As the luxury market in China continues to stall there has been a subsequent increase in the number of outlet malls. These shopping centres have been a mainstay in the US and Europe but are a new phenomenon in China – and one which retailers hope will rejuvenate the luxury market.

2014 has seen China's distrust of corporations, banks and the government grow more than ever before. By positioning itself as a cheaper and more trustworthy alternative to intermediary agents, can finance service Rong360 attract customers that don't understand online banking?

Chinese online shopping leader Alibaba is pushing for luxury brands to set up shops on its platform Tmall. China is predicted to be the top luxury market by 2020, worth $101 billion. Alibaba is attempting to position itself as the go-to platform for luxury online.

Brands from around the world are keen to appeal to China's evolving middle market. But what do Chinese people want from foreign brands, and how do they choose between them? We spoke to marketing professor Lily Dong to find out.

Chinese tourists are expected to make over 200 million trips by 2020; three times more than tourists from the US. But how are Chinese tastes affecting the world’s most expensive hotel rooms? What can hotels do to make these tourists feel welcome on their first trips abroad?

Is tea still the most popular drink in China? And do logo-centric brands still dominate luxury? In our 2014 / 15 cultural snapshot of China, we demystify cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across eleven sectors.

Many claim that public consumption of expensive, ostentatious luxury items is about displaying social climbing. But in China, people increasingly consume luxury in private. It's a kind of "self-reward", says UIBE professor Mike Bastin.

Luxury brands have enjoyed a meteoric rise amongst the expanding Chinese middle class, but with anti-corruption laws dampening the spirits of conspicuous consumers, shopping habits are shifting dramatically.