How SHEIN Mastered Data-Driven Digital Marketing in Cross-Border E-commerce

China is a country that has demonstrated immense growth in the e-commerce sector on the global stage. Brands like Tencent, SHEIN, and ByteDance are frequently namedropped in conversations about what everyday consumers are using. One thing that has been consistently proven is that Chinese marketers, with their deep understanding of local markets and familiarity with well-known ad technology, are incredibly resilient and driven.

We’ve put together an article reviewing how SHEIN, a massively popular Chinese e-retailer, succeeded in capturing international market share. The article is based on various sources, which we’ve cited at the end of the article.

A company’s success lies not only in responsible data collection but also in deriving insights and making optimal decisions. According to research, SHEIN excelled in this area by deploying sophisticated techniques to gain insights into their consumers’ behavior.

Here’s how they did it:

Personalized Marketing with AI-Powered Algorithms 

Using AI-powered algorithms, SHEIN analyzed large datasets to develop highly personalized experiences.  These ranged from content creation and increasingly accurate demand forecasting.

User Profiling for Effective Marketing

It’s  been researched that SHEIN has a robust user profiling system. A user data management platform aggregates data from media channels, internal business platforms, and third-party sites. This enables SHEIN to optimize social, psychological, and behavioral data to create user personas for effective marketing.

Dynamic Platform Optimization for Growth Enablement 

SHEIN employs dynamic data tracking and analysis tools to optimize platform experiences – which isn’t a surprise as they collect massive amounts of user data. This in turn allows them to spur on user loyalty, and accelerate global growth.

Localized Marketing Approaches .

SHEIN leveraged big data insights to engage local audiences with strategic hashtag usage. For example, on their Mexican Instagram page, SHEIN used #saveinstyle to target thrifty consumers, a tactic not seen on their global Instagram page.

SHEIN is now a Chinese e-commerce powerhouse, so you may be wondering how your company can emulate their success. The truth is, you likely already have some tools in place, along with the right team members utilizing them.

Here’s some things to review and consider:

Data Analytics Tools for Data Collection and Insights 

Own a data analytics platform capable of handling large datasets to generate faster and accurate insights. A widely used platform is Google Analytics or the enterprise level Google Analytics 360, which is able to collect marketing & consumer data for actionable insights.

AI-Powered Systems to Enhance Marketing

Modern ad-tech platforms often have AI capabilities built into them, helping you to effectively enhance campaign performance. For example, platforms like Google’s Smart Shopping Campaigns use machine learning to analyze various data signals and determine the optimal bid for a campaign.

Data-Savvy Teams for Successful Marketing 

Investing in a data-savvy team with skills in data analysis and interpretation is critical for successful data-driven marketing*. Assess the current skill sets of your team to decide if analytics training is required or if hiring specialized talent is necessary.

A Culture of A/B Testing 

E-commerce companies should highly consider A/B testing or other data-driven testing methods. For instance, test which creatives receive higher engagement, or utilize a CRO platform to compare the user experience (UX) of different landing page types.

Conclusion 

We’ve seen how SHEIN optimised data and ad technologies to create personalized user experiences, reach out to global audiences, and be effective operationally. For an e-commerce company, a durable data-driven digital marketing can be the foundation for successful cross-border marketing.

Want to learn about Data Collection? Check out these case studies!