In 2023, the wine industry in China has experienced significant developments, particularly in the context of e-commerce and digital consumption. Here are five key points highlighting these changes:
- E-Commerce Boom: With the digital revolution, China’s wine market has witnessed a substantial shift towards e-commerce platforms. This transformation has been accelerated by consumer preferences for online shopping, driven by convenience and a wider selection of products.
- Diverse Selection: Chinese consumers now have access to a vast array of international and domestic wines through online platforms. This has led to an increased awareness and appreciation of various wine types and regions, both locally and globally.
- Digital Marketing Strategies: Wineries and distributors are leveraging digital marketing to reach Chinese consumers. Social media campaigns, online wine tastings, and influencer endorsements have become key tools in promoting wine sales in the digital space.
- Consumer Education: E-commerce platforms are not just sales channels; they also serve as educational portals where consumers can learn about wine varieties, food pairings, and wine culture. This educational aspect has contributed to a more informed and sophisticated wine consumer base in China.
- Growth in Domestic Wine Production: Alongside the import of international wines, there’s a growing interest in domestic Chinese wines, with e-commerce platforms enabling local wineries to reach a broader audience. This trend is fostering a sense of national pride and interest in China’s own wine-producing regions.
These points illustrate how e-commerce has not only transformed the way wine is bought and sold in China but also how it has influenced consumer tastes and the overall culture surrounding wine consumption in 2023.
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A range of products designed for China
China might be the first drinker of red wine worldwide but when it comes to including all the types of wines, China only comes out as the fifth ladder on the scale of the world’s top drinkers. So that we can easily notice that the other types of wine such as white, rose and sparkling are overlooked by Chinese consumers. Red is the Chinese national color, it’s also associated with good luck, wealth, and power.
Red wine is also known as being a healthier alternative than drink rice-based spirits.
A foreign wine company willing to expand its market to the Chinese customers should be aware that red wine is the most appealing kind of wine there.
Promotional offers, offer Deals Online
Selling wine on Chinese e-commerce platforms means that you must adapt to the behavior of Chinese online shoppers. They have different standards regarding websites. They want to have to most important information be clear and easy to find on a page. As to know: the price, the product, the details, and reviews of previous consumers. A short-paying process is also a must-have. But the most important characteristic to them is the price and they demand promotional offers. Chinese are used to bargain, which they cannot do on the Internet. That is why they expect to already have access to a fair price online in order not to lose any time. Promotional offers are more than welcome considering their purchasing behavior.
Buy 3- get 3 for free.
To Sell Wines in China Online Visibility is key
Selling wine on Douyin, China’s leading short-video platform, requires a strategic approach to effectively tap into the vast user base and their preferences. Here are five tips to successfully market and sell wine on Douyin:
- Leverage Influencer Marketing (Key Opinion Leaders – KOLs): Collaborate with popular KOLs on Douyin who have a strong following among your target audience. Choose influencers who resonate with wine culture, lifestyle, and luxury. They can create engaging content around your wine brand, such as tasting sessions, pairing guides, or vineyard tours, to influence their followers’ purchasing decisions.
- Create Engaging and Educational Content: Develop short, captivating videos that educate viewers about your wine. This can include its origin, production process, tasting notes, and food pairings. Use visually appealing imagery and storytelling to make your content memorable and shareable.
- Utilize Douyin’s E-Commerce Features for Direct Sales: Take advantage of Douyin’s built-in e-commerce features to facilitate direct sales. This includes integrating your online store, using shoppable tags in videos, and creating special promotions or exclusive deals that can be easily accessed through the app.
- Targeted Advertising: Use Douyin’s advertising platform to target potential wine drinkers based on their interests, demographics, and browsing behavior. Well-targeted ads can increase the visibility of your brand to the right audience, leading to higher conversion rates.
- Promotional Deals and Campaigns: Run promotional campaigns and offer exclusive deals to Douyin users. This can include limited-time offers, discounts, or special bundles. Such promotions can create urgency and encourage impulse buying, especially when coupled with engaging video content.
