Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the significant impact of ten outstanding figures in China's internet industry, showcasing their contributions to innovation, market shaping, and the evolution of technology in the sector. Group 1: Overview of the Internet Industry in China - China officially accessed the internet in 1994, marking the beginning of its internet era [1] - The country has become the largest internet market globally, with the highest number of internet and mobile internet users [1] - The rapid development of the internet has transformed lifestyles and driven social progress [1] Group 2: Notable Internet Entrepreneurs - **Ma Huateng**: Founder of Tencent, known for QQ and WeChat, which revolutionized communication and became a leading comprehensive internet service provider [3] - **Jack Ma**: Founder of Alibaba, which transformed e-commerce and mobile payments in China, achieving the largest IPO globally in 2014 [5] - **Li Yanhong**: Founder of Baidu, which established itself as the second-largest independent search engine globally and a leader in AI technology [7] - **Zhang Yiming**: Founder of ByteDance, known for Douyin and TikTok, which led the global short video trend and became a world-class application [9] - **Wang Xing**: Founder of Meituan, which became a major player in the comprehensive lifestyle service platform in China [11] - **Ding Lei**: Founder of NetEase, known for pioneering free email services and online gaming in China [13] - **Zhang Chaoyang**: Founder of Sohu, recognized for creating the first Chinese search engine and being a significant player in the internet portal era [15] - **Huang Zheng**: Founder of Pinduoduo, which disrupted the e-commerce market with a social shopping model and surpassed Alibaba in market value [17] - **Cheng Wei**: Founder of Didi Chuxing, which transformed transportation through ride-hailing services and became a leader in the sharing economy [19] - **Zhou Hongyi**: Founder of Qihoo 360, known for creating a free security model and becoming a major internet security service provider [21]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the decline and eventual shutdown of the Kaola Haigou app, highlighting its inability to innovate product offerings and compete effectively in the cross-border e-commerce market, particularly against Tmall International [2][6][16]. Group 1: Company History and Transition - Kaola Haigou, originally known as NetEase Kaola, was sold to Alibaba in 2019 and rebranded. The app was officially taken down on March 31, 2025, but signs of its decline were evident much earlier [3][4][6]. - The app's user base and operational team significantly shrank after a major downsizing in October 2021, where the team was reduced from over 400 to just a few dozen [6][7]. Group 2: Market Position and Competition - In Q3 2021, Tmall International surpassed Kaola Haigou with a market share of 37.4% compared to Kaola's 26.0%, indicating a shift in consumer preference [7][8]. - Monthly active users for Kaola Haigou dropped from 7.42 million in July 2020 to 6.44 million by September 2021, reflecting a downward trend in engagement [7][8]. Group 3: Product Offering and Consumer Behavior - The product mix of Kaola Haigou was heavily concentrated on a few categories such as milk powder, diapers, cosmetics, and health products, leading to stagnant growth due to a lack of new offerings [13][14]. - Employees noted that many consumers shifted to Tmall International for better prices, indicating a loss of competitive edge for Kaola Haigou [8][14]. Group 4: Strategic Misalignment - After its acquisition, Kaola Haigou faced strategic misalignment with Tmall International, leading to overlapping services and products, which diluted its unique value proposition [16][18]. - The marketing costs for Kaola Haigou were higher than those for Tmall International, making it difficult to attract and retain users effectively [18][19].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the quiet shutdown of the Kaola Haigou app, previously known as NetEase Kaola, highlighting its decline in the competitive cross-border e-commerce market, particularly against Tmall International [1][2][4]. Group 1: Company Background and History - NetEase Kaola was launched in January 2015, benefiting from favorable cross-border e-commerce policies and leveraging NetEase's ecosystem for customer acquisition [6][8]. - In 2019, NetEase sold Kaola to Alibaba, which rebranded it as Kaola Haigou, but the app has now been taken offline [2][4]. Group 2: Market Position and Competition - By Q3 2021, Tmall International held a market share of 37.4%, surpassing Kaola Haigou's 26.0%, indicating a significant shift in competitive dynamics [4]. - In 2021, Kaola Haigou's operational team was drastically reduced from over 400 to just a few, reflecting a lack of confidence in its future [4][11]. Group 3: User Engagement and Performance Metrics - Monthly active users for Kaola Haigou dropped from 7.42 million in July 2020 to 6.44 million by September 2021, with further declines expected [5]. - By late 2022, Kaola Haigou's app ranked 58th in the App Store's shopping category, trailing behind lesser-known competitors [5]. Group 4: Strategic Challenges - Kaola Haigou faced an identity crisis post-acquisition, as it competed directly with Tmall International, leading to overlapping products and services [10]. - The app's marketing costs were higher than Tmall International's, and its user retention was hindered by the need to redirect users from a high-frequency shopping environment (Taobao) to a low-frequency one (Kaola Haigou) [10][12]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The article suggests that the cross-border e-commerce segment may struggle to sustain independent platforms like Kaola Haigou, as evidenced by the closure of similar businesses [9]. - The success of membership-based models like Sam's Club indicates that there is potential for imported goods, but Kaola Haigou's operational model may not be viable in the long term [9].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the decline of Kaola Haigou, a once-leading cross-border e-commerce platform, after its acquisition by Alibaba, highlighting its transformation from a market leader to a supporting role within Alibaba's ecosystem [5][19][50]. Group 1: Kaola Haigou's Decline - Kaola Haigou has become inactive, with its app removed from major app stores and its website inaccessible [6][18]. - After being acquired by Alibaba for $2 billion in 2019, Kaola's market share was 27.7%, making it the industry leader at that time [11][20]. - Following the acquisition, Kaola underwent significant restructuring, losing its independent brand identity and becoming an auxiliary to Tmall International [14][16][39]. Group 2: Market Changes and Challenges - The shift in market trends towards fresh e-commerce and live streaming has diminished the appeal of vertical e-commerce platforms like Kaola [26][30]. - By 2021, Kaola's market share had dropped to 22.4%, and it continued to decline in the following years [49]. - The membership-based e-commerce model that Kaola attempted to implement failed to establish itself as a standalone business model, leading to a loss of competitive advantage [29][30]. Group 3: Integration into Alibaba's Ecosystem - Kaola was rapidly integrated into Alibaba's ecosystem, with significant personnel changes and resource allocation to Tmall International [36][44]. - The original logistics and supply chain capabilities of Kaola were absorbed into Alibaba's broader logistics network, diminishing its operational independence [45][67]. - Despite its exit from the market, the resources and user base of Kaola have been effectively utilized to bolster Tmall International's position, which now holds nearly 40% of the market share [68][69].

