Chances are if you live here you have WeChat loaded on your smartphone. And if you don’t, you seriously live in some sort of cave right? Seriously.
Everyone has WeChat in China and it’s the fourth biggest messaging app in the world behind WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger (which, let’s face it, should have just stayed where it belonged in the Facebook app) and QQ Mobile (also a Chinese app).
In fact, WeChat is becoming so recognized it was actually the featured app on the launch of the Apple iWatch - which I really want but someone’s husband won’t buy it for her! I need that watch. I need it for life!
Anyway, many hours of my day is consumed by WeChat. It, and it’s many groups I’ve found myself in, are my main source of entertainment while I fight with my VPN to load Facebook. Everything happens on WeChat: get togethers, craft circles, buying and selling, school class groups - LIFE! Not being on WeChat and hearing about all the stuff that goes down on it will give you a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out) and that alone will be enough for you to download the app or find a reason for you to buy a new smartphone so you can download the app!
It’s even really helpful with your Ayi or Driver or anyone that doesn’t understand what you’re talking about when all you want is something picked up at the store. Because of it’s awesome internal translator button you don’t have to rely on an extra translator app to get your message across to the right people. And of course its not perfect: I once used it to ask a clerk where the cereal was and he showed me flour; it’s good enough in a pinch.
Now, of all the awesome features that WeChat has (animated stickers for the win!) there was one feature I was trying my hardest to avoid - WeChat Wallet. This new feature brought out a while ago basically acts as a digital wallet that allows you to transfer easily to another friend, or a vendor, or even Carrefour. I was waiting in line today at Carrefour behind a woman who was lazily staring at her phone while the cashier scanned her groceries and she (also lazily) showed him her QR code on her phone and walked away with her groceries. It was that easy.
And that was and still is my biggest problem with WeChat wallet - the fact that it is TOO easy. I recently joined this gigantic buy/sell group of 400+ members all over Shanghai because I realized I had a LOT of baby stuff that was all really good quality that I needed to get rid of. I was on a buy/sell group in my local area but the stuff wasn't moving fast enough out of my house. So, when I joined the group I never thought that I would all of a sudden be faced with people who not only wanted to send me instant payments, but also wanted items delivered to them! The requests for my Alipay and WeChat wallet payments were so fierce and overwhelming that I just had to give into it. And now, I have a good lump sum from what I sold to other ladies burning a digital hole into my pocket!
I learned that my fake lulu lemon lady will just send me pictures of the things I like and kuaidi it to my house with a simple WeChat wallet payment. My jewelry lady will do the same with the latest Cartier necklace - directly from the factory to my door. I don't even have to go to the market to haggle on it anymore!
I can also send a payment to the lady who makes cupcakes.
Cupcakes. I’m in so much trouble.
In my life with so much going on with the kids and school, I’m quite happy for the convenience of things like WeChat and WeChat wallet, but a part of me yearns for the simplicity of face-to-face transactions. Yes, it’s more effort. Yes, you have to leave the house and put on a bra. And yes, it takes time, but that is time interacting with an actual person and not a digital avatar and that has to be worth something right? And I’m sure my husband would be the first one to tell you that anything that helps me spend money more easily is the DEVIL’S TOOL. I don’t think he even knows I have this activated on my app…he’ll probably take my phone away.
But until that happens I’m just going to sit here braless and order cupcakes. CAUSE IT’S SO EASY!
xoNiki