Remember, the key to success on Douyin is creating content that is not only promotional but also entertaining and informative, catering to the preferences of the Chinese audience and the interactive nature of the platform.
Social Media in the Wine industry in China
More than 90% of the 1.2 billion consumers have an account on social media platforms. When looking for reliable information the social networks like little Red book (instagram) , douyin (tiktok) and Wechat are the first reflex of most internet users in China.
This is why being visible on these platforms is vital for foreign companies. Wechat and Weibo, the network leaders both have Key Opinion Leaders. These KOLs are recognized for their knowledge on a particular subject on which they have an interest and are sometimes followed by millions of fans. They can help the brands develop their image and popularity towards the Chinese public.
Buzz marketing is also a good way to quickly gain visibility on the Chinese internet where the word of mouth spreads fast. Chinese internet users like original content and storytelling often released using photos or videos.
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Fancy Cellar
A video shared by Key Opinion Leaders is even better to create buzz on the Chinese social networks. For example, this video made by the company Fancy Cellar sells wine online: it created a buzz with more than 30 000 views in one week, it was also shared more than 6000 times, there were more than 500 comments and 380 new fans.
Let your consumer to learn more about your wine , your story via WeChat
Storytelling in China, is soooo Powerful
you do not sell wine… you sell a story
In the verdant valleys of China, where ancient traditions meet modern innovation, the story of wine unfolds like a well-aged vintage. Here, amidst the bustling cities and serene countryside, a new chapter in the world of viticulture is being written.
Key aspects of this evolving narrative include:
- Ancient Roots, Modern Vines: Blending centuries-old winemaking traditions with cutting-edge technology, Chinese vineyards are producing wines that are gaining global recognition.
- Rising Domestic Demand: A growing middle class with an appetite for luxury and sophistication has led to an increased domestic demand for both local and imported wines.
- E-Commerce Surge: The digital revolution has transformed the wine market, with e-commerce platforms becoming a primary avenue for wine sales and consumer education.
- Sustainability and Innovation: Emphasizing sustainable practices, many Chinese wineries are innovating in areas like organic viticulture and environmentally friendly packaging.
- Global Ambitions: With an eye on the international stage, Chinese wineries are not only catering to local tastes but also aiming to make a mark in the global wine industry.
This story of wine in China is a tapestry woven with tradition, innovation, and aspiration, reflecting the country’s unique journey in the world of winemaking.
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O2O: connect online to Reality
A trend has appeared in the past years where more and more business has been made online, people now want to keep this real tangible. That is why more and more companies choose to bring online to offline. This phenomenon keeps the public interested and is a good way to interact with your online fans on social networks by creating online competitions with offline rewards like wine testing. Also, a good way to meet the consumers offline and keep contact online.
Customer loyalty
Customers are easier to attract than to retain online. The wine offer is wide on the Chinese e-commerce platforms and Chinese customers love trying new products and brands. This is why it is really important to make sure that the customer is satisfied with the product he bought.
A good way for that is to suggest he leave a comment on the product that will help future customers to trust the product more. Developing the interaction between the company and the customers is a good way to make sure they will buy products again.
Work on Chinese e-commerce platforms
Chinese have their own social networks and e-commerce platforms. After adapting the company to the communication on Weibo and Wechat it is important to adapt to Tmall and JD.Com. Those are the Chinese BtoC leader websites.
Most the international wine companies choose to open an online shop on Tmall because of its huge success, Tmall is trusted by Chinese online buyers until 2022…
Today (2023-2024) most of sells are done on Douyin and Kuaishou
A foreign company selling wines in China has great opportunities with the booming wine and e-commerce markets in China. However, selling wine via e-commerce in China requires being familiar with the behavior of Chinese online buyers. Success usually comes along with the above-mentioned factors.
Nice to connect with you. We are trading company for Spanish and Italian wines. Mainly with small companies with high quality wines. Would you be interested on having a conversation about it?