How China’s Top Platforms Are Supercharging Brand Growth
You know something big is brewing when every major Chinese ecommerce player suddenly decides to throw billions of dollars, premium ad space, and tailor-made merchant programs at brands. This isn’t just a “get more sellers” strategy—it’s a full-blown arms race to nurture, elevate, and retain the brands they already have. What we’re witnessing is a shift: from being just marketplaces to becoming brand-building ecosystems.
Let’s break down how the big five—Tmall, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu (RED)—are not only doubling down on growth but also rewriting what it means to sell, scale, and succeed in China.
Tmall’s Big Brand Bet: Rebates, Launches, and a Longer Runway
Source: Alizila
If you’re a brand in China (or entering the market), Tmall just became your best friend. In 2025, Tmall rolled out a sweeping strategy to provide “unprecedented” resources for brand partners—everything from rebates and marketing tools to extended product launch timelines.
After piloting a commission rebate program with select brands (90% of whom saw double-digit growth), Tmall expanded it across all categories. The results? MUJI reported a 40% YoY increase in sales, saving over RMB 3 million in operating costs.
But Tmall didn’t stop there. It extended its product incubation cycle from 30 to 90 days, allowing brands more breathing room to build momentum. With campaigns like “Tmall Super Launch”, over 34,000 new products crossed the RMB 10 million sales mark each in 2024, fueling more than RMB 100 billion in GMV. This isn’t just ecommerce—it’s brand acceleration with Tmall acting more like a partner than a platform.
JD.com’s Comeback Tour: Retail Meets Relationship
JD.com’s Q4 2024 results didn’t just turn heads—they turned the tide. With a 13.4% YoY revenue bump, the platform proved it’s not just surviving the post-COVID consumption slump; it’s thriving. JD’s secret weapon? Strengthening its brand partnerships.
Through loyalty initiatives, exclusive product collaborations, and upgraded logistics for premium sellers, JD is shifting from transaction-focused retail to relationship-driven commerce. Brands that partner with JD are now seeing more personalized promotional slots and smoother supply chain integration—especially useful for cross-border ecommerce brands testing the Chinese waters.
Pinduoduo’s 100 Billion Yuan Pledge to Small Brands
Pinduoduo was once brushed off as the bargain bin of Chinese ecommerce. Not anymore. In 2025, they announced a massive 100 billion yuan (~$13B USD) investment over three years aimed at merchant support. We’re talking traffic subsidies, logistics upgrades, digital tools, and even capital aid.
The goal? To turn cottage brands into power players. This move is especially significant for smaller merchants and international brands entering China with limited budgets. For businesses trying to understand how to sell on Chinese platforms, Pinduoduo’s new model feels like an invitation with open arms (and a fat wallet).
Douyin: More Than Just Lip-Syncing and Dance Trends
Douyin (aka TikTok in the West) is already a social juggernaut, but in ecommerce? It’s playing in the big leagues now. With a jaw-dropping 3.5 trillion RMB in GMV for 2024, Douyin is no longer just a content platform—it’s a commerce engine.
The magic lies in its seamless “content-to-commerce” flow. Brands are being supported through influencer matchmaking, content production grants, and first-party ad tools. Even better, Douyin’s backend offers detailed audience segmentation and campaign insights—perfect for brands serious about growth, not just reach.
Xiaohongshu (RED): The Luxury Influencer Whisperer
While the others are battling for mass market scale, RED is quietly cornering China’s premium, trend-driven, and Gen Z audience. It’s no longer just a pretty platform with aspirational skincare tips—it’s now a must-have marketing channel for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands.
RED offers creative support, brand studio collaborations, and trend reports so brands can tailor their campaigns with surgical precision. If your brand’s goal is to build awareness among affluent Chinese consumers, RED is the runway.
Why This Matters for Brands Outside China
For international brands, entering China used to feel like launching into orbit: complicated, expensive, and high-risk. But these platform expansions are changing that. There’s more support, more structure, and more transparency. Whether you’re launching through Tmall, considering Douyin ecommerce, or exploring RED for luxury marketing—this is your moment.
Want to Ride This Wave? Let’s Talk.
Navigating these platforms can be overwhelming—but you don’t have to do it alone. At Digital Crew, we’ve helped brands break into China with strategies built around platform-specific insights, content, and execution. If you’re ready to grow your brand in China, let’s chat.
