than Canadians. Americans love pop culture, and so do II think pop culture is way more exciting in the US than in Canada.

Persons: doesn't, Ryan Gosling, Matthew Perry, Karwai Tang, There's, I've, it's, Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins, — Organizations: Apple TV, Netflix, Farm, Foods, Costco, Aldi, Target, Nordstrom Locations: New York City, Toronto, Canada, Peacock, bodega

☆ 'This is not the tech bubble': A 41-year market veteran explains why US stocks are still cheap after surging to all-time highs — and names 4 investments that can lead markets even higher
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The S&P 500 rose for nine straight weeks, its longest winning streak since 2004, as optimism built about future interest rate cuts. Stoltzfus predicted that S&P 500 earnings will end 2024 between $240 and $250. "Just about everything that you buy costs more today than it cost in 2019, 2020, before 2021 when this started taking hold, except for stocks," Stoltzfus said. Another argument that's more widely discussed is that last year's gains were driven by a handful of large growth stocks. "Some, on a multiple basis, are considerably cheaper outside of Big Tech," Stoltzfus said.

Persons: John Stoltzfus, Stoltzfus, he's, It's, Ameriprise's Anthony Saglimbene, DWS Group's David Bianco, Goldman Sachs, Tesla, —, Oppenheimer, Stocks, that's, it's Organizations: Business, Oppenheimer Asset Management, University of Michigan, Stoltzfus, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Big Tech, Software, isn't, Facebook, Google Locations: industrials

☆ Why do boomers and Gen Xers love Temu so much? I truly want to know.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A research firm reports that boomers and Gen Xers are among Temu's most highly engaged shoppers. Boomers and Gen X shopped on the Chinese discount app more often and spent more than other generations. AdvertisementWhy, exactly, are boomers and Gen X loving Temu so much? Millennial shoppers purchased 3.3 orders on average, Gen X purchased 4.5, and baby boomers bought a whopping 5.6. That means among people who shopped at Temu, the average boomer placed twice as many orders as the average Gen Z shopper.

Persons: Gen Xers, Gen X, I'm, —, Gen, Z, boomer, boomers, Temu, cheapo, Stanley, Xer Organizations: Boomers, Service, Facebook, Bloomberg, Gen X

☆ McDonald's raises China bet, bucking Western firms' derisking trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] A woman sits on a swing attached to a giant sign of McDonald's, outside its themed exhibition in Beijing, China December 4, 2023. One advantage for McDonald’s: its majority partner in the China business, CITIC, provides top-level political cover, said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. McDonald's China, Carlyle Group and CITIC declined to comment. Other consumer-facing U.S. firms, including Starbucks (SBUX.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Coach owner Tapestry (TPR.N) and sportswear giant Nike (NKE.N), have remained similarly dedicated to the China market. Although the McDonald's China menu would be familiar to U.S. consumers, there are nods to local tastes, including taro pie, rather than apple.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, McDonald's, Jason Yu, Kantar, Yu, Carlyle, Wallace, Greg, Euromonitor, Ben Cavender, Casey, Kane Wu, Deborah Sophia, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Group, Carlyle Group, Starbucks, Apple, Nike, Research, Investment, China Market Research, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, U.S, Hong Kong, Macau, Yum China, Russia, Shanghai, Bengaluru

☆ My corporate job and big-city life made me feel anxious and drained, so I left it all behind to move to a remote cottage in the woods
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Aimee Pearcy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Taylor Yates, 27, felt drained and burned out from living in a city and being surrounded by people. In 2021, she and her boyfriend decided to move to live in a rural cottage in the woods. I'm a very sensitive person, and constantly being surrounded by so many people and activities sapped my energy and made me feel exhausted. I was drained living in a city, and I felt like I always had to be doing something or I was missing out. I'd rather have the life I have now, and the ability to visit the city when I want to.

