Alibaba's two AI models rely on open-source technology for image understanding and complex interactions, reflecting a strategic move toward wider adoption.

After the self-inflicted stagnation of 2022, China’s retail and ecommerce sales growth is somewhat back on track. At the company level, Douyin has burst onto the scene as a major retailer, and Pinduoduo’s ascent continues.

In China, ecommerce channel ad spending represents over 38% of total digital ad spending, and ecommerce search spending accounts for 64.0% of total search. Could the US figures reach similar heights?

Internet use is growing the fastest in the Middle East and Africa, where about 80 million more people will go online at least once per month between 2023 and 2027, according to our forecast. Roughly 60% of the global population will use the internet regularly.

Alibaba and JD.com, China’s other ecommerce giants, never gained substantial traction in the US, partly due to their lack of spending to acquire customers. US-based Wish spent heavily on digital ads and rode the pandemic-driven ecommerce boom to an IPO—but has since lost its way.

The company was once all in on cloud computing but is selling off the business unit as part of its massive restructuring. The move raises questions about its future business focus.

Amazon is the top dog of US retail, accounting for 37.6% of all US ecommerce sales this year for a total of $431.11 billion dollars, according to our forecast. While the giant has a successful stronghold in many US industries, Amazon isn’t dominant everywhere, especially as it pertains to a physical footprint and getting consumers comfortable with its elite tech. Here are a few areas Amazon hasn’t overtaken—yet.

The rise of shopping apps selling ultralow-cost goods from China is drawing more value-driven US consumers. But are their strategies sustainable over the long term?

Digital ad spending will increase slightly faster this year than in 2022, but the bump will be minimal. Total media ad spending growth will roughly hold steady. But there are parts of the world where spending is surging.

Splitting into six companies makes each business unit more competitive while reducing regulatory oversight, which could help increase profits.

The Chinese economy shows signs of life: While that’s good news for retailers after flat growth last year, many are adopting conservative strategies to protect their bottom lines.

Slowing growth forces Beijing to capitulate to Big Tech: Facing the weakest growth in decades, China seeks cooperation with the EU and will loosen its iron grip on tech monoliths to spur the economy.

Alibaba’s retail ecommerce sales in China were nearly twice that of Amazon’s worldwide in 2022, at $1.229 trillion compared with about $657 billion, per our estimates. Latin American competitor Mercado Libre had significantly less ecommerce sales, at nearly $35 billion.

Amid global economic gloom, Asia-Pacific remains a region of digital opportunities in 2023, highlighted by the increasing momentum of the metaverse in China, surging retail sales in India, and burgeoning livestream commerce in Indonesia.

A jarring deceleration in ad spending growth has shaken the advertising industry in many parts of the world. However, this softness is not universal, and it is likely to be short-lived.

Alibaba, Amazon, and Mercado Libre dominate retail ecommerce in different parts of the world. Here’s a look at how these marketplaces stack up, in seven charts and graphics.

Pinduoduo grew faster than JD.com, Alibaba in Q3: But with lockdowns and protests stymieing domestic spending, the discount retailer is looking for growth opportunities in the US.

Pinduoduo, ByteDance pose threat to Amazon: China-based companies are getting into international ecommerce for an expanded customer base. If the prices are right, they could give Amazon more Q4 worries.

Shoppers in India spent enthusiastically ahead of Diwali celebrations: But the outlook for China’s biggest shopping event is much less rosy as Chinese consumers grapple with economic uncertainty.

Alibaba was the world’s No. 1 digital retailer in 2021 with $1.249 trillion in ecommerce gross merchandise value (GMV). Amazon ranked No. 2, with ecommerce GMV of $602.0 billion, while JD.com and Pinduoduo took No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.