E-commerce patterns boost consumption

CHANGCHUN－New consumption patterns are evolving in China's e-commerce sector as social media platforms offer specialized online shopping services to attract more consumers, injecting vitality into the country's online retail sales.

Traditionally, buyers would first search for goods and then place orders on online shopping platforms, but social media platforms have brought another way to attract customers.

The "interest e-commerce" mode on Douyin, China's short-video and e-commerce platform, has shown the potential to lure prospective buyers with its video and streaming content.

With this model, users watching livestream sessions on Douyin may come across videos introducing goods that pique their interest. By simply tapping on the screen, they can jump to a shopping webpage to purchase goods displayed in the video, creating a seamless shopping experience.

The "interest e-commerce" model does not neglect the quality of goods but rather piques the users' interest in them. The snappier approach also grants the products more exposure and reinforces their brand image, according to Douyin.

Thanks to this shopping model, as of April, the number of users shopping on Douyin increased by 69 percent, the search for goods surged by 217 percent, and the repurchase rate increased by 76 percent, all on a year-on-year basis.

Kuaishou, another Chinese short-video platform, has also developed its e-commerce strategy with a unique user community. Here, live chat rooms serve as a connecting point between consumers and shop owners.

"In live chat rooms, shop owners can quickly understand consumer demands and interests as well as introduce goods and services," said Wang Yiqing, who works with Kuaishou.

"Livestreaming hosts, consumers and shop owners share their daily lives and are drawn to communities they feel familiar with. Approachable communication and a sense of participation are more engaging compared to simple product description webpages,"Wang added.

Xinhua