Tobias

Olympic swimmer Sun Yang was recognized while buying a rare Bandai RX-0 Unicorn Gundam bust on China’s Xianyu marketplace. The collectible, originally worth around $350, now trades for $360-$530. This purchase sparked discussion about collecting trends, contrasting Sun’s choice with the volatile market surrounding Labubu blind boxes, which have experienced a significant price correction after initial hype.

Patagonia, known as “the Gucci of the outdoors,” is highly sought after for its quality and environmental commitment. Its popularity led to stockouts during the 618 sales event, even with discounted prices. They achieved this by leveraging sourcing and logistics advantages, offering products like the iconic white logo tee. The sale, featuring items like tees and jackets, continues through July 1st.

Meng Yutong reflects on her post-graduation career and life choices in a recent video. Despite criticism suggesting wasted potential, she expresses confidence in her decisions, emphasizing her ambition and values. A successful live stream on May 23rd, featuring career guidance, highlighted her composure. Another live stream on June 10th drew further attention, solidifying her ongoing presence.

The ride-hailing industry is facing new allegations of exploiting drivers through “shadow contracts.” A driver in Lhasa, China, reported a significant fare discrepancy, with passengers paying 45.1 yuan while the driver received only 39.68 yuan. This discrepancy, potentially due to complex commission structures and order shifting among sub-platforms, highlights concerns about fare transparency and driver earnings, echoing previous similar reports.

Rumors suggest a PR move by JD.com’s founder: reportedly, he ordered takeout at a luxury hotel and tipped the delivery driver a significant amount, posing for photos. This follows the recent privatization of a food delivery platform, formerly public, now a JD Group subsidiary. JD.com has also launched a food delivery service processing millions of daily orders.

Richard Liu, JD.com’s founder, emphasized his commitment to employee compensation while acknowledging the industry’s demanding work environment. He highlighted significant salary increases over the past 18 months, with some employees seeing their income nearly double. Liu cited the example of delivery personnel in Beijing, whose average gross salary exceeds RMB 13,000, upon which social security and housing fund contributions are based. He reiterated the plan to keep raising cash compensation.

JD.com has entered the travel and hospitality market, launching the “JD Hotels PLUS Member Program” with commission-free services for hotels. The company aims to leverage its supply chain expertise and food delivery services, offering competitive pricing and eliminating bundled services. While initial airfare prices match competitors, hotel bookings show subsidy benefits. JD.com is also actively recruiting industry professionals to bolster this sector.

CNBC’s AI News discusses whether a $10,000+ monthly salary constitutes “high income”. While online discussions often skew perception, data reveals this income level places earners in a small percentage of the population. With the average disposable income far lower, particularly in rural areas, a $10,000 monthly salary significantly surpasses the earnings of most.

Xiaomi executive Lu Weibing’s comments during a live stream have ignited a debate in China’s appliance market. Instead of acknowledging Gree, a major competitor, Lu praised Midea and Haier, setting Xiaomi’s sights on joining them as a top player by 2030. This move, interpreted as a strategic avoidance of Gree, highlights Xiaomi’s growing influence through aggressive expansion, particularly in air conditioning and refrigeration, intensifying competition within the sector.

Xiaomi’s upcoming YU7 SUV will be a premium offering. Executives confirmed it won’t be a budget vehicle, emphasizing high-end features like LiDAR, an 800V architecture, and an impressive range. Comparisons to the SU7 Pro suggest a higher price point. The standard model boasts a CLTC range of 835km and 700 TOPS of computing power. Three versions are planned, including an extended-range, rear-wheel drive variant with significant upgrades over the SU7.