ai
AI shopping surges in China: about 5% of Douyin purchases in October came through chatbots
In China, AI is moving from search tool to shopping assistant. Reuters, citing WPIC, reports that about 5% of Douyin purchases in October came through AI chatbot links, even as overall Singles' Day sales growth stayed flat.
Key takeaways
- WPIC: about 5% of Douyin purchases in October came through AI chatbot links, over 20% for supplements.
- About 80 million users consulted JD.com's AI assistant Dongdong during Singles' Day, over three times last year.
- Sales of AI toys, companion robots and AI tokens rose sharply.
- Syntun: major platforms sold 1.263 trillion yuan from 7 to 31 October, up just 2.4%.
Why it matters
When shoppers let an AI assistant compare and choose, whether a product's data, price and offers can be read correctly by that assistant starts to decide visibility. For consumers, AI can save comparison time, but its recommendations are shaped by how each platform tunes it.
How much buying runs through AI
Reuters reported that, according to research firm WPIC Marketing + Technologies, roughly 5% of purchases on short-video and social commerce platform Douyin in October were made through chatbot links. For considered purchases such as supplements, where shoppers usually research before buying, the share exceeded 20%.
"This is still a very new gateway and discovery channel," WPIC chief executive Jacob Cooke told Reuters, adding that he expects it to account for a growing share of direct purchases, comparable to livestreaming or social commerce.
Aju Press notes that shoppers can describe the specifications and budget they want and ask a chatbot to compare prices and features, with the AI also pointing to discounts, promotions and payment offers.
Platforms and AI products
Aju Press attributes China's faster uptake compared with the West to super apps building AI into existing services. Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall and JD.com let users search, compare, apply coupons and schedule orders and delivery without switching apps.
JD.com said about 80 million users sought advice from its AI shopping assistant, Dongdong, during this year's Singles' Day festival, more than three times the previous year. Alibaba offers virtual try-ons and AI product search on Taobao.
AI products themselves sold well. Alibaba said AI toys passed 100 million yuan in sales on its platforms within a year of launching as a category, and that sales of AI companion robots rose nearly fivefold year on year in the second half of October. Tmall said sales of AI tokens, the computing units used to run AI models, rose more than 700% between 15 October and 5 November compared with 15 September to 5 October.
Overall sales were flat
Syntun data show cumulative sales across major e-commerce platforms of 1.263 trillion yuan from 7 to 31 October, up only 2.4% year on year. Reuters said it remains to be seen whether AI has lifted overall spending. Ben Cavender, managing director at China Market Research Group in Shanghai, said some brands benefit more depending on how platforms are tuned or how brands price their products.
Background
Singles' Day is China's largest online shopping festival and now runs as a month-long promotion rather than a single day. The WPIC 5% figure measures purchases completed through chatbot links; it does not show that AI created those sales. Syntun's figure tracks total platform sales, so the two numbers measure different things.
What to watch
- Whether chatbot-driven purchases grow toward the scale of livestreaming and social commerce, as WPIC expects.
- Final full-period Singles' Day sales figures.
- How platforms decide which brands and products their AI assistants recommend.
Sources
Questions
How many Douyin purchases go through AI chatbots?
According to WPIC Marketing + Technologies, about 5% of Douyin purchases in October were made through AI chatbot links, and more than 20% for considered categories such as supplements.
How many people used JD.com's AI shopping assistant?
JD.com said about 80 million users asked its AI assistant Dongdong for shopping advice during this year's Singles' Day, more than three times last year.
Did AI boost overall Singles' Day sales?
Not visibly. Syntun data show major platform sales up only 2.4% year on year for 7 to 31 October, and Reuters said it is too early to tell whether AI lifts overall spending.
