https://www.scmp.com/rss/328084/feed PDD is an online retailer specialising in the budget-shopping segment. It has quickly become one of the biggest e-commerce businesses in China, with its Pinduoduo app pioneering the concept of social e-commerce, allowing consumers to reap steep discounts by buying in groups. It has expanded aggressively overseas in recent years, launching its Temu app in the US in 2022, and subsequently rolling it out in more than 40 countries. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wency Chen Wency Chen PDD Holdings, the Chinese e-commerce group behind Pinduoduo and global budget marketplace Temu, on Wednesday reported an 11 per cent drop in quarterly profit amid higher sales as the company continued a pivot towards greater reinvestment. Net profit for the quarter fell to 24.5 billion yuan (US$3.6 billion), missing a consensus analyst estimate of 29.1 billion yuan. Meanwhile, revenue rose 12 per cent from a year earlier to 123.9 billion yuan, aligning with a consensus analyst estimate of 123.7... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347894/pinduoduo-operator-pdds-profit-slides-chinese-firm-cites-higher-reinvestment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347894/pinduoduo-operator-pdds-profit-slides-chinese-firm-cites-higher-reinvestment?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:45:50 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang JD.com is making a renewed push into its online supermarket business with a subsidy programme worth more than 20 billion yuan (US$2.9 billion) over three years, a move aimed at defending its position in China’s e-commerce and on-demand grocery sectors. In a statement on Thursday, JD.com said the subsidy would cover products on a dedicated channel called “Billion-Yuan Supermarket”, under its JD Supermarket service. The aim was to help vendors generate an additional 200 billion yuan in sales over... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344738/jdcom-renews-demand-delivery-fight-us29-billion-grocery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3344738/jdcom-renews-demand-delivery-fight-us29-billion-grocery-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin They are young, intensely competitive, and unapologetic about 80-hour work weeks. Welcome to the United States’ new generation of tech founders. Gen Z’s start-up class is reframing “millennial hustle culture” by shifting from side gigs and personal branding to a more rigid office grind, while looking to China for inspiration. It’s for this reason that US artificial intelligence start-ups are openly embracing 996, the controversial 9am to 9pm, six-day-a-week schedule popularised by Chinese tech... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344052/996-goes-west-us-ai-start-ups-adopt-china-techs-controversial-work-schedule-get-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Unusually warm weather in Hong Kong has forced flower sellers at Lunar New Year fairs to contend with premature blooms while also navigating a retail landscape where heavy foot traffic masked a tightening of local purse strings. On Sunday, the Observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 26.9 degrees Celsius (80.4 Fahrenheit) at its headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui, matching the record set in 2010 for the same day in the lunar calendar. “Winter has become like summer, which is not a good... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343641/early-flower-blooms-warm-weather-add-sellers-woes-festival-fairs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343641/early-flower-blooms-warm-weather-add-sellers-woes-festival-fairs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:11:51 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Some lovebirds in Hong Kong are expressing their affection this Valentine’s Day by spending hundreds of dollars on bouquets and gifts, while several vendors have recorded growth in sales of about 20 per cent. At the bustling Flower Market in Mong Kok, many men were among the crowds picking bouquets of roses, while others browsed for flowers to celebrate the coming Lunar New Year. The high number of shoppers on Tung Choi Street even prompted police to put in place crowd control measures. Stalls... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343570/flower-sales-hong-kong-bloom-valentines-day-shoppers-splash-out-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3343570/flower-sales-hong-kong-bloom-valentines-day-shoppers-splash-out-gifts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:10:13 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang An orphan, trained as a cold-hearted assassin, learns what love truly means from a master thief. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, however, she kills her lover, granting him freedom as her final gift. Joyce, from Shenzhen in southern China, played this female killer in a script-killing game, and after a 10-hour plot unfolding, tears streamed down her face upon reaching this ending. She is one of many participating in the recently booming romantic script-killing games in China. In traditional... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3342530/china-women-pay-companions-role-playing-games-spark-love-commercialisation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3342530/china-women-pay-companions-role-playing-games-spark-love-commercialisation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Shanghai’s tax authority fined an operating entity of PDD Holdings, the US-listed e-commerce company that runs leading retail platforms Pinduoduo and Temu, citing its failure to comply with local tax requirements, according to a Wednesday report from state news agency Xinhua. Shanghai Xunmeng Information Technology, a PDD subsidiary which operates Pinduoduo, failed to report necessary information concerning its platform operators and employees for the third quarter of 2025, the city’s tax... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340679/china-fines-e-commerce-firm-pdd-tax-violations-amid-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340679/china-fines-e-commerce-firm-pdd-tax-violations-amid-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:15:44 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng In a seismic shift for the global retail landscape, Temu, the budget shopping platform owned by PDD Holdings, has caught up with Amazon.com in cross-border market share globally. The platform, which launched in 2022, saw its share surge from less than 1 per cent then to 24 per cent last year, on par with American giant Amazon, according to a survey published by International Post Corporation (IPC), an association of 26 national postal services in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. Amazon’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340415/chinese-owned-temu-catches-amazon-global-cross-border-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340415/chinese-owned-temu-catches-amazon-global-cross-border-e-commerce?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:15:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has moved to tighten controls on its artificial intelligence-powered smartphone after several of China’s most widely used apps restricted its voice-operated functions. The company said it had scaled back the capabilities of Doubao, the agentic AI that runs on the device. In a statement issued on Friday, ByteDance said it would prevent the Nubia M153 AI phone from claiming incentives that were intended for active human users. It was also disabling the assistant’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335404/bytedances-agentic-ai-smartphone-dials-digital-backlash-chinas-top-apps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3335404/bytedances-agentic-ai-smartphone-dials-digital-backlash-chinas-top-apps?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Major US fund managers stayed cautious on China in the third quarter, with Oaktree Capital Management rebalancing its exposure to both equities and convertible bonds tied to Chinese firms, while Appaloosa – founded by billionaire investor David Tepper – made selective adjustments. Oaktree Capital, founded by notable investor Howard Marks, sold all of its 1.5 million shares valued at US$26.8 million in KE Holdings, a Chinese online property platform, in the third quarter, according to its latest... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332820/us-funds-tread-carefully-china-oaktree-and-appaloosa-recalibrate-positions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3332820/us-funds-tread-carefully-china-oaktree-and-appaloosa-recalibrate-positions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 23:30:09 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Two people have fallen victim to scammers who impersonated courier workers and sent fake text messages to steal bank account information in Hong Kong, with one person losing more than HK$1 million (US$128,200). Police revealed the cases on their CyberDefender social media account on Friday, warning that the force had recorded more than 60 phishing scams over the past two weeks, with more than HK$6 million in total stolen from victims. The force said a victim recently received a phishing text... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3330277/scammers-use-fake-courier-messages-steal-hong-kong-bank-details-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3330277/scammers-use-fake-courier-messages-steal-hong-kong-bank-details-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:57:51 +0000 Wei Li Wei Li For over a decade, commentators have warned of China’s looming economic decline. Today, the challenges are real: US-China trade frictions, weak household consumption, an overstretched property sector and a shrinking workforce. Making money in China may feel harder than before. Yet to see China solely through the lens of stagnation is to miss the profound transformation under way. Far from collapsing, China is restructuring. More importantly, it has nurtured a generation of entrepreneurs and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327400/how-chinas-entrepreneurs-are-blazing-trail-economic-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327400/how-chinas-entrepreneurs-are-blazing-trail-economic-transformation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng,Wency Chen Coco Feng,Wency Chen Since April, mainland Chinese consumers have been spoiled for choice, as instant commerce competition brought dazzling promotional subsidies and speedy deliveries right to their doorsteps. Instant commerce – a turbocharged combination of online shopping and swift dispatch – had already made a typical lunchbox order cost around US$1 or US$2, which covered the food and the delivery fee. On-demand delivery giant Meituan’s “Grouping for Good Meals” campaign, for example, offered a four-dish set meal... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325354/how-chinas-retail-market-evolving-amid-alibaba-and-meituans-instant-commerce-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325354/how-chinas-retail-market-evolving-amid-alibaba-and-meituans-instant-commerce-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 02:06:12 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Tailor-made counterfeit student cards for universities in Hong Kong, including the city’s oldest institution, are being sold on an online platform, the Post has found, with legal experts warning that both sellers and buyers may be breaking the law. A check by the Post on Monday found at least three shops on a major cross-border e-commerce platform, Pinduoduo, selling counterfeit student cards for around 40 to 70 yuan (US$5.60 to US$9.80) each. Some of the sellers told the Post that the cards... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324947/custom-counterfeit-student-cards-universities-hong-kong-sold-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324947/custom-counterfeit-student-cards-universities-hong-kong-sold-online?