The Complete Guide to E-Commerce on RedNote (Xiaohongshu)

RedNote (Xiaohongshu) has emerged as one of China’s most influential social commerce platforms, combining social discovery with seamless e-commerce integration. With over 300 million monthly active users and strong user engagement, the platform represents a significant opportunity for brands looking to reach Chinese consumers. This guide covers everything you need to know about selling on RedNote, detailing step-by-step exactly how to open a store and providing useful marketing insights. 

What is RedNote?

RedNote, known in Chinese as Xiaohongshu (小红书), is China’s leading consumer decision-making platform. Founded in 2013, the platform began as a cross-border shopping guide where users shared overseas product discoveries. It has since evolved into China’s most influential lifestyle platform, where authenticity and community-driven recommendations shape purchasing decisions.

RedNote operates as a consumer research tool where Chinese consumers actively search for products, read detailed reviews, and compare options before making purchase decisions. The platform combines content sharing, community discussion, and e-commerce functionality, creating a unique ecosystem that influences how Chinese consumers discover and buy products.

RedNote’s user demographics make it particularly valuable for brands targeting premium consumers:

• 300 million monthly active users
• 72% belong to the post-1990s generation (aged 18-35)
• 70-79% are female users, with male participation growing to 20-30%
• 50% reside in first and second-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing), where disposable income is highest
• The average user spends over 50 minutes on RedNote every day, indicating longer engagement with content

The average user spends 55.3 minutes on RedNote every day, indicating longer engagement with content. This demographic concentration in China’s wealthiest urban centres makes RedNote particularly effective for:

• Beauty and cosmetics
• Fashion and luxury goods
• Lifestyle and wellness products
• Premium consumer goods
• Travel and hospitality services
• Education services
• Food and beverage brands

What Do I Need to Sell on RedNote?

To sell on RedNote, you need to open a store. RedNote offers two primary pathways: opening a personal store directly through your RedNote account if you’re an individual creator, or registering a Professional Account to open an enterprise store if you’re a brand or business. The specific documentation and requirements vary depending on which store type you choose, which are detailed in the section below.

How Do I Open a RedNote Store?

Opening a RedNote store can be done through two main paths: registering as a Professional Account holder if you’re a brand, or opening a personal shop directly through your RedNote account if you are an individual creator.

RedNote Store Types

RedNote offers several store configurations designed for different business scales and operational models:

Personal Stores (个人店):

• For individual creators who have completed real-name verification and are 18 years or older. 
• As of 2025, there is no follower threshold required to open a personal store. 
• These stores follow a “0 yuan opening” model, where the CNY 1,000 security deposit is only paid before your first withdrawal rather than upfront. 
• Cannot conduct live-streaming sales and experience 50% reduced search weight compared to enterprise stores
• Personal stores can only sell non-standard goods such as second-hand items and handicrafts, with food and beauty products prohibited. 
• Personal stores do not pay commission fees on sales.

Individual Business Stores (个体工商户店):

• For sellers registered as individual business operators. These require the operator’s ID card and an individual business license.

Regular Enterprise Stores (普通企业店):

• For companies looking to establish a commercial presence. 
• These stores require comprehensive business documentation, including a business license, company information, and operator credentials. 
• Enterprise stores charge commission fees ranging from 3% to 5% depending on product category, with apparel at 3% and electronics at 5%. 
• Cross-border merchants require a security deposit ranging from CNY 20,000 to CNY 50,000.

Specialty Stores (专卖店) and Flagship Stores (旗舰店):

• Represent official brand presence with premium features.
•  Flagship stores can only be registered through desktop platforms and require brand authorisation documentation in addition to business licenses. 
• These stores offer unlimited product listings, enhanced customisation options, and advanced marketing tools.

Opening a Personal Store

For individual creators, the process is streamlined and can be completed directly within the RedNote app:

Step 1: Open the RedNote app and navigate to your profile page by tapping “我” (Me). If you do not already have a RedNote profile, you will need to create one before completing these steps.

