A complete analysis of MINISO's private domain

Since its establishment in 2013, MINISO has always been surrounded by doubts. Despite being labeled as "copycat", "plagiarism" and "pseudo-Japanese style", it never stopped and made rapid progress. It was finally successfully listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2018 and has since been proud of itself.

As of today, this "largest 10-yuan store in China" has an annual revenue of more than 10 billion yuan and has opened more than 5,000 stores around the world. What is even more surprising is that in addition to scale and speed, MINISO has been laying out its private domain traffic very early and has accumulated a lot of experience.

Currently, MINISO has more than 57 million registered members, more than 20 million private domain users, and a retention rate of nearly 75%. Especially during the most severe period of the epidemic, we still relied on private domains to achieve a 300% growth online and completed expansion against the trend.

So how did MINISO do it? Next, I will analyze it through San Shou Marketing’s original six-step methodology for private domain traffic operations, namely IPization-connection-activation-stratification-repeat purchase-fission, and also the analysis of super users.

01 IP-Brand IP Strategy Analysis

MINISO is well aware of the importance of building brand IP, so it launched the IP strategy very early on to enhance product appeal and brand awareness. It is mainly reflected in three aspects: own IP, co-branded IP and employee IP.

1) Own IP

In the content of MINISO’s official account, we have carried out refined IP creation and created three images: Little M, M Xiaomei and M Xiaozhai:

• Little M, who can be either a boy or a girl , mainly provides brand-related content, with a warm and cute image, and shares food, drink, entertainment tips and good things with users.
• M Xiaomei, which focuses on beauty and fashion , provides comprehensive beauty strategies and product recommendations on beauty, dressing, skin care, etc. for women who love beauty.
• M Xiao Zhai ——represents people who love food in the second dimension, are not sociable or have social phobia.

Through different images, the product is interpreted in a scenario-based manner to promote it, making users feel more involved and ultimately enhancing the stickiness with fans.

2) Co-branded IP

In addition to its own IP, MINISO is also actively seeking brand collaborations, constantly tapping into new user groups and catering to the preferences of young users.

Since its establishment, MINISO has cooperated with many well-known global IPs such as Disney, Marvel, Sanrio, the Forbidden City, and bilibili to launch joint product series, which have also received positive reviews.

Take the “Strawberry Bear Hug” IP series products jointly launched with Disney as an example. MINISO established hundreds of communities during the product preheating period and invited private domain users to co-create products.

The new products in the "Strawberry Bear Hug" series took social media by storm as soon as they were launched. The topic page on Xiaohongshu was viewed over 12 million times, with over 200 million exposures on the entire network. The GMV on the first day of the Strawberry Bear live broadcast exceeded 2 million.

3) Employee IP

As private domain is an important channel for MINISO, the corporate WeChat operated by its employees is also very important. Every move of the employees represents the external image of MINISO. Take the WeChat of an employee I added as an example:

Nickname : Xiaoming (taken from the “ming” in MINISO to make it memorable)

Avatar : MINISO's unique cartoon image

Automatic welcome message : Send the community link as soon as possible and inform the benefits included in the community, so that users can grasp all valuable information in time.

Contents of Moments : The main contents are welfare activities, product recommendations, etc.

02 Connection-Omni-channel traffic diversion analysis

MINISO attaches great importance to current new media platforms. Whether in the private or public domain, the scale and influence of the accounts it operates are among the best among corporate accounts.

In particular, the new media matrix with WeChat official account + Weibo + Douyin + Xiaohongshu as the core has reached 50 million fans , continuously introducing new fans into its own private domain pool.

1) Private Domain

Official Accounts : MINISO has many official official accounts, among which the main account "MINISO" has more than 32 million followers . After following the official account, the private domain adding entrance will be pushed. The specific path is:

The official account automatically replies with "link" – add the welfare officer's corporate WeChat – the welfare officer sends a community link – enter the community.

Mini Program : In addition to the online purchasing function, MINISO’s mini program also serves as an important private domain traffic entry point. Specific path:

Member Center – Community Welfare – Add Welfare Officer’s Corporate WeChat – Welfare Officer Sends Community Link – Enter the Community.

2) Public domain

Offline stores: Private domain traffic QR codes can be seen everywhere in MINISO stores. In addition, when users pay, the cashier will guide users to add the official account through welfare inducements.

