Industry Insights

China, one category at a time.

Skincare doesn’t sell like sneakers in China, and neither sells like a hotel room. Pick yours and read what we learned selling it.

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Written by the team that has run brands in China for 15 years, from the stores we operate on Tmall, JD, and Douyin.

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Serum dropper bottles, an open jar of cream, and a red lipstick on a dark surface

Beauty & Personal Care

Skincare, make-up, fragrance, and hair care. China rewrote its cosmetics rules in 2021, and the route you pick decides which ones apply to you.

2 articlesLatest: October 2, 2026
A merchandiser in a Guangzhou bonded-warehouse office studies a Chinese cross-border skincare storefront on her monitor while cartons of plain white product boxes sit open on the desk beside herRead this firstE-Commerce

What it costs to sell facial skincare in China

Facial skincare opens at 80,000 RMB on Tmall Global, 35,500 on JD Worldwide, 5,000 on Douyin. Then your pack size decides the tax.11 min read · Sep 2026
A white leather sneaker, a black leather handbag, and a steel wristwatch

Fashion & Luxury

Sneakers, clothes, bags, and watches, plus the luxury houses still working out how to sell online here.

4 articlesLatest: October 2, 2026
Two staff in a Guangzhou shoe stockroom look at a JD Worldwide merchant back office on a monitor, a grey wool sneaker sitting on the paperwork in front of themRead this firstMarket Strategy

How Allbirds entered China, and what it cost them

Allbirds ran China itself for five years, opened six stores, then sold the Shanghai entity for $2.1 million and licensed the market to Belle.8 min read · Sep 2026
Coffee beans spilling from a kraft bag beside a wine bottle, a cup of green tea, and aged cheese

Food & Beverage

Packaged food, coffee, wine, spirits, and dairy. Labels and customs checks come before anything else.

1 articleLatest: October 2, 2026
A warehouse coordinator in a Chengdu bonded cold-storage office checks a Chinese JD Worldwide store page of imported milk and honey on a smudged monitor while a colleague waits at the door with a clipboard.Read this firstE-Commerce

What it costs to sell dairy and spreads in China

Dairy and spreads open for 80,000 RMB on Tmall Global, 35,500 on JD Worldwide, 5,000 on Douyin. Tmall takes 2%. The parcel is what costs you.11 min read · Sep 2026
A jar of amber supplement capsules, a shaker bottle, and a blood pressure monitor

Health & Wellness

Supplements, sports nutrition, and medical devices. Registration sets your route, so start there.

1 articleLatest: October 8, 2026
Two warehouse workers in a Zhengzhou bonded zone check a Tmall Global supplement listing on a laptop beside crates of plain vitamin bottles.Read this firstMarket Strategy

How Blackmores entered China, and what it cost them

Blackmores rode bonded warehouses and Australian pharmacy shelves into China from 2012. Then the rules moved. What its filings show it cost.12 min read · Oct 2026
A glowing ceramic lamp, folded linen bedding, a wooden stool, and a stoneware bowl

Home & Living

Bulky goods come with a freight bill that decides the whole plan. Furniture, lighting, kitchen, bedding, and cleaning live here.

1 articleLatest: October 2, 2026
A saleswoman in a Nantong bedding showroom checks a Chinese JD Worldwide store page of imported duvets on her laptop while a colleague points at a stock sheet beside a pallet of vacuum-packed quilts.Read this firstE-Commerce

What it costs to sell bedding and linens in China

Bedding opens on JD Worldwide for a US$5,000 deposit and 3.9% a sale. Tmall Global asks 50,000 RMB and 5%. Above 5,000 RMB an item, tax jumps.12 min read · Sep 2026
Wireless earbuds in an open case, a steel espresso machine, a laptop, and a robot vacuum

Electronics & Appliances

Consumer electronics and appliances, where JD’s delivery and installation network carries real weight.

3 articlesLatest: July 5, 2026
Two delivery workers carry an old refrigerator down a narrow Chinese apartment stairwellRead this firstE-Commerce

JD's New Subsidy Plan Is Really a Supply Chain Play

JD.com and 100 brands put RMB 10 billion behind appliance trade-ins. Why the Double Subsidy plan is a supply chain and loyalty play, not a price war.5 min read · Jul 2026
A trail running shoe, a tennis racket and ball, a ukulele, and wooden game pieces

Sports & Leisure

Outdoor gear, sports kit, toys, and hobbies. Sales follow the seasons and the school calendar as much as the festivals.

1 articleLatest: October 2, 2026
Two staff in the stockroom of a Hangzhou mall shoe shop check a Tmall seller dashboard on a laptop, surrounded by plain boxes of running shoes.Read this firstMarket Strategy

How On Running entered China, and what it cost them

On Running entered China in 2018 with no store and sold CHF 1.8 million there in 2019. By 2025 it ran 38 locations. What the filings show.12 min read · Sep 2026
A ceramic pet bowl of kibble, a leather leash, and a woven cat toy

Pets

Pet food, accessories, and hardware for China’s city pet owners.

1 articleLatest: October 11, 2026
An operations clerk in a Ningbo bonded warehouse office holds a customs form and checks a Chinese JD Worldwide page of imported cat food while a colleague points at the screen, pallets of pet food sacks behind the glass.Read this firstE-Commerce

What it costs to sell pet food in China

Cat and dog food opens on JD Worldwide for US$5,000 and 2.5% a sale. Tmall Global wants 80,000 RMB. First, China has to register your factory.13 min read · Oct 2026
An EV charging plug, a steel brake disc, and a car key fob

Automotive

EVs, parts, and accessories. Most of the work happens on Dongchedi and Douyin, well before a buyer walks into a dealer.

1 articleLatest: October 7, 2026
A saleswoman in a Hefei car showroom answers a buyer on WeChat, a Douyin car livestream running on a second phone, while a couple looks over an electric SUV.Read this firstMarket Strategy

How automotive and EV brands actually reach buyers in China

Cars can't be sold cross-border in China. What Douyin, RedNote, Autohome, and Dongchedi cost per lead, and how dealers close the sale on WeChat.13 min read · Oct 2026
A carry-on suitcase, a folded hotel bathrobe with slippers, and a key card

Travel & Hospitality

Hotels, destinations, and how Chinese travelers pick them.

3 articlesLatest: July 8, 2024
Scenic luxury travel destinationRead this firstMarket Strategy

Explosive Growth in the Chinese Luxury Travel Segment | 2024 Insights

China's luxury travel market has boomed over the past decade, driven by rising wealth and a taste for culturally immersive trips over status displays.4 min read · Jul 2024
A brass industrial valve, steel gears, a ball bearing, and copper pipe

B2B & Industrial

Buyers find you through spec sheets, distributors, and trade shows, rarely through ads. Equipment, components, and building systems.

1 articleLatest: April 16, 2024
B2B storytelling for Brands in ChinaRead this firstBrand & Localization

Storytelling in B2B Marketing: Enhancing Brand Connection in China

How B2B brands in China use storytelling to explain complex offers, humanize the company and build the trust that long, calculated deals depend on.4 min read · Apr 2024
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