Core Insights - Kaola Haigou has completely disappeared ahead of the 618 shopping festival, with its app removed from stores and its website inaccessible [1][8] - The platform, once a leader in the cross-border e-commerce sector, has become a "discarded child" of Alibaba after its acquisition [8] Group 1: Company History and Acquisition - Kaola Haigou, originally known as NetEase Kaola, was acquired by Alibaba for $2 billion (approximately 14 billion RMB) in 2019, which significantly increased Alibaba's market share in cross-border e-commerce to over 50% [5][10] - Following the acquisition, Kaola underwent deep restructuring, losing its independent platform status and becoming an auxiliary role within the Tmall International ecosystem [6][7] Group 2: Market Position and Performance - At its peak in 2019, Kaola held a market share of 27.7%, leading the cross-border e-commerce industry [9] - However, by 2021, its market share had declined to 22.4%, and it continued to fall behind Tmall International [27] Group 3: Strategic Integration and Challenges - The integration process involved significant personnel changes, with a drastic reduction in the business team from over 400 to less than 20 by 2022 [21][19] - Kaola's resources, including its supply chain and logistics capabilities, were gradually absorbed into Tmall International, diminishing its independent operational capacity [26][27] Group 4: Broader Implications of Alibaba's Acquisition Strategy - Alibaba's acquisition strategy often leads to the loss of independent growth potential for acquired companies, as seen with other brands like Youku and Xiami Music [28][30] - The shift towards a platform model in Tmall International has made self-operated models like Kaola's less viable, reflecting a broader trend in Alibaba's business strategy [32][33]

Group 1 - The US and China have reached a temporary agreement to suspend mutual tariffs of 24% for 90 days, with both sides agreeing to cancel or suspend a total of 91% of tariffs on each other's goods [3][5][4] - Following the announcement, the US dollar index rose by 0.62%, while gold prices fell by approximately 2.18%, indicating market reactions to the easing of trade tensions [3][5] - Analysts suggest that the 90-day suspension provides both parties with more negotiation time, potentially leading to a more stable economic relationship in the long term [5] Group 2 - There are reports that state-owned investors no longer trust the founding team of Neta Auto, with speculation about Toyota's interest in acquiring the company, although both parties have denied these rumors [7][8] - Neta Auto's financial issues have raised concerns among its investors, leading to written inquiries about its operational status and financial health [8] - The company has faced scrutiny over its operational capabilities and funding, with significant stakeholders expressing doubts about its future [7][8] Group 3 - Hisense's Vidda brand has been found guilty of commercial defamation against Xiaomi, resulting in a court ruling that requires Vidda to publish a statement to mitigate the damage caused [9][10] - The court ruled that Vidda's marketing materials contained statements that could mislead the public into associating them with Xiaomi, damaging Xiaomi's reputation [9][10] Group 4 - JD.com has faced allegations of fraudulent practices regarding its "quality dining" restaurants, with reports of unsanitary conditions and misleading certifications [12][13] - The company had previously emphasized that only quality dining establishments would be allowed on its platform, but investigations revealed significant discrepancies in compliance [12][13] Group 5 - The sales of Neta Auto have declined significantly, with a reported drop in net profit exceeding 90%, prompting the company to expand layoffs to 20,000 employees [35][36] - Despite a slight decrease in global sales, the Chinese market has seen a substantial decline of 12.2%, which has adversely affected the overall performance of the company [35][36] Group 6 - Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra has been the subject of debate regarding its pricing strategy, with some advocates suggesting it should be priced higher to attract a more affluent customer base [14][15] - The vehicle's initial pricing strategy has been criticized, with suggestions that a higher price point would filter out less serious buyers [14][15] Group 7 - The cross-border e-commerce platform Kaola has been taken offline, which was previously acquired by Alibaba for $2 billion, indicating a significant shift in the company's operational strategy [6][16] - The app's removal from various platforms marks a notable change in the competitive landscape of cross-border e-commerce in China [6][16] Group 8 - Tesla employees have publicly protested against CEO Elon Musk, leading to the dismissal of one employee who created a website criticizing Musk's leadership [28] - The protest highlights internal dissatisfaction with Musk's management style and its perceived impact on the company's brand and sales [28]