SINGAPORE: Singapore brands looking to connect with more Chinese consumers should consider digital platforms like Xiaohongshu, Tmall Global, and JD Worldwide, as these platforms provide access to more Chinese shoppers beyond just tourists, said analysts.
According to Singapore Business Review, Carmen Zhu, Consulting Director at Frost & Sullivan, noted that Tmall Global, Taobao, and JD Worldwide allow brands to sell directly to Chinese consumers.
Meanwhile, Xiaohongshu and REDnote are better suited for lifestyle, beauty, and fashion brands.
Diana Shao, Category Director for China Reports at Mintel Group Ltd., also added that Tmall and JD Worldwide are ideal starting points for brands and retailers unfamiliar with Chinese consumers.
“A lot of young people use Xiaohongshu to find shopping inspirations and mostly to share their lifestyles,” she said.
Mintel reported that about a third of Chinese consumers use Tmall and JD Worldwide daily, with 66% buying items at least once a week. The report also found that 27% of Chinese consumers use Xiaohongshu daily, with 34% making purchases weekly.
However, brands must also use marketing strategies like short-form videos to attract more buyers.
China’s Douyin, TikTok’s local counterpart, and Kuaishou lead in short-form video use, with 60% of consumers using them daily and 33% buying weekly, according to Mintel.
David Zhang of Euromonitor noted that Singapore retailers, like Scarlett Supermarket on Xiaohongshu and OSIM on Douyin, are tapping into these platforms to reach Chinese consumers.
Ms Shao also advised brands to collaborate with influencers and use livestreams to increase visibility and credibility.
To reach a more mature audience, she suggested that brands use WeChat to create accounts to share daily updates and utilise mini-programmes for marketing.
WeChat also offers WeChatPay, a popular mobile payment system alongside Alipay, the preferred payment method for Chinese consumers, said Frankie Tan, Consulting Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
He noted that this applies not only to online sales but also to physical stores, which give more convenience to Chinese shoppers.
Apart from digital wallets like WeChat and Alipay, Mr Zhang suggested retailers could collaborate with financial institutions such as UnionPay, ICBC, and Bank of China.
For retailers with their own apps or websites, he suggested partnering with payment services like AliPay, TenPay, and UnionPay to offer Chinese consumers their preferred payment options. He also advised working with logistics firms like SF Express to facilitate cross-border e-commerce.
Ms Shao added that retailers could also use pop-up stores to increase brand awareness in China without the cost of a permanent setup.
According to Mintel, Chinese consumers are attracted to pop-up stores near busy streets or landmarks (51%), those offering exclusive products (46%), and those giving out free samples or gifts (45%).
Mr Zhang noted that retailers with more budget could focus on opening stores in Tier 1 cities like Chengdu. For example, Singaporean fashion brand Charles & Keith opened its first flagship store in China at Chengdu’s MixC Shopping Mall.
Ms Shao also suggested working with tourism bureaus, while Ms Zhu stressed the importance of using both online and offline strategies to reach more than just tourists. /TISG
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