1. Introduction

Since the internet and technology are improving, our living quality is changing to the better level gradually. The way of consuming, which is one of the most important parts of everyone’s life, has been changing rapidly in the past few decades. There exists a diverse way to access for consumers; people can choose to shop in a supermarket or do some street shopping, and they may not even need to go out for online shopping can lead to a more convenient way to purchase.

E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the Internet. The history of e-commerce is mainly divided into five stages. Firstly, at the beginning of the last decade of the twentieth century, the Internet started to thrive rapidly. Internet companies such as Amazon and eBay have become the pioneers of the e-commerce domain. Amazon was built in 1994; it was first used as an online bookstore. They started their business by setting up e-commerce websites and aimed at dealing in goods online. On the other hand, eBay chose to start their business in the form of C2C, which stands for consumers to consumers, and gradually became the biggest online auction platform.

The second stage started when traditional companies realized the potential of e-commerce at the beginning of the twenty-first century. B2C e-businesses started to burgeon. In 2000, the leader of China’s e-commerce area JingDong exists, which is famous for its function of online shopping. In 2004, Alibaba set up Taobao, which created a new era of C2C e-commerce. Providers can easily build their own shops through Taobao, and it’s convenient for consumers to purchase various goods and services.

In the next stage, the popularization of the smartphone gave rise to mobile e-commerce. In 2010, the combination of Meituan and Dazhong created the largest O2O platform, which stands for online to offline. This phenomenon states that consumers can reserve, pay, and enjoy other services through their phones in particular applications, which represents the era of e-commerce, is growing.

The trend of globalization makes cross-border e-commerce a new way of developing e-businesses. Enterprises such as Amazon and Alibaba started entering overseas markets actively. They broaden the global e-commerce Network by building up cross-border e-commerce platform.

In the present quo, with the widespread use of social media, the Marketplace of Facebook, WeChat mini program, and platforms such as Douyin have made purchasing on social media accessible. This kind of mode combines social and purchase, providing consumers a more personalized shopping experience.

In this essay, four main firms are chosen in order to study the marketing strategies of e-commerce platforms, which are Amazon, Taobao, Douyin, and Pinduoduo, respectively. Amazon was formally established on July 5, 1994, by young Princeton graduate Jeff Bezos in a garage in his Bellevue, Washington, rental home under the moniker "Cadabra" (as in abracadabra). However, due to Cadabra's unattractive resemblance to the term "cadaver," Bezos changed the name to Amazon Inc. after only a few months. About a year later, the Amazon website was formally launched as an online bookstore that ships from that same garage to all 50 US states and 45 other countries. The last three companies are all from China, which are the most popular online shopping applications, among which Taobao is the pioneer of China’s e-commerce development. However, with the rise of short videos, Douyin, which has been transformed into TikTok abroad, is thought to be the most potential one in the future. Besides, Pinduoduo, built in 2015, the founder Huang Zheng hoped to replace the traditional e-shopping mode through combination shopping, which means cooperating with other consumers can usually purchase goods and services cheaply. This essay will mainly discuss the pros and cons of their marketing strategies to study the development, present quo, and future of e-commerce marketing, and make suggestions.

Significance academically, the topic is chosen to consider the differences and the similarities of various e-commerce platforms and provide information for scholars. As for the practice, the theme is chosen so that enterprises can be more familiar with the particular domain of e-commerce and marketing, and understand the future development direction of the industry.

The following structure of this paper will contain a short literature review of previous works. And then, this paper will discuss the marketing strategies of four e-commerce platforms. Then, in the next part, we will provide some suggestions. Last, a short evaluation will be made.

2. Literature review

2.1. History of e-commerce

When the first online transactions occurred in the early days of the Internet, e-commerce began to take shape. The 1990s saw the introduction of browsers with graphical user interfaces, which aided in the expansion of e-commerce. eBay and other early e-commerce sites linked buyers and sellers across national borders.

E-commerce has existed for more than 30 years, despite the fact that the general public has only just been aware of it. Business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) are the two fundamental forms of e-commerce. Businesses use electronic networks to transact with their distributors, suppliers, and other partners in business-to-business (B2B) transactions. B2C refers to business-to-consumer sales of goods and services. Although B2C is better known to the general public, B2B is the form that actually dominates e-commerce in terms of revenue.

There are quite a amount of milestones of E-commerce, including 1994: The first online bank opened for electronic funds transfer 1994: Amazon opened as an online bookstore and expanded to other products 1998: PayPal debuts as a money transfer service, later adding payment processing 2016: Mobile commerce sales surpass $1 billion on Black Friday in the US

commerce evolved from a niche concept to a crucial aspect of the company as internet availability and speeds improved globally. At its inception, the emergence of online retail behemoths such as Amazon and the current domination of e-commerce would have been unthinkable. Nevertheless, the groundwork for future exponential growth was established by early entrepreneurs who established the confidence necessary for online transactions [1].

