Study Estimates Job Loss Impact Of Walmart’s China Imports

A study by a progressive research organization accuses Walmart of displacing or eliminating more than 400,000 high-paying American manufacturing jobs by importing many billions of dollars’ worth of products from China over a twelve-year period ending in 2013. The Economic Policy Institute says Walmart’s imports from China in 2013 alone totaled $49 billion. The U.S. trade deficit with China in 2013 was $324 billion. The lost or moved jobs represented about 13 percent of the 3.2 million total jobs lost or displaced over those same years due to the China trade deficit. Walmart criticized the data and conclusions of the study as mostly guesswork, because retailers do not disclose itemizations of imports.

"Walmart’s Imports From China Displaced 400,000 Jobs, a Study Says", The New York Times , December 09, 2015

Sephora Launches Environment-Friendly Logistics Solutions In China

Cosmetics retailer Sephora launched its Green City Logistics, a supply chain solution designed to be environment-friendly by using electric vehicles in delivery, in Shanghai and Beijing. Part of the company’s latest efforts to protect the environment and cut pollution, the initiative seeks to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from logistics and transportation in fast-expanding mega-cities. Electric vehicles will be used to transport goods between Sephora warehouses and retail stores.

"Sephora taps green logistics to boost efficiency", Shanghai Daily, December 22, 2015

Euromonitor Presents Forecasts For Markets And Consumers In 2016

In 2016, the migrant crisis is forecast to continue, while the working-age population in China is expected to decline for the first time, according to Euromonitor. Other forecasts for the year made by the market research firm include an increase in integration of loyalty programs with mobile wallets and the continued expansion of S-commerce, driven by social media platforms’ integration of buy-now buttons into their sites. Also, Euromonitor predicts an increase in calls for more time away from digital devices and increase in consumer demand for healthy food, with fastfood chains offering greener, healthier, and more local food products.

"Economies and Consumers Expert Predictions for 2016", Euromonitor International, January 14, 2016

China's E-Commerce Market Grows 37 Percent In 2015, Study Reveals

China’s e-commerce market grew 37 percent in terms of gross merchandise value in 2015 to 3.8 trillion yuan, or $578 billion, according to iResearch. Data from the market research firm’s “2015 China E-commerce & O2O Summary Report” revealed mobile and online-to-offline markets drove the market’s overall growth. O2O gross merchandising volume rose 38 percent year-on-year in 2015, with sales reaching 335 billion yuan, or $51 billion. According to iResearch, the country’s O2O sector is forecast to grow to almost double its size in the next three years to 626 billion yuan, or $95 billion.

"Chinese E-commerce Growth Continues", Women’s Wear Daily, January 25, 2016