When the situation of "thousands of groups fighting" on group buying websites intensifies, the group buying navigation websites are also filled with smoke. Recently, the recently launched group purchase navigation website Tuuana Tuan revealed that it has received a round of angel financing. This is the first group purchase navigation website to receive early investment since many group purchase websites have been favored by capital.
According to incomplete statistics from Internet consulting agencies, as of the end of July 2010, the number of group buying websites in China was close to 1,000, and the number of "group buying navigation" had reached nearly 100. As a navigation website that collects and integrates group buying website information, and also provides group buying consumers with a convenient and fast initial entrance to group buying, while rewriting the group buying market structure and affecting the entire industry chain, it also has problems such as lack of supervision and profit-seeking.
Born in response to massive group buying information
Since the launch of group buying websites such as Meituan, 24Quan and Ftuan earlier this year, in just a few months, group buying players with different backgrounds have emerged from various fields: portals such as Sohu and Sina have opened Group buying channel, Tencent soon couldn't bear the loneliness and opened group buying in Shenzhen area; then, information classification websites such as 58.com, Aibang.com, Dianping.com, Koubei and Fantong.com also joined the ranks, and relied on their own The advantages of merchant resources soon caught up; subsequently, more players with various backgrounds and advantages, such as the Beijing News, Thousand Oaks Group, and China UnionPay, joined in, not wanting to lag behind, and the competition seemed to have become fierce.
Under such circumstances, netizens will begin to worry about receiving countless group purchase emails. Because netizens have to sort through nearly a thousand group-buying messages at least every day and choose what they like. Along with this comes more precise user needs, the most obvious manifestation of which is the need for navigation. The group buying navigation website is like a "consumer guide", allowing users to find the group buying discounts they need more directly. Regardless of the chaos of group buying websites today, it is relatively easy to set up a group buying website. A small website can operate normally with a cost of several thousand yuan and a few people. The group buying navigation website based on the group buying website is nothing more than that.
According to the reporter’s understanding, in addition to collecting the URLs of each group buying website, the group buying navigation website also provides a platform for each group buying website to publish its own group buying information or automatically collect it through the interface, and centrally display the latest product information of each group buying website on the website, so that each group buying website can There is no need to spend additional time logging in and posting information on the group buying website. In this way, it not only attracts a large number of group buying websites to join, but also attracts the patronage of consumers, because netizens want to find cheap or suitable group buying products and do not want to go to each website one by one, which not only wastes time but also It is difficult to remember so many group buying sites, so netizens are more interested in staying on group buying navigation sites to find their favorite products.
It is reported that the initial group buying navigation websites generally used four grids per line on the homepage to navigate the text and pictures of the group buying website, and some also used a page design with one grid per line and clear navigation. However, recently reporters discovered that the navigation website not only refined the group purchase information into "food and catering", "travel and leisure", "boutique shopping" and other refined categories, but also supplemented the price range, time, and discount sorting. In addition, highly interactive channels such as group friend forums, PK competitions, and complaint areas have also been set up, allowing netizens to conduct personalized searches and learn the group purchasing information they need.
Marketing "conspiracy" beyond search
Information, search, evaluation... This kind of website content composition is easily reminiscent of Dianping.com. Following the fierce competition among more than a thousand group buying websites, the group buying navigation website began a profit "conspiracy".
Recently, the group-buying navigation website Laiyou.com convened an online PK competition between mainstream group-buying websites, with netizens voting to compete. On August 17th and August 25th, the "Nobody" group won the arena for two consecutive years. It was defeated by Meituan and F Group, and its next opponent was Aibang Group. An Chenghai, founder of Laiyou.com, believes that the key to obtaining cooperation opportunities with group buying websites and even the ability to negotiate prices is to see whether the group buying navigation can attract users, so that users are willing to use the group buying navigation to select group buying objects, and seize the user's browser. favorites are crucial.
In fact, bringing group buying websites into the arena is just a primary way of cooperation. The goal of the group buying navigation website is to further consolidate its position as a "guidance" among group buying users. They take great pains to show their unique strength to consumers in the competition among peers. Laiyou.com has made it clear that it will try to seize the triple identities of "information aggregator", "analyst" and "convener" to gain the right to speak in the industry.