2.2. Types of e-commerce

2.2.1. B2B commerce

As internet access and speeds increased globally, e-commerce transformed from a niche idea to a vital component of a business. The rise of online retail giants like Amazon and the current dominance of e-commerce would have been unimaginable at the beginning. However, early entrepreneurs created the trust required for online transactions, laying the foundation for future exponential growth.

2.2.2. B2C commerce

Business firms and their clients are involved in business-to-customer (B2C) interactions. Even though the first thing that springs to mind is online buying, it's crucial to keep in mind that selling is the result of the marketing process. Before a product is put up for sale, marketing starts, and it keeps on after it is sold. Because of this, business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce involves a variety of marketing operations, including identifying activities, advertising, and perhaps even delivering products online.

2.2.3. C2C commerce

Transactions between two or more customers are referred to as C2C commerce. You may, for instance, sell worn clothing or books for money or in return for other items. E-commerce has made it possible for people to look for possible customers anywhere in the world. These sites include Quikr and OLX, where users can sell their products and services to other users. 

2.2.4. Intra-B commerce

Intra-business commerce is the term used to describe the interactions and transactions between different departments and individuals within the company. Within a company, different departments and corporations communicate and deal with one another via an intranet. Flexible manufacturing has been made possible by intra-business commerce. For instance, a company's marketing and finance departments might communicate often. Inventory and cash management, subordinates reporting to superiors, human resource management, recruiting and selection, and training, development, and education are all areas where intra-business transactions take place. Virtual private network technology, or VPN, is used by businesses today to facilitate employee access to the company's network and allow remote work [2]. An example of this would be the customized manufacture of mobiles and laptops [3]. The advantages of intra-B commerce are that it makes it possible for the company to glean the benefits of efficient inventory and cash management, greater use of facility and machinery, efficient handling of customers’ orders, and good human resource management [4].

2.3. Difference between e-commerce and traditional shopping mode

2.3.1. Definition of traditional commerce

Business, which includes all of the actions that promote exchange, includes traditional commerce. Commerce encompasses two types of activity: trade and trade-related auxiliary activities. Auxiliaries to commerce, which include banking, insurance, transportation, advertising, packaging, and other activities that facilitate a successful exchange between parties, are included in the term "trade," which refers to the purchasing and selling of products and services for money or in kind.

2.3.2. Main differences

Traditional commerce is the area of business that centers on the exchange of goods and services and encompasses all activities that promote exchange in one way or another. E-commerce is the term used to describe conducting business or exchanging information online.

While e-commerce utilizes automated transaction processing, conventional commerce relies on manual transaction processing.

Only during business hours can products and services be exchanged for cash in conventional trade. In contrast, e-commerce allows for the purchase and selling of goods at any time.

One of the main disadvantages of e-commerce is that buyers cannot personally inspect the products before making a purchase; however, they can return them within the allotted period if they change their minds after delivery. On the other hand, physical inspection of items is feasible in conventional commerce. Buyers and sellers communicate directly, or face-to-face, in traditional trade. On the other hand, in the case of e-commerce, there is indirect consumer engagement because the customer may be miles away from the location where they place their order.

In conventional commerce, a business's reach is restricted to the local areas in which it works, meaning that its scope is set in stone. On the other hand, because e-commerce is so accessible, the company has a global presence.

The business must completely rely on the intermediaries for information because traditional commerce lacks a set platform for information sharing. In contrast, e-commerce reduces reliance on people for information by providing a universal platform for information sharing, such as an electronic communication channel.

The supply side is the focus of traditional commerce. E-commerce, on the other hand, focuses its resources on the demand side.

In e-commerce, directness in command results in a horizontal business relationship, whereas in traditional commerce, the business relationship is vertical or linear.

Mass/one-way marketing is a result of standardization in traditional commerce. Nonetheless, e-commerce allows for customization, which results in one-to-one marketing.

You have three options for paying for transactions: cash, check, or credit card. However, online payment methods such as fund transfers and credit cards can be used to pay for e-commerce transactions.

In e-commerce, the products are delivered to the customer's location after a period of time, typically within a week, but in traditional commerce, the delivery is instantaneous [5].

2.4. Definition of marketing

Marketing research is defined as the function that connects the public, customers, and consumers with the marketer through information. This information is used to monitor performance, identify and define opportunities and problems, create, refine, and evaluate actions, and enhance comprehension of the process as a whole. It outlines the data needed to solve these problems, plans the information-gathering strategy, oversees and carries out the data collection procedure, evaluates the outcomes, and conveys the conclusions and their ramifications [6]. The goal of marketing is to generate interest in the goods or services that your business offers. This is accomplished by market research, analysis, and knowledge of the interests of your target client. All facets of a firm, including product development, sales, promotion, and distribution strategies, are included in marketing. When people began using media other than print to promote a product in the 1950s, modern marketing got underway. With the introduction of television and the internet into homes, marketers were able to run campaigns on several platforms [7].

