Apple opens store in the WeChat platform. Credit: Focal Foto/ Flickr (Creative Commons).

Technology giant Apple has expanded its retail channel in China with the opening of a store on the social media platform WeChat, according to a report by Reuters.

WeChat, which is owned by technology firm Tencent, also provides e-commerce, livestreaming and payment services.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

Citing a statement by Tencent, CNBC reported that Apple has opened the store as a Mini Programme.

Chinese customers can now buy the entire range of Apple products, including the latest iPhones, through this programme.

CNBC added that customers can also access free shipping for orders made through WeChat, or some users can pay for three-hour delivery.

See Also:

In addition, customers can gain access to certain Apple services, such as the trade-in programme.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Apple’s expansion to an instant messaging platform comes in response to a shift in consumer shopping behaviours in China. A growing number of Chinese are turning to social media platforms such as WeChat and ByteDance’s Douyin instead of seeking physical stores for shopping.

In China, Apple has been distributing products through its own stores and website, as well as on Alibaba Group’s Tmall online marketplace.

In May this year, the iPhone manufacturer tried marketing its products on a livestream in the country with an hour-long show.

In the same month, Apple expanded its operation in Southeast Asia by launching its online store in Vietnam.

The company, headquartered in Cupertino, California, recorded $94.83bn in revenues in the second quarter of fiscal year 2023, a decrease of 3% year-over-year.