Wang Jianan’s team takes a video in a restaurant. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
In recent years, the rise of the digital economy has led to the emergence of a new trend: exploring stores and restaurants and reviewing products in short videos and blog posts. Professionals in this field connect the online and offline worlds by sharing their authentic consumer experiences.
The influencer trend
“I used to have a hard time deciding where to eat, but since I started watching videos of people going to stores, I’ve discovered so many restaurants I want to try,” said a woman surnamed Wang who lives in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. She often visits places recommended by influencers and discovers many “hidden gems” along the way.
It has become a habit for many consumers to look at recommendations and reviews from bloggers and influencers on online platforms before visiting a restaurant or traveling.
The bloggers and influencers review companies on various aspects such as interior design, products and services and share their personal experiences in live streams, short videos and written content, thereby providing valuable consumer recommendations.
According to Yang Hutao, a researcher at the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the rise in shop exploration is closely related to the support of digital technologies.
“Digital technology overcomes the time and space constraints in service delivery and enables service providers to interact with consumers on a more personal level,” Yang said.
A report published by the Institute of Industrial and Technological Economics of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research shows that there are currently millions of active influencers seeking business on online platforms.
In the first three quarters of 2023, 1.65 million people earned income through store exploration on the short video platform Douyin, an increase of 131 percent year-on-year. In addition, 580,000 people earned stable income through this activity.
A new profession
Dong Zhenxuan comes from Wenzhou city in eastern China’s Zhejiang province and previously worked as a budget planner at a construction company.
Outside of work, she was passionate about photography and loved good food, even investing in professional equipment specifically designed for shooting food. Eventually, she turned her interests into her career and became a foodie influencer.
“As a foodie influencer, I not only get to enjoy a variety of culinary delights from different places, but also have the opportunity to talk to restaurant owners and hear their unique life stories. This allows me to immerse myself in a vibrant urban lifestyle,” said Dong.
Wang Jianan, who works in Beijing, runs a culinary discovery video account with his friends. His main tasks include filming and editing. Wang said that since he ventured into the world of culinary discovery, his view of the world has broadened.
“In my previous jobs, I had limited access to information. But after immersing myself in the food research industry, I was able to network with different industries and experience things that I would have otherwise not experienced. It was a refreshing life experience for me,” Wang explained.
At the end of July, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security included in its professional information the new profession of “Life Experience Officer” in the category of “Internet Marketing Specialist”. This was the official recognition of the “Store Explorer”.
“With the recognition of the new profession of ‘Life Service Experience Officer’, more people are expected to enter the store exploration industry,” said a Douyin representative.
Favored transactions
More and more consumers today are seeking high-quality and differentiated service experiences, placing greater emphasis on the cultural significance of their consumption. Store exploration services effectively meet evolving consumer demands, says Hong Qunlian, a researcher at the Institute of Industrial and Technological Economics, China Academy of Macroeconomic Research.
Businesses can clearly benefit from influencer store visits. According to data from Douyin, influencer store visits helped increase the sales of physical businesses by 94.6 billion yuan (about 13.17 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023.
“Influencer visits to stores not only reduce marketing expenses but also improve companies’ precision in acquiring customers. In addition, companies can refine their products and services based on influencer reviews and customer feedback, thereby improving quality on the supply side,” Hong explained.
Yang believes that store exploration is an industry characterized by detailed division of labor and specialization. Store explorers focus on specific industries, sectors, and even niche products, and this can encourage service providers to achieve economies of scale in certain categories.
In particular, more and more street shops are gaining consumers’ attention thanks to influencers. Dong’s lens has captured many night markets and “street stalls”: from street shops that have been in business for over twenty years to specialty snacks with decades or even centuries of history. In the past two years, she visited over 30 cities across the country and promoted over 300 local snacks.
Many small, non-chain stores, long-established shops and niche players are often located at the end of the market. Consumer search costs are high and information gaps limit consumer choice. Store Explorers can reach this end and quickly distribute information about these stores across platforms at low cost, opening up new opportunities for these undiscovered or forgotten stores.
(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun)