As enterprises grew as a result of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was a demand for tried-and-true marketing strategies. The current concept of marketing as a professional practice evolved only after the Industrial Revolution, while the marketing philosophy has been around for millennia. As enterprises grew as a result of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was a demand for tried-and-true marketing strategies. The current concept of marketing as a professional practice evolved only after the Industrial Revolution, while the marketing philosophy has been around for millennia.

The marketing theory has evolved in a number of ways since then. Four primary phases or orientations can be used to track these changes, and they are listed: Production orientation. Product orientation. Selling orientation. Marketing orientation.

Up to the 1930s, manufacturing companies generally believed that consumers would want to buy easily accessible and cheaply priced goods. As a result, the organizations prioritized raising output and attaining high production efficiency.

It can be said that high production efficiency, low prices, and wider distribution are some key features of the production orientation stage. For instance, Ford automobiles are a classic example of production orientation. The product concept emphasizes that organizations should focus their efforts on creating a product of superior quality and features. Under this concept, an organization should focus on improving the existing product lines over time. The production concept prevailed for a longer period of time because the demand for goods was far greater than the supply and consumers were eager to buy whatever was offered to them. In India, the production concept persisted until 1991.

The product concept is predicated on the idea that buyers favor goods with superior performance, quality, and cutting-edge features.

But there is a problem with this idea: companies might forget to examine consumer psychology and develop products based on their own scientific and technological advancements. It is frequently noted that new products are introduced to the market before the market is prepared for them. Apple Inc.'s selling orientation, for instance, emphasizes that businesses should work to increase product sales by actively promoting them and turning a profit by doing so. The selling notion is predicated on the idea that an organization can't succeed by simply offering the finest product available unless it uses aggressive sales tactics.

The sales idea, like the production and product conceptions, is not customer-focused. Take insurance firms, for instance.

The marketing concept is founded on the idea that meeting client demands will maximize revenues. Businesses offer goods based on the requirements and preferences of their clients. Organizations that have a marketing orientation believe that the "customer is king" [8].

2.5. Marketing strategy types

A marketing strategy is a company's overarching plan to persuade consumers to purchase its goods or services. How to approach and convert potential clients is decided by a marketing plan. It includes information about target customers' demographics, the company's value proposition, important brand message, and other high-level components. The four Ps of marketing—product, pricing, place, and promotion—are all covered in a comprehensive marketing plan [9].

To create a thorough marketing strategy that meets their specific goals and target audience, businesses usually combine a number of different approaches. Feel free to go through the Marketing eBooks offered by Business Explained if you want to learn more about marketing tactics or other business-related subjects.

There are various types of marketing strategies, each with its own goals and methodology. The following are some important categories of marketing strategies: The broad range of methods and resources used in digital marketing strategies are intended to promote goods, services, and brands via the extensive network of online platforms. Businesses may contact their customers more effectively and efficiently in the Internet age thanks to the abundance of channels available to them. Any marketer hoping to use the power of the digital world to accomplish commercial goals must comprehend the subtleties of these tactics.

Creating and disseminating worthwhile, timely, and consistent information is the goal of content marketing in order to draw in and hold on to a target audience. Motivating profitable consumer action is the aim. Ensuring that the material is reliable, practical, and engaging enough to keep your target audience's interest is more important than simply creating articles, videos, and blogs.

Social media sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook provide effective means of audience engagement. In order to increase user engagement and sharing, social media marketers must provide content that is specific to each platform's context. It's also a fantastic tool for engaging with customers directly and increasing brand awareness.

Optimizing your website to rank better in search engine results is known as SEO, and it is an essential part of digital marketing. This is important since a higher ranking in search results tends to bring more people to your website and can raise the possibility that those visitors will become customers. Among the many strategies used in SEO are link development, keyword optimization, and the production of high-quality content.

Email marketing is still one of the most successful ways to communicate with potential clients, even if it is one of the more traditional forms of Internet marketing. Businesses can inform their audience and customize marketing messages to the interests and demands of their customers by sending emails to both current and future clients.

It is crucial to comprehend the significance of a well-designed marketing strategy since it has a big influence on a company's overall performance.

The following are some strong arguments for the need to have a clear marketing strategy:

1) Clear direction: A marketing plan gives your company's marketing initiatives a well-defined path forward. It describes your objectives, target market, and the strategies you'll employ to reach them. You risk having disjointed and unsuccessful marketing efforts if you don't have a plan.

2) Concentrated efforts: It assists you in concentrating your assets and energies on tasks that are most likely to produce outcomes. By doing this, you avoid squandering time and funds on marketing initiatives or channels that don't support your goals.

3) Knowing your audience: Thorough audience research is a component of a clearly defined marketing plan. Knowing the wants, needs, and pain points of your target audience enables you to successfully modify your offers and messaging to satisfy their needs.

4) Competitive advantage: By identifying your unique selling proposition (USP), a marketing plan helps you set your company out from the competition. It guarantees that you emphasize the unique selling points of your goods or services.

