The surge in demand, and share price, may not live up to sales growth predictions.

New US legislation could cause an exodus of Chinese tech giants from American stock exchanges. At a time when fashion companies are more reliant than ever on these e-commerce players the stakes are high.

The e-commerce platform's potential listing could come as early as the second half of the year.

Without a reliable revenue stream, retailers with ample cash on hand are better positioned to weather the storm, analysts say. But some categories are faring better than others, like sportswear and heritage luxury.