Analysis of Weiji Technology's Strategic Transformation: Acquisition of JOBY and Shift to Localized Operations

I will comprehensively analyze Weiji Technology’s strategic transformation of acquiring JOBY and shifting to localized operations from three dimensions: strategic effect evaluation, challenge identification, and response strategies.

Data shows that the global cross-border e-commerce scale has reached $5.2 trillion, but Chinese brands account for only 6.8% in the minds of global consumers, which is in sharp contrast to their 30% share in cross-border e-commerce [4]. This ‘high share, low awareness’ status highlights the urgency of strategic transformation from product going global to brand going global.

McKinsey’s 2024 Global Brand Survey shows that

:

• Average premium capacity increased by 35-50%
• Customer lifetime value increased by 60-80%
• Repurchase rate increased by 40-65% [4]

After the acquisition was completed, Weiji Technology formed a three-brand matrix of

[2]. This layout is like Toyota launching Lexus, establishing ‘firewalls and connectors’ in different segmented markets [2].

Brand Positioning	Target Users	Market Role	Synergy Value
Ulanzi (mass market)	Mass creators	Global cost-effective products	Scale effect and cash flow
FALCAM (professional market)	Professional creators	High-end precision design	Technical benchmark and brand premium
JOBY (classic IP)	Classic IP users	U.S. local brand awareness	Channel penetration and cultural bridge

The core value of the JOBY brand lies in its

:

• Occupies 67% share in the U.S. flexible tripod market [1]
• Covers 65 countries globally [1]
• Has strong offline KA store channels [2]

Acquiring JOBY enabled Weiji Technology to

, avoiding the high costs and long cycles of building channels from scratch. Zou Qing clearly stated: “JOBY’s channels can help us reach more overseas consumers, while China’s supply chain and innovation advantages can in turn feed back to JOBY, endowing this classic brand with new vitality” [2].

Weiji Technology’s financial growth confirms the effectiveness of the acquisition strategy:

• 2022 sales: 400 million yuan
• 2023 sales: 1 billion yuan [1]
• 2025 estimated revenue: quadruple that of two years ago, reaching 1.3 billion yuan [2]
• Overseas revenue accounts for approximately 70% [3]

This growth curve indicates that

have become the core engine of the company’s growth.

Weiji Technology divided the globe into

and adopted differentiated localized strategies [2]:

• Mature markets
  (U.S., Japan): Deep penetration through acquired brands like JOBY
• High-growth emerging markets
  (Brazil, Indonesia): Establish local companies and build local teams
• Potential markets
  : Light asset operations relying on e-commerce platforms

Establishing the local company Samauma in Brazil is a landmark move of Weiji Technology’s ‘physical overseas expansion’. The strategic value of the Brazilian market is reflected in:

Zou Qing pointed out: “The ‘carpe diem’ culture of Brazilian young people leads to strong demand for cost-effective Chinese products, which can achieve annual growth of 200%” [2]. This judgment is based on:

• Rapid growth of Brazil’s e-commerce market (Latin America’s e-commerce growth rate exceeded 25% in 2024)
• Natural advantage of Chinese products in cost performance
• Increased consumer trust brought by localized operations

Dimension	Cross-border E-commerce Model	Localized Operation Model
Logistics and Distribution	Lengthy international logistics (15-30 days)	Efficient local distribution (2-5 days)
Payment Methods	Limited cross-border payment tools	Supports local payment methods (e.g., Boleto)
Consumer Trust	Low trust in cross-border stores	High trust in local companies
Marketing Effectiveness	Limited by cross-border advertising restrictions	More effective local marketing and advertising [5]
Tax Compliance	Passive response to policy changes	Proactive compliance and enjoyment of policy preferences

The practice of Kwai, Kuaishou’s international business, in Brazil provides important references for Weiji Technology:

• Monthly active users exceed 60 million, close to 1/3 of Brazil’s population [6]
• Deep localization through sponsoring Brazil’s largest reality show Big Brother Brasil and integrating local football matches [6]
• In Q3 2024, Kuaishou’s overseas revenue reached 1.3 billion yuan [6]

This case proves that

are the key path for Chinese enterprises to achieve breakthroughs in the Latin American market.

As a classic U.S. local brand, the potential negative associations that JOBY’s consumers may have with ‘Chinese acquisition’ are a potential risk. KPMG research points out that Chinese enterprises face the deep challenge of

in overseas localized operations [5].

The experience of Anta acquiring multiple international brands shows that

[7]. Anta’s main brand’s overseas revenue accounts for only a single-digit percentage, indicating that building brand cultural identity and appeal is a long process [7].

The White Paper on Talent for Chinese Manufacturing Enterprises Going Global (2025) points out:

• **