If you are looking at opportunities in China eCommerce, ask yourself a question first: Do you know your China eCommerce customers?
Having an idea of your target audience would help figure out best ways to market your business, especially in a new market. From the latest China eCommerce customer reports, we dig out what are your Chinese eCommerce customers like nowadays.
Today's China eCommerce customer: Who are they?
- They love a lower price.
Chinese eCommerce customers are price concerned first and foremost. Lower price is the main reason that drives them to eCommerce sites, and they believe firmly that prices online must be lower than offline.
- They compare prices across different eCommerce channel.
Since they are price-concerned, Chinese eCommerce customers are willing to compare prices across different ecommerce sites, even it will cost more time. Report shows that 70.5% of Chinese eCommerce customers pay more attention to price difference when comparing different items online.
Price Comparison websites enable customers to compare different prices from different eCommerce.
- They prefer to shop on mobile.
China eCommerce shoppers prefer to browse eCommerce on mobile devices. The smartphone usage in China is relatively high, and purchasing on mobile become fairly easy especially with all the convenient mobile payment options.
According to data released by Taobao, most of their users tend to browse eCommerce around 10 pm every night, through their mobile phones.
-They use live chat a lot.
Chinese eCommerce customers rely heavily on live chat during their purchase. Through asking questions and requesting more details, customers are getting the shopping experiences just like in offline shops.
Most popular questions being ask on live chat are:
- whether the product is authentic;
- more detailed information. For example, the length/width of an apparel;
- whether there is any discount or promotion going on;
- Shipping related. How many days will it take to deliver, which shipping companies will be used, whether there will be free shipping, etc.
- They want details, details and more details.
Chinese is a high-context language, which means words are not that directly expressed comparing with languages like English. Therefore, information like images and numbers will be more helpful to Chinese eCommerce customers.
Recent survey shows that more detailed images on China eCommerce sites can increase conversion rates. More details presenting will help your Chinese customers make up their minds and complete the purchase.
Casio's Tmall store is really detail-heavy.
- They will view comment sections to help decision-making.
More than 60% of Chinese eCommerce customers will leave a comment after purchasing, and these comments will influence other shopper’s decision-making processes. This word of mouth can prompt a consumer to consider a brand or product in a way that incremental advertising spending simply cannot.
Moreover, over 70% female customers will leave a comment to share experiences, offer suggestions to other fellow customers, 11.6% more than male eCommerce customers.
- They care a lot about authenticity.
Since counterfeits good has always been a huge problem for China eCommerce market, Chinese eCommerce customers need to identify whether your items are real.
However, to tell whether a product is real or fake from words and images are difficult. Therefore, brand’s official eCommerce store will be their No.1 trustworthy choice, or a legally authorized online store.
Pernod Ricard's Tmall site encourage customers to verify product's authenticity.
- They need to know the delivery time.
The eCommerce delivery in China represents one of the best standard all over the world, but Chinese eCommerce customers are still not satisfied enough.
More exactly, not only customers want to know how many days the shipment will take, but also they want to know what time of a day it will be delivered.
This info is very important, since a typical eCommerce shoppers will be working 9-5 away from home, so they can adjust the shipping address if already known the delivery time. According to the report, 14.2% of Chinese eCommerce shoppers want their goods to be shipped “at a certain time”, while 9% hopes to be shipped “night time only.”
TMO Group Will Help You Drive eCommerce Growth in China
As a developing pioneer in China, TMO Group know China eCommerce ecosystem well, and we will to give you the service and quality workmanship that is well expected.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding eCommerce solutions that you may have.