Step 2: Tap the three horizontal lines in the top left corner to access the menu.

Step 3: Select “创作者中心” (Creator Centre).

Step 4: Tap “全部服务” (All Services).

Step 5: Under the content monetisation section, find and tap “开通店铺” (Open Store).

Step 6: Select “立即开店” (Open Store Now).

Step 7: Choose “个人身份” (Personal Entity) to confirm the entity type.

Step 8: Complete the application by providing your operator ID card information and any required brand ownership documentation.

Note that accounts used to open Personal Stores can gain access to a Personal Professional Account (个人专业号). Personal Professional Accounts allow users to access the Pugongying (蒲公英) platform to find KOLs/KOCs, but offer limited access when it comes to running feed ads and search ads for their products.

Opening an Enterprise Store 

For brands and businesses, opening an enterprise store begins with registering a RedNote Professional Account (专业号). This account serves as the foundation for accessing RedNote’s e-commerce and marketing tools.

Step 1: Register a RedNote Professional Account

First, navigate to this page following the same steps listed above and select “升级专业号” (Upgrade to Professional Account)

Then select “企业专业号” (Professional Enterprise Account). Once this is done, you will be prompted to complete the Enterprise account shop setup. This is where you will finally set up your store. The Professional Enterprise account will give you access to all of the RedNote marketing and e-commerce tools and will become a verified account.

Foreign companies can directly register as an overseas entity without establishing a Chinese subsidiary. To register, you’ll need to provide:

• Valid business license translated into Chinese by a certified translation agency (typically a certificate of incorporation for foreign companies)
• Trademark registration certificate (either international or Chinese trademark registration). If your trademark isn’t registered in China yet, you can use an international trademark, but be aware that trademark squatting is common in China. Chinese trademark registration is crucial for long-term brand protection in the market. To learn more about trademark registration in China, read our complete guide to registering a trademark in China
• Responsible person’s identification (passport of a manager-level or above executive)
• Application letter with the responsible person’s signature and position
• Chinese phone number for account verification (though overseas individuals can use verified third-party contact methods)
• Company email address for official communications
• Payment of the annual verification fee of CNY 600 (as of 2025, this fee is waived for the first year for foreign SMEs)

The verification process takes 5 to 7 business days for document review. The professional account status is valid for one year and requires annual renewal.

Step 2: Apply for Store Opening

For regular enterprise stores, you’ll need to provide store main category selection, business license, company name, business license registration address, unified social credit code, business license validity period, operator information, brand information being sold, and company email address.

For specialty stores and flagship stores, additional brand authorisation documentation is required. Flagship stores can only be registered through the desktop platform.

Step 3: Security Deposit Payment

Pay the required security deposit, which varies by store type. For cross-border merchants, deposits range from CNY 20,000 to CNY 50,000 denominated in RMB. Regular enterprise stores, specialty stores, and flagship stores typically require deposits within this range, depending on product categories. The deposit serves as security against potential disputes, policy violations, or customer complaints.

Cross-Border Commerce Requirements: Foreign sellers typically operate under RedNote’s Cross-Border E-Commerce program (跨境贸易), which allows direct sales to Chinese consumers. However, cross-border merchants must use China’s bonded warehouse system to meet the “72-hour delivery guarantee” requirement, as direct overseas shipping leads to search demotion on the platform. Cross-border products must display QR codes linking to China Customs clearance records to meet 2025 compliance requirements. For certain product categories, especially cosmetics, food, and health products, you’ll need comprehensive product documentation, including ingredient lists, labels, import certifications, and compliance certificates that meet Chinese regulatory standards.

Step 4: Understanding Fee Structures

RedNote’s fee structure for enterprise stores includes the annual verification fee of CNY 600 for Professional Account renewal, though this fee is waived for the first year for foreign SMEs as of 2025. Basic technical service fees range from 2% to 5% depending on product category. Payment channel technical service fees of 0.7% apply for cross-border merchants. Store commission ranges from 3% to 5% depending on product category, with apparel typically at 3% and electronics at 5%. Personal stores do not pay commission fees.

