(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s e-commerce environment in 2024 is defined by diversification, ecosystem maturity, and consumer segmentation. For overseas brands entering the market, identifying where to launch and how to tailor engagement is critical. This article provides a strategic overview of the leading shopping platforms—highlighting their core user bases and how to deploy the right tactics for each.
- Tmall Global: China’s Most Trusted Cross-Border Platform
Tmall Global continues to be the flagship platform for premium international brands targeting affluent Chinese shoppers. With bonded warehousing, streamlined onboarding, and brand-protective policies, it enables brands to build trust and credibility.
Tmall’s campaigns during Double 11 and 6.18 offer exceptional reach, while ecosystem tools like TMIC support product innovation based on Chinese consumer feedback.
- JD Worldwide: Fast Fulfillment and B2C Trust
JD excels in logistics, with same-day and next-day delivery becoming the norm. JD Worldwide appeals to a practical, brand-conscious customer base, particularly for health products, electronics, and personal care.
JD’s in-house distribution ensures reliable fulfillment and post-sales support, which enhances reputation—especially for first-time foreign brands.
- Pinduoduo: Community Buying at Scale
In 2024, Pinduoduo is a powerhouse for price-driven purchases, social commerce, and rural market penetration. For global brands offering everyday goods, essentials, or unbranded SKUs, it provides immense volume potential.
Brands can create viral growth using the platform’s social discount mechanisms and group-buying architecture.
- Douyin: The Rise of Short-Form Shopping
Douyin has become China’s most influential channel for trend-driven e-commerce. Its livestreaming and short-form video capabilities support real-time engagement, especially in beauty, food, and fashion sectors.
Overseas brands can succeed with creative storytelling, influencer partnerships, and livestream flash sales integrated with Douyin’s native checkout.
- Xiaohongshu: Trust, Reviews, and Word-of-Mouth Authority
Known for its review-driven culture, Xiaohongshu is vital for reputation building among younger, urban consumers. Brands should invest in seeding products to micro-influencers, creating authentic use-case content, and responding to user comments.
Xiaohongshu campaigns are often the first touchpoint for consumer research before purchase happens on Tmall or JD.
Case Study: Australian Supplement Brand Combines Pinduoduo and JD Strategy
A health supplement brand used Pinduoduo to offer budget-friendly bundles, while maintaining premium positioning on JD. On Douyin, they ran influencer-led tutorials. The blended strategy doubled brand visibility, slashed logistics cost by 27%, and brought in 80,000 new followers across channels.
Conclusion
Each of China’s top shopping platforms in 2024 serves a different consumer journey stage. Successful overseas brands build platform-specific tactics to balance trust, awareness, and conversion—ultimately creating an integrated market presence.
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!
