(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s cross-border e-commerce market offers huge potential, but pricing missteps can quickly derail brand performance. A full pricing audit by a consultancy may be too costly for many overseas brands—especially during early entry. Fortunately, affordable and actionable pricing reviews are entirely possible using smart tools, organic research, and platform insights. Here’s how to review your pricing strategy effectively without overspending.
1. Start With a Simplified Pricing Benchmark
1.1 Identify Top-Selling SKUs in Your Niche
Search your category (e.g., natural vitamins, pet food, etc.) on Tmall Global and JD Worldwide. List 5–10 top competitors, their retail prices, discount history, and review volumes.
1.2 Track Price Evolution Over Time
Platforms like Tmall show crossed-out pricing history. Screen capture these weekly to monitor how pricing shifts during promos, festivals, or off-season months.
2. Use AI-Powered Free Tools and Data Feeds
2.1 Xiaohongshu Search with Keyword Filters
Search with keywords like “值得买吗” (worth buying) or “便宜的替代品” (cheap alternatives). These user-generated content posts often highlight what price ranges are perceived as “good deals.”
2.2 Competitor Monitor Extensions
Free Chrome extensions like Keepa China (adapted for JD/Tmall) or LightCat offer basic price history snapshots and campaign alerts for your competitor set.
3. Survey Your Community for Real Feedback
3.1 Launch a Low-Cost WeChat Mini Program Poll
Build a basic interactive pricing test inside a WeChat mini-program. Ask users to choose which price they’d pay and offer a small gift for completing the poll.
3.2 Collect Pricing Feedback Through Customer Service Logs
If you’ve run previous campaigns or listings in China, export customer chat transcripts from service tools like Dianxiaomi to check how often pricing objections arise.
4. Align Price With Platform Costs and Customer Value
4.1 Add Platform Fees to Your Cost Base
Tmall and JD typically charge 3–10% in commission fees, not including logistics. Include these in your back-calculation when evaluating pricing feasibility.
4.2 Use Value Anchoring Instead of Low-Balling
Rather than undercutting, package your products with small gifts, localized content, or “imported product” trust badges to justify a price premium over local brands.
5. Case Study: Spanish Olive Oil Brand’s Market Validation
A family-owned Spanish olive oil producer preparing to list on Tmall Global performed a two-week manual pricing review. They monitored 12 competitors, tracked comment sentiment via Xiaohongshu, and used a mini-program survey offering a ￥10 coupon in exchange for feedback on three price points. Their chosen price point of ￥129 balanced margin with competitive positioning. The SKU became their best-seller in China within 90 days, without requiring large-scale agency spend.
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!
info@pltfrm.cn
www.pltfrm.cn
