1. Strategic Focus on High-Value Merchants

Targeting high-growth regions like Shenzhen, pictured above, enabled more focused outreach to experienced merchants

Together with the Shopify China team, Brew aimed to develop a pipeline of Shopify Plus merchants. 

We specifically targeted merchants with businesses generating over USD 5 million in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). This metric represents the total value of goods sold over a certain period through a particular platform, including e-commerce marketplaces. 

To reach this niche group, efforts were concentrated on Jinhua and Shenzhen, two of China’s most influential e-commerce and industrial regions. These cities were chosen not only for their merchant density but also for their reputation as innovation hubs in cross-border commerce.

Both cities offer a strong concentration of merchants with the infrastructure, scale, and global ambition that align closely with Shopify Plus criteria, making them ideal launch points for targeted outreach and event activation.

2. High-Touch Merchant Qualification

Targeting high-growth regions like Shenzhen, pictured above, enabled more focused outreach to experienced merchants

Brew recognised that attracting the right attendees was more valuable than drawing a large turnout. 

To foster this, our team personally reached out to up to 80 merchants per event, conducting online calls in advance to introduce Shopify’s partner ecosystem and ensure personal connections with each merchant. 

This outreach process resulted in a carefully filtered group of 15–18 merchants who were carefully vetted for alignment with Shopify Plus criteria. 

In-person attendance remained consistently strong, with over two-thirds of invited merchants showing up on-site. 

Nearly a third of attendees expressed clear intent to continue discussions with Shopify China, demonstrating both strong interest and the quality of the lead pool.

3. Leveraging Local Networks for Targeted Promotion

Working together with local associations helped Brew ensure the quality and relevance of attendees at Shopify China’s events.

To amplify reach while maintaining lead quality, the Brew team partnered with the Guangdong E-Commerce Association (GDeBA). 

This organisation actively supports local businesses in navigating international markets, provides training programmes related to e-commerce, and helps businesspeople connect with logistics partners and other stakeholders. 

GDeBA helped us leverage their extensive network of entrepreneurs by promoting Shopify China’s events through WeChat channels and merchant chat groups, including those built from prior events. 

Brew provided custom event posters with QR codes for easy sign-ups and access to event information. This was followed by personal phone outreach to build legitimacy and answer any questions, helping merchants feel confident about engaging with Shopify.

4. Prioritising In-Person Connection and Relationship Building

Chinese merchants place a high value on face-to-face interaction when evaluating new platforms and partnerships. Brew tailored our engagement and the event experience to reflect this cultural preference by hosting intimate, high-touch gatherings designed for direct conversation and trust-building. 

Hands-on conversations at these events helped merchants understand how Shopify China could support their business goals.

These connections were established long before the actual event took place, with proactive outreach efforts including personal phone calls, pre-event introductions to Shopify partners, and one-on-one conversations to understand each merchant’s business needs. 

By the time merchants arrived at the venue, they were not just attendees, but already part of a growing, trusted network. 

Felix Chen, Senior Partner Manager of Shopify Greater China, shares his insights with event attendees at the Meet Experience in Jinhua.

Every event was also designed to deliver meaningful value to merchants. 

At the Meet Experience in Jinhua, held in collaboration with Feishu Shenno, experts from both Shopify and Feishu Shennuo were present. They shared their insights on how merchants could leverage tools like AI algorithm optimisation and data intelligent analysis to solve core pain points such as traffic acquisition and user conversion. 

These are effective, actionable strategies that aim to help merchants improve their digital operations and overall competitiveness.

5. Hosting Premium Events to Signal Commitment

By selecting premium venues, Brew helped reflect Shopify’s professionalism and long-term commitment to the China market.

Brew ensured that each event was hosted at a high-end venue, such as the Renaissance Hotel in Shenzhen, to reflect Shopify’s professionalism and market commitment. 

The agenda was carefully curated to encourage meaningful interaction. Attendees participated in small-group roundtable discussions, guided networking sessions, and direct consultations with Shopify’s local partners. 

These touchpoints often took place in relaxed, welcoming settings such as afternoon tea gatherings, creating an environment where merchants felt comfortable asking in-depth questions, sharing candid feedback, and exploring the platform’s capabilities in a more personalised and open-ended way.

This approach from Brew helped build trust and confidence in Shopify as a strategic partner for global e-commerce expansion.