WeChat Digest is a weekly roundup of top-performing articles from Jing Daily’s official WeChat channel, offering a niche and nuanced glimpse of Chinese consumers. Alongside translated snippets, direct links to the original Mandarin articles are provided, allowing Mandarin-speaking readers to fully grasp the context and depth of the featured stories. Does this year’s 618 shopping festival still appeal to Chinese consumers? Overview: The annual “618” shopping festival has arrived, with major e-commerce platforms launching promotional activities and starting a new round of battles. However, compared to the frenzy of previous years, this year’s event seems rather subdued. Declining sales figures reflect a trend of rational consumption, with Chinese shoppers adopting a more cautious attitude amid economic uncertainties. What can brands and platforms do to attract more spending? Full story here China’s home beauty devices market sees shakeup Overview: The market for home beauty devices, touted as offering “effects comparable to medical aesthetic procedures,” is on the rise. In China, these products have gradually transitioned from high-priced luxury items to affordable appliances, gaining widespread consumer acceptance. However, new regulations issued by the National Medical Products Administration now categorize home beauty devices as “Class III medical devices,” alongside pacemakers and similar products. How will brands adapt to these new opportunities and challenges? Full story here The rise of microbiome skincare Overview: In December 2023, L'Oréal announced the acquisition of Lactobio, a probiotics and microbiome research company based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Other beauty and personal care giants, like Shiseido and the Beiersdorf Group, have also acquired skin microbiome companies in recent years. Will these strategic moves help global brands win over China’s discerning skintellectuals? Full story here
