The 2013 Double 11 came earlier than in previous years, with e-commerce players gearing up for the festivities in advance. Online, media experts were abuzz with various predictions, and naturally, even Jack Ma probably didn’t dare let his guard down before the final results were in.
Scale effect?
Compared to the glory days of "Taobao brands" before 2011, traditional brands began to awaken starting in 2012, accelerating their e-commerce transformation. As seen in the 2012 Double 11 rankings, traditional brands like JackJones and Camel slightly outperformed Taobao brands, but Taobao brands such as GXG and Liebo also delivered stable and strong performances. Recently, it was revealed that Camel women's shoes have quietly surpassed Belle, consistently ranking first in the women's shoes category for a full year (from August last year to now). They also hold the top spot in three categories: flagship, outdoor, and women's shoes. It’s been disclosed that Camel men's wear is also growing faster than the category average, putting significant pressure on men's wear giant JackJones.
Camel plays its cards unconventionally, and its multi-category development has long defied the "positioning" theory championed in the marketing world. "NB shoes" have always been the foundation of Camel’s positioning, but leveraging the momentum of e-commerce growth, Camel has swiftly claimed the sales championships in outdoor and women's shoes. Although announcing its dominance in the outdoor segment with Han Han as the spokesperson initially puzzled the outdoor community, as Camel’s brand marketing efforts intensified, its reputation in the outdoor space has grown increasingly positive.
Now, the expansion path of women's shoes mirrors that of outdoor. Among women's shoe brands, Belle, a well-known traditional women's shoe brand, entered the e-commerce space relatively early. Although Belle invested considerable time and effort in exploring the new e-commerce field initially, its e-commerce transformation was not smooth. Meanwhile, CAMEL Camel, without any fanfare, expert analysis, or visible moves, consistently surprised everyone with its achievements.
Analyzing Wan Jingang’s strategy offers a moment of clarity: in the era of rapid e-commerce growth, maintaining a broad, long-term vision and quickly building scale effects is the key to winning the future.Will product category expansion impact the Camel brand? Judging by the brand’s rapid development in recent years, broad categories do not constrain brand growth.
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Focus on After-Sales This Year
Wan Jingang stated that preparations for Double 11 began as early as June this year, with internal training for temporary customer service support starting as early as April. All temporary customer service staff must pass formal practical tests before being assigned to "temporary positions" during Double 11. To ensure smooth internet connectivity during Double 11, CAMEL Camel partnered with China Telecom to upgrade its network system. From the series of information released by Camel, it’s clear that Wan Jingang places great emphasis on after-sales support. Recalling how he decisively withdrew from the Double 11 main venue in 2011 to ensure post-sale delivery, it’s evident that this man remains terrifyingly clear-headed in the face of victory.
Unlike the high-profile showmanship of Taobao brands, Wan Jingang has always come across as steady, low-key, and extremely humble—almost the opposite of the overall atmosphere in the e-commerce industry. Yet perhaps it is precisely this clarity of mind that allows him to see the future. Despite thorough preparations, Wan Jingang humbly said: the focus of this year’s Double 11 is to ensure smooth after-sales service and optimize the customer experience.