Apple Launches Store on WeChat in China
In Beijing, WeChat, owned by Tencent, announced on Tuesday that Apple has established a store on its social media platform. This move signifies Apple’s efforts to broaden its retail presence in China, the world’s second largest economy.
According to an announcement by WeChat, China’s dominant messaging app that also offers online shopping, streaming and payment services, users will be able to buy Apple products such as iPhones, iPads and Macs from the store.
Apple and Tencent did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Apple’s move comes as Chinese consumers increasingly turn to social media platforms such as WeChat and ByteDance’s Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to make purchases.
In addition to its own stores and website, Apple already has a store on Alibaba Group’s Tmall online marketplace. Apple also tried to market its products livestream in China for the first time in May with an hour-long show.
China’s smartphone sales fell 5% in the first quarter from a year earlier, the country’s lowest first-quarter sales figure since 2014, according to data from Counterpoint Research.
However, Apple recorded a 19.9% share of China’s smartphone market during the quarter – its largest since 2014 – as it increased sales by 6% compared to the same period in 2010 in a declining market, the research firm said.
