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Consumers in Japan have been slow to embrace digital technology, but they are gradually warming to it. Recent data shows consumers are changing their online shopping and media consumption behavior.

The Asia-Pacific retail ecommerce sector is both dynamic and volatile. While China and Japan are slowing, South Korea is growing rapidly, and emerging markets like Southeast Asia and India are showing robust growth and untapped potential.

The situation: With President Trump鈥檚 so-called 鈥渞eciprocal鈥� tariff deadline鈥攑ushed from July 9 to August 1鈥攆ast approaching, the White House has announced the outlines of trade agreements with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan. Our take: This new tariff regime is already dragging on growth鈥攁nd the effects are likely to deepen. Before the Trump administration rolled out its trade agenda, we expected US retail sales this year to rise 2.9% YoY, a slight increase from the 2.8% growth last year. But given the current tariff regime, we now expect sales to increase just 1.5%, which would be a real sales decrease, since that鈥檚 below the rate of inflation. We鈥檙e not alone. Goldman Sachs sees a clear deceleration ahead, citing tariffs as a likely driver of both rising prices and weakened consumer spending. And while economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal trimmed the odds of a recession to 33%鈥攄own from 45% in April鈥攊t remains well above the 22% forecast in January. In this new normal, retailers and manufacturers should prepare for sustained margin pressure, increasingly cautious consumers, and slower growth.

The situation: A cloud of uncertainty has hung over the US economy since the Trump administration鈥檚 April 9 pause of so-called reciprocal tariffs. That鈥檚 made it difficult for retailers and brands to plan for the short and medium term. The outlook is now poised to grow even murkier. President Donald Trump extended the pause period鈥攐riginally set to expire on Wednesday鈥攗ntil August 1. At the same time, he announced new 25% tariffs on imports from South Korea and Japan, also taking effect August 1, along with steep additional levies on other countries. Our take: With companies planning to pass on about 70% of the cost of levies to consumers via higher prices, it鈥檚 no surprise that we expect tariffs to take a meaningful bite out of retail sales this year鈥攚hether we remain in the moderate scenario or shift into a heavier one. In such a dynamic environment, retailers and brands should rely on scenario modeling that accounts for a range of possible futures. They can hope for the best but plan for the worst to ensure they鈥檙e ready to adapt to whatever twists lie ahead.

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and regulatory scrutiny in the US and Western Europe, Chinese ecommerce giants are increasingly turning their focus to Asia-Pacific.

Why it matters: Convenience stores face slowing growth, competition from newer brick-and-mortar and ecommerce merchants, and other headwinds. Having reached record levels in 2022, US convenience store sales fell for a second straight year in 2024, per the 2025 Convenience Store News Industry Report. Both 7-Eleven and Couche-Tard have bolstered prepared food options to lure customers.

LVMH鈥檚 sales fell more than expected in Q2 in yet another sign of trouble for the luxury industry. 2025 is shaping up to be another difficult year for the luxury industry鈥攁nd not only because of tariffs. While the duties are certainly hitting consumer sentiment and buying power, limited innovation and a perceived lack of value are diminishing luxury鈥檚 appeal, even among shoppers who can afford it.

Ten years after its establishment, Amazon Business is expanding its seller network and product selection to serve an 8 million global organization customer base, which has grown 33% from 6 million in 2023. Many of the capabilities that individual shoppers enjoy on Amazon鈥檚 B2C platform鈥攂road selection, cost savings, and advanced technology鈥攁re being applied to its B2B marketplace to help organizations work smarter and more efficiently. As Amazon Business continues to innovate, it is poised to compete for more sales from companies seeking to save time and resources.

Globally, over 5鈥痬illion units sold by early July, with Japan alone accounting for 1.54鈥痬illion in its first month鈥攅dging past the Game Boy Advance鈥檚 2001 sales record. These are retail figures and don鈥檛 include direct sales through Nintendo鈥檚 web store, indicating sales are likely even higher.

India鈥檚 commerce landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by booming ecommerce, rising mobile shopping, and the growing influence of social media.

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.