If you were to randomly interview a foreigner in New York’s Times Square today and ask what Chinese brand store they frequent the most, besides the national pride Huawei, they would likely give you an unexpected answer: MINISO. The MINISO wave has swept the globe, and it may be the first name that comes to mind when someone thinks of buying something beautiful within their budget.
In the eyes of foreigners, MINISO, as a representative of Chinese stores, is essentially a “ten-yuan shop” with makeup. So, how did it manage to successfully expand overseas, break through the competition, and dominate the global low-end consumer market? The answer lies in its implementation of “Glocalization—Global Localization.” What is global localization? It is the concept of “think globally and act locally,” which means, on one hand, to act like a local company and be an “insider” as much as possible; on the other hand, to gain benefits from global operations, which is what “global localization” is all about. Global localization ultimately explains why specific products or services produced by the same company may look or feel different around the world.
In the following text, we will introduce the marketing strategies that have made MINISO a globally recognized brand. You will notice that localization is the most critical trend in the era of globalization 2.0.
In-Store Experience: Meeting Unspoken Needs
MINISO perfectly identifies and meets the implicit needs of consumers. Its shelves not only serve as a marketing communication tool but also attract consumers’ attention with an American color scheme, making them want to purchase immediately. When you add the brand’s astonishing decorations, you can hardly leave their stores.
Intelligent Collaboration: Synergy and Brand Partnerships
Synergy always comes from cooperation with another profitable organization. By collaborating with American brands such as Pink Panther, Hello Kitty, and Marvel Studios, MINISO has personally demonstrated this point. Before the release of the popular foreign consumer pursuit “Avengers 4: Endgame,” MINISO had observed the popularity of its products and did not miss the opportunity to capitalize on it.
Gifts and Competitions: Attracting Consumer Attention
Free things, no matter how big or small, always attract the most attention. Everyone loves something for nothing. Even if they may never use these free items, they still want them, no matter how significant they are. Therefore, taking advantage of this fact, MINISO regularly holds competitions and giveaways for customers. For example, in India, MINISO held a gift-giving event that attracted a large number of consumer participants.
Psychological Marketing: Pricing Strategy and Localization of Decoration
In countries like India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, MINISO maintains its prices at 99 rupees or 249 rupees and customizes beauty products by incorporating local decorations such as sun zodiac signs, cute customized musical notes, and color chords. This helps the brand to connect with customers. Due to the lively atmosphere, attentive staff, and the Billboard Top 50 songs played in the background music, people are encouraged to stay in the store for longer periods.
Communication Strategy: Social Media and KOL Cooperation
MINISO spreads or releases any new products through overseas social media platforms such as Instagram. For example, MINISO has created hashtags like #LoveLifeLoveMiniso, #MinisoLife, and #MinisoIndia to promote its products. At the same time, MINISO will gather local KOLs to promote new products and drive sales, allowing the products to have a greater impact locally. All of this helps the progress of mass media, word-of-mouth recommendations, and promotions, and also allows people to understand its products and services.
Global Expansion: The Success of Localization
Localization is the key to globalization. As of December 31, 2022, MINISO has entered 105 countries and regions across five continents, with more than 5,400 stores worldwide. MINISO’s overseas experience tells us that in this new era, the way of making money has changed, everyone’s business concept needs to be updated urgently, a new cross-border model is in front of us, and if you don’t keep up, you will be eliminated at any time.
The successful overseas expansion of MINISO is not only the result of its own efforts but also the successful application of the global localization strategy. Through precise market positioning, intelligent brand cooperation, effective psychological marketing, and extensive communication strategies, MINISO dominates the global low-end consumer market. Its successful experience provides valuable lessons for other brands, demonstrating how to achieve international expansion of the brand through localization strategies in the era of globalization 2.0.
