Retail study tours full of inspiring digital innovation in China

Tours

K5X-Pedition: Chinese Retail Innovation

Autumn 2025 edition

(German group, 12-10 – 18-10-2025)

Chinese Retail Innovation Tour

Business & Culture edition

(Private 12-day tour, 23-10 – 02-11-2025)

K5X-pedition Episode 2

Exclusive to previous K5 tour participants

(17-04 to 24-04-2026)

Virke Norway Retail Innovation Tour

October 2026

Details will follow.

Tailored tours

(contact us)

Why China?

Learn about new business models and get inspired!

China is years ahead of us in digital innovations in e-commerce, mobile payments, live commerce, sharing economy, social commerce, new retail, instant retail, etc. China's experiences, learnings and new business models can inspire you to think outside the box and apply learnings within your own company.

Understand the Chinese online landscape!

If you consider the Chinese consumer to be a potential customer and want to enter the Chinese market, you should first understand how different the Chinese (online) world is. You will not find common Western platforms in e-commerce and social media. And domestic platforms have little in common with their Western equivalents. We will help you on your way!

Learn about your new competitors!

China's internal internet markets are becoming saturated and a growing number of Chinese companies are entering the global market, driven in part by government policies. Today's digital technology companies in China are tomorrow's competitors. And tomorrow will arrive sooner than you think. Get to know them and be prepared for their arrival!

Testimonials

“
Sven RittauCEO K5 Future Retail
“This was a blast! Intellectually, culturally, business wise and of course with loads of great memories and fun. I really enjoyed every moment. Thank you for the great trip Ed Sander. This is highly recommended if you want to understand what China is all about and what is coming our way. (..) This was one of the most impactful journeys I have done so far, if not the one trip with the biggest impact on how I see and experience my (retail) world.”

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Philippe GelderPresident & CEO Voted Product of the Year Worldwide
“I was honored to be part of this great tour with a great company! Ed Sander is a great organizer, leaving no details aside, giving you a wealth of information (you don’t lose a second of your time) during sessions followed by practical demonstrations in real life of those presentations. I can only recommend if you want to see by yourself why information on China is so often corrupted by unreliable sources and should be looked at with your own eyes.”

“
Alexander VogesManaging Director Marketing and Sales at Heinrich Heine
“Thank you Ed Sander! It was really a fantastic trip. Your sessions were very insightful and layed the foundation of a better understanding of China, its society, economy, and e-commerce business models. (..) Although not everything in China is adoptable in Europe, it is in my opinion absolutely mandatory for our business to see and understand what is happening in the Chinese market because if business models from there come here, they will do it with high speed and professionalism.”

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Olaf ZwijnenburgSectormanager Retail & Wholesale non-food - Rabobank The Netherlands
“I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to immerse myself in three world cities (Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai) and the interior at breakneck speed for a week and to see with my own eyes the unimaginable pace at which China and its people have grown in just 30 years and have made an almost unfathomable enormous leap.

Thank you Ed Sander for the organization, the wealth of information, the bombardment of impressions and the daily link between theory and practice. And also many thanks to fellow travelers for all the interaction during this impressive and unforgettable study and inspiration trip.”

“
Christiaan RikkersManaging director & CEO @ JDV
“A fantastic journey. And I can advise everyone to go. The tour received a more than excellent rating from our travel participants! Also gained a good insight into today's China with all the positive and negative points that you can ultimately judge best once you have seen it yourself!”

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Janneke VoortmanProjectmanager at Focusplaza
“On behalf of Focusplaza, thank you for the fantastic collaboration! Thank you for (conveying) your passion, enthusiasm and enthusiasm, Ed. It has been an unforgettable journey on all fronts, and I look back on it with great pleasure.”

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Bolke KosterDirector / Owner Vitals Food Supplements
“Highly recommended. Learned and saw a lot. Excellently organised. Definitely wouldn't have wanted to miss it.”

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Jochen KrischEditor Exciting Commerce, K5 Founder
“Thanks, Ed, for the insights and for the experience! Highly recommended!”

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Bart CoxCEO at Jac. Cox Vastgoed BV
“It was a more than wonderful trip. We learned a lot and Ed is THE perfect tour guide. He knows a lot and wanted the group to learn and understand how things happen in China. This was a trip with a golden edge!”

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Evelyn van Leur-SlagerFounding Partner, Category & Trade Company
“Wow, what a country, and what insights and inspiration in the China study tour led by Ed Sander. Thank you Ed, it was a fantastic and educational trip!”

“
Jose Ten HoopeBusiness Manager Retail at Svedex
“Wow what a week in China! Excellent!
Many thanks to Ed Sander for all the master classes, fieldwork/city safaris & China know-how. I am sure you will send the next groups home with the same experiences!”

“
Johan LemmersSales Director, AkzoNobel
“This tour far exceeded expectations (and expectations were already high). The combination of Ed's morning lessons, safaris through three special cities, fantastic and enjoyable dinners and a very varied and enthusiastic group made it an unforgettable week! Ed is a super host who arranged everything down to the last detail. In addition, his knowledge of China in general and New Retail in particular is phenomenal. Highly recommended!”

