Core Insights - The e-commerce industry in China is experiencing a downturn, with many merchants exiting traditional platforms like Taobao due to high competition, rising costs, and changing market dynamics [1][10]. Group 1: Reasons for E-commerce Challenges - Rising customer acquisition costs are making it difficult for merchants to attract consumers, with Taobao's average customer acquisition cost increasing by 47% to 78 yuan per new customer in the first half of 2025 [3]. - Profit margins are being severely compressed, with the average gross margin for e-commerce platforms at 23.7%, down 8.3 percentage points from five years ago, leading to many merchants operating at net profit margins below 5% [5]. - Intense market competition is evident, with the number of new registered online stores increasing by 8.7% while the growth of online shopping users is only 1.2%, resulting in a saturated market [7]. Group 2: Impact of Platform Changes - Frequent changes in platform rules and algorithms are increasing operational uncertainty and costs for merchants, with Taobao implementing over 30 significant rule changes in the first half of 2025 [8]. - New e-commerce platforms like Douyin and Pinduoduo are diverting traffic and merchants from traditional platforms, with Douyin's GMV growing by 78.5% compared to Taobao's 5.3% [10]. Group 3: Strategies for Merchants - Focusing on niche markets can help merchants avoid intense competition and reduce customer acquisition costs [10]. - Increasing product value through differentiation and enhanced customer service can mitigate the pressure of price competition [11]. - Diversifying sales channels across multiple platforms can reduce dependency on a single platform and spread risk [13].