Why Spending Millions on One‑Code Systems Yields Millions of ‘Zombie’ Members: 3 Fatal Mistakes in Baijiu Membership Ops

Fatal Mistake 1: Using Red‑Packets as Promotion and Data as Report Material

The dominant acquisition method is scanning a QR code on the bottle cap to receive an instant red‑packet. In 2025, Luzhou Laojiao recorded over 13.6 million scans with a 77.78% cap‑open rate, making it plausible for a major brand to accumulate ten‑million members in a year. However, the author notes that consumers are attracted by the cash incentive, not the brand, and after receiving the red‑packet the relationship ends, leaving only a phone number and a dormant mini‑program. An industry insider is quoted: “You treat the scan as the project’s success itself… you keep the consumer for three seconds, but you do nothing to drive repurchase.” Moreover, high‑end consumers find traditional points‑exchange benefits meaningless, while low‑end consumers abandon the brand as soon as a competitor offers a larger red‑packet.

Data is treated merely as a reporting tool. Brands collect massive opening‑bottle, geographic, and frequency data but cannot answer four core questions: who drinks, where, with whom, and why. This blind spot leads to product development based on “following competitors” and channel planning driven by “experience,” with no precise marketing.

Fatal Mistake 2: Treating Digitalization as a Channel‑Bypassing Tool

Baijiu is a “channel‑first” industry, with nearly 80% of sales occurring offline in venues such as banquet halls and specialty liquor stores. Brands invest hundreds of millions in scan systems to capture consumer data directly, while channels—who actually sell the product—receive no downstream benefit. This creates distrust: channel partners feel the brand is “stealing their corner.” The article cites incidents of “cap‑snatching,” hired scanners, and fake verifications, causing significant marketing spend loss. Some brands, like Xijiu, have switched from “dual‑red‑packet” to “single‑red‑packet” models to curb abuse. To resolve this, the author highlights the “reverse red‑packet” model: when a consumer scans and receives a red‑packet, the system automatically triggers a rebate to the associated retailer and distributor. In 2025, Luzhou La​ojiao disclosed a three‑fold B‑side linkage, rewarding the downstream chain proportionally to scan volume, turning the marketing budget into a channel incentive rather than a sunk cost.

Fatal Mistake 3: Blindly Copying Internet “Private‑Domain” Logic

Internet private‑domain strategies rely on high‑frequency interaction, community posting, and low‑price flash sales—effective for fast‑moving consumer goods with short purchase cycles. Baijiu consumption, however, centers on business banquets, gifting, and high‑ticket events with long decision cycles and low purchase frequency. Consequently, the “social‑community” model fails to generate repeat purchases. Benchmark cases such as Moutai’s “i‑Moutai” and Wuliangye’s “Nong Wu” platform boast tens of millions of members, but these successes stem from massive brand equity and budgets that small‑to‑mid‑size brands cannot replicate.

Path Forward: From Traffic‑Thinking to Crowd‑Management

The author proposes three key transformations:

From One‑Time Touch to Full Lifecycle Management: Treat the scan as a “check‑in” button. Segment users by lifecycle stage (awareness, acquisition, growth, maturity, dormancy, churn) and deliver tailored touchpoints—brand stories within 48 hours for new users, personalized upgrades for repeat buyers, and exclusive tasting events for dormant members. Luzhou Laojiao’s “Guojiao 1573” project exemplifies this staged approach.

From Brand‑Centric Data to Manufacturer‑Channel Co‑Benefit: Implement reverse‑red‑packet mechanisms so that channel partners receive direct rebates tied to scan‑driven sales, eliminating the “stealing corner” perception and discouraging cap‑snatching.

Design Membership Benefits Around Core Consumption Scenarios: For business banquets, offer reserved private rooms, on‑site brand sommeliers, and custom wine‑list services; for gifting, provide authentic‑verification, limited‑edition reservations, and personalized cards; for personal consumption, enable old‑wine authentication and exclusive limited‑edition access. Lang Jiu’s “1314 Member Plan” demonstrates how high‑end benefits—not cash red‑packets—drive deep loyalty.

Finally, the article stresses organizational alignment: effective membership programs require CEO‑level sponsorship and cross‑department authority, not isolated digital‑department KPIs. Brands that treat membership as a company‑wide strategic asset, like Lang Jiu, succeed where others fail.