New Retail Born in China Going Global: How Chinese Tech Giants are Changing Global Commerce

by Michael Zakkour, Ashley Dudarenok

A behind the scenes look at how, in only a few short years, Alibaba CEO Jack Ma’s vision of "The New Retail", where 800 million consumers take for granted a world of convenience unimagined anywhere else, has become a reality. This complete integration of online, offline, technology and entertainment has changed the rules of commerce forever.

We unpack how a perfect storm of smart devices, digital payments, e-commerce and the need to modernize physical stores led to a complete reimagining of 5,000 years of buying and selling products and services. 

The long battle between bricks and clicks is over, and the winner is The New Retail.

Alibaba, JD.com, Tencent and a growing group of innovative brands, retailers and digital pioneers, fueled by the demands of the most spoiled consumers in the world have spurred a retail renaissance and plotted a course for the future of retail and consumption around the world. If you want to see the future of retail and commerce, read this book, and then, if you can, spend a week shopping in Shanghai.

Some key features of The New Retail include:

the ability to buy anything, anywhere, anytime, any way retail-tainment as a brand and retail driver   virtual reality enhanced stores  see-now-buy-now streaming videos  interactive social commerce smart, connected, experience-first physical retail environments 15 minute on-demand delivery 

You will not only discover what the New Retail is and how to participate in the ecosystems and habitats in China that make it work, but hopefully you will be inspired to adapt the technologies, ideas and consumer-centric vision of New Retail into your business, life, brand and products.

Key takeaways from the book include:

How the elements that make up New Retail were honed in China and why they came together to create a new model  Who built the New Retail, why they did and why it works Why The New Retail is about ecosystems and habitats, not channels and e-commerce What are the "4 Cs" you need to deliver New Retail and how to use the "4 Us" to do it. Why omnichannel is a dead concept and why it’s been replaced by a unified channel A deep dive on the New Retail models and ecosystems of Alibaba, JD, Tencent and others What drives the modern Chinese consumer, and why you need New Retail expertise to win them over How the New Retail is going global How and why you should adopt it 

Between them, Michael Zakkour, Tompkins International VP of Asia Strategy, Digital Commerce and New Retail, and Ashley Galina Dudarenok, serial entrepreneur, founder of ChoZan and Alarice, have decades of experience in consumer, market and digital strategy in China and Asia and are thought leaders in retail, consumer products, social media, and logistics. Their insights on China’s New Retail and its global spread are sure to provide the reader with a window into a world, a model and a way of life that is thriving in the East and heading West.

“The gravitational force of retail has moved east and industry executives that
ignore this monumental shift do so at their peril. “New Retail” is a concise, nononsense
look into one of the most profound revolutions in retail history.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2019

Reviews

[Peter P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are in any way shape or form involved in retail, this book is a must read. To understand the incredible developments in China on what is termed New Retail is sobering in the extreme. The innovation, integration, technology, and consumer-centric efforts have virtually redefined what retail is for the second-biggest market on the planet. The book is both sobering and inspiring, as one considers how far behind the US has fallen in a few short years.

[Chak Hong · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know how China has become an important player in world economy nowadays and how the world's retail model will become, this is definitely the book you need to read.
Informative and inspiring.
I used to know nothing about the retail in China, now I can share quite a lot with colleagues and friends.

[Fahim Alam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives a clear insight into how China is disrupting the retail industry by merging online with offline activities with its supporting technology and robust logistics. Retail outlet more than a mere inventory selling centres, it's an offline data collection centres which help in understanding customers purchasing behaviour.

[Yang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the case studies in the book! It explain clear how New Retail works in China, and how Alibaba, JD, Tencent use technology and data to build their ecosystems. Ashley provides a new version about commerce to me.

[Jesse Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend. Great insight to what will become the future of retail in the US

Fantastic read that is easy to digest. Practical examples and case studies help the reader get a sense of what is possible and what is most relevant.

[Friank Fung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so informative. It included high quality example with explain in detail to describe the business changing. Inspire me to the new retail world and how to get use to it.

[Shuyu Xxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book helps me know more about New Retail Born in China, learn a lot!!

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New Retail: born in China going global by Ashley Galina Dudarenok, Michael Zakkour is a great book and a real eye opener. If you are new to China market is a great place to start, you will have a clear idea about the China New Retail, such as the New retail is no only about the shopping. New Retail mindset can spur brands to create unique consumer experiences, personalize shopping while collecting data to further improve service and achieve a leaner bottom line for retailers. And you will also know about the trend in China Market, especially in New Retail. This is such a worthwhile and information filled book, you would be remiss not to read this and glean all the information you can. Highly recommend for anyone looking to learn more about doing business and growing business in China.

[John M Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retail has changed...it's a new world out there and here's a guide on how to adapt

This is a fantastic read on the China market/customers and how to compete and win. More importantly, it's a great read on how the world of retail is changing, what the implications are, and what is required to survive and thrive in this new world. Michael uses tons of real world examples of companies that are succeeding, not just theoretical or anecdotal evidence/examples. I will have this on my shelf and handy to advise clients moving forward.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book explaining very detailedly about New Retail in China. For sure it is an enjoyable journey reading an inspiring book like this. Interesting to know about those new technologies and how it will affect traditional retailing. We can’t run away from huge changes happening to the retail industry. As said by Jack Ma, the era of pure e-commerce will be an end soon, and the form of pure retail will be broken. New retail will lead the new business model in the future.

[Amy Cheung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a resourceful and inspiring book! I've been following the New Retail trend in China for a long time, but only after i read this book did I figure out the blueprint of Chinese new retail giants. Along with abundant examples and information, I got a comprehensive understanding about what is new retail and how Chinese new retail giants go global. Would definitely recommend this book to whoever interested in china marketing and e-commerce giants!

[Wendy CHEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Retail Born in China Going Global: How Chinese Tech Giants are Changing Global Commerce by Ashely Galina Dudarenok is a really inspiring book in new retail industry for me. Since i have no idea of what the new retail trend is and what change can it make before, after reading the book, i found the concept is more clear to me and i can even connect the book contents with my daily life experience, which made me feel very impressed.

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive guide to New Retail. This book gives an in-depth introduction on how New Retail is reshaping the ways of doing business and changing the consumption behaviors. While the authors are explaining the development of the New Retail infrastructure, they include a lot of case studies and own points of views for readers to understand better. I’m totally impressed by the information covered in the book.

[FAN]

So inspiring! Rich details and examples! New retail is on the trend; it's not only about shopping, but a whole ecosystem that benefit both brands and consumers. People say the future of retail is happening right now in China. That's why it's the book marketers/retailers can't miss. Enjoy the book so much. Hope you do as well!!

[Talya Drachuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book about New Retail in China. Full of insights and recent trends, very valuable information.