Core Viewpoint - NetEase Yanxuan, once a promising e-commerce platform, is facing significant challenges, including a decline in user engagement, inventory issues, and increased competition from other platforms [3][5][8]. Group 1: Company Overview - NetEase Yanxuan was launched in April 2016 as a home and lifestyle e-commerce platform, utilizing an original design manufacturer model to offer quality products at competitive prices [4]. - By the end of September 2016, the platform had over 30 million registered users and achieved a monthly GMV of 60 million yuan [4]. - In 2017, the e-commerce segment generated approximately 11.7 billion yuan, accounting for 22% of NetEase's total revenue, making it the second-largest revenue source for the group [5]. Group 2: Decline in Performance - After a strong start, NetEase Yanxuan's revenue growth plummeted from 160% in 2017 to 64% in 2018, and further down to 20% in early 2019 [5][6]. - By 2024, the revenue from the innovation and other business segment, which includes Yanxuan, was only 8.1 billion yuan, representing less than 8% of NetEase's total revenue [5]. Group 3: Expansion and Quality Control Issues - To meet ambitious growth targets, NetEase Yanxuan aggressively expanded its product categories from home textiles to nine categories, increasing its SKU count from hundreds to over 10,000 by 2019 [6]. - This rapid SKU expansion led to quality control challenges, with reports of declining product quality and increased inventory pressure, as the inventory cycle extended from 27 days to 150 days by 2018 [7]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The entry of competitors like Taobao's "Taobao Xin Xuan," JD's "Jingdong Jingzao," and Xiaomi's "Xiaomi Youpin" intensified competition, with these platforms benefiting from stronger traffic and supply chain advantages [8]. - The rise of Pinduoduo, which quickly gained a large user base through low prices and social strategies, further complicated the competitive landscape for NetEase Yanxuan [8]. Group 5: Resource Allocation and Support - Initially, NetEase Yanxuan received substantial support from NetEase's various product lines, including games and email services, which helped drive traffic to the platform [9]. - However, as the e-commerce segment failed to meet revenue expectations, resources have shifted away from Yanxuan, with the company focusing more on its gaming business, which contributes nearly 80% of total revenue [9].