“
Marc NelissenPublisher MIXpress
“Ed Sander knows China, he breathes China. He guided MIX around Shanghai and Beijing and introduced us to the culture, society and economy. He showed us various New Retail concepts and how quickly China is evolving. How powerful the Alibaba and Tencent platforms are, how big m-commerce is and how fast it is growing.”

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Jarno DuursmaTrendwatcher, Studio Overmorgen
“My tour guide was Ed Sander from ChinaTechTrip. He knows the Chinese internet, mobile and new retail. And he is well-informed about Chinese culture, which is ultimately the context of all digital innovations. If you really want to experience China, Ed Sander comes highly recommended!”

“
Michiel RijshouwerManaging Director, Persuade
“Thanks, Ed for this tour. It was essential for me that you also contribute your enormous knowledge of the Chinese market and culture. I am convinced that this is indispensable to properly understand what exactly is going on here and what you can take away from all these developments. I can recommend it to every retailer and marketer who wants to move forward.”

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Carsten WeiskopfDirector E-Commerce Annematie Börlind & Sado Sens
“10/10 experience! (..) My fullest recommendation to this tour!”

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Dick ten VoordeCommercial manager, Retailmade
“The amount of culture, digital marketing and retail experience is enormous. It is truly a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. Thank you, Ed Sander, for combining your highly substantive lectures in the morning and making them visible in practice through tours. In addition, putting it into perspective against the cultural backgrounds. What a journey!”

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Egbert-Jan van BelAuthor and Public Speaker
“Recommended! Made a very inspiring and educational trip through China with Ed Sander. I learned a lot, saw a lot, and did a lot. No day was the same as the previous one. Experienced many things that we do not yet have in Europe. Such as the extent to which robots are used in daily work, such as in restaurants and waitresses. Great country, definitely put Ed's trip on your bucket list...”

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Lars JankowfskyFounder at NFQ Technologies
“A real amazing trip! A big THANK YOU for the wonderful organization. The valuable insights and experiences made this week unforgettable.” –”

Recent participants rated their ChinaTechTrip tour with a 9.5 out of 10.

What to expect?

Knowledge

Every day starts with a morning lecture by Ed Sander in which he shares a wealth of knowledge about digital innovations in China. He helps you understand China and the Chinese ecosystem.

Experiences

During the afternoon program, you dive into real Chinese life to experience topics from the morning lectures during ‘city safaris’, company visits and more.

Culture

You will get to know Chinese culture by trying a different local cuisine every day, visiting sights and hearing fascinating stories.

Fun!

After all the impressions, it is time for a beautiful Chinese show in the evening. Or be surprised by entertainment during a hotpot meal. You even might end up singing in a karaoke bar!

Tech analyst, speaker and writer Ed Sander is your study tour leader.

About study tour leader Ed Sander

During the tour, the group is guided by Ed Sander. He has put together the program and provides the lectures and excursions.

Ed Sander is an analyst of digital technology in China. On days when he is not guiding tours, he is an independent researcher, writer and speaker.

Ed explains the latest digital and innovative developments in China and shares his personal experiences. He lived in China for several years and worked as a marketing consultant for Chinese NGOs in the central city of Xi’an, where he married a Chinese woman. He still spends several months a year in China.

Ed has published hundreds of articles on Chinese digital technology and cultural differences between the West and China. He publishes his work on ChinaTalk, an initiative he runs with his wife, and on Tech Buzz China.

Before focusing on China, Ed worked for more than 20 years in database and online marketing at various multinationals in various sectors. This knowledge, combined with his knowledge of China, helps him translate Chinese developments to Western markets.

One of Ed’s hobbies is cooking authentic Chinese food. He has prepared more than 1,000 different Chinese dishes. During the tour, he will introduce you to the highlights of real Chinese cuisine.

For more information, visit Ed Sander’s LinkedIn profile or edsander.com.

Testimonial about Ed Sander

“Last October, I had the opportunity to guide an 8-day study tour to China with Ed, where Ed took responsibility for the content and implementation of the tour. Ed has extensive knowledge and a great passion for Chinese tech and topics such as Chinese ecosystems, e-commerce, live commerce, instant retail, etc. He knows how to place developments in the perspective of Chinese culture and the country’s development. Not only was I able to learn a lot from Ed, but I also had a pleasant cooperation with him. As a guide, speaker and person, I would describe Ed as dedicated, positively perfectionistic and enthusiastic.”

– Janneke Voortman, Project Manager Focusplaza

Visit Ed Sander's websites

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ChinaTechTrip is affiliated with

At ChinaTechTrip we believe it is essential that our customers travel safely and that we are a reliable partner for our clients. We have therefore taken various measures to protect our customers.

ChinaTechtrip is affiliated with the Association of Small-scale Travel Organizations (VvKR) (membership number: 23025). VvKR stands up for the interests of small, often specialist travel organizations.

