Our blog: China’s technology, consumer and new retail insights

We’ve written a lot of articles on a variety of topics that can benefit everyone from a complete beginner to experienced marketers. Do a search for a specific topic of interest or read them in sequence for a broader view. It’s up to you.

LATEST CHINA MARKETING AND CONSUMERS INSIGHTS

A New Feature for Mini Programs: Store Mini Program

On April 26th, WeChat launched a new Mini Program feature called the “Store Mini Program” which shows users basic information about an offline store, similar to a virtual business card. How does the “Store Mini Program” feature work? Firstly, despite its name, it’s not currently a mini program but a feature related to mini programs. […]

May 4, 2017
Live Streaming Platforms in China

Top Live Streaming Platforms in China for 2025

Live streaming in China has transformed from a trendy marketing tactic into a full-fledged retail and entertainment infrastructure. Platforms like Douyin, Taobao Live, and WeChat Channels have evolved into end-to-end commerce ecosystems, while category specialists like Bilibili and Huya dominate gaming and fandom niches.  In 2025, the sector is defined by AI-driven personalization, store-led broadcasts, […]

May 2, 2017

From Mini Apps to KOLs: 6 Effective Luxury Marketing Campaigns on WeChat

Since our last WeChat campaign roundup, luxury brands have been maintaining a strong presence on China’s headliner social media platform. Big brands, including Longchamp, Chanel, and Montblanc, have been coming up with creative initiatives that utilize the diverse features enabled by the app to nurture a new following and engage with existing users. The following is a roundup […]

April 28, 2017

A Comprehensive List of Chinese Social Media Agencies

There’s growing interest in Chinese social media from all corners and more and more mid-sized businesses are looking for agencies that can help them connect with Chinese consumers. It’s hard to find an overview of the key players so we’ve compiled a list of major agencies focusing on CSM. Their services and specialties are highlighted […]

April 26, 2017

Overview of Weibo KOL Promotion

Ranging from influential celebrities and bloggers to featured communities and interest pages, Weibo KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) are sophisticated enough to amass a large number of followers thanks to their content creation talent. For emergent brands and products, a Weibo KOLs’ follower base and public credibility enable effective promotion to an extensive audience. There are […]

April 20, 2017

Youku vs. YouTube: Why Youku is the Brand Favourite

Online video-sharing platforms shaped the way we consume videos since more than 15 years now. Viewers use these platforms to watch news and entertainment, express opinions or buy what they see. Even though YouTube and Youku are similar, Youku does a better job catering to brands’ needs. Differences between YouTube and Youku About YouTube YouTube […]

April 13, 2017

From Gogoboi to Mr. Bags: These Are the Fashion Bloggers Shaping China’s Luxury Industry

In her controversial commentary, fashion critic Suzy Menkes once questioned the professionalism and contributions of fashion bloggers in the era of smartphones and social media. Menkes, however, was being exceptionally encouraging when it came to Chinese fashion bloggers, where before the digital age there was little possibility of learning about opinions from China. To fashion […]

April 12, 2017

How to Sell on WeChat?

With more than 889 million monthly active users and 200 million of them linking their WeChat account to bank cards, there’s no doubt that WeChat is a major player in Chinese social media and e-commerce. WeChat Pay has made the platform more than just an instant messaging app. WeChat users buy movie tickets, book restaurants […]

April 11, 2017

A Comprehensive Overview: Douban

Douban is an interest-based social networking platform. It’s seen as a combination of Goodreads, IMDb, Blogger, Facebook, Pandora, Spotify, Ello and Fancy.com. So what is Douban like? How do people use it? Read on. 1. User and Content Characteristics Douban has over 60 million registered users and 150 million unregistered frequent visitors.  Most of them […]

April 6, 2017

No Pinterest? No Problem: 5 Photo-Sharing Alternatives for China’s Luxury Marketers

Most marketers will have heard that Pinterest has joined Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on the list of sites blocked in China. While Pinterest has never been as popular in China as domestic social media giants like WeChat and Weibo, it has been a useful tool for luxury brands marketing to Chinese consumers. The importance of […]

April 5, 2017

WeChat Adds New Functions to Mini Programs

WeChat officially launched its Mini Program platform in January this year and in March, Tencent added tons of new functions to it. The new functions are meant to strengthen the mini program platform and expand its applications. On March 27th, WeChat announced the first six new functions. 1. Individual developers can register and create their […]

April 4, 2017

WeChat v.s. Line: What Can Line Learn from WeChat?

WeChat and Line are both global leaders among instant messaging apps. Compared with other apps of the same type, like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, WeChat and Line are much more similar in terms of functions and features. However, WeChat has been outperforming Line in many aspects. For example, regarding active users, according to the latest […]

March 28, 2017