consumption

China Confronts a Worrying New Scam: Vanishing Businesses

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

The owners of struggling gyms, beauty salons, and tuition centers are hiring professional “store closers” to help them suddenly disappear without a trace — and take their customers’ money with them.

Li Xin

Li Miaoran

China’s Livestream Industry Has a Fraud Problem

Livestreamers are routinely faking sales data and selling counterfeit products to boost their profits, a new investigation claims.

Fan Yiying

Extreme Weather Sends Food Prices Soaring in China

Vegetable prices have spiked over 40% after a summer blighted by heat waves and severe flooding.

He Qitong

Not All Fun and Games: Collectible Card Craze Grips China’s Youth

As a new collectible card trend sweeps the country, there are concerns that the hobby is fueling addictive tendencies among children.

Lin Liuhan

The ‘Pink’ Premium: Why Women in China Still Pay More for Less

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

For years, global campaigns have opposed the “pink tax,” where products marketed to women are priced higher than those for men. In China, the debate intensified recently when university students sued cosmetics giant L’Oréal for discriminatory pricing of facial cleansers.

Zhang Zhen

Why China’s Small Merchants Are Checking Out of Mega Shopping Fests

Frustrated by high return rates and dwindling profits, small merchants are questioning the long-term viability of discount-driven shopping festivals. Some are even opting out and returning to more traditional business models.

Ye Zhanhang

In China, Starbucks Feels the Heat From Homegrown Coffee Chains

Amid a dip in sales driven by competition from affordable local brands, Starbucks is under fire for high prices and lower service quality. In response, the company is upping efforts to enhance customer experiences and tailor its product offerings.

Chinese Parents Falling Prey to Dubious Myopia ‘Miracle Cures’

With half of Chinese children now near-sighted, vendors are flooding the market with questionable eye treatments — from “AI glasses” to “miracle drugs.”

In China, a Major Battle Between Publishers and Big Tech

In an industry first, dozens of publishing houses have announced they will boycott e-commerce platform JD.com’s “618” shopping festival.

For Stressed Young Chinese, Chiikawa Toys Are Digital Ibuprofen

Based on the hugely popular Japanese manga, Chiikawa characters are growing more popular in China. Until now, Chinese fans could only buy merchandise through proxy shoppers at inflated prices from overseas.

Ding Xiaoyan

Chinese Detergent Brand in a Spin Over Sexist Ad Campaign

Washing powder maker Blue Moon ran a campaign calling for people to “Make laundry easier for mom” this Mother’s Day. Women responded they’d rather their partners took care of it.

Chinese Shopping Platforms Phase Out Unpopular Presale Schemes

China’s leading e-commerce platforms used to encourage users to reserve goods weeks in advance of major shopping festivals. But shoppers often complained of late shipments and mysterious price hikes.

Lotteries to Cowshed Cafés: How China’s Small Coffee Shops Survive

With space for independent and small-scale cafés shrinking in China’s competitive coffee shop market, many are carving out niches to challenge big brand chains.

Ding Rui

Li Dongxu

Demand for Insurance Is Rising in China, Report Finds

Chinese household spending on insurance rose in 2023, with private pensions, health insurance, and pet insurance among the main growth areas.

Piece by Piece, an Ancient Chinese Craft Is Shaping Future Toys

Sunmao, an ancient woodworking technique that connects without nails or glue, is making a comeback in the world of toy manufacturing. This resurgence is part of a broader trend of adapting traditional crafts for modern markets, driven by demand from Gen Z.

In South China, Tomb Sweeping Holiday Sparks Travel Surge From HK

Data shows that delivery orders from Hong Kong users in the mainland spiked 32-fold over the Easter holiday, with milk tea as the top choice.

The Chinese Factory Tearing Love to Shreds

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

A business in North China is helping heartbroken lovers move on by shredding their wedding photos and other mementos — and using the waste to supply a biofuel plant.

Hong Weilin

An Ancient Silk Road City Is Now China’s Latest Hotpot Hub

Searches for travel to the northwestern city of Tianshui have more than doubled in the last week, while bookings for hotels and tourist attractions have increased nearly 40% compared to the previous year.

Health Products Sold via Livestream Not That Healthy: New Report

A new Shanghai Consumer Council report that surveyed livestreamers selling health foods as sugar-free or sucrose-free found that nearly half the products did not match their promotional claims.

Men’s Cosmetics and Flowers Lead Douyin’s Women’s Day Sales Boom

China’s short video giant reported a 54% increase in beauty and skincare product sales, while flower orders surged by over 200%.