Persons: Taylor Yates, —, Jordan, I'd, It's, Zoe Sugg, Alfie Deyes, Jack, Finn Harries — Organizations: Service, Ontario — Locations: Toronto, I'm, Ontario, Canada

☆ China food delivery firm Meituan beats revenue expectations amid economic headwinds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The platform, whose app provides services such as bike-sharing, ticket-booking and maps, reported June-September revenue of 76.47 billion yuan ($10.69 billion), versus 62.62 billion yuan in the same period a year earlier. Meituan posted a profit of 3.59 billion yuan versus profit of 1.22 billion yuan a year earlier. Meituan CEO Wang Xing previously flagged a tougher third quarter for the food delivery business due to macroeconomic headwinds. A Meituan delivery worker rides a scooter carrying vegetables on a snowy day in Beijing, China January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsQuarterly revenue from core local commerce, which includes food delivery as well as non-food delivery service Meituan Instashopping, rose 24.5% to 57.69 billion yuan.

Persons: Meituan, LSEG, Wang Xing, Tingshu Wang, Ele.me, ChinaIRN, John Choi, Wang Huiwen, ChatGPT, Casey Hall, Christopher Cushing, Edmund Klamann Organizations: HK, REUTERS, Alibaba Group, Meituan, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, Beijing, China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia

Analysts expect Temu, launched in September last year, to generate more than $16 billion in revenue this year. Chinese retail sales in September rose 5.5%, following 4.6% growth in August. PDD's revenue was 68.84 billion yuan ($9.62 billion) in the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with analysts' average estimate of 54.59 billion yuan, according to LSEG data. The company's net income attributable to ordinary shareholders rose to 15.54 billion yuan in the third quarter, from 10.59 billion yuan a year earlier. ($1 = 7.1532 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru and Casey Hall in Shanghai; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Temu, Xiaoyan Wang, Chavi Mehta, Shilpi Majumdar, Mark Potter Organizations: PDD Holdings, Pinduoduo, East, Alibaba, HK, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: China, United States, Europe, East Asia, Australia, Bengaluru, Shanghai

☆ Alibaba's research arm shuts quantum computing lab amid restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Alibaba Group sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant Alibaba (9988.HK) has cut a quantum computing laboratory and team from its research arm, donating both the lab and related experimental equipment to Zhejiang University, the company said on Monday. A spokesperson for Alibaba's DAMO Academy, Alibaba's in-house research initiative which included the lab, said the academy would continue to focus on technology research with the aim of being a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) research. The source said Zhejiang University would try and recruit the affected employees to work on its own quantum research. DAMO Academy was launched in 2017 by Alibaba Group to research advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning.

Persons: Aly, Eddie Wu, Casey Hall, Miral Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, Rights, HK, Zhejiang University, Alibaba's DAMO Academy, Alibaba's, Reuters, DAMO, Alibaba Group, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China

The logo of Alibaba's e-commerce apps Taobao and Tmall are displayed on mobile phones, in this illustration picture taken October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Alibaba's online shopping platforms Taobao and Tmall cancelled its annual Dec. 12 shopping festival and will instead host another shopping festival called 'year-end good price' in December, according to notices on the platforms' websites on Friday. The dates of the new festival were not included in the notice, which was posted in a help section for platform merchants, and Alibaba did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the change. The 12.12 shopping festival, held annually on Dec. 12 since 2012, was the less-celebrated sister of November's Singles Day sales festival, which traditionally fell on Nov. 11 but has in recent years ballooned into a multi-week event beginning in late October. Reporting by Albee Zhang and Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Tmall, Alibaba, Albee Zhang, Brenda Goh, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Edmund Klamann Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING

3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Alibaba Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. Two company sources told Reuters that Ma's move had generated a lot of discussion within the company, as did Jiang's post. Alibaba and the Jack Ma Foundation, the philanthropic organization that handles media queries for the billionaire, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In her internal note, Jiang also repeated comments from Ma's family office shared with the Alibaba-owned newspaper South China Morning Post on Friday that Ma remained "very positive" about Alibaba and that his family trust eventually did not sell a single share. The company has also been grappling with some upheaval in its top ranks, welcoming a new CEO, Eddie Wu, in September.

