WeChat retail growth plan drives digital transformation

As Chinese domestic businesses gradually begin resuming operations and production following the period of industrial standstill caused by COVID-19, the pandemic itself continues to spread and affect businesses overseas. During this period, growing online traffic and leveraging new opportunities and models for growth has become a key goal for businesses.

On April 28, WeChat launched WeChat Retail Growth Plan and announced during the online event that WeChat would introduce specific measures aimed at supporting and facilitating the recovery and growth of the retail industry. These measures are meant to help global businesses and brands strengthen their understanding of WeChat's tools and functions so they can efficiently leverage WeChat's ecosystem to better resolve the challenges created by the pandemic.

Unlocking Functionality to Help Drive Retail

Offline traffic at brick and mortal retail stores has drastically declined due to COVID-19, forcing many retailers to proactively obtain online traffic. Aside from traditional e-commerce models, emerging trends such as livestreaming are also being employed for retail. In February, WeChat opened up WeChat Live for businesses, helping businesses to interact with customers and generate sales via Mini Program livestreaming.

WeChat Live is not only simpler, but also bolsters interaction and conversion within the WeChat ecosystem. Users can watch the livestream while making purchases and communicating in real time.

While WeChat Live can help businesses grow online traffic and expand their reach, WeChat's 1 on 1 Consultant can also assist retailers in tapping into existing user bases and managing fans, helping to drive traffic and sales through their large networks of social connections. Service staff can initiate direct conversation with followers of Official Accounts, offering personalized services and relevant information, while increasing repurchases.

During the pandemic, WeChat Work became a key platform for remote working, and was utilized by a number of enterprises to connect customers with online business expansion efforts. 

WeChat Work 3.0 went online at the end of 2019, granting businesses access to three major functions, namely direct customer outreach, customer WeChat Groups and customer WeChat Moments, to allow companies in empowering employees to directly interact with consumers. In order to improve online customer acquisition and operations capacity, WeChat Work launched a livestreaming function at the beginning of the pandemic. Users can initiate livestreaming, conduct online meetings and share them with WeChat customers.

From customer acquisition to transaction, WeChat Pay is a key step in helping to achieving closed loop transactions. In the five years since its launch, WeChat Pay has penetrated every aspect of Chinese users' lives and covers 16 currencies in 60 countries and regions worldwide. During the pandemic, WeChat Pay also played an important role in cross-border e-commerce, local orders and self-service scan and go.