2.6. The evolution of digital marketing and its use

Online advertising efforts that show up on a computer, phone, tablet, or other device are generally referred to as digital marketing. Online videos, display adverts, search engine marketing, sponsored social media ads, and social media postings are just a few of the various ways it might appear [10].

When the internet began to gain popularity in the 1990s, online marketing began to show off its prowess. The cool kids on the block were email campaigns and banner ads, which helped create the foundation for the modern digital world. To add to the history of digital marketing in the 1990s, consider the following points:

Search engine marketing was made possible by early search engines like Yahoo, Excite, and AltaVista, which enabled companies to purchase sponsored listings and do keyword optimization.

The era of display advertising began in 1994 when HotWired.com featured the first clickable banner ad.

The emergence of affiliate marketing allowed independent marketers to promote the goods of other businesses in exchange for commissions.

Although ListServ, the first email marketing program, was developed in 1986, commercial email marketing did not gain traction until the middle of the 1990s. Early information about website visits and traffic sources was made available by online analytics programs such as WebTrends. By disseminating relevant offline content, CD-ROMs and floppy disks made content marketing possible. CMS platforms like WordPress and Web servers like Apache transformed static websites into dynamic ones. Influencer marketing and branded chats were made possible by AOL's instant messenger. Therefore, these pioneers of digital marketing in the 1990s laid the groundwork for the sophisticated tactics we see today, even though they were simpler than they are now. It was a time of invention and experimentation [11].

3. Discussion

3.1. Amazon

Founded by Jeff Bezos, who started selling books on the still-developing World Wide Web in his basement, Amazon.com is a massive e-commerce and cloud computing company based in Seattle, Washington.

In 1997, Amazon started trading as AMZN on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Amazon was sued by Barnes & Noble in 1997 (the lawsuit was resolved out of court) and Walmart in 1998 for recruiting former Walmart executives as retailers began to notice the company's success, as was to be expected.

Amazon Prime, a membership service that offered subscribers unlimited two-day delivery on more than a million in-stock items for $79 per year, was introduced in 2005.

In August 2007, Amazon introduced its food service, Amazon Fresh, followed by Amazon Music in September and the Kindle e-reader in November as part of their goal to sell everything.

Even though Amazon has been accused of engaging in anti-competitive activity by acquiring smaller competitors, the corporation still paid $850 million to acquire online shoe and apparel shop Zappos.

Through its in-house studio, Amazon Prime Video began releasing original programming in 2013. In December 2016, Prime Video went global [12].

The launch of Amazon Prime in 2005 was one of Amazon's biggest technology revolutions. Customers who signed up for this membership program received a number of perks, such as free two-day shipping on qualified items, access to a sizable collection of streaming media, and special discounts. Amazon Prime changed the way consumers shopped online, making it a game-changer.

Amazon understood that customers value convenience above all else, and Prime was a prime example of this. Customers no longer had to wait days or weeks for their items to arrive because of its two-day shipping assurance. Establishing new benchmarks for convenience and shipping speed, completely transformed the e-commerce sector. Rivals had to change or risk going out of style. A devoted and active client base was established by Amazon Prime's consumer-centric design, guaranteeing the service's continued success and growth [13].

But just like every other service, Amazon Prime purchasing has benefits and drawbacks. Fast shipping, Prime Video access, and special offers are just a few of the many advantages that come with becoming a member of Amazon Prime. The benefits of Amazon Prime can greatly exceed the drawbacks for regular internet shoppers and media enthusiasts. Before enrolling, it is crucial to take into account elements like the membership price, the effect on the local economy, and possible over-reliance on Amazon. In the end, choosing to become a member of Amazon Prime should be in line with personal requirements, tastes, and consumption habits [14].

Amazon has entered a period of rapidly advancing technology and hitherto unheard-of societal issues. Using technology for good has grown to be both a moral requirement and a lucrative venture. From AI-powered tools that tilt the scales in the battle against misinformation to renewable energy breakthroughs that open up new possibilities for sustainable development, Amazon is seeing how technology can inspire human ingenuity. Our connection with the digital world is changing as a result of the emergence of intention-driven technologies, which prioritize wellbeing and focus over attention-grabbing. A mission-driven workforce is also developing, one that is more willing to take on challenging human issues than focus on increasing profits.

The advantages of Amazon’s business model are as follow:

1) Wide product selection

Offers millions of products across various categories.

2) Fast and reliable shipping

Prime members get 1-2 day delivery in many regions.

3) Global reach

Operates in multiple countries with localized services.Amazon prime benefits includes streaming, exclusive deals, and free shipping.

While the disadvantages of the Amazon’s business model are:

1) Counterfeit and fake reviews

Some third-party sellers list fake or low-quality products.

2) Privacy concerns

Collects extensive user data for targeted ads.

3) Environmental impact

Excessive packaging and carbon footprint from fast shipping.

4) Price fluctuation

Uses dynamic pricing, so costs may change frequently.

