01/17 2025
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Whether in the burgeoning Internet era or amid the ongoing reshuffling within the industry, Tencent's unwavering passion for e-commerce has consistently blazed.
In this digital age, Tencent has either ventured into e-commerce directly or invested heavily in the sector.
Despite nurturing players like JD.com and Pinduoduo, Tencent has yet to fully conquer the e-commerce landscape.
As the Internet industry undergoes a significant transformation, particularly with e-commerce players exploring new avenues, Tencent too is revisiting its e-commerce aspirations.
This renaissance began with the commercialization of video accounts on WeChat.
At the annual employee conference, Pony Ma revealed that WeChat's founder, Zhang Xiaolong, views goods as information, urging Tencent to approach e-commerce from an atomic level. In the future, Tencent aims to leverage its social prowess to serve as a connector within the e-commerce ecosystem.
Amid the deepening reshuffles within the e-commerce industry, it's evident that Tencent's long-standing ambition for e-commerce remains steadfast. The company is poised for more intersections with the sector in the future.
The competitive dynamics between Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com in the e-commerce realm during the Internet era might re-emerge in the current market environment.
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Indeed, the e-commerce industry is currently undergoing a profound transformation.
From traditional players like Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo to live streaming e-commerce platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, and video accounts, all are exploring new paths and methodologies for e-commerce.
Analyzing these players' e-commerce endeavors reveals a common theme: a continuous deepening and solidification of their presence in the sector, constantly refining e-commerce practices.
Tencent's renewed understanding of e-commerce can be summed up as approaching the sector from an "atomic level" perspective, seeking innovative development pathways.
This aligns with how other players are rethinking e-commerce, intensifying their cultivation within the industry, pursuing vertical development, and uncovering new growth potential.
In truth, the e-commerce industry has entered a new development cycle.
Be it traffic peaks or capital ebbs, they all suggest that adhering to outdated development models will only加剧竞争环境。 To truly propel the e-commerce industry into a new era, it's imperative to break free from conventional development paradigms and explore new paths from a fresh perspective.
In this context, Tencent's atomic-level approach to e-commerce is timely and insightful.
As Zhang Xiaolong, the father of WeChat, posits, goods are information. Ultimately, goods can establish seamless connections with users akin to information.
For major e-commerce players, eliminating intermediaries and enabling goods to seamlessly connect with users like information will undoubtedly propel the e-commerce industry into a new era.
Tencent excels in this domain due to its robust social capabilities and efficient information-user connections.
If Tencent applies its social expertise to e-commerce, it will undoubtedly catalyze profound changes within the sector, positioning itself as a key player.
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A significant transformation has already occurred among major new and old e-commerce players.
Whether it's traditional players like Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo or new entrants such as Douyin, Kuaishou, and video accounts, they are all navigating this shift.
Analyzing the deep reshuffle within the e-commerce industry highlights the need to maximize efficiency and minimize costs.
From AI applications in e-commerce to JD.com's procurement and sales re-establishing efficient goods-user connections, these innovations leverage new technologies and models to enhance e-commerce efficiency and uncover new growth opportunities.
Tencent is also exploring this frontier.
Taking WeChat as an example, after exploring and practicing video account commercialization, Tencent might have realized that leveraging its social capabilities can further enhance goods-user connections and boost e-commerce operational efficiency.
Thus, under this paradigm shift, Tencent's social capabilities enable it to participate in and empower e-commerce, further boosting its efficiency.
In summary, Tencent's new approach to e-commerce—leveraging social capabilities to enhance efficiency—is paramount.
Notably, this is entirely feasible for Tencent.
To achieve this, Tencent must decompose e-commerce at the atomic level, adapting to various business lines and supplemented by AI-driven technologies. With Tencent's social capabilities, it can uncover new development possibilities.
If Tencent can propel and evolve e-commerce in these aspects, its long-standing e-commerce ambition may finally be realized amid the ongoing reshuffle.
Unlike Alibaba and JD.com, Tencent is not directly engaging in e-commerce but rather seeking to enhance e-commerce efficiency through infrastructure and atomic-level innovations.
Amid the deep reshuffle in e-commerce, Tencent's exploration and practice offer an exemplary way of thinking and methodology.
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Analyzing the Internet industry's evolution at different stages reveals that new e-commerce models have emerged at almost every juncture.
It's no exaggeration to say that e-commerce is the culmination of the Internet industry's evolution.
In the PC era, we witnessed the rise of e-commerce giants like Alibaba and JD.com;
In the mobile Internet era, platforms like Pinduoduo and Meituan emerged;
In the post-mobile Internet era, new players like Douyin E-commerce and Kuaishou E-commerce have gained prominence.
To capitalize on new changes and reap the benefits of Internet transformation, e-commerce is undoubtedly the optimal entry point.
Currently, the Internet industry is undergoing a transformative shift.
Analyzing this stage, new technologies like AI and new models such as de-platformization and decentralization are pivotal.
For Tencent to thrive in this transformation and make a mark under the new Internet paradigm, e-commerce must be its focal point.
It's against this backdrop that we see Pony Ma's e-commerce-centric speech and Tencent's renewed e-commerce ambitions.
In a sense, Tencent's pursuit of e-commerce is not merely for the sake of it but to prove its continued relevance in the new generation of the Internet. Through e-commerce, Tencent aims to demonstrate that it has found the right path and methodology for Internet evolution.
Recognizing this, we understand why Tencent has been involved in every stage of e-commerce evolution;
Recognizing this, we comprehend why Tencent's e-commerce ambition remains unyielding after so many years.
In essence, Tencent's involvement in e-commerce transcends mere business endeavors; it's a demonstration of its victory in the Internet reshuffle and its established position.
E-commerce is a crucial aspect that winners of each Internet reshuffle inevitably attempt to commercialize.
Conclusion
Tencent's ambition for e-commerce remains steadfast.
This presence has been proven in the Internet era and will continue to be validated.
One of the key reasons behind Tencent's unwavering e-commerce ambition is that e-commerce is an inevitable commercialization aspect for winners of each generation.
For Tencent, its involvement in e-commerce is a tangible manifestation of its exploration and commercialization of new technologies and models.
Tencent's relentless e-commerce ambition is a testament to its unyielding entrepreneurial spirit and signifies that the company's development has entered a new cycle.