About the Author

Thomas Graziani

Thomas is the co-founder of WalktheChat, a leading software developer and agency focused on WeChat and other Chinese social networks. Thomas was previously part of the marketing & strategy department of Schneider Electric in  which he spearheaded the work on Smart Cities and Smart Grid for the company in China.  Before joining Schneider Electric, he was a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group during  which he worked on projects across various industry including banking, supply chain and  pharmaceuticals. Thomas is a graduate from the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge and  holds an engineering degree with a specialisation in Applied Mathematics and Operational  Research from Ecole Polytechnique in France.  Contact: thomas.graziani@walkthechat.com

Xiaohongshu Drops Commission on Sales from 20% to 5% (and other news)

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

This week, we report on a few significant news in the Chinese E-commerce space: Xiaohongshu reduced the commission the platform charges to merchant sales from ~20% to 5%. Weibo posts can now redirect users to WeChat Mini-programs WeChat is testing a new #hashtag# feature Xiaohongshu reduces platform costs In an effort to attract merchants to promote their products on the …

JD.com 618 Revenues Grow 33% Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

618, happening on June 18th, is the second biggest shopping festival in China after Single’s Day. First launched by JD.com, the festival has broken new records this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Record-breaking year for JD.com JD.com broke new records this year, with 269.2 billion RMB of orders during the shopping festival (from June 1st to June 18th). The total …

How to select the right trade partner for Tmall and WeChat in China?

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

With a completely unique ecosystem of social networks and e-commerce platforms such as WeChat and Tmall, China can be a challenging ecosystem to launch your brand. Choosing the right partner can be the most determining factor between success and failure. Here are some guidelines to pick the right company to launch your brand in China. Overview of the Chinese Digital …

How Did COVID-19 Impact Alibaba and Tencent’s Earnings?

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

Alibaba and Tencent just released their earnings for the period of January to March 2020. A good opportunity to assess the extent to which COVID-19 impacted Chinese online platforms. Alibaba’s Q1 2020 results Alibaba saw overall very good performance YOY, due to the strong resilience of the e-commerce sector. Alibaba E-commerce revenues grew 19% YOY, while Tmall Online Physical Goods …

¥800 billion WeChat Mini-Program Transaction Volume in 2019: Tencent Annual Report

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

Amid the Covid-19 epidemic, Tencent released its Q4 2019 results. The performance is overall good, with a large uptake of Mini-program transactions and revenues from FinTech sector. A service ecosystem moving toward Fintech Tencent seems determined to stand out among Tech giants. It definitely doesn’t want to be an advertising company and is even diversifying away from gaming revenues. Instead, …

Is China’s E-commerce Industry Already Bouncing Back After Coronavirus Epidemic?

Thomas Graziani New WeChat features

The covid-19 epidemic has shed concern over the world’s health and economy. The impact of the epidemic on e-commerce remains however unclear. How did the covid-19 impact the Chinese e-commerce sector, and what trend can we expect in the coming weeks? Fashion sales slump, cosmetics, and F&B remain strong As most of the population in China went into voluntary quarantine, …