Put on warm pajamas, curl up in front of the TV, put a moisturizing mask on your face, and wait for the popping of corn kernels in the microwave as they pop, this is the good time of winter. With the arrival of the lunar calendar “Laba”, the temperature has plummeted, but consumers’ enthusiasm for shopping has not diminished in the slightest. In order to resist the cold, everyone took out the “eighteen martial arts” and “stockpiled” on the e-commerce platform to prepare for the winter.
On January 10, the new e-commerce platform Pinduoduo released the “Cold Guide – Hot Product List”. The list is based on statistical analysis of the shopping behavior of platform consumers since November 7, 2021 (Lidong), and is calculated after integrating the comprehensive ranking of consumer search, sharing and order placement indexes.
The list shows that winter consumption is mainly “warming up” and “warming the stomach”. In the clothing category, female consumers account for more and show unique fashion concepts with different dressing styles. In the food category, the “hoarding way” of the north and the south shows a certain difference. In the list of popular products, plush Martin boots, thermal underwear suits, and down jackets are the top three in the clothing and footwear category, and “fully armed” from inside to outside has become the cold just needs of female consumers on the platform, “to be graceful, but also to be warm”.
“As the temperature drops, warmth has become one of the primary considerations for consumers when choosing clothing. In the post-pandemic era, consumers are more aware of the importance of health and wellness. Therefore, characteristics such as thinness and body shaping are no longer the single pursuit direction of consumers. With the blessing of tens of billions of subsidies, the sales of dozens of warm and fashionable clothing items increased by more than 90% compared with the same period last year. Chen Chen, a researcher at Pinduoduo New Consumption Research Institute, said.
In addition to working dressing, basic care is also valued by consumers. Face masks and hand creams are popular with most consumers, and the recognition of domestic skin care products has been greatly improved. Traditional household appliances such as Little Sun are still selling well, and sales of books, flowers, etc. have increased significantly year-on-year, bringing more spiritual pleasure and warmth to consumers.
Wear it in fashion and keep warm, and eat cold food into your stomach
As winter progresses, down jackets, pies and tweed coats become the three treasures of the wardrobe. According to the “Cold Inventory”, since mid-November, the number of searches for keywords such as “thickened”, “down” and “warm” has doubled, and clothing and household products such as coral fleece and fleece have grown rapidly, which are popular with platform consumers.
“Is it duck down or goose down?” “Can the fabric be windproof and waterproof?” According to the survey results, when consumers purchase down jackets, vests and other clothing, the consultation on filling species, down content, down content and fabric characteristics tends to be refined, and the temperature changes in the region are accurate and scientifically warm, not seeking to “wear the thickest”, but only “wear the most right”. In addition, sales of medium and high socks increased by 68% compared with the same period last year, forming a new fashion match with plush Martin boots, and young people no longer let their ankles “get cold”.
Beauty isn’t just for girls. The “Cold List” shows that the number of male consumers on the platform buying “national tide sweaters”, “slim sweaters” and “workwear down jackets” has increased significantly. Approaching the Spring Festival in the Year of the Tiger, sweatshirts with tiger head prints or embroidery are one of their must-buy items. More and more new young people are joining the “exquisite boy” team and wearing the “taste of the year” on their bodies. For post-70s men, cashmere sweaters are their first choice. In June 2020, the Ordos Municipal Government announced a strategic cooperation with Pinduoduo, and the platform will also provide consumers with more high-quality cashmere products.
“The people take food as heaven.” According to platform data, sweet potatoes, strawberries, popcorn, hot pot base and goji berries have become the first choice for the “foodie army” in winter. “When I was in elementary school, my parents would pick me up from school in the winter and buy a roasted sweet potato, which was hot. Now when I get home from work, I can bake it in the oven myself. “In this survey, Xiaowen from Heilongjiang Province said that seeing snow and eating sweet potatoes is a unique landscape in northern winter.” It’s convenient to pop popcorn in the microwave, turn on the TV, turn off the lights, and round up the movie theater into the house. Mr. Liao from Chengdu shared after buying 20 packs of popcorn on the platform.
Consumers in the north and south, who have many taste disputes over delicacies such as zongzi, lantern festival, and tofu brain, have formed a united front in the choice of hot pot bases. According to the survey results, Chongqing butter hot pot base is the most popular in the north and south, and it has become the consensus of hot pot lovers in the north and south to drive away the cold. After a hearty hot pot feast, the sweet and tender Dandong “99” strawberries have become an “after-dinner dessert” for many people.
Goji berries, which are also loved by consumers in both places, have become an indispensable “treasure” for health and cold protection. As one of the high-quality agricultural products in Ningxia, goji berries in Zhongning production area have attracted the attention of tens of millions of consumers through the Pinduoduo live broadcast room, and have taken advantage of new e-commerce to go out of the “stuffed Jiangnan” and sent to the whole country. Goji berry puree, goji berry tea bags and other products are also popular among post-90s young consumers on the platform. In addition, sales of ingredients such as laurel balls, lotus seeds and beans increased significantly. Boiling a pot of sweet and soft Laba porridge for your family to get a good omen for the Year of the Tiger.
Domestic skin care brands are hot, and they must be more stylish to protect against the cold
Due to the large temperature difference between indoor and outdoor in winter, reasonable skin care will effectively alleviate the symptoms of dry skin and sensitivity, and skin care products with moisturizing effects have also become a necessity at this time. According to the “Cold Preservation List”, the sales of skin care products such as moisturizing masks, creams and water milk essences have ushered in a significant increase, and SK-II “ex-boyfriend masks” and SPA snake venom eye masks have grown rapidly.
Girls will have a lipstick in their pockets. Even in the cold wind, applying lipstick will make people feel good and keep their complexion good. Many female consumers said that dark colors are the best choice for “winning and not losing”, and dry maple leaf red, brick red, bean paste and cinnamon are more widely available. Moisturizing and non-drying are also important criteria for female consumers to choose lipstick.
At the end of the day, the most desirable thing is to lie in bed and sleep beautifully to eliminate fatigue. With the continuous innovation of science and technology, single-function electric blankets can no longer meet people’s expectations – plumbing blankets with detailed functions such as low noise, low radiation, and overheating protection are more valued by consumers. In stark contrast to the “black technology” in modern heating equipment, the retro court-style “Tang Pozi” has also captured the hearts of many female consumers. The anti-scald cloth cover with the embroidery words “Royal Warmth” and “Smile Always Open” fully demonstrates Chinese aesthetics and is a must-have for young women who love Chinese style.
In addition to preparing the body for all-round warmth, inner fulfillment has not been neglected by consumers. During the end-of-year reading week of More Reading Month, which kicked off in late December, Mr. Zeng from Beijing bought British author Graves’ “Farewell to Everything” and shared, “Reading has power, it can dispel the cold and give people warmth. In winter, it is more suitable for reading good books with precipitation and thickness. According to the 2021 annual book list of “More Reading Month”, 10 books such as “This is China 2” are among the most watched books during the year-end reading week.
In the eighth season, the outdoor river is frozen, but with the flowers in the house, it can still be as warm as spring, adding a touch of style to the cold winter. “There is a silver willow at home, and the more it is.” At present, less than a month Chinese New Year’s Eve away, more consumers choose to buy the New Year flower silver willow as the “atmosphere responsibility” at home. According to Pinduoduo data, since late November, Yinliu’s sales have increased by nearly 40% year-on-year, and its hardiness characteristics are favored by northern consumers. Sunflowers, daisies, lilies, fulang flowers and plums are also popular in winter.