WeChat store: 5 ways to open a WeChat shop for free

As WeChat is becoming the do-it-all super platform, more and more official accounts are linked to a WeChat store. Users are used to shopping without leaving WeChat.

What is WeChat Store?

WeChat shop is a mobile website that connects to the menu of the WeChat Official Account. WeChat users will be able to access the WeChat shop and have “one-click-payment” via WeChat Payment.

Here are 3 case studies of WeChat shop.

How to build a WeChat store?

Today, you can build a well designed WeChat store within 5 minutes using 3rd party WeChat ecommerce platforms. Most of these platforms offer multiple payment options, clean design. And the best part: these services come for free.

But which platform should you choose to build the perfect WeChat store? Let’s compare the 5 most popular 3rd party WeChat e-commerce.

Note: some of the platforms requires using Chinese ID to transfer out the sale revenue out. Please read the terms and condition carefully before you make your decision.

1. YouShop (微店）

• Fee: free
• Requirements: personal shop: valid phone number, company shop: valid business license
• Payment options: Credit card, Debt card, WeChat payment, Caifutong, liandong youshi
• Works on laptops: Yes
• Pro: Familiar interface (One of the biggest 3rd party WeChat store platform), English version, Business guarantee
• Cons: design is not very customisable, does not support AliPay
• Website: http://www.weidian.com/

Being one of the most popular WeChat shop, YouShop has the advantage of being well recognized by most consumers. YouShop has a clean interface for product listing, options to set-up promotions, and allows customers to track shipping. What makes YouShop different from other platforms is that companies can open WeChat shop account and put in deposit to guarantee its products.  This can win some level of trust, which can be game changing function in this unregulated WeChat shopping environment.  It also comes with an English version store for foreign customers (although it does not provide payment via Paypal, which is still the most popular payment method for foreign customers).

The major disadvantage of YouShop is that you cannot customize the design much.  All the YouShop stores have the same design and content structure. While standard format helps to avoid confusion, it makes it very difficult for your store to standout from millions of other WeChat shops.

2. Youzan (有赞／口袋通）

• Fee: 4,800RMB/year
• Requirements: valid phone number
• Payment options: WeChat payment, cash on delivery, Credit card, Debt card
• Works on laptops: Yes
• Pro: variety of functions for different type of store. Customized design with slide introduction, menus and music. Creative discount function.
• Cons: does not support Alipay
• Website: http://youzan.com/

Youzan is other widely used platform to open a WeChat store. It has a variety of store templates that will meet pretty much every industry’s needs

It also enables you to provide specific functions such as:

• food delivery
• physical store pickup
• specific time delivery

These functions enables companies to setup customised options and improve user experience.  For example, the specific time of delivery will be an important function for a flower shop or a restaurant; and store-pickup will benefit companies with multiple physical locations and save delivery cost.

Youzan is also the best free platform for customized design. Without any IT experience,  users can easily pick a template and edit content in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get backend. Templates include:

• Customized slide show with large picture display and background music
• Product display page
• Magazine cover page
• Customized button
• Menu bar

Companies can easily use these templates to quickly build their WeChat store.

The only drawback of Youzan is it does not support Alipay.

3. JD.COM WeChat Store (京东微店）

• Fee: free
• Requirements: JD.com seller account, complete set Business licenses. Company scope of operation must fall in applicable list of industries
• Payment options: WeChat payment, cash on delivery
• Works on laptops: Yes
• Pro: trusted platform
• Cons: need to setup a store in JD.com, limit type of industry (for example, restaurant cannot open a shop), does not support Alipay
• Website: http://sale.jd.com/act/wQTpIm7GnXE.html

When it comes to trust and authenticity, JD WeChat store is no doubt the biggest and most trustworthy platform for customers.  This is one of the few WeChat stores with comment function and ratings, which automatically synchronise with the comment on JD.COM. This makes it the best cross-platform WeChat store.

But this trustworthy reputation comes with a much higher bar of entry.

Here is a list of requirement you need to meet before opening a JD.COM WeChat account:

• Companies needs to open a website version JD.COM store.  This means you will need to submit a complete set of legal document for operating business in Chinese.  And your products have to fit in to one of the catergory of the list of industry.
• Strictly follow the code of conduct of JD.COM
• Pay up to 10% commission plus a 1000 RMB monthly fee
• Annual inspection
• Meeting the minimal sale quantity requirement and meeting customer satisfaction rating above 8.5 out of 10.

Another drawback of JD.COM WeChat store is it does not allow design customisation. Sales quantities and customer reviews are the most effective way to differentiate yourself from competitors. This makes it hard for market newcomers to compete.

JD.COM is one of the most trustful e-commerce platform, and customers are willing to pay a higher price to get the authentic product. But it is clearly not for everyone. If you have the resources to manage multiple platform e-commerce channel, and the budget for 24/7 customer service agent, JD.COM WeChat store will be a good choice.

4. Lewaimai 乐外卖

• Fee: free
• Requirements: valid phone number
• Payment options: Cash on delivery, Alipay, Caifutong, WeChat payment (only if you have WeChat payment account)
• Works on laptops: no
• Pro: customised for food delivery. Can integrate with restaurant GPRS printer to print receipt
• Cons: limitations in terms of design customisation, payment options, and really focused on the food delivery niche
• Website: http://www.lewaimai.com/

If you are operating a restaurant and want to offer food delivery service, Lewaimai will be a good platform to look into. This platform is specifically designed for WeChat food delivery service.

Lewaimai gives you functions targeted toward the food & beverage industry:

• On the product list, user can easily view the menu category and choose to add multiple products into the cart.
• Payment options include pickup at the store to increase O2O traffic.
• Users can also select a specific time of the day to receive their order.
• The backend can be easily integrated with GPRS or printing devices of restaurants to enable chefs to prepare online orders.

5. WalktheChat WeChat store platform

• Fee: 499 USD/month + setup fee
• Requirements: accept overseas application
• Payment options: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Union Pay
• Works on laptops: Yes
• Pro: bilingual front end, English backend, connect with cross-border payment
• Cons: Backend is in English

If you want to enter the Chinese market via a step-by-step experimental approach, you can consider WalktheChat’s WeChat Shop solution. Chinese business license and Chinese bank account are not required.

Your WeChat shop will be connected with WeChat cross-border payment account.

We also help overseas business to create China-visible WeChat Official Account.

You just have to signup online, and we will provide you with an unique QR code linking to a customized WeChat store for your users.

Users are automatically logged-in to your WeChat shop via WeChat login, and the shop comes with WeChat payment integration. So you can focus on what matters most: providing the best product and services to your customers.

STEP 1: UPLOAD YOUR PRODUCTS

Our user-friendly interface makes it easy for you to upload your products information, pictures and discounts.

STEP 2: CONNECT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

Connect your bank account to receive cross-border payments directly from Chinese customers. Chinese users can pay in RMB, and you’ll be able to collect payments in USD, HKD, AUD or NZD anywhere in the world

STEP 3: GENERATE TRAFFIC TO YOUR STORE

WalktheChat can provide a network of Key Opinion Leaders, CPC platforms and affiliate programs to help you generate traffic to your store

STEP 4: RECEIVE ORDERS FROM YOUR CHINESE CLIENTS

Chinese clients can order from your online store with their smart phone, and pay via WeChat payment or Alipay