Pinduoduo has rolled out a Wechat-based mini program that focuses on creating an online fashion shopping community for China’s younger consumers.
Why it matters: The new mini program is Pinduoduo’s latest move to increase user engagement by boosting social interaction.
- The platform’s growth is slowing: Active buyers in the 12-month period ended March 31, 2020 totaled 628.1 million, a year-on-year increase of 42% compared with 50% annual growth in the same period a year earlier.
- Pinduoduo is competing with fashion community incumbents in the sector such as Xiaohongshu or Red, Dewu, formerly Poizon, and Nice.
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Details: Shanghai Xunmeng Information Technology Co., Ltd., Pinduoduo’s China-based operating body, rolled out last week Duochao, a fashion and lifestyle mini program on Wechat, local media reported on Monday.
- Duochao is an online community where fashion enthusiasts can post their favorite items via the platform’s central content feed, as well as share their passion for street fashion, from sneakers to clothing and accessories.
- The mini program does not have e-commerce functionality at this stage, though it is widely expected, according to local media.
- Seventeen fashion brands including Nike, DC, Y-3, and Fog have launched official accounts on the platform.
- For now, Duochao does not have a standalone app or website. The program is currently not accessible through Pinduoduo’s main app.
- With the new mini program, Pinduoduo is tapping its popularity with China’s younger consumers. A massive 78% of Pinduoduo users are under 35 years old, according to data from Iimedia (in Chinese). The 24-and-under segment accounts for 24% of the total user base.
Context: Pinduoduo founder Colin Huang just left the board of Shanghai Xunmeng on August 3, one month after he abdicated the position of CEO to focus on the e-commerce giant’s long-term strategies.