alicast by Alibaba Group

Along with its human toll. Covid-19 also had a profound impact on China’s retail sales. At the height of the pandemic in January and February, foot traffic dried up due to lockdowns, and retail sales dropped sharply in most categories. As China has emerged from the effects of the virus, we’ve seen retail sales rebound and new, interesting patterns of consumer consumption emerge, some of them looking as if they’re reshaping the sector. We spoke with Daniel Zipser, McKinsey senior partner in China, to understand how the country weathered the unprecedented brick-and-mortar shutdown and the new and emerging online and offline consumption patterns, post-Covid. The transcript below has been edited for brevity and clarity.

In our latest Alicast, Harvard Business School Executive-in-Residence Daniel O'Connor shares his thoughts – and results of a case study – about Alibaba's Tmall Innovation Center. The model of working closely with brands and using consumer analytics to help create new products that can be sped to market in China is revolutionary. It's also something big companies and brands in the West should consider to become more plugged-in and agile in meeting customer needs.

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg talks about how Covid-19 has allowed her to reset and reevaluate her business, her outlook on the China market and the role of innovation that has been core to her vision since she pioneered the wrap dress nearly 50 years ago. Her brand's digital pivot has included deeper engagement with Chinese consumers and fundraising for pandemic relief via Alibaba's Taobao Live channel and becoming one of the first brands to move its runway show online for Shanghai Fashion Week.

Fliggy's Frank Huang discusses the travel platform's recent developments, its relationships with customers and travel & hospitality brands and what the future will look like.

In the four-plus years since its founding, Tmall Global has become China's number-one import e-commerce platform. Deputy GM Yi Qian joins Alicast to discuss its recipe for success and future plans.

You can tell a lot about a future partner from his play on the basketball court. That's how Qupital's two founders met. Now, just a couple years later, they are running a rapidly expanding online lending platform out of Hong Kong for borrowers who might otherwise find short-term borrowing difficult.

Luxury consumption is on the rise in China, as consumers seek a lifestyle upgrade. Increasingly, they’re turning to online options. L2’s Danielle Bailey talks about how e-commerce platforms and brands are adapting to this growing and exciting market segment.

Little did Sandy Friesen know that a video livestream from her living room in the U.S. would catapult her small handwoven handbag company to success 8,000 miles away, in China. Welden's "bags-to-riches" tale holds lessons for U.S. brands looking to enter China's markets.

Just ahead of Lazada's 12.12 shopping festival grand finale, CEO Max Bittner talks about how the e-commerce platform is growing and thriving on its own steam and with help from parent Alibaba Group's online know-how, technology and deep ecosystem.

Mintel's Matthew Crabbe explains how retailers and brands can be successful in catching the eye of discerning -- and increasingly sophisticated -- Chinese consumers.