Luxury brands are turning to data-led consumer analytics to tailor and localise their offerings for the Chinese domestic market. Because of travel restrictions, more Chinese consumers are shopping close to home, and Alibaba’s data services are helping brands cater to this change in demand.

As the world copes with the impact of COVID-19, shifts in Chinese buying habits offer an idea of how global spend will be affected. From the short-term impact to longer, more structural changes in shopping preferences, how can brands best position themselves within this changing landscape?

China may be returning to a state of ‘normality’ following COVID-19, but after spending months in lockdown, certain crisis-time consumer habits seem to be sticking around – one of the most visible being a mass shift to e-commerce. So, how do people want to browse and buy online post-pandemic?

With the fear of future pandemics playing heavy on people’s minds, city layouts are getting a re-think. Guallart’s ‘COVID-19-proof’ smart city in China is designed to ease the strain of living in lockdown, pointing to a future where preparedness is a key component of urban design.