Persons: Dado, Jack Ma's, Jiang Fang, Jiang, Jack Ma, Ma, Alibaba, Eddie Wu, Daniel Zhang, Casey, Jenny Wang, Brenda Goh, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, Reuters, Jack Ma Foundation, China Morning, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Rights SHANGHAI, BEIJING, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Shanghai's Jewish refugee history takes centre stage in new oratorio
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Musicians perform onstage at the debut performance of Emigre at the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall in Shanghai, China November 17, 2023. A collaboration between the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic as well as choirs from the U.S. and China, the work premiered on Nov. 17. Composer Aaron Zigman, known best for his movie scores, said he was approached by Shanghai Symphony Orchestra's maestro Long Yu in 2019 with the idea for a piece telling the story of Shanghai's Jewish refugee history. In the late 1930s, as World War Two was about to break out, Shanghai was one of the few places in the world open to Jewish refugees, as many countries restricted visa access. Chen Jian, curator of the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, was in the audience for Emigre's global premiere at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall in downtown Shanghai.

Persons: Nicoco Chan, Aaron Zigman, Long Yu, Zigman, Mark Campbell, Chen Jian, Casey Hall, Sonali Paul Organizations: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall, REUTERS, Rights, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Shanghai, Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, Jaguar Shanghai, Orchestra Hall, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, U.S, Nazi Germany, Europe, Japan, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, New York

"Investors had hoped to receive separate shares of the cloud business in hopes the segment could achieve a higher multiple in the public markets due to its growth potential." The company then appointed Eddie Wu, one of Alibaba Group's co-founders and long-time lieutenant of former chief Jack Ma, as both CEO of Alibaba and the cloud business. Instead the group would focus on growing the cloud business and providing investment for its AI drivers, he said. [1/2]3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Alibaba Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. Alibaba International Digital Commerce, a business that includes platforms such as Lazada and AliExpress, however reported a 53% rise in revenues, with retail revenue up 73% year-on-year.

Persons: Cainiao, Thomas Hayes, Alibaba's, Daniel Zhang, Eddie Wu, Alibaba Group's, Jack Ma, Zhang, Joseph Tsai, Tsai, Wu, Dado Ruvic, Alibaba, Akash Sriram, Brenda Goh, Sam Holmes, Arun Koyyur, Jane Merriman Organizations: Alibaba, HK, Tencent Holdings, Alibaba's, Investors, Analysts, Cloud Intelligence Group, REUTERS, Alibaba Group Holdings, PDD Holdings, Digital Commerce, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Hong Kong, Alibaba's U.S, Bengaluru, Shanghai

REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI/PARIS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The world's biggest luxury brands seeking growth in their second-largest market China are all courting the likes of wealthy entrepreneur Diana Wang. "Luxury brands offer you this event experience, this personal experience and it makes you feel privileged," Wang told Reuters. This week, Burberry (BRBY.L) also flagged low double-digit growth due to a slowdown in luxury spending globally, and in China. FEEDING THE LUXURY HABITEven as they narrow their focus, luxury brands remain optimistic about the potential in China, which is forecast to account for almost 40% of global luxury sales by 2030, according to consultants Bain. Luxury consultant Mario Ortelli said several luxury firms are hedging their bets on China by also expanding their global footprint.

Persons: Thomas Peter, Diana Wang, Wang, Tiffany, Chopard, Jacques Roizen, Cartier, Richemont, It's, Jean, Marc Duplaix, Versace, Donatella Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Cyrille Vigneron, LVMH, Louis Vuitton, Bain, Eric du Halgouet, Birkin, Mario Ortelli, Ortelli, it's, Mimosa Spencer, Casey Hall, Miral Organizations: Tiffany, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Burberry, HSBC, Digital Luxury, Chanel, Shanghai, Capri Holdings, Tapestry, Bund, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, PARIS, Shanghai, Cartier, Shenzhen, South Korea, Japan, Thailand

The drop, potentially its biggest one-day fall in more than a year, wiped about $20 billion off the Chinese tech giant's market value. It was the first market reaction in Asia since the stunning strategy reversal was announced late on Thursday. "The cancellation of a full spin-off of AliCloud is a negative surprise," said Nomura analyst Shi Jialong in a note. The company said it will press ahead with a listing of Alibaba's logistics arm, Cainiao, which applied for a Hong Kong initial public offering in September. Reporting By Donny Kwok and Josh Ye in Hong Kong, Casey Hall and Gu Li in Shanghai; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree and Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, Group's, Nomura, Shi Jialong, Alibaba, Jack Ma, Kenneth Fong, Joseph Tsai, Bo Pei, Eddie Wu, Donny Kwok, Josh Ye, Casey Hall, Gu Li, Anne Marie Roantree, Brenda Goh, Muralikumar Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, Hong, Tencent Holdings, HK, UBS, Tiger Research, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, HK, Hong Kong, Asia, AliCloud, Washington, U.S, Hangzhou, Alibaba

