Membership E-Commerce: Consumption Upgrade or Downgrade?
As most provinces and cities now support delivery, I can officially recommend a membership-based e-commerce platform: Joint Membership Activation (JD.com + 1号店)
The membership fee is ¥200, which works out to about ¥100 per platform.
1号店 gives away either 30 eggs or 5 jin of rice every month (free shipping on orders over ¥100; otherwise, there's typically a ¥6 shipping fee). Either way, it's roughly equivalent to buying 30 eggs for about ¥10 — and swapping for eggs tends to be the smarter choice.
Beyond that, with a membership, you get these deals at 1号店:
1. Nivea facial cleanser for ¥15; L'Oréal facial cleanser for ¥30
2. Adidas 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 hair and body wash (400 ml) for ¥19.9
3. Body wash like Dove or Safeguard is usually ¥30 for 1000 ml, which comes down to ¥15 for 500 ml
4. Ryoe shampoo series, 500 ml, generally under ¥30
5. Rice is often available at ¥50 for 20 jin
6. Cooking oil: Fortune sunflower seed oil, 5 L, is usually ¥52; lard, 1 kg, is around ¥33
7. Anta shoes — basic styles for everyday wear are typically ¥130
For me, these cover everyday essentials (which is why they sometimes sell out, but usually restock within two weeks). I buy once a month, hitting around ¥100, plus grab the free 30 eggs. All told, I find it quite cost-effective. From my own experience, JD.com and 1号店 carry well-known or house-brand products, so quality isn't a concern.
So occasionally splurging on bigger brands makes sense. That said, if you're someone who normally spends more, trying out this kind of consumption downgrade isn't bad either. I think 1号店's model is pretty solid — it's simple and convenient for shoppers, quality is reliable, and the platform still makes money. That's my take after getting a membership. The first joint membership I tried was with NetEase and another startup, but without daily essentials, they couldn't retain users. Their catalog refreshed slowly and had limited selection, so they eventually folded. Compared to NetEase, which tends to be pricier (though NetEase does occasionally discount clothing by 70%, and some channels offer very low membership prices, which is why I kept renewing), the JD.com and 1号店 joint membership is definitely worth it. The main reason I keep the JD.com membership is for the free shipping vouchers — I go through them effortlessly (if you're not sure how to use them, follow > Jingly Goodies; I occasionally update tips when I have time, right in today's special deals section at the end of this post).