一代中产的心头好，消失了

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the quiet shutdown of the Kaola Haigou app, previously known as NetEase Kaola, highlighting its decline in the competitive cross-border e-commerce market, particularly against Tmall International [1][2][4]. Group 1: Company Background and History - NetEase Kaola was launched in January 2015, benefiting from favorable cross-border e-commerce policies and leveraging NetEase's ecosystem for customer acquisition [6][8]. - In 2019, NetEase sold Kaola to Alibaba, which rebranded it as Kaola Haigou, but the app has now been taken offline [2][4]. Group 2: Market Position and Competition - By Q3 2021, Tmall International held a market share of 37.4%, surpassing Kaola Haigou's 26.0%, indicating a significant shift in competitive dynamics [4]. - In 2021, Kaola Haigou's operational team was drastically reduced from over 400 to just a few, reflecting a lack of confidence in its future [4][11]. Group 3: User Engagement and Performance Metrics - Monthly active users for Kaola Haigou dropped from 7.42 million in July 2020 to 6.44 million by September 2021, with further declines expected [5]. - By late 2022, Kaola Haigou's app ranked 58th in the App Store's shopping category, trailing behind lesser-known competitors [5]. Group 4: Strategic Challenges - Kaola Haigou faced an identity crisis post-acquisition, as it competed directly with Tmall International, leading to overlapping products and services [10]. - The app's marketing costs were higher than Tmall International's, and its user retention was hindered by the need to redirect users from a high-frequency shopping environment (Taobao) to a low-frequency one (Kaola Haigou) [10][12]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The article suggests that the cross-border e-commerce segment may struggle to sustain independent platforms like Kaola Haigou, as evidenced by the closure of similar businesses [9]. - The success of membership-based models like Sam's Club indicates that there is potential for imported goods, but Kaola Haigou's operational model may not be viable in the long term [9].