☆ Why America is panicking about shoplifting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ally Hill | Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

New York CNN —“Shoplifting in Great Department Stores.” “The Shoplifting Profession.” “No Mercy to Shoplifters.”These headlines could be from articles today. While shoplifting has seemingly never been a bigger problem than it is now, shoplifting has long captured the public’s attention. Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty ImagesAlthough shoplifting increased in some cities during the first half of the year compared to pre-pandemic levels, there is no clear national rise in shoplifting, according to a new analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan criminal justice policy organization. Middle-class women shoplifting in Victorian Britain during the 1800s were the focus of an early panic over shoplifting. Fears spread over middle-class women shoplifting during the early years of department stores.

Persons: New York CNN —, ”, ” James Walsh, Alex Vitale, Donald Trump, Angela Weiss, ” Vitale, Michael Flamm, San Francisco —, Adam Gelb, Tammy Whitlock, kleptomania, “ Said, Abbie Hoffman’s, ” Flamm, Abbie Hoffman, John Shearer, Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, JC Penney, ” David Johnston, Jeffrey Greenberg, we’d, Jeffrey Butts, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Great Department, University of Ontario Institute, Technology’s, CNN, Brooklyn College, ”, Getty, Criminal, Ohio Wesleyan University, “, San, New York Times, University of Kentucky, Consumer Culture, Times, Ohio Wesleyan, National Retail Federation, Retailers, Universal, Commerce, Chamber of Commerce, Department of Justice, “ Research, Research, John Jay College of Criminal Locations: New York, Shoplifters, Britain, America, New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Victorian Britain, England, Ohio, Vietnam

Data released on Thursday showing a drop in consumer prices to their lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the doubts in China's economic rebound after some months of indicators showing growth stabilising. China's big online shopping platforms did not release final sales figures for 2022, when analysts said COVID-19 restrictions inhibited spending and consumer confidence. Some indicators point to a slowdown in Singles Day sales. Data provider Syntun estimated e-commerce platforms sold 311 billion yuan of products from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, a 7.1% decrease year-on-year. For Tan Jiapeng, a 35-year-old office worker in Beijing, his only Singles Day purchase so far has been a Descente winter jacket, an "essential purchase" for the winter.

Persons: Florence Lo, Jason Yu, Kantar, COVID, Bain, Jacob Cooke, Nomura, Tan Jiapeng, Tan, Casey Hall, Sophie Yu, Marius Zaharia Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, PDD Holdings, Company, Technologies, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing

☆ Jim Cramer lauds Apple's 'lifetime customer,' says analysts are too negative on the company
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday avowed his longstanding position on Apple , telling investors the stock will hold its value because of the company's steadfast customer base. "They look at how Apple seems static with just incremental growth," Cramer said of analysts. Investors also worried about Apple's sales in China, which were essentially flat year-over-year, as well as a decline in sales of Macs and iPads. Cramer said he's more focused on Apple's growth in other large international markets such as India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Cramer also said he thinks Apple's strong service revenue makes up for its weakness in hardware.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, Cramer, he's, they'll Organizations: Apple Locations: China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam

Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall Group did not respond to a request for comment. This year's Singles Day event is also the first since Alibaba Group split into six business units. This view is supported by recent polls on social media where the majority of respondents said Singles Day was no longer necessary. Meara He, a 21-year-old student from Wenzhou, says she often shops using Douyin live-streams and this year, "doesn't care" about Singles Day as much. "In the past I would wait for Double 11 (Singles Day) and do some shopping, but this time I just plan to buy products that I need," she said.

