Even before the pandemic struck, China’s senior netizens were gradually closing the digital gap on younger netizens, but last year they made up the fastest-growing demographic of e-commerce users and many are sticking with online shopping post-pandemic.
Source: Shanghai Edu.com
E-commerce giant JD found that, in 2020, online users aged 56 and above spent 2.3 times as much as an average online shopper in 2017. JD has launched a number of initiatives to encourage seniors’ online confidence, including app training for digital payments, booking appointments and medical consultations. Alibaba has also spotted the growing e-commerce opportunity and launched its ‘Taobao for Elders’, which features simplified functions.
Source : Douyin
Meanwhile, ByteDance has been testing a specialized version of Douyin for older users, featuring simplified functions and larger font sizes. The company calls for tech companies to improve accessibility for older and less digitally savvy users by simplifying interfaces and curbing intrusive advertisements.
Source: Douyin
Among the nearly 6.4 million new Douyin users, 14.5% of them were over the age of 46, according to Quest Mobile. Chinese seniors also spend more time online—nearly 5 hours a day—up 39% from 2017.
With these numbers in mind, it’s no wonder that short-video platforms have been looking to monetize on the trend. To attract more elderly shoppers, short-video apps have cultivated a strong senior-centric influencer category. Silver generation influencers are constantly emerging, and a group of middle-aged and senior influencers with tens of millions of fans have grown up in Douyin. They have strong personalities, solid reputations, strong creative abilities, and a mature understanding of the format and channel.
Thus, those who want to enter Chinese market should not ignore the emerging silver consumers as China’s silver economy is full of potential. Marketers should not hesitate to use social media or social commerce to engage with the older generations, since these consumers are traditionally very loyal, and more likely to become active brand fans. They enjoy social media, reviewing products, writing comments, and sharing product content with friends and family.
In Comms8, our Chinese-speaking marketing specialists always keep a close eye on the China market and will help you with social media marketing to multiple generations. Contact us now to see how we can help you.
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