Digital Marketing

Guide to Setting Up WeChat E-Commerce in China

rise of wechat in china

It’s no secret that the WeChat messaging platform has become huge in China, boasting nearly a billion monthly active users who are increasingly integrating WeChat into their everyday lives.

Digital marketers and e-tailers operating in China should seriously consider incorporating WeChat into their marketing and selling strategies.

Here are five reasons why.

5 reasons to use WeChat

  1. WeChat has a massive user-base.
    At Statista’s last count from Q2 2017, WeChat had 963 million monthly active users, which could offer marketers the potential to reach a wide ready-made online audience. China’s netizens use WeChat not only for socialising and sharing content, but also for paying bills, ordering food, making bookings, planning trips, and purchasing and paying for goods.
  2. China’s netizens spend hours on WeChat.
    Recent stats from China Internet Watch show that half of WeChat users spend more than 1½ hours on WeChat each day, and approximately one-third spend four hours or more a day on the app! Part of the reason for this may be WeChat’s ‘walled garden’ approach – which enables users to engage in many different online activities without exiting the app.
  3. It’s free to set up an official account.
    It doesn’t cost anything to register an official account on WeChat, while offering a world of potential for brand promotion and e-commerce.
  4. Advertising features.
    WeChat offers a variety of advertising options and the opportunity to develop targeted advertising based on location, interests, and past behaviours.
  5. China’s love of all-things-mobile.
    Netizens in China use their smartphones even more than we do in Australia believe it not! Recent KPMG research shows that more than 90% of online consumers in China have used their mobile devices to purchase goods and services.
  6. Easy payments.
    WeChat has developed its own payment systems that make it fast, convenient and easy to pay for goods and services. It has also been expanding its mobile payment services overseas – which could be very convenient for tourists and travellers.

Tips for setting up e-commerce on WeChat

Here are four quick tips for how to get up and running on WeChat.  

  1. Register an official account.
    Official accounts are available for enterprises and organisations to establish and use on WeChat. There are two types available for marketers – service accounts and subscription accounts. Service accounts can post up to four messages per month, while subscription accounts can send one per day to followers.
  2. Set up a WeChat store.
    A WeChat store allows consumers to shop and pay on WeChat without leaving the app. There are several types of online stores available, some of which are free to set up and use while others require a subscription.
  3. Integrate WeChat’s payment systems.
    WeChat’s pay systems such as WeChat Wallet make it quick and easy for buyers to pay without using credit cards or needing to go to another app for payment.
  4. Consider WeChat mini-programs.
    WeChat launched mini-programs earlier in 2017. The feature allows developers to create scaled-down versions of apps that take up considerably less space and which users can access without needing to install them or leave WeChat.

Get professional digital marketing assistance

If you are interested in setting up an e-commerce store on WeChat, or you would like assistance with any other aspect of digital marketing in China, get in touch with our bilingual marketing team.

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