Pinduoduo is an app that’s turning the tide on China’s e-commerce sector. Working at the intersections of artificial intelligence, livestreaming, and social shopping, the tech brand is innovating the landscape of social commerce and giving the big names some competition.

As the world copes with the impact of COVID-19, shifts in Chinese buying habits offer an idea of how global spend will be affected. From the short-term impact to longer, more structural changes in shopping preferences, how can brands best position themselves within this changing landscape?

China may be returning to a state of ‘normality’ following COVID-19, but after spending months in lockdown, certain crisis-time consumer habits seem to be sticking around – one of the most visible being a mass shift to e-commerce. So, how do people want to browse and buy online post-pandemic?

Group-buying is on the rise in China, powered by WeChat groups set up in lockdown. As people tighten their purse strings, retailers and restaurants are encouraging people to pool their purchasing power and get discounts when buying in bulk, not just for groceries, but luxury items, too.