Xiaonei Integrates Payment System Into App Platform >> China Web2.0 Review

China Web2.0 Review: "Xiaonei Integrates Payment System Into App Platform"
Written by Tangos on October 30, 2008
10 Comments Tags:51.com, openplatform, Xiaonei

Xiaonei, the leading Facebook-copycat in China, announced today that it has started to allow third-party apps to integrate Xiaonei’s online payment system, i.e. Xiaonei Dou, to monetize the traffics.

What is Xiaonei Dou? It is the virtual coin of Xiaonei.com, you can use Alipay, Yeepay, mobile phone or pre-paid card to pay for Xiaonei Dou, then you can use Xiaonei Dou to pay for services on Xiaonei.com. Now apps developers can develop apps to try to charge users and make money.

When Xiaonei rolled out its developer platform, it was criticized by many developers for its not-so-open policy, but it became more and more developer-friendly, for instance, in August, it changed policy to allow developers to have online ads in apps. Now the new Xiaonei Dou payment system offers new way for developers to make money, it’s good for whole eco-system. Currently, there are about 800 third-party apps on Xiaonei’s platform.

Actually, it is not the first developer platform to integrate virtual coin system. On Oct 20th, 51.com also announced developers on its platform can use 51 coin in apps. The system is there already, the widget developers now need to focus on product, to think out how they can ask users to pay for it."
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Yan's View:
I think the move made by Xiaonei benefits the Widget circle two-fold.
1. Fostering another revenue model for online business outside of online advertising
2. Xiaonei.com's willingness to open up its SDK and API gradually, which will in turn encourage more 3rd party App developers to join the widget bandwagon, thereby bringing more consumers on board.

Kudos!