ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses how the companies that leverage the trends survive and thrive. It focuses on the why, what, how and what’s next of new retail, with three core objectives in mind. The book presents not just a description of the evolution of China’s new retail – this has been covered in many other publications. It proposes a point of view affirmed by our ten years of research and personal experience. The book describes how China’s new retail landscape has evolved from just two online retailers – Taobao and JD – to the current environment that comprises a rich variety of formats. It explains what new retail, such as group buying, social media platforms and celebrity selling, means to retailers, and how they should utilise different platforms to develop an online business.
