Don Quijote - WeChat Pay Platform

Introduction

Don Quijote (Donki), one of the biggest discount stores in Japan, is popular among local people and tourists for its convenience and discount. “Donki” is named after the protagonist of the Spanish novel Don Quijote, meaning “Always ready for new challenges”. The goods stocked at Donki are of incredible variety, including daily groceries, clothes, electrical goods, and beauty and health products. Stores stay open late, and a few are open around the clock, making Donki different from other Japanese discount stores. This also brings difference: another shopping peak comes at midnight.
In recent years, Donki is also popular among Chinese tourists for its various products, long business hour, and high discount and quality.

Challenges Faced

1. Checkout efficiency to be raised: Though with branches all over Japan, Donki, thanks to its increasing market penetration and popularity, is visited by more customers, especially Chinese bulk buyers. However, a store with a long queue in limited space would appear to be crowded. Thus, it is important to speed up checkout to raise the store operation efficiency.

2. More marketing channels/modes to be developed to attract more customers: Committed to "customer first", Donki desires to find more ways, based on large SKU, to present quality goods to more customers, attract more Chinese tourists, and go beyond offline store marketing. To achieve this, Donki needs to expand more marketing channels and find marketing modes geared to Chinese tourists so as to attract more customers.

Solutions & Results

To achieve these goals, Donki chose to access WeChat Pay in case that Chinese tourists would bring few cash. By providing the familiar payment solution, Donki enjoys higher payment efficiency and creates better customer experience. Besides, Donki, unlocking the huge WeChat ecosystem potential, finds solutions from the Official Account and Mini Program to establish more diversified and long-term connections with users.

1. Cross-border e-commerce Mini Program: To make it easier for Chinese tourists to shop directly, and even to allow Chinese tourists to buy their favorite goods after returning to China, Donki launched its cross-border e-commerce Mini Program "Donki Mall". The product category in the Mini Program is basically the same as that in the offline stores with the same price, and all are tax-free. Chinese tourists can place orders directly in the Mini Program. After payment, the merchants will deliver the goods to the customers through international logistics, helping Chinese customers to enjoy the qualified Japanese goods in China. This wins praise from Chinese consumers and help stores go beyond offline sales channels, bringing more incremental transactions.

2. Majica Global Card (Donki E-member Card): To better build the customer management system and integrate the customer consumption information in different regions, Donki launched its E-Member Card Mini Program and post the Mini Program code at each store for promotion. In the store, Chinese tourists can scan the code to use the Mini Program for Quick Registration, and get the e-member card with one tap to the WeChat Cards and Offers. Meanwhile, registered members can receive multiple vouchers such as "500 JPY off on purchase of 10,000 JPY" that can be used in offline stores and stimulate more consumption. At present, Donki is developing more membership system functions and apps based on e-member card, so as to provide more excellent services to Chinese customers.

3. WeChat Official Account: As offline store consumption is the first connection between customers and the store, to establish a longer-term connection and operation with Chinese customers, Donki established its own WeChat Official Account "Don Quijote". Its guidance POSM is also posted at each floor of each store to attract more followers in every store. Donki knows very well that this is the channel to establish long-term connection with Chinese consumers.
With this Official Account, users can quickly get information about the store, weekly special, goods recommendation, promotion, and more. They can also be directed to e-member card and online store through the shortcut entry in menu. In this way, multiple channels are integrated.
The Official Account enables Donki to achieve user operation before, during, and after the trip of Chinese tourists. This both raises the store transaction and provides a better experience to the users.