Positive Reviews: Xianyu Reconstructs the Non-standard Product Trading Ecosystem and Creates a New “Magical” Paradigm for the Internet
In the Internet era dominated by standardization and efficiency, Xianyu, labeled as “magical,” has successfully built a unique non-standard product trading ecosystem. Its value lies not only in commercial breakthroughs but also in the innovation of Internet user relationships, community culture, and even social connection methods.
First of all, Xianyu’s C2C nature and strong social attributes make trading go beyond the simple act of “buying and selling” and become an incubator for emotional connections and interest circles. In the news, examples such as the “plot-style transaction” where Sun Yang picked up goods locally, the food delivery rider Zhang Dada offering back-kitchen background check services with his food delivery experience, and the CUC professor researching family genealogies through Xianyu have all broken the traditional one-way flow model of “goods – money” in e-commerce. Platform data shows that there are an average of 45 chats behind each transaction. This non-efficient communication not only builds trust but also transforms users from “trading opponents” into “interest buddies.” For example, perfume enthusiast Situ Shasha has accumulated 310,000 followers on Xianyu and created the “Perfume Temptation” circle with nearly 500,000 members; a girl from Qingdao shared 20,000 pieces of designer fashion as a “collection utopia,” attracting the attention of celebrities and models. These cases indicate that Xianyu has become a “connector” for interest communities. Users establish in-depth relationships through trading and form unique cultural symbols (such as the popular phrases “Xianyu literature” and “touched but still on Xianyu”), building a community barrier that is difficult to replicate.
Secondly, the “decentralized” strategy with weak algorithm intervention provides a fertile ground for the free growth of niche demands and innovative gameplay. Different from traditional platforms that rely on precise push and traffic concentration, Xianyu allows niche services such as “pet sterilization bad guy performance,” “dog walking on behalf of others,” and “helping to pluck white hairs” to be equally exposed as mass commodities. This “rainforest-style” ecosystem closely aligns with the characteristics of post – 95s users, such as “side – job necessity,” “supreme cost – effectiveness,” and “abstract culture.” For example, post – 95s explore a second growth curve through innovative services like “scolding love – brains on behalf of others,” “boss intention analysts,” and “standardized emotional tree holes.” University student associations exchange 100 pieces of second – hand items for inspiration for graduation projects. Even the crew of the drama “Chess Player” found a 20 – year – old antique KFC toy on Xianyu. These seemingly “accidental” magical scenarios are essentially the two – way achievement of the platform’s open logic of “not presetting paths” and users’ creativity. As Xianyu CEO Ji Shan said, “Users will help us present a different Xianyu.” This user – driven co – construction model transforms the platform from a “rule – maker” to an “ecosystem facilitator,” greatly stimulating users’ sense of participation and innovation vitality.
Finally, Xianyu’s redefinition of the boundary of “idle” has promoted the large – scale development of the idle economy and non – standard services, providing a new narrative for Internet commerce. Traditional idle trading mainly focuses on “second – hand items,” but Xianyu has expanded to “idle rights and interests” (such as airport VIP lounges and concert queuing on behalf of others), “personal skills” (such as programmers taking code – writing orders and makeup artists providing online makeup tutorials), and “emotional value” (such as asking to disassemble the Lego left by an ex – lover and tickets to a break – up museum with sad stories). Data shows that the transaction volume of electronic equipment leasing on Xianyu increased by 217% year – on – year in 2023, and the transaction volume of the outlet channel increased by 370% in 2024. There were 120 new sub – categories added to the coupon category. These figures confirm the market potential of non – standard products and services. More importantly, Xianyu has become a stage for young people to “show themselves and create value” with a user base of 600 million (over 40% are post – 95s) and a monthly active user count of 200 million. Its “magical” ecosystem not only supports its own growth (with a daily average GMV of over 1 billion) but also becomes a typical example of “anti – standardization” in the Internet, proving the lasting vitality of “surprise” and “warmth” in business.
Negative Reviews: Hidden Worries Behind the “Magic” – Challenges in Supervision, Standardization, and Monetization of the Non – standard Ecosystem
Although Xianyu’s “magical” ecosystem is refreshing, its unique model also hides multiple challenges. If not handled properly, it may restrict long – term development.
Firstly, the issues of trust and risk in non – standard product trading are still prominent. Xianyu’s C2C model relies on spontaneous communication and trust between users, but the lack of standardized quality control and after – sales mechanisms easily leads to disputes. For example, when users buy “scientific research – grade moldy oranges,” they may face the problem of sub – standard sample quality. In the “dog walking on behalf of others” service, pets may get injured, and in the “emotional tree hole” service, privacy may be leaked. The “Qiansihu” store mentioned in the news is heart – warming, but for commodities with emotional value like “Lego left by an ex – lover” and “tickets to a break – up museum,” if the buyer and seller have inconsistent understandings of the “added value” (such as the buyer not disassembling the Lego as required), it can easily trigger disputes. In addition, although weak algorithm intervention protects niche demands, it may also provide a breeding ground for fraud, such as falsely labeling “out – of – print Hanfu” and selling defective products under the guise of “clearance sales.” If the platform fails to supervise effectively, it may damage users’ trust.
