Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Advantages of social commerce: scene-based and information-intensive
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- Figure 4: Categories bought on social commerce platforms, by city tier, April 2020
- The ecology of WeChat ecommerce: diverse local services
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- Figure 5: Social commerce related behaviour, by city tier, April 2020
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- Figure 6: Platform association, April 2020
- Preferences towards short video content: having a virtual experience
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- Figure 7: Popular contents of short video watching, by city tier, April 2020
- The key to KOL marketing: influence derives from their spirit of striving for success
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards ecommerce platforms, by city tier, April 2020
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- Figure 9: Traits of influencers, by city tier, April 2019
- Motivations for sharing: everyone dreams of becoming a KOL
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- Figure 10: Social media content sharing triggers, by city tier, April 2020
- Attitude towards personal privacy: expectation for considerate recommendations
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- Figure 11: Attitudes towards app data privacy, by city tier, September 2019
- What we think
Introduction to lower tier cities in China
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- Population and spending power
- Spending by Tier 3 and lower cities increases and takes a larger share
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- Figure 12: City populations and sales, by city tier, end of 2018
- Per capita disposable income and spending power grows
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- Figure 13: Per capita salary vs per capita retail sales, by city tier, 2018
- Spending confidence since the COVID-19 outbreak
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- Figure 14: GDP sector compositions, by city tier, April 2018
- Figure 15: Changes in financial status, percentage of respondents claiming they are ‘better off’, Apr-Jul 2020
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- Figure 16: Confidence in improving future finances, very confident-somewhat confident, by city tier, Apr-Jul 2020
- Demographic profile/analysis
- Gaps between city tiers narrowing in both economic and educational respects
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- Figure 17: Educational level of surveyed respondents, 2017- June 2020
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- Figure 18: Car ownership and gym membership, by city tier, 2017- June 2020
- Online activity
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- Figure 19: Online activities, by city tier, April 2020
Advantages of social commerce: scene-based and information-intensive
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- One-stop solution for gathering information and shopping
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- Figure 20: Categories bought on social commerce platforms, by city tier, April 2020
- Free samples allow consumers to try more products
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- Figure 21: Features associated with online channels, by city tier, December 2019
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- Low cost of trial and error drives impulse buying
- A ‘reality show’ with ample information on one screen
- What does this mean for brands?
- Scene-based live stream shopping
- Case study: Tmall Club Super Discovery Store live streaming at the 618 Shopping Festival
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- Figure 22: Tmall Club store visits, 2020
- Case study: JD's attempt to host online music festivals
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- Figure 23: JD live streaming x Strawberry Music Festival, 2020
The ecology of WeChat ecommerce: diverse local services
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- Shopping communities become a shortcut for brands to reach consumers
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- Figure 24: Social commerce-related behaviours, by city tier, April 2020
- The reputation of shopping communities relies on offering benefits and convenience
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- Figure 25: Platform association, April 2020
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- Diverse local services are a big plus for shopping communities
- Online-offline integrated community models are more credible
- What does this mean for brands?
- Case study: Boqii pet community
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- Figure 26: The Boqii community, 2020
- Case study: Xibei Youmian Cun’s customer benefit group
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- Figure 27: Xibei Youmian Cun parent-child camp, 2020
Preferences towards short video content: having a virtual experience
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- Entertainment and funny themes are welcome
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- Figure 28: Popular short video content, by city tier, April 2020
- Content optimised to be approachable keeps the freshness of platforms and brands
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- Figure 29: Attitudes towards watching short videos, April 2020
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- The experience of understanding the process enhances senses of engagement in the role
- What does this mean for brands?
- Funny content is not sufficient; it should be interesting and informative
- Case study: Keep puts the “bitter-sweet” of exercise into everyday life
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- Figure 30: Keep “This is also Keep”, 2019
- Case study: Giving organised a bathing-time education dance challenge on TikTok
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- Figure 31: Giving "Enlighten Babies in the Bath", 2019
The key to KOL marketing: influence derives from the spirit of striving for success
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- The influence of KOLs’ recommendations has an impact on cities across all tiers
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- Figure 32: Attitudes towards social commerce platforms, by city tier, April 2020
- Practicality and professionalism is the key to standing out
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- Figure 33: Traits of KOLs, by city tier, May 2019
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- The experience of hard work is emotionally touching and the influence is convincing
- What does this mean for brands?
- Willingness to strive for success makes influencer marketing more influential and more convincing
- Case study: Estée Lauder promotes women's power with a crossover collaboration with sports
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- Figure 34: Zhang Weili in the Double Wear commercial, 2020
- Case study: a video creator with ID “Hi Sir, I am He Tongxue” dedicated to high-quality videos
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- Figure 35: The “Hi Sir, I am He Tongxue” homepage on Bilibili, 2020
Motivations for sharing: everyone dreams of becoming a KOL
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- Catching up with new and popular trends is also a way of maintaining public personas
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- Figure 36: Attitudes towards content sharing on social commerce platforms, by city tier, April 2020
- Present a "beautified" self online
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- Figure 37: Attitudes towards social media, by city tier, November 2019
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- Energetic and motivating public personas and the KOL dreams behind it
- What does this mean for brands?
- Add social elements to facilitate consumers’ KOL dreams
- Case study: Beijing Hyundai car subscription service
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- Figure 38: Beijing Hyundai Encino Iron Man edition test drive experience, 2019
- Case study: 999 Jin Wei Duo introduces limited edition immunity-boosting calendars
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- Figure 39: 999 Jin Wei Duo immunity-boosting calendar, 2020
Attitudes towards personal privacy: expectation for considerate recommendations
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- What differences does the quantitative data suggest?
- Expect more “value conversion” from information
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- Figure 40: Attitudes towards data privacy when using apps, by city tier, September 2019
- Appreciate precise recommendations of product services
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- Figure 41: Attitudes towards new retail, by city tier, September 2019
- Why the difference as suggested by qualitative research?
- Save time with personalised recommendations
- Personalised recommendations need to be more considerate
- What does this mean for brands?
- Promote personalised recommendations by utilising personal information
- Case study: personalised experiences of the Nike+ app
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- Figure 42: Nike run club, 2020
- Case study: JD’s pet profile based on its big data tool
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- Figure 43: JD “My Pet’s Profile”, 2020
Appendix – Abbreviations
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- Abbreviations
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