Video Account: MINISO has 4 video accounts, which are responsible for different content such as live sales, recruitment information, and group product promotion. Taking the main account "MINISO" as an example, there is an entrance to the official account on the homepage, and the main video content focuses on brand promotion and product recommendations.

Douyin: MINISO has established a huge account matrix on Douyin, with the total number of fans of several major accounts exceeding one million. The main video content includes brand promotion and product recommendations. The main account will start live streaming on time every day, mainly focusing on selling products.

Xiaohongshu: Currently, it has more than 439,000 fans, and its main content is product recommendations and event introductions.

Weibo: Currently, it has 3.852 million followers, and its main content is event promotion, product recommendations, and user reposts, comments, and likes.

Bilibili: Currently has 31,000 fans, and its main content is brand promotion and product recommendations.

03 Promotion of activity-Analysis of community operation

MINISO has a golden 7-day rule. No matter what channel the user enters the private community through, a series of operational actions must be completed for the user within 7 days to ensure activity and conversion rate.

According to incomplete statistics, the number of MINISO communities has reached 50,000, and different types of communities have been carefully divided. The following is an example of the welfare group I added.

1) Community positioning

• Group name : usually composed of "brand + region + VIP group + community number", for example: "MINIS Hangzhou VIP group ABHI", or "MINIS shopping spree group CXBH" which is not divided by region.
• Positioning: Welfare group
• Content form: text, pictures, mini programs

2) Community management

Welcome to the group:

Take the officially operated community as an example. When users join the group, an automatic welcome message will be triggered immediately, informing them that they can enjoy benefits by replying to keywords such as "50% off" and "welfare", informing them of the value of the community, and guiding them to the mini program.

Group announcement:

The group announcement will inform the content and method of receiving the benefits, and will also publish the corresponding group rules to let users understand the relevant group regulations, know that this group is managed by someone, and have a stronger sense of user belonging.

3) Community Operation

The community content of MINISO mainly focuses on product recommendations and welfare distribution . Take the community I added as an example:

12:00 noon: Publish a super-value flash sale product event with product pictures and mini program links

5:30 p.m.: Introduce the points benefits, with corresponding pictures and mini-program links

7:30 pm: Announce the bonus, introduce the gameplay and add the participation link

04 Layering-fine operation analysis

MINISO's private domain stratified operations are also like the top of a pyramid, which is reflected in two aspects: the first is the refined stratification of communities, and the second is the precise label management of users.

MINISO has summarized more than 60 community label combinations in five dimensions, such as community cycle, community level, fan source, fan ratio, content preference, etc. Targeted content and activities can be delivered to different user groups to achieve precision marketing.

For example, in a community dominated by white-collar mothers, push notifications are often given before or after meals, with content focused on "kitchen renovation" and "low-calorie, non-fattening snacks." Product selections tend to be household products such as tea bags, tableware, and insurance bags. To maximize the activity and conversion rate of the community.

At the same time, MINISO has also comprehensively improved various algorithms. Today, the entire user data center has accumulated 5 billion user tags, with an average of 90 tags for each user.

For example, in the past year, MINISO has given the following labels to user Xiao A: Gold card user, loyal fan of blind box products, in the repurchase cycle, likes to go to Sanrio stores, spent more than 600 yuan in the past year, and has not visited the store in the past 35 days...

Then, MINISO will make targeted outreach to users based on these tags, from basic text messages to new product promotions, coupon guidance, and then to richer full-media content push in the community.

05 Repeat Purchase-Analysis of Multi-channel Guided Repeat Purchase

Through extensive channel construction and refined operations, MINISO aims to maximize user repeat purchases and enhance conversion capabilities in the private domain.

Therefore, repurchase actions at each link are also extremely critical. Here are a few platforms as examples:

1) Official Account

After following MINISO’s official account, users will be sent a welfare link immediately to guide them to enter the mall for purchase. In addition, at the end of the public account tweet, users will be guided to enter the mall to place an order.

2) Mini Programs

On the homepage of MINISO’s mini program, there are windows for exclusive gift packages for new customers and limited-time flash sales to guide users to purchase. In addition, there is an IP cultural and creative area to attract more levels of users to place orders.

3) Community

In MINISO’s private community, content promoting products and introducing benefits is sent regularly to guide users to place orders.

4) Weibo

On Weibo, MINISO will guide users to make repeat purchases through various welfare activities.