Judging from the PK results, just over a month after its birth, it was able to overturn the well-established Meituan and F Group. Now the group is undoubtedly the big winner of the event and has quickly risen to the top. However, analysts pointed out that there were no losers in this PK. The promotional “show” allowed Nituan, Meituan, F Tuan and Laiyou.com to gain exposure.
This can also be seen from the declaration of Wang Xing, the founder of Meituan, "From the rapid development at the beginning to the current uneven quality, China's group buying websites are currently in a critical development period. We have the responsibility to promote the reshuffle of this industry together. To bring an excellent group buying website with characteristics and integrity closer to the majority of netizens is also the original intention of Meituan.com to actively participate in this event."
Analysys International analyst Chen Shousong believes that small and medium-sized group buying websites may be more interested in promotional activities such as PK shows. If a more effective way of cooperation cannot be found, large websites such as Nuomi.com “won’t care too much” about the cooperation intentions of group buying navigation stations.
24Coupon CEO Du Yinan also revealed that although most navigation websites now include 24Coupon’s group buying information for free, “small and medium-sized websites may be more concerned about this.” In fact, An Chenghai also admitted that group buying websites such as Sina Group and Sohu Aijia Group, which rely on Internet giants, "are indeed not very good at using other channels for brand promotion." Just imagine, if this can influence hundreds of small and medium-sized group buying websites, it will undoubtedly enhance the status of group buying navigation websites in the industry chain, and quietly become a potential force affecting the entire group buying market.
Website integrity rating is still missing
Due to the relatively low technical and financial thresholds, most of the current group purchase navigation websites are "one-person websites" and do not even have ICP registration. In order to pursue short-term profits, some websites use bidding rankings to place some unknown or even extremely risky group buying websites in more obvious positions to attract consumers to click and enter.
Some analysts pointed out that the power of capital, technology and system can directly affect the development of the group buying market. However, the power of public opinion based on user reputation and preferences has not been able to find a suitable carrying platform before. Obviously, group buying navigation websites are willing to play a role like Dianping.com, striving to incorporate the mainstream opinions of mainstream group buying users, and convey "the value judgment of a certain group buying website" to more consumer groups through the platform. Therefore, if Group buying users are accustomed to choosing group buying websites based on the indicative "ranking" of group buying navigation. You can imagine the pressure on a group buying website that has been rated as "dangerous in reliability."
Shi Xuchang, the person in charge of the group buying navigation website Wantuan, believes that the group buying navigation website, which brings convenience to consumers, should conduct necessary investigation and review of the group buying websites included on its website. "Judging from the current market, group buying websites have already begun the first round of reshuffle. Navigation websites basically do not sell products themselves and only rely on group buying websites to make profits. Therefore, competition will be more fierce and a reshuffle is imminent."
However, fraud and other behaviors in group buying have also caused concerns among the industry and consumers. Recently, Nuomi.com was accused by more than 10,000 group members of being "irresponsible" because merchants ran away with their money. Although Nuomi.com promised to advance and fully compensate consumers on its own, and was actually the main victim of the incident, this matter has once again It triggered people’s concerns about the safety of group buying.
In this regard, there are also a number of group buying navigation websites that have taken the lead in positioning themselves as third-party guarantees. On August 17, group-buying navigation website Groupou 123 launched rights protection and advance compensation services to attract more users and improve credibility. According to the person in charge of the Complaint and Rights Protection Center of Group Buying 123: "If consumers are not satisfied with the consumption of goods, they can complain to the Complaint and Rights Protection Center of Group Buying 123. Group Buying 123 will work hard to help consumers safeguard their rights. In addition, if Group Buying 123 members encounter Group buying websites that recommend index products (three-star or above) abscond with the money, and Group Buying 123 will assist in the recovery. If there is no result, Group Buying 123 will pay the compensation first.”
To do service guarantee work for Qianjia group buying website, this "crab-eating" move requires courage and confidence. The group buying navigation website relies on the group buying website. When there is a problem with the group buying website, the navigation website will inevitably be re-examined. "China's group buying websites and consumers need a platform worthy of recognition to connect with each other." The situation of good and bad group buying websites does require professional supervision and guidance. But who will guarantee the fairness and objectivity of the judgment made by the group buying navigation website? An Chenghai admitted that "there will indeed be disputes and dissatisfaction." The authenticity and integrity ratings of group buying websites need to be regulated by relevant policies and systems. It is reported that Laiyou.com has contacted relevant government departments to study and launch an authoritative group buying website certification system.