Ecommerce UX Research in China

China is leading the world in ecommerce in nearly every metric imaginable. From the largest and fastest-growing ecommerce market to having the most innovative experiences that are driving new trends and approaches to the way Chinese users purchase online. This means what works in the west does not work in China, the ecommerce industry in China is unique and marches to the beat of its own drum.

You no doubt have an ecommerce strategy that is working well for you in your market, and loved by your users, but trying to replicate that in China is a recipe for failure. Many factors require localization to even be on the playing field. From defining who your Chinese customers are, their preferred purchasing channels, what motivates them to make a purchase, to the user experience of your user's journey in your app or platform.

ecommerce ux china usability testing

UX Benchmarking in our Shanghai lab

UX benchmarking Taobao ecommerce features

ecommerce ux china user testing

The ecommerce market in China is mature and diverse. It's a mobile-first digital ecosystem that has evolved to include a unique set of channels and consumer funnels including:

Marketplaces such as Taobao, Tmall and JD dominate the marketplace and are often a first stepping stone into ecommerce in China
WeChat mini programs are small apps built within the WeChat app, with multiple points of access including being linked to a brands official WeChat account
Livestreaming is being integrated into most ecommerce platforms as it continues to successfully drive sales
Short video apps are becoming the most used entertainment apps in China, attracting the most advertising money and seeing ecommerce integrated directly into videos
Social commerce is booming in China with platforms such as Little Red Book using user-generated content as a stepping stone to sales
Group buying has seen a surge with platforms like Pinduoduo, blending social and group buying to get discounted products
The use of KOL's are widely used in product marketing as a means to build trust, often paired with social commerce and live streaming
Shopping holidays such as 11.11 (Double eleven / 11th November) continue to break records for sales revenue every year

Using UX research we help identify which of these channels is ideal for your brand and ecommerce strategy in China, who are your users, and how to design meaningful ecommerce experiences for them that lead to more sales of your products.

The size of China's online retail market is enough of a reason to want to enter your products or platforms. China has the most consumers who are spending more online.

But unlike the west, the majority of online sales is done on major ecommerce platforms. This means that entering the China market can require patience and a unique strategy.

With ease of entry, quick payment methods and social functions, WeChat mini programs are fast becoming a popular method to reach and sell to customers directly.

We help LVMH brands understand how to improve user experiences of brand ecommerce apps and WeChat mini programs, and how to increase conversions of their Tmall and JD stores.

We helped The Hut Group optimize their existing ecommerce platforms in China, while getting a better understanding of their users needs and their shopping behaviours.

Enter the Chinese market with confidence. We help you localize your ecommerce UX in China through expert reviews, usability testing, and UX benchmarking to ensure what works for you already, works in China.

Already selling in China? Increase your conversions and optimize your consumer funnel using UX research. We use usability testing, focus groups, and expert reviews to ensure every step of your user's journey is performing.

WeChat mini programs in China now have over 400 million daily active users, and form a crucial part of omnichannel ecommerce experiences for brands in China. Our design and tech team builds powerful WeChat stores.

Before spending money on marketing and advertising campaigns, make sure your branding and messaging is resonating with your target customers in China using focus groups and user interviews to validate concepts.

Chinese consumers are sophisticated, with western products presenting trust, quality and safety. Understand which channels they use, how they decide what to buy and why, in user interviews and focus groups.

Formulate or optimize your ecommerce strategy in China using mixed methodology UX research, from user interviews, diary studies, focus groups to online surveys, to drive decisions with real user data.

Let's start a conversation. Share your project details and our team can put together a quote within 48 hours. research@uxspot.com

In this UX study, we use AR as a lens to better understand cosmetic customers' needs: we aim to uncover how beauty tech users are engaging with these apps, and synthesize prescriptive solutions.

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Ecommerce UX
Research in China

Ecommerce user experiences unique to China are driving innovation and sales

We use UX research to help you localize your ecommerce experiences in China

Understand how your target Chinese customers are purchasing

Our ecommerce UX case studies

Ecommerce UX research & design solutions to drive more sales in China

Localize your ecommerce apps and websites

Optimize ecommerce consumer funnels

WeChat mini program store design

Validate marketing and advertising messaging

Drive cross-border ecommerce sales

Ecommerce strategy in China

Get a quote for your project

Understanding Cosmetic Consumers in China

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