consumption

Has the ‘Double Eleven’ Shopping Festival Lost its Luster?

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

SIXTH TONE ×

The annual online shopping festival has continued to falter as an overabundance of sales seasons and opaque pricing strategies cause fatigue among consumers.

Shanghai Observer

E-Commerce Giants Target a New Singles’ Day Market: China’s Elderly

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

Amid China’s biggest shopping festival, data shows a surge in senior consumption across online platforms, particularly of products like electric wheelchairs and hearing aids.

He Qitong

Trick or Treat: The Rise of China’s Snack Food Stores

As the snack food market expands rapidly in China, franchise store owners in towns and small cities might be biting off more than they can chew.

Xianwei Story

Moutai Raising Factory Prices to Improve Brand Image: Analysts 

Following high-profile collaborations with several mass consumer brands, Kweichow Moutai is taking steps to shore up its brand image and expand its sales channels.

To Grow Wealth, China’s Gen Z is Buying Gold — One Bean at a Time

Buying gold was largely associated with older generations in China, but data now indicates that over half of gold consumers belong to the post-’90s age group. For many, it’s the most viable long-term investment.

Zhu Junxi

Anti-Consumerism Advocate Encourages Rethinking Life’s Pleasures in China 

Through talks, workshops, and a magazine, a group of like-minded friends in Shanghai are encouraging people to reject consumerist culture and make better use of their cities’ public spaces. Their message is falling on receptive ears.

Yang Caini

The Chinese Burger Startups Vying to Take a Bite Out of KFC

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

Armed with beefy venture capital investments, Chinese fast-food brands are winning over consumers with a combination of aggressive price cuts and patriotic marketing tactics.

Li Xin

Moutai’s Liquor-Filled Chocolates Spark Buying Frenzy in China

With prices surging on second-hand trading platforms, the company has said it is boosting production and advised consumers to only buy chocolates from official stores.

Ding Rui

Following Rant, China’s Biggest Influencer Accused of Being ‘Out of Touch’

Known for being a livestreamer whose low prices connected him with fans, Li Jiaqi is now being roundly criticized for failing to grasp consumer sentiment.

China Loosens Homebuying Policies — Will Buyers Bite?

The policies arrive just in time for “golden September and silver October,” the traditional peak season for property sales.

Why China’s E-Bike Market Is Facing a Wave of Battery Fires 

Experts say the rapid growth of the electric battery market in China has far outpaced current safety regulations.

Chinese Consumer Backlash Beckons as Japan Releases Nuclear Wastewater

The move to release nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean is likely to hit Japanese-related businesses in China hard, from restaurants to cosmetics.

Discount Duel: China’s Top Retail Giants Go Head-to-Head on Prices

With several traditional supermarket chains shutting shop, Sam’s Club and Freshippo are locked in a race to expand their market share and adapt to a new consumer landscape in Beijing and Shanghai.

Retro Stores Selling Vulgar Snacks Under Investigation

The stores are suspected of violating China’s advertising law because of their vulgar content and lack of labeling.

Click-Clack Chic: The Art of Building the Perfect Keyboard

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

With every component tailored to their liking, tech-savvy youth in China aspire to express themselves through custom-made keyboards.

Gao Shenghan

Dip In Spending Kicks off Price War in China’s Fast-Food Industry

Discounted menus targeting the price-conscious are emerging across the country, leaving small eateries at risk in an increasingly price-sensitive market.

Charging Your Electric Car is Becoming More Expensive in China 

The government has moved electricity supplied to public electric charging stations to a higher rate. Charging station operators are passing on the increased costs to consumers.

Stooping Takes China by Storm as Zoomers Scour the Streets for Junk

Cash-strapped young Chinese have developed a sudden passion for furnishing their homes with discarded items found on the street. Their parents are horrified.

Fan Yiying

Price Drops Beckon for Money-Conscious Chinese Consumers  

Prices of meat and vegetables are flatlining in China despite serious disruptions to supply. Consumers are happy, suppliers less so.

Established Chinese Apparel Brands Struggle to Stay Afloat, Including China's Zara

Established apparel brands have struggled to find a foothold in a fast-changing industry dominated by e-commerce.