The combination of travel services offered by ChinaTechTrip is a package tour within the meaning of the Package Travel Directive (EU) 2015/2302. This allows travellers to claim all EU rights that apply to package travel.

To comply with the legally required warranty, ChinaTechTrip uses the services of VZR Garant. VZR Garant is a recognized warranty scheme. In the unlikely case that ChinaTechTrip should become financially insolvent before the end of your booking, VZR Garant will, depending on the situation, ensure that the traveller receives a refund of the booking amount, can continue the booking or is repatriated. You can find the conditions of the warranty scheme on the VZR Garant website (https://vzr-garant.nl/en).

ChinaTechTrip has business liability insurance specially drawn up for tour operators with AON, an independent risk advisor in the travel sector.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I book a trip as a participant?

Unless stated otherwise in a tour program, ChinaTechTrip does not handle individual bookings but provides group tours to business clients. These clients are responsible for recruiting participants among their employees, customers or members.

In some cases, however, it is possible to join such a group. So please feel free to contact us if you are interested so we can tell you about the possibilities.

In some cases ChinaTechTrip accepts individual bookings. Information on how to book will be given on the concerned tour program webpage.

What does the program of a tour look like?

We design the tour program in collaboration with a client and therefore the actual program can vary substantially. However, we strive for a program that consists of a mix of:

daily lectures on the main themes of the tour (e.g. e-commerce, instant retail, super apps, etc.)
‘city safaris’ (guided tours of daily life and fascinating retail locations) and/or company visits
dining in different styles of Chinese restaurants, sightseeing highlights and cultural evening entertainment

When do the tours take place?

The best time to travel in China is from March to May and September to October. During these months, the weather conditions are the best in the cities we normally visit.

How much does a tour cost?

We organize group tours for our clients. The price we calculate depends on the number of participants, the duration, the program, the type of hotels and domestic transport, etc. Are you considering offering a trip to employees, customers or members? Please get in touch with us. We can provide a price indication based on your needs and preferences.

For individual travellers, our client ultimately determines the sales price. They might add their own margin or subsidize part of the costs.

Are you a solo traveller? Unfortunately, ChinaTechTrip does not sell individual trips. But feel free to contact us, and we will see if you can join a trip with one of our clients.

Which parts of a tour does ChinaTechTrip provide?

We provide the complete in-country arrangement for groups of preferably 10-20 people (incl. the tour leader Ed Sander and client’s staff). We do not provide flight tickets but arrange everything from the moment of arrival and departure at the airport(s).

The following are included in our services:

all hotels, meals and domestic transport
tickets for sight-seeing and evening entertainment
design of the program (in consultation with the client if desired)
lectures, ‘city safaris’ and guided tours
presentation during an introductory evening before departure (client provides the location)
online information brochure
general guidance by study tour leader Ed Sander and a local guide

Can Ed Sander be hired as a guide for a tour that we organize ourselves?

Normally Ed only guides tours that ChinaTechTrip have developed, or where he is responsible for a major share in the content of the program. We have had unsatisfying experiences with organizations that, unhindered by any knowledge about China, try to put together a trip themselves and disappoint travellers. However, please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Does ChinaTechTrip also handle visa applications for travel to China?

ChinaTechTrip does not process visa applications for participants in our tours. In The Netherlands, we do however work with a specialized partner who can assist in the visa application process.

Given that the application for a Chinese visa can be confusing and error-prone, we recommend that travellers do not do this themselves unless they have prior experience with it. It costs a little extra but saves a lot of potential problems.

ChinaTechTrip will arrange an invitation letter that is required for your visa application.

If our clients include visa and mediation costs in the sales price to individual travellers, our partner can provide one invoice with a €20 discount per traveller.

Why does ChinaTechTrip not provide flight tickets?

ChinaTechTrip does not arrange flight tickets. We have found that:

Travellers use different airports of departure.
Travellers have different preferences (e.g. economy versus business class, direct flights versus transfers/stops)
Travellers can decide to arrive one or more days before the tour or stay longer for their own private purposes (e.g. business meetings or additional sightseeing).

Instead of including flight booking prices and service costs in the tour price, we think it is better to leave flight booking up to the individual traveller.

If ChinaTechTrip provides a tour to a business client responsible for recruiting individual participants, the client can decide to arrange flight tickets for the group.

Inquire about the possibilities

ChinaTechTrip provides group tours for clients. These usually are companies or (trade) organizations that want to offer their employees, customers or members an opportunity to learn more about China. ChinaTechTrip designs the tour program in collaboration with such clients to ensure our services meet their specific wishes and objectives.

If you want to discuss the possibilities, please contact us through the form below.

Are you a solo traveller who would like to go on one of the tours we organise? Please let us know via this form. We will check if you can join a suitable trip with one of our clients.

You can also call us (+31 6 51 214 206), but it’s easier to reach us by e-mail because of regular stays in China (info@chinatechtrip.com).