You’ll need to establish appropriate payment processing capabilities, as Chinese consumers primarily use Alipay and WeChat Pay, which require proper integration and bank account details.

Step 5: Store Setup and Configuration

Once approved and fees are paid, access your store management platform through the ARK third-party merchant management platform. Configure your store layout, upload product listings, set up payment processing, and establish customer service accounts. Conduct thorough testing of your store functionality, including product display, payment processing, and customer service channels.

Settlement and Payment Processing

RedNote processes payments twice monthly. The first settlement occurs within 3 working days after the 15th of each month, and the second settlement occurs on the 5th working day at the beginning of each month. Merchants must confirm withdrawal from the account statement before RedNote processes the financial payment.

Store Features and Benefits

Once your store is opened, you gain access to several key features. Your store will be displayed on your personal homepage, allowing followers to enter and place orders within the RedNote app. You can share products in both live streams and posts, with enterprise stores also able to find KOL collaborations through the product selection centre. Store management is accessible through the PC-based backend platform, where you can manage products and orders, set up promotional activities and coupons to increase conversion rates, and track performance metrics.

All product information must comply with Chinese advertising regulations. RedNote enforces strict content guidelines to protect users and maintain platform quality, including prohibitions on using superlative language such as “the best,” “the most,” “luxury,” or “upscale” to prevent misleading consumers.

How Do I Promote My Brand and Products?

RedNote’s marketing ecosystem differs significantly from traditional e-commerce platforms. Success requires understanding and leveraging the platform’s unique combination of organic content, influencer partnerships, and paid advertising. According to platform data, over 70% of users make purchase decisions based on recommendations found on RedNote, with approximately 90% reporting that platform content directly influences their purchase decisions.

RedNote offers six integrated marketing platforms that work together to support brand growth. Pugongying (蒲公英) is the content collaboration platform for discovering and partnering with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs). Juguang (聚光) provides one-stop advertising for search and feed ads with comprehensive data tracking. Juguang Lite (聚光Lite) offers simplified app-based advertising. Chengfeng (乘风) is the integrated e-commerce marketing platform for RedNote merchants. Shutiao (薯条) amplifies organic content for quick exposure. Lingxi (灵犀) serves as the brand marketing analytics centre for tracking performance.

For detailed strategies on building a complete RedNote marketing program, including advanced tactics for content optimisation, influencer selection, and campaign measurement, refer to our full guide to marketing on RedNote.

Can I Do This as a Foreign Company?

Yes, foreign companies can successfully sell on RedNote. Unlike many Chinese digital platforms that require local legal entities, RedNote allows foreign companies to register as overseas entities. You do not need to establish a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) to open a RedNote store and begin selling to Chinese consumers.

However, effective marketing on RedNote requires Chinese language proficiency and deep cultural understanding. RedNote’s platforms are Chinese-only interfaces, creating practical barriers for foreign teams. Foreign brands must comply with Chinese product regulations, labelling requirements, and advertising laws. Certain product categories face stricter scrutiny. Managing Chinese payment systems, customer service expectations, and logistics from overseas presents operational challenges. RedNote’s unique ecosystem requires specialised knowledge of content algorithms, influencer networks, and social commerce best practices that differ from Western platforms.

How Can AppInChina Help?

RedNote offers great potential for foreign brands entering the Chinese market, but navigating its Chinese-only platforms and unique practices requires specialised local expertise.

At AppInChina, we can help by:

• Opening a RedNote Professional Account (专业号). This can be done under your own overseas entity or our local Chinese entity. This is the first step to gaining access to RedNote’s marketing and e-commerce tools.
• Designing and running a marketing campaign for your brand in China. We maximise return on ad spend through data-driven targeting, high-quality creatives and ongoing optimisation.
• Managing e-commerce operations. We provide setup and management of a RedNote store, including product listings, logistics and customer support.

Contact us to get started with your RedNote strategy and begin reaching China’s premium social commerce consumers.