In recent years, Metaverse became one of the buzzwords, a concept linked with technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) and has elevated buzz in countries such as China. According to iiMedia Research, a survey conducted in 2021 among Chinese netizens, over 70 percent of respondents stated that they had a sufficient understanding of metaverse, the most popular applications were game IP avatars, followed by personal and community virtual spaces. Riding on the growing popularity of the metaverse, fashion brands can now interact with consumers in more diversified touchpoints, bringing new virtual shopping experiences to the industry. According to China Metaverse Investment and Financing Data Report, China’s metaverse industry has received at least USD 780 million investment in 2022. With the emergence of the metaverse, Chinese fashion brands can engage their customers more digitally and creatively.

International tourism gains strong momentum and continues to show signs of recovery as restrictions ease. Outbound tourism spending from France, Germany, Italy and United States reaches 70-85% of pre-pandemic levels. It is time for brands to prepare for consumers getting re-acquainted with in-store shopping. Check out the third issue of iClick’s Travel Retail insights to learn about the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and the winning post-pandemic market strategies for travel retail.

The world ‘how people eat’ is changing dramatically, and the demand for food delivery is booming with a growth rate that has been over 20% over the last five years, more than tripled since 2017. The market size has grown nearly 40-fold and has reached 811.7 billion yuan in 2021. According to Expert Market Research, China’s online food delivery market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 112% between 2022-2027. The online food delivery market is highly competitive in China, the giant online food delivery platform – Meituan and ele.me taking around 95 percent of China's online food delivery market. Online food delivery in China was growing rapidly before the pandemic and even faster during the pandemic. The online food delivery platforms offer great convenience and efficiency to consumers with the ability to quickly order meals or groceries in just a few clicks. According to Statista, the China online food delivery market is forecasted to reach 941.71 billion RMB in 2022, making China the largest online food delivery market in the world. Based on iAudience data, we have traced and profiled Chinese netizens who browsed the online food delivery platforms, highlighting their audience profiles, preferences and online behavior to help marketers better understand the trend and insights in the Chinese online food delivery market. Check out our fourth issue of “iSuite Insights Spotlight – Online Food Delivery in the Spotlight”, leveraging iAudience’s latest Chinese netizens data to understand the profiles, demographics, and psychographic dimensions of audiences interested in ordering food through online delivery platforms.

The long-awaited global travel recovery is finally here. In Q1 2022, international tourism recorded encouraging growth, a 182% y-o-y increase. Destinations worldwide are expecting the return of the lavish Chinese travelers. However, the one question on every industry stakeholder’s mind is “Will the Chinese travelers return?”, given the rise of domestic tourism and travel retail consumption in China.

The pandemic has accelerated the growth of the live streaming industry, especially in game streaming, as viewers have more time to spend watching their favorite gamers.  Even under strong competition and a transforming business environment, the game streaming market still shows promising growth. According to iResearch, China’s game streaming market has reached RMB 34.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach RMB 50 billion in 2022.  Based on iAudience data, we have traced and profiled Chinese netizens who browsed the game streaming platforms, highlighting their audience profiles, preferences, and online behavior to gain market insights and a deeper understanding of the game streaming market.

With over 450 million daily active users in 2021,  WeChat mini program is one of the most powerful channels for brands to reach and connect with Chinese consumers, taking advantage of its special characteristics of social media and e-commerce.

The global travel retail market has been among the most impacted by containment measures of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 and yet the Chinese market has remained resilient. In 2021, Chinese travel retail consumption shifted to domestic tourism and China’s duty free market achieved 66.8% y-o-y growth. China’s efforts to revitalize the sector, as evidenced by the massive growth of China Duty Free Group and Hainan Free Trade Port, are exceptional.

Although international travel restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly reduced the consumer footfall of worldwide airport retail stores, the global airport retailing market is forecast to grow and register a CAGR of 5.6% by 2028. The rise of omni-channel retailing and the digital-savvy Gen Y & Z travelers, especially those high spenders from the Asia-Pacific region, play crucial roles in revitalizing the market.

We are thrilled to announce the official release our “SaaS+X 2022 White Paper on Digital Operations”. Combining our in-depth understanding of China’s digital landscape and abundant experience working with more than 1,000 leading brands to power sales growth, we hope this whitepaper provides an authoritative resource for companies looking to take their marketing and business development in China to the next level.