PDD(US:PDD) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-10-21 05:53Core Insights - The article explores how Pinduoduo maintains low prices while ensuring profitability, highlighting its unique business model and strategies that differentiate it from traditional e-commerce platforms [1][3][11]. Pricing Strategy - Pinduoduo's average product prices are 32.7% lower than other major e-commerce platforms, with some categories showing price differences exceeding 50% [1]. - 76.3% of consumers cite "low prices" as the primary reason for shopping on Pinduoduo [1]. Business Model - Pinduoduo's merchants often engage in direct sourcing from factories, eliminating intermediaries and reducing costs. Approximately 82% of Pinduoduo merchants use this "factory direct supply" model, which is nearly 30 percentage points higher than other platforms [3][4]. - The platform's "group buying" mechanism allows merchants to achieve economies of scale, significantly lowering costs as order volumes increase. Pinduoduo's average daily order volume per product is 2.6 times that of other platforms [4][6]. Cost Management - Merchants on Pinduoduo utilize simplified packaging and customer service, which reduces non-essential costs. Packaging costs on Pinduoduo account for only 2% of product costs, compared to 8.5% on high-end platforms [6]. - The platform's data-driven inventory management enhances efficiency, with an average inventory turnover of 18 days, nearly 40% lower than the industry average [6]. Subsidy and Support - Pinduoduo's subsidy strategies, including various promotional activities, enable merchants to offer lower prices without sacrificing profit margins. In 2024, Pinduoduo invested 27 billion yuan in merchant subsidies, a 22% increase from 2023 [7][9]. Additional Cost-Saving Measures - Merchants often choose cost-effective logistics solutions, resulting in an average logistics cost that is 27% lower than other platforms [9]. - The platform provides detailed market price analysis, helping merchants set competitive prices while maintaining profitability [9]. Consumer Insights - Pinduoduo's product quality is generally acceptable, with a quality compliance rate of 92.3%, slightly lower than some premium platforms but not significantly so [9][10]. - Consumers are advised to consider product reviews, sales volume, and store reputation to avoid low-quality purchases [10][11]. Conclusion - Pinduoduo's low-price model effectively meets consumer demand for value while allowing merchants to maintain profitability through innovative strategies and operational efficiencies. This model reflects a broader trend in the e-commerce industry towards higher efficiency and lower costs [11].