CIM050: Live streaming, KOL Brands, Mini-programs, and AI Algorithms: How Mogu (蘑菇街) is Dominating Chinese Fast-fashion with Raymond Huang, SVP of Strategy at Mogu

June 24, 2019

Welcome to episode 50 of the China influencer marketing podcast! Today’s guest is Raymond Huang, SVP of Strategy, at the publicly-traded fast-fashion social commerce platform Mogu or, in Chinese, 蘑菇街.

If you’re like me and have a general awareness and understanding of Mogu but don’t really know what makes the platform unique, then this episode is for you.

Raymond starts off by sharing a complete overview of Mogu, such as the apps content, the products it sells, and user demographics, and more.

Then we dig in a bit deeper and learn what makes Mogu unique, from their tailored content algorithm, to their hundreds of homegrown influencers, to their regulations which prevent sellers from offering the same products as each other.

We also discuss e-commerce live streaming and why adding this feature a couple years ago has been incredibly beneficial for the platform.

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Notes:

What is Mogu?

Fashion platform that provides products and content – not just ecommerce platform, like a fashion magazine, interactive experience
Have app and website, also an early adopter of WeChat mini-programs which has become a key source of traffic for them
Product sold are mainly accessible mass market fashion products: women’s clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, cosmetics, men’s apparel
Largely female user base
Don’t target male audience, instead target women who purchase clothing for their husbands and boyfriends
Brands on the platform:
- domestic fast fashion brands such as Metres Bonwe, HLA, La Chapelle
- Internet native homegrown brands, influencer brands
- Some international fast fashion brands
Demographics of the platform wide range of 15-45, majority 20 - early 30s
City tiers – highly correlated with GDP, 1^st tier cities, also seeing massive userbase all over

Unique features:

E-commerce live streaming:
- Added to platform in 2016 and has become a main driver of sales
- Users input body measurements and preferred styles and AI algorithm recommends influencer and streamers that match them
- Users can really see how the item would look on them, bridges gap between online and offline
- Seen significant financial results, users are very sticky
- Improves user retention
- Live streaming improves customer satisfaction with item and reduces the chance of returns or negative reviews

Curated content feed helps users find relevant products
- New users – takes their IP address and gives them custom results based on the city and climate they are in
- Users can fill out forms sharing personal style preferences and body measurements
- Browsing history, past purchases

Product curation
- Only preselected merchants and influencers are allow to sell on the platform
- Limit only one merchant to sell any particular item, other merchants would have to seel different colors, slightly different features, etc.
- Goal is to enrich SKUs avoid competition between merchants

Mogu seems to have some similarities with influencer incubator Ruhan, how are they different?
- Actually quite different
- They are their own platform, closer to Taobao than Ruhan,
- In terms of incubating talent, a lot of regular users on Mogu will slowly become influencers
- Spot talent, give them data support and supply chain support

Guest: Raymond Huang

Host: Lauren Hallanan

Website: www.chinainfluencermarketing.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-hallanan/

WeChat: H1212118514

Check out my book: Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs

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