WeChat officially adds Wi-Fi Solution to Public Accounts

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The questions are: What is it? Is it easy to use? What are the advantages?

WeChat’s official website posted: “The independent application of WeChat’s Wi-Fi solution is officially launched for public accounts. As a component of WeChat’s business system, this application is launched for the backend of merchants’ public WeChat platforms. It means that more merchants will be able to provide users with convenient Wi-Fi service experiences and specific scenario based services”.

In other words: WeChat added a new Wi-Fi connection plugin for its public accounts, which offers Wi-Fi solution plans. Its connecting Wi-Fi service providers, offline merchants and customers – the function will be applicable to different scenarios.

First things first: How do users connect with WeChat Wi-Fi

Step 1: Checking the store’s Wi-Fi signal and connecting to it.

Step 2: Scanning the QR code of the store’s WeChat account.

Step 3: The Wi-Fi connection tab will be displayed at the top of WeChat’s homepage – enabling users with one click to browse the details of the connected public account.

Step 4: The user can enjoy free Wi-Fi now.

 

WeChat users will be able to use the free Wi-Fi connection via WeChat public accounts when they enter a shop but it is up to the merchants to fully exploit those new opportunities. Hence it is important to know how WeChat Wi-Fi can benefit their business. For merchants, the feature offers new strategies for their bricks-and-mortar stores – closing the o2o loop.

 

 

Besides that, the most attractive and practical benefit for merchants is that WeChat offers various data and analytics about their users such as daily visitors. It can even send alerts to customers when they are approaching the stores. This data will enable merchants to conduct accurate analytics for marketing decisions and customer retention in the future.

 

How to set up the Wi-Fi Solution

Step 1: Applying for it at the backend of the public account.

Step 2: Configuring the information to a specific store or site.

Step 3: Preparing the router. WeChat can support both common and professional routers.

 

The table below, provided by Tencent, is the description of supported equipment (unfortunately only available in Chinese). Two kinds of routers may be used: common corporate routers and professional business routers – provided by companies that cooperate with Tencent. The difference between both routers is simple: Professional routers offer more data volume.

 

 

Step 4: After testing, the router is ready to allow WeChat logins from users.

 

Despite the many advantages WeChat only provides merchants with the analytics of how many users were connected with their Wi-Fi, and for how long they have been in the store – not with real sales data. Naturally, sales data is most important to merchants. On the other hand, WeChat sales data can only be analyzed if the payment was made with the WeChat payment method “WeChat Wallet”. And sales data only purchased with “WeChat Wallet” would be of little value since it would not reflect the overall Wi-Fi sales.

 

Nevertheless, the new Wi-Fi function can be extremely useful for merchants to analyze customer scenarios and requirements, while offering a convenient service. And happy customers buy more.