3.2. Taobao

Taobao was founded in 2003 with the motto "search for treasures" and aims to become the "Universal Taobao," offering a wide range of products and services to its customers. Taobao, the top retail e-commerce site in China, caters to all customer needs by connecting consumers to different Alibaba ecosystem marketplaces, channels, and services. Customers can purchase fashion, handicrafts, local specialties, high-quality brand products at Tmall flagship stores, everyday essentials and fast-moving consumer goods at Tmall Supermarket, imported goods at Tmall Global, and idle goods at Xianyu through the Taobao app's top-level traffic funnel. Nowadays, "shopping on Taobao" is a common practice among Chinese customers, particularly among the younger and more affluent consumer segments. They shop on Taobao, discover new trends, and interact with their favorite merchants and KOLs through live streaming and short-form videos [15].

Like eBay and Amazon, Taobao offers a customer-to-customer (C2C) retail platform that allows individuals, small enterprises, entrepreneurs, and large brands to build their own online stores. Taobao's enormous user base and big data capabilities supported by artificial intelligence (AI) have made it a platform that foreign firms must use when expanding their online presence in China.

Taobao's wide range of features and comprehensive nature make it ideal for Chinese consumers. This article lists the six main trends of this massive e-commerce company: 1)Smooth client service via live chat.2) Easy order tracking in real time.3). A system of seller ratings and customer reviews. 4). Wealthy marketing prospects. 5)The app's social commerce features.6) Taobao Live: a feature that has seen tremendous growth in sales since the outbreak [16].

Also, here are several pros and cons of Taobao’s operating patterns:

These are mainly five main marketing strategies of Taobao:

1) Tao coin

The process of earning Tao Coin, a virtual currency on Taobao, is similar to playing a game: The system will assign daily missions for users to complete, such as signing in, browsing for 20 minutes, purchasing a product, or leaving a comment after completing an order; each mission will award 20 to 200 Tao coins, and the missions will be updated daily. These Tao coins can partially offset money spent on purchases, giving users favorable prices and a positive shopping experience; one coin is equivalent to 0.01 yuan and is only allowed for a single order, but it encourages users to keep completing the missions in order to earn rewards and be willing to share with others to boost sales.

2) 88 VIP

Taobao has launched 88 VIPs for consumers. As the name implies, 88 VIPs only need 88 yuan to open the service for a year, which includes rights and interests such as discounts on some products, exclusive gifts, and discounts on VIP fees for cooperation with other platforms.

3) Time-limited discounts

Limited time discounts indicate that a specific quantity of products will only be available for purchase at a low price for a brief period of time, such as fifteen minutes. In order to generate a small profit but a high turnover rate and further benefits, this strategy will draw in more clients to consume throughout this period. Limited-time discounts work well because they create a sense of scarcity. "It helps products catch on by making them seem more desirable" when demand outpaces supply.

4) Double-11 shopping festival

China's largest shopping day is Double 11; practically everyone is aware that the sale will be the biggest of the year. Every year, Taobao's Tmall's Double 11 sales have grown, and in 2021, they reached 540.3 billion yuan. A successful cultural marketing campaign is Double 11. Initially, double 11 is a youth subculture. The term "campus culture" refers to a single day that modern youths constructed for their own amusement and that rapidly went viral online. Therefore, young Internet users were familiar with it before it became a festival of online shopping. When the shopping day double 11 faced the public, it struck a chord with young people. The initial audience is the younger generation of Internet users, and many young people treat themselves to consumption on this day to relieve loneliness. However, huge discounts give consumers a heated discussion which helps Taobao win word of mouth, making more people who know about this big shopping festival and would like to shop on Taobao.

5) Live streaming

Because fewer people are going out after the pandemic, offline stores have seen a decline in sales, therefore live streaming has emerged as a clever strategy for product promotion. Additionally, Taobao launched its live-streaming feature for all of its vendors. Jiaqi Li, one of the most well-known live-streaming hosts on Taobao, has had up to 240 million simultaneous viewers.

The e-commerce sector is entering a new era as a result of the development of cutting-edge digital technologies like artificial intelligence and the ongoing changes in the retail landscape. In order to engage and satisfy clients, e-commerce firms now more than ever need to lead innovations and adjust to exciting new developments. In celebration of Taobao's 20th anniversary, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group CEO Trudy Dai laid out three main plans for the future: prioritizing users, creating a thriving ecosystem, and embracing technology-driven innovation. Increasing user experience by twofold, Creating a welcoming environment for everyone and utilizing more AI-powered technologies to bring about revolutionary improvements [17].

The advantages of Taobao’s business model are as follow:

1) Broad product range

Taobao.com's extensive product range is one of its main benefits. Customers can find practically whatever they need on this site, including gadgets, clothes, cosmetic goods, and home décor. Customers have plenty of options because there are millions of vendors selling a variety of goods at affordable costs.

