Gaopeng Launches "WeChat Group Buy" Feature
36Kr, 12/05/12
Beijing-based group buy site operator Wangluo Tianxia Shenghuo Technology (GroupNet)'s group buy site, Gaopeng, recently launched a public beta of "WeChat Group Buy," a group buy service based on Internet and mobile services firm Tencent's (0700.HK) WeChat (Weixin) mobile instant messaging application. After users follow the "WeChat Group Buy" public account in WeChat, they can take part in group buy deals through the "Daily Deals" account (http://w.gaopeng.com), browsing and signing up for deals by selecting their city from a list on the page. Users can purchase group buy deals, using Tencent's third-party payment platform Tenpay and Alibaba's Alipay, in only three steps using their WeChat (Weixin) mobile messaging accounts.
A spokesperson for Wangluo Tianxia's mobile internet division, which oversees "WeChat Group Buy" and the Gaopeng apps, said that the company had developed "WeChat Group Buy" based on WeChat's open platform, and that plans are currently underway to expand the service beyond its current capabilities, which are limited to mobile payment. Future features could include "adding LBS, voice recognition, voice Q&A, and other things," according to the spokesperson, as well as precision marketing based on customer requirements using "smart deal" algorithms - though this would not include "push" ads.
"WeChat Group Buy" currently offers deals in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and will expand to other cities once Gaopeng gathers more customer experience data. Gaopeng previously formed partnerships with restaurants around Shanghai subway stops and purchased subway ads, allowing users to scan QR codes embedded in the ads to receive information about nearby "WeChat Group Buy" discounts.
Editor's Note: For more background on this topic, please see "Gaopeng CEO Confirms "Micro Group Buy" in Closed Beta" MD 11/23/12 issue.
Keywords: wireless Tencent 0700.HK Wangluo Tianxia Gaopeng WeChat Groupnet mobile IM group buying
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