蘑菇AV

In this report, we explore the world鈥檚 top region for retail and ecommerce, Asia-Pacific. Read on for a closer look at the markets in China, India, the Philippines, and more.

The retail outlook for 2025 is worse than previously anticipated. However, many smaller emerging markets are still in line for strong years, and ecommerce continues to claw share from traditional retail.

The milestone: Amazon recently deployed its 1 millionth robot in its fulfillment centers鈥攁 figure approaching the number of human workers at those facilities. Our take: Automation is a central element within Amazon鈥檚 relentless push to narrow the gap between click and doorstep. Fast delivery isn鈥檛 just about convenience; it transforms how consumers shop. The faster Amazon gets everyday essentials like toothpaste into customers鈥� hands鈥攅specially with free delivery for Prime members鈥攖he harder it becomes for other retailers to compete. That gives Amazon a durable edge as it looks to expand its share of US ecommerce sales.

In our exclusive survey with ESW, data from shoppers in 18 countries reveals new twists in the path to purchase, the rising momentum of marketplaces, and the resilience of age-old fundamentals.

In markets like Japan, Facebook's reduced reach may justify reallocating budget to other Meta properties or rival platforms entirely. Regions still showing stable or growing usage may offer more efficient ROI for social ad campaigns.

Such generous terms are unlikely for Japan and Germany, given Trump鈥檚 decision to single out Toyota by name during his 鈥淟iberation Day鈥� tariff announcement as well as the highly contentious negotiations underway with the European Union.

Retailers with ties to China, like Temu and TikTok Shop, have gained popularity in the US. Now, a wave of Japanese-based retailers and retail concepts has come to the US, signaling a potential shift for the retail landscape.

Search giant and AI leader Baidu is working on reimagining its services with genAI, from search and document creation to digital avatars for livestream shopping. Currently, Baidu鈥檚 AI chatbot Ernie generates 18% of the company鈥檚 search results. India鈥檚 genAI sector is also gaining momentum.