(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s app ecosystem is a constellation of super-apps where social, content, and commerce collide at lightning speed. In November 2025, overseas brands that spread effort across too many platforms fail—those that dominate the core five apps with tailored strategies win disproportionately. Here are the apps currently driving 90%+ of digital growth for international brands.
1. WeChat – Your Digital Headquarters in China
1.1 All-in-One Super App 10+ Functions in One: Messaging, payments (WeChat Pay has 1.2 billion users), Mini-Programs, Video Channels, Moments, official accounts—WeChat is the only app Chinese users truly “live inside.”
Private Domain Goldmine: Overseas brands use it to own customer relationships forever, achieving 60-80% of repeat purchases outside public platforms.
2. Douyin – Where Trends Are Born and Sold Instantly
2.1 800 Million Daily Active Users Entertainment-First Algorithm: Unlike Instagram, Douyin prioritizes watch time and engagement over followers—perfect for unknown overseas brands to go viral overnight.
Integrated E-Commerce: From video → product card → payment happens in under 10 seconds, making it ideal for impulse and youth categories.
3. Xiaohongshu – The Pinterest + Instagram + Amazon Hybrid
3.1 Trusted Lifestyle Community 7:3 Female-to-Male Ratio: Dominates beauty, fashion, motherhood, and wellness—China’s most valuable consumer segments.
Note Format > Traditional Ads: Long-form photo + text + video posts feel authentic, driving higher trust and willingness to pay premium prices.
4. Bilibili – Gen Z Culture & Long-Form Content Hub
4.1 400 Million Monthly Users Under 35 Bullet Comments & Community: Unique real-time comment overlay creates interactive viewing experiences perfect for gaming, anime, and tech overseas brands.
UP Main Content Creators: Partnering with Bilibili creators delivers deeper emotional connection than short-form platforms.
5. Dewu – China’s StockX for Streetwear & Collectibles
5.1 Authentication-First Marketplace Guaranteed Genuine: Every item verified by Dewu, making it the go-to for luxury streetwear, sneakers, and limited-edition overseas products.
Youth Culture Authority: Dominates 18-30 male demographic that Western luxury brands historically struggle to reach authentically.
Case Study: Canada Goose – From Unknown to Sold-Out Using Niche + Mainstream Apps
Canada Goose combined Xiaohongshu lifestyle winter fashion notes, Douyin extreme-cold challenge videos, Bilibili documentary-style brand stories, and WeChat Mini-Program exclusive drops. The multi-app strategy turned it into a status symbol among young Chinese consumers, routinely selling out ¥5000+ jackets within hours of release.
Conclusion
Focus beats spray-and-pray. The overseas brands winning China in 2025 treat WeChat as home base, Douyin/Xiaohongshu as acquisition engines, and niche apps like Bilibili/Dewu as cultural credibility builders.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
