The sudden collective resignation of East Buy’s four veteran anchors—Ming Ming, Tian Quan, Zhong Can, and Lin Lin—marks a pivotal moment of institutional friction for the Chinese livestreaming giant. These individuals, often referred to as the firm's 'Original Anchor Team,' were the faces of the platform’s unique 'knowledge-based' e-commerce model. Their departure, citing a shift toward an increasingly cold, militarized management style under new leadership, signals a deep cultural rift within the organization.
In their public farewells, the anchors described an environment that transitioned from an idealistic, human-centric workspace to one defined by rigid KPIs and 'quiet isolation.' This internal 'earthquake' follows the 2024 departure of superstar anchor Dong Yuhui, whose exit previously sent the company’s market valuation into a tailspin. The recurring theme is a structural conflict between the individual creative IPs that built the platform and the company’s strategic pivot toward a standardized, supply-chain-driven retail model.
Founder Michael Yu (Yu Minhong) has issued a public apology, acknowledging that the transition to a more institutionalized management system lacked the necessary 'humanistic care.' However, the strategic direction appears set in stone. Under Executive President Sun Jin, East Buy is aggressively pursuing a transformation into what it calls an 'Online Sam’s Club,' focusing on self-branded products rather than the charismatic influencers who originally attracted millions of followers.
The financial stakes of this identity crisis are starkly evident in the company’s fiscal performance. Since the 'de-personalization' strategy accelerated, East Buy’s GMV has plummeted from 14.3 billion RMB to 8.7 billion RMB, while its total orders on Douyin have nearly halved. Meanwhile, Dong Yuhui’s independent venture, 'Walking with Hui,' has ascended to the top of the sales charts, proving that in the current Chinese digital landscape, personal IP remains the undisputed king of traffic.
This exodus leaves Michael Yu in a precarious 'strategic vacuum.' While the company has successfully expanded its private app traffic and diversified its product categories to over 700 SKUs, it has lost the human spark that differentiated it from generic e-commerce platforms. The loss of the 'Original Four' suggests that East Buy is not just shedding staff, but is actively purging its original DNA in a high-stakes gamble on institutional reliability over individual talent.
Whether East Buy can survive as a 'pure product company' remains the defining question for Yu’s 30-year career. The transition from an influencer-led powerhouse to a supply-chain-focused retailer is a path many have attempted, but few have navigated without losing their core audience. As the platform moves toward 'rule of law' over 'rule of personality,' it faces the sobering reality that a loyal customer base built on emotional connection is far easier to lose than it is to replace with cold efficiency.