Secondly, it is quite difficult to standardize and scale non – standard services. Xianyu’s “magical” scenarios mostly rely on users’ personalized creativity (such as food delivery riders providing back – kitchen background checks and programmers taking code – writing orders). However, the quality of these services highly depends on individual abilities, making it difficult to form unified standards. For example, how to measure the “effect” of the “scolding love – brains on behalf of others” service? Is the analysis of the “boss intention analyst” professional? If users’ experiences vary greatly, it may lead to the inability of service categories to grow continuously. In addition, the market demand for some niche services (such as “blind – dating on behalf of others” and “helping to pluck white hairs”) is limited. Over – relying on users’ spontaneous exploration may result in an ecosystem that is “lively but unprofitable” and difficult to form a stable commercial closed – loop.
Thirdly, the pressure to balance platform commercialization and user experience is increasing. Currently, the core attraction of Xianyu lies in its “non – utilitarian” social and emotional connections. However, if the platform over – intervenes in users’ transactions (such as increasing advertising push and raising commission ratios) to increase GMV or profits, it may damage the existing ecosystem. For example, if the algorithm starts to favor high – price – point products, the exposure of niche services will be squeezed. If “emotional commodities” are forced to provide quality inspection reports, their story value may be weakened. Moreover, most of Xianyu’s users are young people who pursue cost – effectiveness and are price – sensitive. How to explore monetization models (such as value – added services and membership systems) without damaging user experience is a key challenge it faces.
Fourthly, there are risks in maintaining content quality and community tone. Xianyu’s “magical” ecosystem relies on content spontaneously created by users (such as the popular phrases “Xianyu literature” and “touched but still on Xianyu”). However, the “uncontrollability” of users’ creativity may also lead to a decline in content quality. For example, some users may post vulgar or false content (such as exaggerating “magical” stories to attract traffic) to gain attention. If the platform lacks an effective content review mechanism, it may lower the community tone and affect the retention of core users.
Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: Three Key Points for Non – standard Product Entrepreneurship from Xianyu’s “Magical” Ecosystem
Xianyu’s “magical” ecosystem provides valuable inspiration for entrepreneurs, especially in the fields of non – standard product trading, interest community operation, and user – driven innovation. The following three points are worth noting:
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Focus on “Emotional Value” and “Scenario Innovation” to Explore Differentiated Opportunities for Non – standard Products
Xianyu’s success shows that users’ demand for products has upgraded from “functional satisfaction” to “emotional resonance.” Entrepreneurs can focus on two types of opportunities. One is “products with stories,” such as second – hand items with personal memories (gifts from ex – lovers, family heirlooms) and niche collectibles carrying cultural symbols (out – of – print Hanfu, retro toys). By strengthening the story behind the products, the premium space can be increased. The other is “scenario – based services,” such as “skill monetization” (food delivery riders providing back – kitchen background checks, programmers taking code – writing orders) and “interest connection” (renting equipment for star – chasing on behalf of others, helping to assemble Lego) that combine with users’ daily needs. By solving pain points in specific scenarios, user stickiness can be established. -
Build a Community Model of “Weak Connection + Strong Trust” to Reduce Customer Acquisition and Retention Costs
Xianyu’s C2C social attribute proves that in – depth communication between users can effectively reduce trading frictions. Entrepreneurs can learn from its logic of relationship transformation from “trading” to “communicating” to “friendship.” Incorporate social elements into product design (such as interest matching before trading and community interaction after trading). Establish weak connections between users through common hobbies or needs, and then strengthen trust through continuous value output (such as knowledge sharing and event organization). For example, for vertical interest groups like “perfume collection” and “Hanfu circle,” a composite platform of “trading + community” can be built, allowing users not only to buy and sell products but also to find like – minded people, forming a positive cycle of “trading is socializing.” -
Adhere to User – Driven Product Iteration and Co – build the Ecosystem with Users
Functions such as Xianyu’s “Shenyu Developers Conference” and the “Shenyu is Coming” entrance all originate from users’ creative feedback. Entrepreneurs should avoid “building cars behind closed doors.” They should capture users’ needs and pain points in a timely manner through user research and community interaction, and transform users from “consumers” to “co – builders.” For example, regularly collect cases of users’ “magical gameplay” and transform high – frequency demands into product functions (such as providing standardized contract templates for “equipment leasing” and designing an evaluation system for “skill services”); encourage users to participate in content creation (such as launching a collection of “the most magical trading stories”). Enrich the platform ecosystem through UGC content while reducing content production costs.
In addition, entrepreneurs need to pay attention to risk control. For non – standard product trading, third – party quality inspection or guarantee services can be introduced to reduce the dispute rate. For niche services, a user evaluation and grading mechanism (such as the “certified service provider” label) can be used to improve quality credibility. For commercial exploration, models compatible with user experience (such as value – added services and membership rights) should be prioritized to avoid over – monetization from damaging the ecosystem.
In summary, Xianyu’s “magic” is not only a business phenomenon but also a practice of the Internet returning to the essence of “people.” When trading becomes the starting point of connection, when products become the carrier of stories, and when users become the protagonists of the ecosystem, the imagination space for non – standard product entrepreneurship is truly opened. If entrepreneurs can grasp the three core elements of “emotion,” “scenario,” and “co – construction,” they may find their own opportunities in this “undeveloped 1%.”