2) Competitive price

Taobao.com offers purchasers a number of advantages, including competitive price. Prices are frequently lower than on other e-commerce platforms because there are many sellers competing for customers' attention. This enables customers to save money on their purchases and discover fantastic bargains.

3) User ratings and reviews

Taobao.com offers a strong user rating and review system. Before making a purchase, buyers can read reviews left by prior customers, which helps them assess the seller's reputation and the quality of the goods. On the site, this openness promotes confidence between buyers and sellers.

The disadvantages of Taobao’s business model are:

1) Language barrier

When utilizing Taobao.com, foreign purchasers may encounter difficulties due to the language barrier. The majority of product descriptions and customer support exchanges are in Mandarin Chinese because the platform predominantly serves Chinese users. Non-Chinese speakers might find it challenging to use the website or comprehend crucial product information.

2) Fake products

Despite Taobao.com's efforts to prevent counterfeit items on its marketplace, certain phony products might still be accessible. To make sure they are buying authentic products, buyers should be cautious and thoroughly examine seller ratings and product reviews.

3) Shipping and delivery

Depending on the location of the buyer, shipping and delivery times from Taobao.com can vary significantly. International buyers may experience longer wait times due to customs clearance and other logistical challenges. Buyers should consider these factors before making a purchase [18].

3.3. Douyin

In its first year of operation, Douyin, which was launched in September 2016, amassed 100 million users. Live streaming and making short films (comedies, lip-synch, viral challenges) are the most popular features among Chinese users. The software has been downloaded over 3 billion times thus far. By contrast, TikTok was introduced globally in 2017 and has amassed over 3.5 billion downloads to date. TikTok is frequently shown as the global version of the same short video app, whereas Douyin, which is owned by the Chinese tech behemoth ByteDance, is frequently described as the Chinese equivalent. In actuality, however, they are two distinct things.

The first stage of product development, V1.0.0 to V1.4.0, is centered on improving the product's own shooting function as well as the market reaction: will the initially assumed user group like the product? Do the features meet their requirements? Douyin made a cold start in accordance with the initial positioning: a music-short video community focusing on young people.

Public recognition of the product's entertaining and intriguing features was swift, and Yue Yunpeng's (a well-known celebrity in China) RT marked Douyin's formal debut. The Baidu index shows that since March, the search index has increased significantly.

Douyin has reached the second phase (v1.4.2-v1.6.7), where the primary focus will be on increasing market share and spreading the product. Douyin started investing heavily in advertising, relying on Toutiao's financial might.

Even with these successes, there remains a significant gap with Kuaishou, the leader in the short video market. As of November 2017, the number of daily active users has surpassed 100 million, the total registered user data has surpassed 700 million, and more than 10 million new video content is generated daily, far ahead of Douyin, solidifying its position as the industry leader. In the second phase, Douyin harvested a large number of users, investigated a viable business model, and eliminated the threat of potential strong enemies. Everything went extremely well.

The third phase of development entails attacking Kuaishou (an additional short video app), fostering harmony throughout the community, and bolstering monitoring. Given its stance in the short video market, Douyin has intensified its assault against Kuaishou. Kuaishou's "Record Life and Record You" and Douyin's "Record a Better Life" slogans are nearly identical, demonstrating the company's desire. emphasizes "records" and because "the Douyin group has expanded since the development of more than a year." The majority of Kuaishou users reside in fourth- and fifth-tier cities, and breaking into the first and second tiers is challenging. The third phase of development entails attacking Kuaishou, fostering harmony throughout the community, and bolstering monitoring. Given its stance in the short video market, Douyin has intensified its assault against Kuaishou. Kuaishou's "Record Life and Record You" and Douyin's "Record a Better Life" slogans are nearly identical, demonstrating the company's desire. emphasizes "records" and because "the Douyin group has expanded since the development of more than a year." The majority of Kuaishou users reside in fourth- and fifth-tier cities, and breaking into the first and second tiers is challenging [19].

The marketing strategies of Douyin are:

1) Brand position strategies

Due to the development of big data in the new media era, brands need to apply different techniques to carry out their marketing strategies depending on the platform, so many brands develop basic and at the same time very important marketing positioning strategies based on Douyin's algorithms. Brand positioning is always the first step in marketing in any era, and on Douyin, a short-form video platform, for content to be widely promoted, the weight of the brand account must be high, i.e. the brand must have a certain weight in the field it is classified in. Therefore, the key point of a brand's marketing positioning strategy on Douyin is "vertical". This means that a brand's account needs to be accurately categorized and positioned in a single vertical and that the content posted must match the level of the account's positioning and meet the interests of other followers. For example, Lexus China often posts preview videos and videos of Lexus car commercials on Douyin and produces different promotional videos depending on the Chinese culture. This ensures that the content of their videos has a certain depth and professionalism based on accurate positioning standards, while also showing the basic layout of the brand's marketing positioning strategy.

