Core Viewpoint - The 2025 Xintang E-commerce Development Conference and Mark Huafei Brand Launch was held in Guangzhou, marking the debut of the Dongdamen Fashion Center as a new fashion landmark in eastern Guangzhou. The event highlighted Xintang's commitment to optimizing its fashion industry structure and leveraging digital economy opportunities through new business models like live-streaming and cross-border e-commerce [1][2]. Group 1: Industry Development - Xintang is positioning itself as a fashion industry cluster, focusing on enhancing its industrial structure and providing comprehensive high-quality services to support new business models [1]. - The e-commerce sector in Xintang has been developing for over a decade, with a strong emphasis on denim products, but is currently facing challenges such as low-price competition, high return rates, and rising costs [2][3]. - The introduction of various women's fashion brands at Dongdamen is expected to break the bottleneck in Xintang's fashion industry, which has been overly concentrated on denim [3]. Group 2: Brand Expansion - Mark Huafei announced its official entry into Dongdamen, planning to open over 500 franchise stores and utilize celebrity endorsements for brand promotion [2]. - Fengyasi, another fashion brand, is also among the first to enter Dongdamen, citing the area's strong e-commerce foundation and lower operational costs compared to downtown Guangzhou [2]. Group 3: Strategic Partnerships - A strategic cooperation agreement was signed between Dongdamen and SF Express, aiming to enhance logistics services for merchants and reduce return rates through efficient delivery solutions [4]. - Dongdamen is actively recruiting merchants and offering various incentives, such as rent discounts and free parking for the first 200 merchants, to attract a diverse range of businesses [4].

Group 1 - The controversial "refund only" policy has been completely phased out by major e-commerce platforms in April, with platforms like Taobao, Pinduoduo, JD.com, Douyin, and Kuaishou updating their after-sales rules to prioritize merchants in handling refund requests [1][3] - Taobao was the first to implement the "refund only" model in 2021, which initially boosted GMV but ultimately led to significant losses for many sellers, contributing to a wave of store closures that continues into 2025 [3][4] - The closure of numerous Taobao stores, including those of prominent influencers, reflects a broader trend of declining profitability and increasing operational challenges faced by e-commerce sellers [4][7][10] Group 2 - The rising return rates in the clothing industry have severely impacted seller confidence, with some sellers reporting return rates soaring from 30% to as high as 80% after the introduction of new policies [11][13] - High advertising costs and an increasingly competitive promotional environment have further strained the profitability of many sellers, leading to a situation where they are "losing money to gain visibility" [14][15] - Despite the challenges, some sellers are finding success through innovative models such as content e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, with examples of brands achieving significant sales growth on platforms like Douyin and TikTok [15][20][21]