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:08:39 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Smoke grenades, live animals and fresh meat are among the heavily regulated items readily available on mainland Chinese e-commerce sites for delivery to Hong Kong despite an official crackdown, the Post has found. Listings on Taobao and Pinduoduo have been subject to increased scrutiny following the arrest last month of a 13-year-old Hongkonger who allegedly bought smoke grenades online. Sources earlier said that the boy had bought the three smoke grenades for HK$92 (US$11.70) on Pinduoduo on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322062/smoke-grenades-live-animals-delivered-hong-kong-how-sellers-evade-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3322062/smoke-grenades-live-animals-delivered-hong-kong-how-sellers-evade-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 01:00:23 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding is set to launch a new membership programme spanning a range of services from an online marketplace to food delivery and travel booking, according to Chinese media reports and a person with knowledge of the matter, as the tech giant strives to recapture its leading position in China’s competitive e-commerce market. Alibaba’s e-commerce group, led by Jiang Fan, will provide members of Taobao – China’s largest online marketplace – with subsidised access to various other... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3320855/alibaba-seeks-reclaim-e-commerce-dominance-china-cross-service-loyalty-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3320855/alibaba-seeks-reclaim-e-commerce-dominance-china-cross-service-loyalty-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong customs has launched talks with major cross-border e-commerce firms, including Pinduoduo and Taobao, in a bid to block contraband from being sold to buyers in the city, the head of the disciplined service has revealed. Commissioner of Customs and Excise Chan Tsz-tat told the Post in an exclusive interview that his agency had a robust communication mechanism with e-commerce platforms and had asked Pinduoduo to take down relevant products after a teenage boy was found to have bought... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3320611/hong-kong-customs-talks-e-commerce-firms-such-pinduoduo-control-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3320611/hong-kong-customs-talks-e-commerce-firms-such-pinduoduo-control-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:30:14 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Taobao, China’s largest online shopping app owned by Alibaba Group Holding, is seeing rapid user growth in Thailand, as the platform expands its international presence in search of new growth opportunities. Just over a month after the launch of a localised version of Taobao, the number of new Thai users on the platform surged 60 per cent year on year, recent data from Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), the company’s overseas e-commerce division, showed. The Thai version of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319264/alibabas-taobao-sees-60-user-surge-thailand-after-launch-local-language-version?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3319264/alibabas-taobao-sees-60-user-surge-thailand-after-launch-local-language-version?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Raw oysters, frozen poultry and fresh eggs sold on mainland Chinese e-commerce platforms are still available for delivery to Hong Kong, the Post has found, despite a joint warning issued by consumer watchdogs in the city, Macau and Guangdong province. According to checks by the Post on Wednesday, 5lbs of fresh raw shucked oysters from Chaozhou in eastern Guangdong were being sold on Pinduoduo for as low as 79 yuan (US$11), with free shipping to Hong Kong on offer. According to shopper reviews,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3319247/perishable-foods-chinese-platforms-still-delivered-hong-kong-despite-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3319247/perishable-foods-chinese-platforms-still-delivered-hong-kong-despite-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 06:51:03 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The French government has fined online retailer Shein €40 million (US$47 million) for “deceptive marketing practices” and incomplete information about the environmental impact of its products. The penalty was announced just days after a European Union official said on Monday that he was “deeply concerned” about the millions of small parcels entering the region every day, many from Chinese-founded platforms like Shein and Temu. The fine by France’s Ministry of Economy followed investigations... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3316961/france-fines-shein-us47-million-deceptive-pricing-amid-eu-scrutiny-small-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3316961/france-fines-shein-us47-million-deceptive-pricing-amid-eu-scrutiny-small-parcels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 09:00:17 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov TikTok has launched its e-commerce platform in Japan, enabling users to directly buy products featured in videos, as the app continues to face an uncertain future in the US. TikTok Shop’s launch in Japan on Monday confirms the Post’s earlier report that the popular short-video app is seeking to diversify its global footprint while reducing its reliance on the US market, as President Donald Trump has demanded the app’s US operations be sold to American investors. Trump said in an interview with... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316505/tiktok-shop-opens-business-japan-us-fate-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316505/tiktok-shop-opens-business-japan-us-fate-hangs-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti In Kevin Zhang’s quiet, two-storey house in Gloucester, hundreds of parcels blanket the living room floor. Each package – shipped from China – is bound for British customers who placed orders on Temu, TikTok Shop and AliExpress. Zhang, 49, moved to the United Kingdom from China’s rustbelt northeast in 2000, and spent years running a local nail salon. But in March, he sensed that something big was happening with China’s cross-border e-commerce platforms – and decided to make a change. He... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316120/chinese-migrants-turning-their-uk-homes-temu-and-shein-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316120/chinese-migrants-turning-their-uk-homes-temu-and-shein-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com reported record user participation and growing sales during the 618 shopping festival, as government subsidies and new artificial intelligence (AI) tools fuelled a surge in consumer activity. More than 453 brands each surpassed 100 million yuan (US$14 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV) on Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall platforms during the weeks-long event, the company said on Thursday. The roster included global names such as Apple,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3315109/alibaba-and-jdcom-claim-record-participation-618-sales-event-boosted-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3315109/alibaba-and-jdcom-claim-record-participation-618-sales-event-boosted-subsidies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Budget shopping site Temu, owned by Chinese online retailer PDD Holdings, is resuming direct shipments from China to the US, after Washington and Beijing agreed on a framework for a trade deal. Some items that had been removed from Temu’s US marketplace last month after it shifted to a “local fulfilment model” have been made available for sale in recent days. A Chinese seller surnamed Liu, who sells women’s clothing from Dongguan, Guangdong province, said two of his dresses were made available... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3314334/chinese-backed-temu-resumes-direct-sales-us-after-washington-beijing-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3314334/chinese-backed-temu-resumes-direct-sales-us-after-washington-beijing-trade-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jun 2025 13:00:12 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng TikTok owner ByteDance, whose Douyin short video app has emerged as a popular e-commerce shopping platform in China, will cut the guarantee deposit payable by merchants, in a move designed to keep existing sellers and lure new ones amid fierce competition. The deposit, held by the platform on behalf of sellers to cover potential costs such as refunds or penalties, would be capped at 5,000 yuan (US$695), a fraction of the previous maximum of 500,000 yuan. As a result, the deposit payable by... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314162/tiktok-sister-app-douyin-woo-merchants-lower-deposit-fees-amid-heated-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314162/tiktok-sister-app-douyin-woo-merchants-lower-deposit-fees-amid-heated-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:00:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese discount e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, operator of Temu and Pinduoduo, faces increased profitability challenges amid US President Donald Trump’s trade policies and heightened competition in its home market, according to analysts. PDD on Tuesday reported a 47 per cent slump in first-quarter earnings amid slower sales growth, with results trailing market consensus. PDD’s Nasdaq-listed shares tumbled as much as 18 per cent in New York overnight, as the company’s poor report card suggested... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3312161/temu-pinduoduo-owner-pdd-faces-profit-challenge-amid-trump-tariffs-domestic-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3312161/temu-pinduoduo-owner-pdd-faces-profit-challenge-amid-trump-tariffs-domestic-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 13:00:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings missed Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue on Tuesday, as its domestic platform Pinduoduo suffered from weak consumer sentiment while its international business Temu was hit by uncertain global trade policies. The US-listed shares of the company fell close to 7 per cent in premarket trading. Despite deep price cuts from retailers and Chinese government stimulus measures to boost spending, a prolonged property crisis in the world’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3312009/temu-owner-pdd-holdings-misses-quarterly-revenue-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3312009/temu-owner-pdd-holdings-misses-quarterly-revenue-estimates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 11:27:00 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s top market regulator has published a draft of new rules aimed at making commission fees charged by e-commerce platforms more fair and transparent, a move that could impact leading market players such as Alibaba Group Holding, JD.com and PDD Holdings. The regulation, titled “Compliance Guide for Online Trading Platform Fees”, covers any internet platforms that “provide online business premises, facilitate transactions, distribute information and offer other services”, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3311833/china-rein-e-commerce-commission-fees-unveils-new-rules-draft-regulation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3311833/china-rein-e-commerce-commission-fees-unveils-new-rules-draft-regulation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 10:00:25 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan is mulling a review of tax exemptions for small parcels including those shipped from China, joining a slew of governments stepping up scrutiny over a duty-free channel used by Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu. A group of government tax experts last week discussed problems related to existing tax exemptions for small parcels shipped to Japan, according to the Cabinet Office. They looked at concerns about fair competition and the channel being a conduit for illegal drugs and counterfeit goods... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3311032/japan-follows-trumps-lead-weighs-taxing-imports-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3311032/japan-follows-trumps-lead-weighs-taxing-imports-chinas-shein-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 May 2025 06:02:06 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu China is ramping up its efforts to support businesses and workers affected by the trade war, with officials from two key government departments holding separate meetings with private sector representatives within hours of each other on Wednesday. The back-to-back talks signal that China still has work to do to stabilise its economy and labour market, as uncertainties linger despite Beijing and Washington agreeing to dramatically roll back tariffs on each other’s goods on Monday. Bai Qingyuan,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310397/china-moves-protect-small-traders-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310397/china-moves-protect-small-traders-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 03:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters An agreement between the US and China to temporarily slash tariffs stopped short of reinstating the US “de minimis” duty exemption for e-commerce packages from China, but still gives online retailers like Shein and Temu a window to adapt their businesses. The Chinese firms, which have taken market share from dollar stores and shopping-centre rivals to surge to among the top 10 downloaded apps in the US, would likely use the 90-day reprieve to bring in bulk shipments and restock their US... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3310079/us-china-tariff-reprieve-gives-shein-temu-time-restock-us-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3310079/us-china-tariff-reprieve-gives-shein-temu-time-restock-us-warehouses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 01:53:19 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng On Friday, more than 1,000 Chinese merchants selling on the Temu online marketplace gathered for a five-hour event in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province and a key export hub in southern China. They came to learn about the latest clothing trends in various overseas markets – except the largest one, the US. Amid an intensifying trade war between China and the US, the message from Temu to sellers was clear: diversify your revenue sources. The event featured three sessions focused on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309844/temu-points-chinese-sellers-middle-east-latin-american-markets-amid-us-tariff-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309844/temu-points-chinese-sellers-middle-east-latin-american-markets-amid-us-tariff-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 01:00:17 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Temu, the shopping platform owned by Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, has revised its business model in the US in response to “retaliatory” tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Chinese imports and the end of the “de minimis” duty exemption policy. The platform, which has rapidly gained popularity in the US, offers direct access to made-in-China products and markets itself as a bargain marketplace, allowing customers to “shop like a billionaire”. Temu said on Friday that it... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308811/temu-adapts-us-business-model-trump-tariffs-embracing-local-sellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308811/temu-adapts-us-business-model-trump-tariffs-embracing-local-sellers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 07:03:51 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Discount Chinese retail app Temu appears to be passing on nearly all of US President Donald Trump’s new import taxes to American consumers, more than doubling the cost of some products in a move that may add to concern about the inflationary impact of tariffs. Previously exempted from any levies under the so-called de minimis rule, parcels priced up to US$800 from China now face an ad-valorem tax of 120 per cent of a product’s value, or a per postal item fee of at least US$100 starting May 2.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308292/us-shoppers-pay-trump-tariffs-temu-shein-also-raises-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3308292/us-shoppers-pay-trump-tariffs-temu-shein-also-raises-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 03:08:15 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese-backed online retailers Shein and Temu have notified US consumers that they would raise prices starting April 25 “due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs”, as Chinese imports face significant tariff increases and the expiration of key exemptions. The two platforms, known for offering budget-friendly goods sourced primarily from China, issued nearly identical statements on their US websites. Shein, founded by low-profile entrepreneur Sky Xu, and Temu, owned by PDD... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3307050/shein-temu-increase-us-prices-next-week-after-trumps-tariffs-de-minimis-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3307050/shein-temu-increase-us-prices-next-week-after-trumps-tariffs-de-minimis-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng,Xinmei Shen Coco Feng,Xinmei Shen Online shopping platform Temu, owned by PDD Holdings, has suspended its advertising spending on major US channels such as Google and Meta Platforms, as new US tariffs pose challenges to its business model. Since April 12, the daily number of advertisements placed on Google by Temu’s main entity, WhaleCo, has plummeted to just 14, a sharp decline from between 30,000 and 60,000 from April 6 to 9, according to the Google Ads Transparency Centre. Temu has “turned off all their Google Shopping ads in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3306806/temu-cuts-us-ads-google-meta-after-trumps-tariffs-app-downloads-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3306806/temu-cuts-us-ads-google-meta-after-trumps-tariffs-app-downloads-plunge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:17:00 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng In China’s “Shein village”, located in the suburbs of Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province, where thousands of small clothing manufacturers are clustered, factory workers are on edge over the escalating trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump. A worker surnamed Wu, employed at a jeans manufacturer in the city’s Panyu district, is worried he might lose his job and fears that higher tariffs could significantly hurt Chinese exports. Wu said his working hours had drastically... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3305652/trump-tariffs-chinas-shein-village-workers-face-uncertain-future-trade-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3305652/trump-tariffs-chinas-shein-village-workers-face-uncertain-future-trade-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:00:15 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng China’s cross-border merchants and logistics service providers are contending with the chaos caused by US President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth tariff policies, as businesses brace for more shocks in an already challenging retail market. Garments producer and online seller Kenny Li said he tried to keep his cool after Trump earlier this month raised tariffs on Chinese goods by 10 per cent and removed a duty exemption on lower-value packages, only to delay implementing the policies several days... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3298805/chinas-merchants-temu-shein-face-turmoil-after-trumps-tariff-reversal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3298805/chinas-merchants-temu-shein-face-turmoil-after-trumps-tariff-reversal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Feb 2025 02:30:14 +0000 In the blizzard of trade rules introduced by US President Donald Trump to “Make America Great Again” (Maga), the abolishing of the “de minimis” exemption for Chinese goods – since paused – has proven to be anything but de minimis. Introduced in the 1930 Trade Act to let in small, inconsequential packages without tariffs, duties and the documentary palaver associated with customs clearance, the de minimis exemption has become highly consequential. Efforts to curtail it have been the subject of no... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298592/trumps-bid-collect-tax-small-chinese-parcels-will-cost-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3298592/trumps-bid-collect-tax-small-chinese-parcels-will-cost-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Online shopping giants Temu and Shein have seen a sustained drop in sales in the week after US President Donald Trump scrapped a duty exemption that their small parcels benefit from, suggesting a chilling effect on American consumers who previously flocked to their ultra-cheap wares. Shein’s US sales fell 16 per cent to 41 per cent for five days from February 5 while PDD Holdings’ Temu notched a fall of as much as 32 per cent during the period, according to Bloomberg Second Measure, which... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3298384/temu-shein-sales-fall-week-after-trump-scrapped-duty-exemption-hitting-china-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3298384/temu-shein-sales-fall-week-after-trump-scrapped-duty-exemption-hitting-china-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:14:22 +0000 Coco Feng,Iris Deng,Wency Chen Coco Feng,Iris Deng,Wency Chen Chinese merchants selling to US customers online are looking to raise prices to offset the new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and rising shipping costs after the United States Postal Service (USPS) temporarily stopped receiving parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong this week. A merchant surnamed Gu, who sells on Amazon.com and PDD Holdings-owned Temu, said she received a message from her cargo service provider on Monday that it would charge extra for parcels destined for the US... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3297512/chinas-cross-border-merchants-mull-price-hikes-offset-us-tariffs-shipping-fees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3297512/chinas-cross-border-merchants-mull-price-hikes-offset-us-tariffs-shipping-fees?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:08:17 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The Lunar New Year holiday is among the priciest time to travel in China, but this year, Chinese internet user Lan He managed to score a one-way flight ticket from Kunming, Yunnan province, to her parents’ home about two hours away in Jian, Jiangxi province, for less than 500 yuan (US$68). The trick? Fool the algorithms, according to Lan. Before Lan booked her flight, she unleashed a string of social media posts complaining about costly holiday airfares. “I’m not going because flight tickets are... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296092/chinas-lunar-new-year-travellers-try-outsmart-algorithms-cheaper-fares?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296092/chinas-lunar-new-year-travellers-try-outsmart-algorithms-cheaper-fares?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie Zhong Shanshan, China’s richest man and the founder of bottled-water giant Nongfu Spring, has vowed to steer clear of price wars, after a year of aggressive price cuts and online personal attacks cost his company billions in market value. “[The] Blind pursuit of low prices, especially through internet-driven price wars, is destroying the quality of Chinese products and undermining China’s economy,” the billionaire said on Thursday at a company event. “Only the incompetent resort to price wars.... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296050/nongfu-spring-founder-zhong-shanshan-pledges-end-price-war-after-year-online-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3296050/nongfu-spring-founder-zhong-shanshan-pledges-end-price-war-after-year-online-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2025 01:53:35 +0000 The Chinese economic miracle occurred on a far greater scale than even the most experienced observers could have imagined. It transformed a country with a gross domestic product of US$361 billion in 1990 into an international financial powerhouse and market leader in several technology-related areas. By 2023, its GDP had risen to US$17.8 trillion, an increase of over 4,800 per cent. This economic transformation lifted over 800 million people from poverty, vastly expanded the middle class and led... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3293929/china-will-rein-vicious-competition-root-its-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3293929/china-will-rein-vicious-competition-root-its-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Yi Luo Yi Luo Chinese-American billionaire and low-key entrepreneur-investor Duan Yongping publicly praised e-commerce giant PDD Holdings’ Temu for its marketing success, highlighting the budget-shopping site’s high-profile advertisements during the Super Bowl in 2023 and 2024. “The Super Bowl is a great platform for advertising, but I never managed to make it there,” Duan said during a speech at his alma mater Zhejiang University on Sunday. “Colin Huang Zheng, founder of Temu, did it.” “Almost everybody in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293630/pdds-chinese-american-billionaire-investor-duan-yongping-heaps-praise-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293630/pdds-chinese-american-billionaire-investor-duan-yongping-heaps-praise-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2025 13:00:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Major Chinese internet platforms have vowed to improve their algorithms, after the mainland’s internet watchdog launched a campaign to address the misuse of the technology underpinning the recommendation functions of apps and websites. ByteDance’s TikTok alternative for its home market, Douyin, said on Friday it would establish a safety centre this year to make its recommendation system more transparent. It will also provide a more diverse video feed and strengthen its crackdown on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293411/chinas-tech-giants-vow-fix-algorithm-issues-amid-government-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293411/chinas-tech-giants-vow-fix-algorithm-issues-amid-government-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jan 2025 07:00:14 +0000 Fast-fashion online retailer Shein, which is hoping to list in London, faces a UK hearing on January 7 where a British parliamentary committee plans to question the firm, founded in China in 2008, about the rights of workers in its supply chain. The cross-party Business and Trade Committee will also question Temu, the global online marketplace owned by Chinese e-commerce firm PDD Holdings, as part of an inquiry into employment rights opened in October. The committee, chaired by former Labour... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3293213/uk-lawmakers-summon-shein-and-temu-questioning-over-labour-practices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3293213/uk-lawmakers-summon-shein-and-temu-questioning-over-labour-practices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 17:38:16 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Apple is offering consumers in mainland China fresh price cuts on iPhones and other products via its local website, as the US tech giant seeks to boost sales amid stiff competition with Huawei Technologies and other domestic rivals in the world’s largest smartphone market. Cupertino, California-based Apple on Thursday announced a promotion running from January 4 to 7 that will provide a 500-yuan (US$68) discount on its latest premium models, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. A 400-yuan... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293187/apple-offers-fresh-price-cuts-iphones-china-huawei-competition-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3293187/apple-offers-fresh-price-cuts-iphones-china-huawei-competition-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng,Xinmei Shen,Wency Chen Coco Feng,Xinmei Shen,Wency Chen Amazon.com has asked some Chinese cross-border merchants to stop offering goods at a cheaper price on rival platform Temu, according to several sellers, amid intensifying competition from the aggressive budget retailer owned by mainland e-commerce giant PDD Holdings. The local office of US-based Amazon recently informed the managers of some top-selling Chinese brands that they should not list identical items at a lower price on Temu, merchants said. It comes after the US retailer started... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3292130/amazon-asks-chinese-sellers-not-offer-cheaper-prices-temu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3292130/amazon-asks-chinese-sellers-not-offer-cheaper-prices-temu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Dec 2024 10:00:28 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen The “refund-only” policy in China’s e-commerce sector – where consumers can get back money for goods bought from merchants, without returning the products – is now under scrutiny, as analysts point to how the practice has been abused in the local market. China’s market regulator has directed PDD Holdings, operator of popular budget-shopping platforms Pinduoduo on the mainland and Temu overseas, to fix this refund-only practice, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday. The State... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290555/why-beijing-has-put-e-commerce-sectors-refund-only-policy-and-pdd-under-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290555/why-beijing-has-put-e-commerce-sectors-refund-only-policy-and-pdd-under-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:15 +0000