2) Content production strategies

The short-video platform, mainly Douyin, is a short-video social software that meets the personalized and fragmented reading needs of its audience through accurate algorithms with the help of Internet information technology. Through the short video platform, users can shoot and post creative short videos to share their personal lives with other users. In addition, in common with other short video platforms, original content tends to be more popular and supported, and eye-catching original videos are more likely to be followed, liked, commented on, and even shared by users. Therefore, by creating their brand-specific accounts and creating quality short videos of their brand, or related to their products, brands can leverage the platform's potential users to attract a lot of attention and stimulate their demand. In this way, it not only helps brands accumulate fans and deepen the spread of their brand but also increases the bond between users and the brand while increasing their trust in the product.

3) UGT theory

Traditional communication theory, also known as UGT, aims to understand the psychological requirements and drivers of audiences and to study how media influence users. The theory is also changing with the marketplace from the early inquiry into the needs satisfied by specific media material to the study of the association between audience motivation, audience enthusiasm and communication effectiveness. Lee's research shows that when content is attached to interesting content, interaction between different cultural circles not only becomes possible, but increases, and consumer needs are given greater opportunities. Thus, Douyin's appeal to users lies in its engaging content, the essence of which is an endless stream of short, interesting videos.The study by Liou et al also demonstrated the impact of TikTok's perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on consumers' purchase intentions. From traditional offline sales to the rapid rise of short -video ecommerce, the form of display and presentation of products has found a huge change, while the behavior and way of content consumption have also appeared completely inconsistent compared to traditional sales, including from static to mobile, from vague to concrete, and from complicated to simple and minimalist.

The advantages of Douyin’s business model are as follow:

1) Broad user base

Douyin has a huge user base, with hundreds of millions of users worldwide. This means that businesses and brands can get greater exposure and reach.

2) Diverse content formats

Douyin offers a variety of creative and diverse content formats, such as short videos, live broadcasts, challenges, etc., allowing businesses and brands to engage users and showcase products or services in a variety of ways.

3) Powerful recommendation algorithm

Douyin's recommendation algorithm is very smart and accurate, and it will recommend relevant content based on users' interests and preferences, thereby increasing brand exposure and user attention.

4) Interaction and sociality

Douyin focuses on interaction and sociality between users, and users can like, comment, share, etc., to interact more closely with brands and build loyalty and user stickiness.

5) Advertising platforms and monetization opportunities

Douyin provides an advertising platform where brands can reach more users by placing ads. At the same time, Douyin also provides users with a variety of monetization opportunities, and users can achieve profitability through live streaming, brand cooperation, etc.

The disadvantages of Douyin’s business model are:

1) Fierce competition

Due to Douyin's wide audience and huge user base, the competition in various industries is also fierce. Brands need to spend more time and effort to provide unique, engaging content to attract users' attention.

2) Distraction

With countless pieces of content and videos on the Douyin platform, users' attention can easily be distracted. Brands need to engage users with innovative and high-quality content to ensure that the brand can stand out.

3) Video production and technical requirements

Douyin is a platform with video as the main form, so it is necessary for brands to produce engaging videos and master relevant video technology. This can be a challenge for some brands that aren't good at video production.

4) Negative effects

Although TikTok is a creative and entertaining platform, there may be times when bad or low-quality content can be present. Brands need to take care to distance themselves from this content so as not to negatively impact the brand image [20].

Douyin has been actively expanding beyond its core Chinese market. This trend is likely to continue as it seeks to capture a broader international audience. Douyin’s international version, TikTok, has already gained immense popularity, and the platform may invest more in localized content and marketing strategies to solidify its global presence [21].

3.4. Pinduoduo

Pinduoduo's business model is C2M (Customer-to-Manufacturer) business model. The model goes directly from consumers to manufacturers, eliminating the intermediate links in the traditional supply chain, such as wholesalers and retailers. Its core lies in the direct transmission of consumer needs to manufacturers through the internet and big data technology, so as to achieve personalized customization and efficient production.

Pinduoduo’s listing on Nasdaq State in July 2018 was a sight to behold. However, at this time, the company is already facing two huge problems: one is that Pinduoduo is trapped in a "counterfeit" dilemma, and the public and investors are full of questions about Pinduoduo. The other is other two E commerce giants in China's e-commerce market, Taobao and Jingdong, launched "Tao Te" and "Jing Xi Pin Gou" apps to counteract Pinduoduo, At the same time launched a series of special activities, trying to compete for Pinduoduo's dominant position in the low-end market. Starting in Q4 2019, Pinduoduo's customer acquisition costs have risen dramatically and it needs to make changes.

In May 2019, Pinduoduo announced, "the tens of billions of subsidy". In June of the same year, Pinduoduo joined hands with several brands to provide cash subsidies for hotter items across the network. Such as the iPhone, Dyson, and other well-known brand goods, from September to November of the same year, "the tens of billions of subsidy" involved many aspects, in addition to phones and other digital products, and helped agricultural goods, medicine, cars, cosmetics, insurance and so on. The New Coronavirus outbreak occurred in January 2020, and Pinduoduo also subsidized healthcare products.

