From firsthand signals,
to useful decisions.

Mahjong is having a moment in America. Designer brands that started in Texas have turned American mahjong into colorful acrylic sets priced at $300 to $400, paired with mats, carrying bags and collaboration merchandise, and have drawn in large numbers of young women. Clubs, home gatherings and hotel game nights keep demand growing. This article traces how the business developed from the perspective of brands and retailers, and examines the opportunities for Chinese brands that know mahjong and have a solid supply-chain base.

Black Friday has not arrived yet, but Costco’s discounts are already rolling out in stages, Walmart will run three deal waves, and Amazon sellers face inbound cutoffs and peak-season fees. The three calendars move on different clocks, so brands need to set pricing, inventory, and fulfillment ahead of each window.

What came out of Walmart’s 13th Open Call, and why did 54 entrepreneurs walk away with a Golden Ticket? Home Depot’s second Orange Exchange is now taking applications. Who is eligible, and when is the deadline? How can Chinese brands going global use these open sourcing channels to break into mainstream U.S. retail?

U.S. retail sales rose 6.3% year over year in September, but most of the gain came from gas prices; excluding gas stations, sales grew just 0.2% month over month, and CPI components diverged sharply. NRF forecasts November–December holiday sales will grow 4.2% to $1.013 trillion. Ocean freight has held steady while U.S. domestic diesel and trucking costs are rising; retailers are cutting prices while shifting cost pressure onto suppliers.

Eight months into Greg Foran’s tenure as Kroger CEO, the retailer is moving toward simpler, more consistent everyday prices, refocusing e-commerce on stores, and planning to cut 3,000 corporate jobs. Expanding private labels and dedicated Asian-food sections may create new shelf-space opportunities for Chinese brands.

The first numbers from October's major promotions are in. How did Amazon Prime Big Deal Days perform? How did the retail giants compare? What do shoppers' baskets tell us? This article examines the newly released spending data, the reasons behind it, and what it means for holiday-season inventory planning.

On October 8, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee for an initial period of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and $30,000 for each subsequent period. The same day, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it would stop accepting and processing PERM labor-certification applications from eight companies, including Microsoft. Other measures that would tighten H-1B rules are still pending.

From Gap, Amazon and Walmart to Meta’s Muse, AI shopping assistants are turning the retail entry point into the new battleground.

America’s fall sales are underway! As retail giants go head-to-head, whose playbook is more aggressive this year?

A $158 billion pet market: how can Chinese brands turn online bestsellers into a presence on U.S. retail shelves?

Washington rebrands. California legislates. In the SI–AI dispute, who is actually changing the rules for businesses?

What has the Trump–Xi meeting changed in U.S.–China trade relations? Understand how the two sides’ statements differ, and watch the next key milestones.

Adding to the pressure: the EU customs-code reform is now complete, and direct-shipped small parcels take a heavy hit.

A preliminary finding on Cambodian-finished hangers and a joint agency webinar underline the risks of treating third-country finishing as an automatic workaround.

Brand value, U.S. retail sales, and market capitalization are related but different measures. Channel strategy starts with the question the data actually answers.

A dated status check separates measures in force, court-paused rules, and proposals so students and employers can plan without treating headlines as law.

State business registration and federal importer-of-record data are two separate risk layers. Here is how to distinguish and check them.

An in-store look at frozen foods, club-pack economics, and roadshows—along with the limits of drawing national conclusions from local shelves.

A decision sequence for importer identity, electronic mail-entry data, and potential port costs. Full research is reserved for members.

Walmart’s recent moves—from its combined membership program and drone delivery to digital shelf labels, AI agents, imports and Marketplace—point to one strategy: using the densest physical retail network in the United States to turn stores into hybrid micro-fulfillment hubs capable of reaching nearby customers in minutes. An efficient distribution network and cross-border imports bring merchandise into these locations more quickly. For Chinese brands expanding overseas, the shift creates both opportunities and challenges.

This report reviews the four pathways for Chinese brands to enter Walmart in the US, together with the related requirements on business credentials, tax forms, fees, insurance, compliance, and import rules. Most Chinese brands should start with Marketplace plus WFS, secure US trademarks, certifications, and insurance, and move inventory into US warehouses through bulk imports before evaluating the supplier pathway. Before signing as a supplier, brands should review the deduction, payment, liability, return, and termination terms item by item.

Temu, the overseas business of Pinduoduo, signed an agreed judgment in Texas and was sued again in Missouri in the same week, bringing the number of states that have sued it to eight. The Texas judgment writes in terms on data storage, annual audits, product testing and store shutdowns, and its "most-favored state" clause sets a floor for future settlements. Much of the states' evidence comes from product listings. This piece sorts the issues into five categories and lays out six things brand sellers should do now.

Holiday budgets have recovered, but the extra money is going to the celebration itself—the table, decorations, and gatherings—while gift budgets have barely grown.

A research overview of student status, OPT, H-1B selection, sponsorship cost, and the employment grace period.

Importer identity, entry data, and logistics cost are converging around verifiable responsibility. Full research is reserved for members.

A brand case on local production, channel sequencing, and packaging for a broader U.S. audience.

How a recognizable service concept meets local expectations, locations, labor practices, and operating constraints.

Ten days before Halloween, the American Red Cross and UC Davis Health issued safety reminders on the same day. Reminders like these run all year in America, from Fourth of July fireworks and the Thanksgiving kitchen to the winter Christmas tree. Behind them lie a tradition of treating injury as a preventable public health problem and a rule that children’s safety is a responsibility shared by the whole community.

Rather than fighting over a limited number of jobs at big Silicon Valley tech companies, international students may do better at Chinese companies in the US. · Chinese companies in the US are hiring across tech, manufacturing, finance, restaurants, tea drinks and more. · Many job postings list Chinese as a requirement, making bilingual and cross-cultural skills a real advantage. · These companies do sponsor H-1B visas for foreign hires, and pay varies widely by industry and role. · As more Chinese brands expand overseas, opportunities for Chinese students in the US will keep growing.

All 11 US stadiums at the 2026 World Cup were existing NFL venues. Not one was newly built. · Total attendance of about 6.81 million broke the 1994 record · NFL games, college football and concerts keep a stadium busy all year round. · From $2 hot dogs to tickets costing more than $10,000, going to the game is part of American life.

Language ability matters most when paired with professional delivery and a realistic understanding of employer sponsorship.