Why All‑Domain Fan Sales Is the Marketing Paradigm Shift of the User‑Sovereignty Era

User Sovereignty: From Niche Privilege to Mass Rights

Over the past decade, firms assumed traffic was infinite and cheap. Since 2019, traffic costs have surged, CAC now exceeds LTV, and ROI declines. In China, average CAC for major e‑commerce platforms has tripled while repeat‑purchase rates grew less than 10%.

Why User Relationship Assets (URA) Matter

When traffic dividends dry up, growth must come from a dimension that has been ignored: converting the trust relationship between enterprise and user into a quantifiable, manageable, compounding asset—User Relationship Assets (URA). URA combines user data with the underlying trust, habits, identity, and co‑creation.

Four‑Stage Evolution of User Sovereignty

Stage 1 – Niche Privilege: Royal courts and aristocrats owned the supply side; Henry Ford famously said customers could only choose a black car.

Stage 2 – Pseudo‑Sovereignty: Mass production and media gave the illusion of choice, but brands still controlled value definition (e.g., CRM, deep‑distribution models).

Stage 3 – Mass Sovereignty: After per‑capita GDP passed $10 k in 2019, basic needs are met and consumers demand respect, identity, and participation.

Definition and Characteristics of URA

URA is a commercial asset built through lawful, mutually beneficial, continuous activities. It includes data (the skeleton) and relationship (the flesh). Its four essential traits are quantifiable, operable, value‑adding, and sustainable.

Why Traditional Paradigms Fail

The 4P model, flow‑driven models, and DTC/CRM approaches all treat users as transaction endpoints. They cannot generate long‑term trust or compounding value, leading to the “traffic gets more expensive, growth gets weaker” trap.

All‑Domain Fan Sales (ADFS) – A Paradigm Revolution

ADFS integrates 4P (product, price, place, promotion), 4C (consumer, cost, communication, convenience), and 4R (relationship, response, relevance, return) into a single framework that places User Relationship Assets at its core. It operates on two intertwined loops: a value‑innovation loop (product + channel) and a demand‑driven loop (scenario + communication), which together drive category leadership.

Core Structure

One Body, Two Wings: The “body” is URA; the wings are brand‑mind contract (why users choose you) and user‑value co‑creation (why users stay and bring others).

Dual Re‑creation: First, shift from one‑off sales to lifelong relationship thinking; second, reorganise silos into a user‑centric system.

Marketing‑Four‑Force Model (4FM)

4FM defines four forces—Product, Channel, Scenario, and Communication—that must cooperate. The model forms two loops (value‑innovation and demand‑driven) that continuously feed each other, creating a growth flywheel.

24‑Word Guideline

"Three‑dimensional connection, data‑intelligence driven, all‑domain empowerment, scenario resonance, value co‑creation, ecosystem symbiosis"—the guideline translates the loops into actionable steps (connect → understand → serve → move → engage → co‑exist).

Seven Pillars (Capability Carriers)

These include OMO, DTC, bC integration, one‑stop inventory, scenario‑driven demand, and others. Each pillar alone is not new, but ADFS stitches them together to serve the URA goal.

Mindset Shifts

From "product thinking" to "user‑relationship‑asset thinking"—assets are exclusive, compounding, and non‑replicable.

From "transaction thinking" to "asset‑operation thinking"—focus on LTV rather than GMV.

From "one‑way broadcasting" to "two‑way contract"—brand value emerges from user‑driven trust contracts.

Organisational Changes

From siloed departments to full‑link collaboration across product, channel, supply chain, finance, and IT.

From hierarchical control to flat, frontline‑empowered structures.

From sales‑volume KPIs to URA‑centric metrics (retention, NPS, user‑asset ROI).

Risks and Governance

Organisational resistance – mitigated by top‑down sponsorship and pilot‑then‑scale approach.

Compliance – GDPR and China’s Personal Information Protection Law require privacy‑by‑design, data‑governance, and consent mechanisms.

Mis‑understanding – ADFS is not private‑domain or pure traffic‑harvest; it is a relationship‑centric system.

Transition pain – short‑term GMV dip is expected; early wins should come from low‑cost OMO or bC integration.

Industry Case Studies

Spirits (Moutai, Fenjiu): iMoutai platform creates digital connections; membership culture turns occasional buyers into loyal community members.

Beer (Tsingtao, Yanjing, Snow): One‑code labeling turns each bottle into a touchpoint; OMO and bC integration make retailers relationship nodes.

Dairy (Yili, Mengniu): Lifetime membership tracks families from birth to adulthood, converting random buyers into long‑term subscribers.

Food & Beverage (Dongpeng, Ha Tian): One‑code IDs enable real‑time data capture, turning shelves into relationship entry points.

Durables (NIO, BYD): User clubs and OTA updates keep owners engaged, turning car owners into brand ambassadors.

Beauty (Proya): Private‑domain traffic, Xiaohongshu seeding, and co‑creation content shift from product sales to community management.

Retail (Yonghui): OMO membership unifies online and offline behaviours, creating a single user asset view.

Theoretical Contributions

Introduces URA as a process‑oriented counterpart to Customer Equity (CE), focusing on "how to nurture" rather than "how much it is worth".

Distinguishes ADFS from DTC: DTC removes intermediaries; ADFS upgrades intermediaries into relationship amplifiers.

Provides a five‑dimensional quantitative evaluation system (value, mindset, relationship, efficiency, growth) that turns intangible trust into a balance‑sheet‑like asset.

Practical Implications and Outlook

ADFS is not a template but a set of principles adaptable to any consumer‑facing industry. The key is to meet users where they live—online, offline, or in community—turning each interaction into a relationship asset. As global economies mature, user sovereignty will become universal, making URA‑centric marketing a necessary evolution for sustainable growth.

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