Until May 2020, Pinduoduo's tens of billions of subsidies cover a fairly wide range of big-name sports products, and well-known restaurants (such as Burger King and Moutai white wine) are also within the ranks Pinduoduo's subsidies.

Pinduoduo's earnings report on March 11, 2020, showed that its full-year 2019 turnover increased more than in 2018, but its actual profit instead lost money compared to 2018. The data shows that the actual effect of Pinduoduo's tens of billions of subsidies upmarket is poor. The analysis of its strategy process and the actual situation shows that: 1) Pinduoduo implemented this strategy with excessive capital investment, resulting in poor performance on the income statement. 2) The so-called high-end customers in first and second-tier cities attracted by Pinduoduo there is still a considerable part of "one-time consumers" with low repurchase rate, and this part of consumers, once the bonus of tens of billions of subsidies passed, will also follow out of the game, they can not be called Pinduoduo's high-end customer traffic.

Pinduoduo's "the tens of billions of subsidy" strategy is designed to cover many aspects, not only high-end popular goods but also relatively low-end agricultural and sideline products. "The tens of billions of subsidy" channel firstly launches more than 3,000 kinds of selected agricultural products and agricultural by-products, involving more than 400 agricultural production areas in China. Its vegetables, potatoes, and other agricultural products meet the needs of low-end customers, and its high-end, high-value-added agricultural products (e.g. sea cucumbers, aconite, etc.) meet the needs of high-end customers. Therefore, as far as the direction of agricultural products is concerned, "the tens of billions of subsidy" strategy is comprehensive and effective in helping it improve its word of mouth.

The advantages and disadvantages of Pinduoduo are:

Pinduoduo's main focus is on group buying and group modeling, and users can get lower prices by buying goods in groups. This feature makes Pinduoduo the platform of choice for many consumers, especially those who are looking for affordability.

With millions of items on Pinduoduo, from daily necessities to electronics, clothing, shoes and hats, consumers can find everything they need on the platform. This large-scale selection of goods is one of Pinduoduo's strengths.

Pinduoduo's shopping process is simple and fast, and users can complete their purchase in just a few steps. In addition, Pinduoduo's interface is designed to be simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to find what they need. Pinduoduo focuses on social interaction, and users can invite friends to buy products together, as well as share and comment on products. This social element increases user engagement and loyalty to Pinduoduo. Due to the large number of merchants on Pinduoduo, some unscrupulous merchants are selling counterfeit and shoddy goods. This has caused confusion for consumers and affected the reputation of the Pinduoduo platform. Pinduoduo's logistics and distribution are the responsibility of the merchants, resulting in uneven quality of logistics services. Some merchants lack experience and scale, resulting in logistics delays and frequent delivery issues.

Pinduoduo's user privacy protection measures are not perfect, and there have been incidents of leakage of users' personal information. This has reduced trust in Pinduoduo and concerns about the misuse of their personal information. Some consumers reported that when there was a product quality problem or after-sales service was needed, Pinduoduo's customer service response speed was slow and the processing efficiency was not high. This has caused a certain amount of inconvenience to consumers [22].

Pinduoduo’s innovative marketing strategies and focus on user engagement have paved the way for future growth and opportunities. Some challenges, such as concerns about fake goods on the platform and persistent allegations regarding malware and counterfeit items, have been addressed by Pinduoduo through enhanced safety measures and strict quality control. Going forward, Pinduoduo aims to further expand its user base, enhance the customer experience, and continue driving growth through innovation and strategic partnerships [23].

4. Conclusion

Digital marketing has become one of the most important shopping patterns in our lives; it provides us with a more convenient and safe path to purchase goods and services, its potential and the future can be broadened through various approaches.

Through the overall study of different e-commerce platforms, such as Douyin, Amazon, and so on, it can be found that there are both pros and cons of e-commerce, the advantages include:

1) Convenience

Customers can shop 24/7 from anywhere with an internet connection.

2) Wider reach

Businesses can access global markets, expanding their customer base.

3) Lower costs

Reduced overhead expenses compared to physical stores (e.g., rent, utilities).

4) Personalization

Data analytics enable tailored recommendations and targeted marketing.

5) Scalability

Easier to scale operations and inventory management.

The disadvantages include:

1) lack of personal interaction

Customers miss the tactile experience and face-to-face service.

2) Security risks

Vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches, and fraud.

3) Logistics challenges

Shipping costs, delays, and returns can complicate operations.

4) Competition

High competition makes it difficult for smaller businesses to stand out.

5) Technical issues

Website downtime or poor user experience can drive customers away.

The future trend of e-commerce is presented with diversity, it could be more efficient and suitable if it can be combined with AI technology, for example, it is possible to use an AI data model to find out the potential goods that a consumer may purchase, and the appliance of AI may also enhance monitoring to ensure the safety of users’ privacy. By staying ahead of trends and focusing on customer-centric strategies, digital marketers can thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.