5) Tik Tok

On Douyin, MINISO guides users to place orders through video content and live broadcasts. In addition, users can also join fan groups and be guided to repeat purchases in the group.

6) Xiaohongshu

Miniso’s Xiaohongshu homepage has links to the store and offline store entrances. In addition, in the product recommendation notes and the comment section, users are also guided to place orders.

06 Fission-Fission Mode Disassembly

Fission is a low-cost way to increase user growth on a large scale. It is simple and crude but also very effective. MINISO will also use some fission gameplay to carry out "viral" social fission to achieve effective new customer acquisition and secondary marketing. There are two main types:

1) Coupon fission

As long as you invite 3 friends to help you, you can get a half-price coupon of "over 200-100", and the friends who help you can also get a large coupon of "over 200-80".

2) Invite new friends to get cash

Users can invite new users of the mini program to place orders. They can get 5 yuan for each person they invite, and their friends can get coupons immediately, with a maximum of 10,000 yuan. This method can increase the number of users and brand exposure in a short period of time.

07 Super User System Disassembly

Currently, MINISO has a membership system on mini programs and e-commerce platforms. There is a growing membership + points system on the mini program, as well as a paid membership card. The membership of the e-commerce platform is relatively simple, with only a simple growth-type membership and points system.

1) Mini Program Membership System

Membership in the mini program is calculated based on growth points, and 10 growth points can be accumulated for every 1 yuan spent . There are 3 levels in total. The higher the level, the more benefits you will enjoy. The details are as follows:

General card members: 0-2999 growth points

Silver card members: 3000-5999 growth points, ordinary card users can directly spend 19.9 yuan to upgrade

Gold card members: Growth value of 6000 or above, ordinary card users can directly spend 39.9 yuan to upgrade

Member points: Points are mainly obtained through consumption. The proportion of points obtained by different membership levels is different. Points can also be obtained by signing in. Points can be exchanged for shopping bags.

Fame points: can be understood as another points model. Fame points can be earned through invitations, sign-ins, orders, and tasks. Fame points can be redeemed for dolls, product coupons, desk calendars, and many other products.

Paid membership: MINISO has two levels of paid membership, an annual membership at 79 yuan/year and a monthly membership at 9.9 yuan/month. For frequent buyers, it is a great bargain. The specific benefits are as follows:

Annual Pass:

Benefit 1: Save money and get coupons. When you open the card, you will get 1 coupon worth 100 yuan or more, 2 coupons worth 89 yuan or more, and 2 coupons worth 20 yuan or more.

Benefit 2: Monthly special coupons, 2 coupons of 89-20 per month

Benefit 3: Super discount on top of discount, enjoy 95% discount on goods, can be combined with activities and discounts

Benefit 4: Wednesday is Mingchuang Day, and there are coupons every week

Benefit 5: Points can be used as money, every 100 points can be deducted 1 yuan

Monthly Pass:

Benefit 1: Save money and get back the principal coupons, immediately receive 2 89-20 offline and online general coupons

Benefit 2: Wednesday is Mingchuang Day, and there are coupons every week

Benefit 3: Points can be used as money, every 100 points can be deducted 1 yuan

Benefit 4: Super discount on top of discount, enjoy 95% discount on goods, can be combined with activities and discounts

2) E-commerce membership system

The membership systems within e-commerce platforms are relatively simple, mainly based on points membership. Here we take Taobao as an example. Taobao members can join without any threshold, and new members can get 5 yuan gift packages and coupons.

There are 4 membership levels in Taobao. The higher the level, the better the monthly benefits you can enjoy.

Ordinary members: Consumption of 1 yuan or more

Senior Member: Consumption of RMB 199 or above in the past year

VIP members: Consumption of RMB 299 or above in the past year

Supreme VIP Member: Consumption of RMB 499 or above in the past year

Member points: Users can earn points by signing in, completing questionnaires, and making purchases. Points can be redeemed for coupons and physical gifts.

08 Conclusion

By deploying a large amount of private domain traffic, MINISO not only doubled its performance, but also grew into a leader in the new retail industry. Its private domain operation model also provides a new development idea for companies that are currently stuck in the traffic "quagmire".

In 2017, MINISO founder Ye Guofu proposed the dream of having 10,000 stores worldwide and annual revenue of 100 billion yuan. Although it still seems far away at the moment, I believe no one dares to underestimate this dream.