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Douyin Mall: ByteDance's Bold Step into Chinese E-Commerce, Challenging Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo

ByteDance-owned Douyin has launched its stand-alone shopping app, Douyin Mall, in China. The app aims to enhance the shopping experience for existing Douyin users. Douyin Mall directly competes with major Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba's Taobao and JD.com.

ByteDance-owned Douyin, the Chinese sister app of TikTok, has introduced a stand-alone e-commerce platform
Credit: Shutterstock

ByteDance-owned Douyin, the Chinese sister app of TikTok, has recently launched its own stand-alone shopping app in China, intensifying the competition against e-commerce giants Alibaba Group Holding, JD.com, and Pinduoduo operator PDD Holdings. The new app, called Douyin Mall, was made available for Android users in mainland China, the world's largest smartphone market. However, as of now, there is no Apple iOS version of the app.


Douyin Mall aims to enhance the overall shopping experience for its existing users and serves as an extension of the Douyin platform. This move by ByteDance is part of its efforts to expand its social media operation into a lucrative e-commerce revenue stream. Last year, ByteDance's overall sales exceeded $110 billion, largely driven by its nascent online retail business through Douyin in China and TikTok overseas.


Douyin initially introduced online shopping capabilities within the short video app in 2019, similar to TikTok Shop's integration of impulse buying for overseas users. However, Douyin Mall sets itself apart by being an independent app that directly competes with major Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall, JD.com, and Pinduoduo.


Douyin Mall features a landing page with recommended items listed in two columns, resembling other Chinese shopping apps. The app also includes a video channel where users can find recommended short videos and live-streaming sessions. This integration of video content and e-commerce mirrors the strategies employed by Taobao and Pinduoduo to engage consumers through live-streaming e-commerce.


ByteDance has been actively expanding its e-commerce endeavors. In 2020, the company established a dedicated e-commerce unit and launched its own mobile payment service, Douyin Pay, in 2021. Last year, Douyin reported a 277% increase in gross merchandise volume for its shopping channel, although the specific figures were not disclosed.


While ByteDance has also ventured into international markets with TikTok Shop, the company has experimented with various stand-alone overseas shopping apps such as Fammo, Dmonstudio, and If Yoouu, which are no longer operational.


Overall, the launch of Douyin Mall signifies ByteDance's determination to tap into the booming e-commerce market in China and compete head-on with established players like Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo.

 
  • ByteDance-owned Douyin has launched its stand-alone shopping app, Douyin Mall, in China.

  • The app aims to enhance the shopping experience for existing Douyin users.

  • Douyin Mall directly competes with major Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba's Taobao and JD.com.


Source: SCMP

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