Persons: Alibaba, Pinduoduo, Josh Gardner, Alibaba's, Ashley Dudarenok, AlixPartners, Douyin, Melody Zhao, Casey, Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh Organizations: PDD Holdings, Kungfu, Tmall, Administration, Market, ByteDance, Alibaba, Suisse, Industry, Hua Gui Food Group, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HK, China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Beijing

[1/2] The logo of Temu, an e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings, is seen on a mobile phone displayed in front of its website, in this illustration picture taken April 26, 2023. Shein's lawsuit against Temu, filed last December in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleged that Temu told social media influencers to make disparaging remarks about the fast-fashion retailer, and tricked customers into downloading the Temu app using "imposter" social media accounts. In July, Temu filed its own lawsuit in Boston federal court, accusing Shein of violating U.S. antitrust law in its dealings with clothing manufacturers. Temu's complaint alleged Shein "forces manufacturers to sign loyalty oaths certifying that they will not do business with Temu." Temu, whose parent company PDD Holdings also owns Chinese shopping platform Pinduoduo, similarly sells low-priced clothing but is equally well known for stocking cheap headphones and home appliances.

Persons: Florence Lo, Shein, Temu, Casey Hall, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: PDD Holdings, REUTERS, Rights, Northern, Northern District of, Temu, HSBC, Thomson Locations: U.S, Chicago, Boston, Northern District, Northern District of Illinois, China, Europe, Asia

☆ Founder of discount e-shopping firm PDD races up China's rich list
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Colin Huang, who founded PDD in 2015 and stepped down as CEO in 2020, was the fastest riser in this year's Hurun Rich List, leaping seven places to be ranked China's third richest man with a $37.2 billion fortune. Richard Liu, who founded e-commerce giant JD.com, also saw his wealth, and that of his wife Zhang Zetian, fall by $6.2 billion since last year to $8.26 billion, according to Hurun's list. JD.com's shares fell to a record low earlier this month after banks cut its price targets citing a weaker-than-expected recovery in consumer spending. Hui Ka Yan is currently being investigated over suspected "illegal crimes", Evergrande said last month. Reporting by Casey Hall; editing by Brenda Goh and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Colin Huang, Yin Liqin, Rich, Jack Ma, Alibaba, Richard Liu, Zhang Zetian, Rupert Hoogewerf, PDD's Temu, Zhong Shanshan, Pony Ma, Hurun, Wang Jianlin, Hui Ka Yan, Evergrande, Casey Hall, Brenda Goh Organizations: Nasdaq, REUTERS, Rights, PDD Holdings, PDD, HK, Hurun, Dalian Wanda Group, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: New York, Shanghai, China

☆ China's Singles Day sales festival wraps up with e-commerce giants reporting sales growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group (9988.HK) reported that its Chinese e-commerce platforms Tmall and Taobao recorded "positive" year-on-year growth over this year's Singles Day sales period, which wrapped up at midnight on Saturday. Meanwhile competitor JD.com (9618.HK) said its festival GMV (gross merchandising volume) hit a "record high" over the sales period. A Bain and Company report released last week found that 77% of the 3,000 consumers it surveyed had planned to spend less or the same on Singles Day compared with last year. Though several consultancies were predicting Singles Day GMV growth across platforms would reach anywhere from 14% to 18% - returning to double-digit growth for the first time since the pandemic - the final sales picture will take longer to energe. Colour cosmetics, traditionally a strong performer throughout the Singles Day sales period, were expected to struggle this year as make-up demand remains low almost a year after China lifted strict COVID-19 restrictions.

Persons: Taobao, JD.com, Alibaba, Bain, Casey Hall, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Alibaba, HK, PDD Holdings, Company, Nike, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China

Branding signage for WPP, the largest global advertising and public relations agency at their offices in London, Britain, July 17, 2019. The fourth, GroupM China’s CEO and country managing director for WPP China, Patrick Xu, was questioned by police but not detained, the person said. An employee stationed in the closest police precinct to WPP's Shanghai office said police could not comment. "As our fourth largest market globally, China will continue to play a crucial role in WPP's long-term growth strategy. Police visited U.S. management consultancy Bain & Co's Shanghai office in April, then in May, state TV aired a program showing a raid of consultancy Capvision Partners' offices.

Persons: Toby Melville, GroupM, Patrick Xu, Xu, Mark Read, Mintz, Capvision, Bain, Casey, Laurie Chen, Alison Williams Organizations: WPP, REUTERS, Rights, WPP China, Financial Times, Outdoor Holdings, SEC, Police, Bain, Co's, TV, Capvision Partners, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Shanghai, China, Beijing, Co's Shanghai

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