How Zhiben Built a Skincare Brand on a Tmall-First Strategy

Executive Summary#

Zhiben (至本) has built its skincare business on a channel strategy that puts Tmall (天猫) first, in which a single flagship store carries most of the brand's online sales, and on an affordable positioning for gentle, sensitive-skin formulations. The brand combines that positioning with proprietary ingredients backed by published scientific research and with eco-friendly packaging, which consumers share on social media without being paid to. This analysis looks at the brand's channel approach and product range, and at how its packaging and customer service feed the consumer advocacy behind it through Q2 2024.

Affordable Skincare Backed by Ingredient Research#

Zhiben positions itself as an affordable skincare brand for consumers with sensitive skin, and it supports that positioning with proprietary ingredients whose effects are described in published scientific research. Over the period from January 2022 to April 2024, the brand's approach has been to win consumers on value and on gentle formulations, which is why its range is built around entry-level products such as cleansers.

A Single Flagship Store at the Centre of the Channel Strategy#

Zhiben concentrates its online business in a single flagship store on Tmall. This deliberate focus on one store gives the brand direct control over its pricing and customer data, as well as over the experience consumers have after they buy. The brand has also been building its presence in content commerce, including on Douyin (抖音), alongside the flagship store.

Cleansers and Makeup Removers at the Core of the Range#

Cleansers and makeup removers are the core of Zhiben's product range, and the brand has been extending into skincare sets and eye care, which we believe shows that consumers are willing to try its products beyond cleansing.

Eco-Packaging and Service Drive Organic Consumer Advocacy#

Zhiben's sustainability initiatives generate content on social media in their own right, beyond their role as corporate responsibility. The brand's vacuum refillable packaging reduces plastic by approximately 70%, and it runs the Bottle Planet recycling programme for empty bottles. Consumers talk about these initiatives on Xiaohongshu (小红书) and Weibo (微博) without paid promotion.

Discussion of its customer service on social media is overwhelmingly positive or neutral, which suggests that Zhiben's investment in professional skincare guidance and a premium unboxing experience is visible to consumers in what they post.

For skincare brands competing in China's crowded online market, Zhiben's case shows that careful customer service combined with a credible sustainability commitment can create a cycle of consumer advocacy that is difficult for competitors to reproduce through paid marketing alone.

Key Takeaways#

• Zhiben runs its online business through a single Tmall flagship store, which gives it direct control over pricing, customer data and the post-purchase experience, while it builds a presence in content commerce
• Cleansers and makeup removers form the core of the range, and skincare sets and eye care are the categories into which the brand is extending
• Eco-friendly packaging and professional customer service are reflected in overwhelmingly positive or neutral discussion of the brand's service on social media
• The Bottle Planet recycling programme and the vacuum refillable packaging, which reduces plastic by approximately 70%, give consumers a concrete reason to recommend the brand

About the Data#

Sales and channel data sourced from Moojing Market Intelligence, covering four leading Chinese e-commerce marketplaces. Social media data sourced from Xiaohongshu (小红书) and Weibo (微博). Data period: January 2022 to April 2024.