In an era of continuous economic growth in China, understanding the Chinese consumer's purchasing journey has become a key factor for international brands, especially Thai brands looking to expand into the Chinese market. Today's Chinese consumers value not just the product itself, but also the experience they receive from a brand, both online and offline. This is the essence of Chinese experiential marketing, which helps build long-term relationships between consumers and brands.
According to the information... Statista The report indicates that the Chinese consumer market is expected to continue growing, particularly in secondary cities, which have an average income growth rate exceeding 8% per year. This reflects the continued openness of the Chinese market for foreign brands, making strategies for creating a compelling Chinese customer journey for international brands increasingly important.
1. Understand consumer behavior before designing the Customer Journey (China).
Before designing the Chinese customer journey, marketers need to understand the behavior of Chinese consumers at different age groups, such as:
- Chinese Gen Z (ages 18–25) prioritizes review content from KOL and KOC over general advertising.
- Working-age individuals tend to compare prices on Chinese social media platforms (WeChat, Douyin, Dianping, Xiaohongshu).
- Older adults tend to trust well-known brands and reviews from friends or family.
This data helps marketers create more targeted touchpoints in the Chinese customer journey, such as using Douyin (TikTok in China) for inspiration or the WeChat Mini Program for quick sales closing.
The reason foreign brands need to create customer journeys specifically for Chinese customers is because Chinese consumers have unique behaviors and platforms, such as WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin, which differ from Western markets. Creating a Chinese customer journey helps brands understand the actual touchpoints customers use and allows them to create experiences that are more aligned with Chinese culture.
2. Stages of the Chinese Customer Journey: From Awareness to Loyalty
The Chinese customer journey can generally be divided into five main stages:
- Brand awareness: Consumers often encounter brands through KOL, short videos, or viral content. An effective strategy is to utilize experiential marketing in China, such as live streaming that allows viewers to interact with the brand in real-time.
- Consideration: Chinese customers often spend time researching before making a purchase, reading reviews on platforms like Xiaohongshu or Dianping. Marketers should create content comparing products and real-world user experiences to build trust throughout the Chinese customer journey.
- Purchase decisions, particularly those involving payment systems like WeChat Pay and Alipay, are essential. Designing a seamless purchasing experience is key to Chinese experience marketing.
- Post-sales customer retention should include loyalty programs, birthday gifts, or notifications via mini-apps. These elements help extend the customer journey in China.
- Chinese customers are likely to recommend brands to friends if they are impressed by them. Therefore, providing exceptional experiences through offline activities such as pop-up stores or virtual events is a key strategy for experiential marketing in China.
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3. Integrating technology with the Chinese customer journey.
Technology has played a significant role in creating effective customer journeys in China. Leading brands in China utilize Big Data, AI, chatbots, and CRM on WeChat to analyze user behavior, such as tracking product search paths on Baidu or collecting interaction data in WeChat Moments to personalize campaigns.
For example, a cosmetics brand in Shanghai uses AI to recommend lipstick shades that suit customers' skin tones in real time, an example of Chinese experiential marketing that integrates technology to create personalized experiences.
4. Examples of brands that have successfully designed a Chinese customer journey.
One interesting example of a successful Chinese customer journey is Starbucks China, which seamlessly connects the Chinese customer journey across both the online and offline worlds, allowing customers to…
- Order your drinks in advance via the WeChat Mini Program.
- Pick up your order in-store and automatically participate in special events and accumulate points through the membership system.
This strategy not only generates sales but also enhances the image of experiential marketing in China, providing convenience and a special feeling to each customer.
Another example is Huawei, which uses cloud services to collect customer data for detailed analysis of product and service journeys. This allows them to improve the Chinese customer journey to better meet customer needs in real time.
5. Strategies for Creating a Chinese Customer Journey for Thai Brands
For Thai brands looking to penetrate the Chinese market, it's crucial to start by structuring a Chinese customer journey that meets the needs of modern consumers. Here are some guidelines:
- Using a Chinese platform as the hub, build communication channels on WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin to enable customers to access the brand at every touchpoint.
- Design emotionally engaging content, using real user stories and reviews to build trust, following the principles of Chinese experiential marketing.
- O2O Marketing in China connects online and offline, such as distributing QR codes in stores to connect with online promotions, or using virtual tours to allow customers to experience products even from overseas.
- Measure and continuously improve. Use behavioral analytics tools such as Baidu Analytics or WeChat Data Insights to optimize each point in the Chinese customer journey for maximum effectiveness.
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In summary, create experiences that connect the hearts of Chinese customers.
Creating a successful Chinese customer journey isn't just about selling products; it's about creating experiences that make customers feel valued and cared for at every interaction. Brands that truly understand Chinese experiential marketing can build lasting, long-term relationships with consumers. Whether it's a Thai food business, a coffee shop, or a fashion brand, if they can integrate an understanding of customer behavior with experience design aligned with Chinese culture, they can firmly establish themselves in the world's largest and fastest-changing market.
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