The unsexy part of new retail

Digitally China

When it comes to buzzwords in the tech industry, "new retail" ranks high on the list. For the past few years, Alibaba has popularized the catchphrase to describe smarter, more high-tech ways of serving customers in brick-and-mortar shops -- by linking online and offline data -- from facial recognition-powered payments to smart mirrors that lets customers "try on" cosmetics before buying them.

But beyond the shiny add-ons that consumers see, the real impact of new retail - especially for physical stores -- is more invisible: the supply chain and inventory.

In this episode, we'll piece apart what new retail actually means for brick-and-mortar shops, why ecommerce platforms are moving offline, and how traditional brands are trying to catch up with JD and Alibaba before they get left behind.

Episode summary:

• what is "new retail" and why are ecommerce platforms so gung-ho about it?
• case study: how the fashion industry -- where customer demand is volatile and products are always changing -- could really benefit from new retail
• why are traditional brands struggling to streamline their physical shops and are Alibaba and JD solution providers or competitors?

Guest: Sicheng Peng, general manager and president of 7thonline APAC,

Hosts: Eva Xiao and Tom Xiong.

Production: Jacob Loven.

Digitally China is a subjective but independent depiction of the tech scene in China. Audio clips used in the podcast have not been distorted nor taken out of context and are included for commentary and educational purposes and thus shall be considered “Fair Use”. Digitally China is powered by RADII (www.radiichina.com), an independent media platform exploring China from all angles.

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