Create and launch mini programs
This topic guides non-technical merchants through the process to create and launch mini programs in Merchant Console.
Basic concepts
Term | Definition |
non-technical merchant | An individual or company that does not engage in coding and uses ready-made templates to create mini programs and provide products and services to end customers. |
Merchant Console | An online platform that is designed specifically for non-technical merchants. It offers user-friendly and ready-made templates to help merchants create and manage mini programs. This platform is interconnected with Mini Program Platform and non-technical merchants are directed to it after logging in to Mini Program Platform. |
Overall process
The process of creating and launching mini programs is illustrated in the following figure:
The process consists of the following four steps:
- Create a mini program
Go to Merchant Console and enter basic information for your mini program.
- Provide mini program details
Provide additional business details and customize the look of your mini program to attract more customers.
- Provide product and service details
Provide details of the products and services that your mini program offers to customers.
- Launch a mini program
Submit your mini program to the super app for review, then launch the mini program upon approval.
Before you begin
Before you begin, you must complete the onboarding process. For more information, refer to Non-technical merchant onboarding.
Procedure
Take the following steps to create and launch a mini program:
Step 1: Create a mini program
To create a mini program, log in to Merchant Console with your account created during the onboarding process and complete the following steps:
(Optional) Select an industry
If multiple industries are offered, you must select the industry of your business to categorize your mini program in the super app and determine what information is required for the mini program. To select an industry, click the desired option and then click Next.
Select a template
Select a template that best suits your business and products. The selection might affect your mini program's layout and other visual elements. To select a template, take the following two steps:
- If multiple templates exist, decide which template that suits your business. To facilitate your decision, view the template description on the choice card. If the description is collapsed, hover over it to view the complete one.
- Hover over the non-text part of the desired template choice and click Customize Now.
Provide basic information
Provide the following basic information for your mini program and click Next:
- Store Name: The name of your mini program.
- (Optional) Store Logo: The logo of your mini program. If you do not upload an image, the default logo that is displayed in the upload area will be used.
The provided information appears in the following places:
- The mini program list in Merchant Console, which helps you identify your mini program.
- The super app, which helps customers recognize your mini program.
Create the mini program
Click Initialize My Store to create the mini program with the previously entered information. Then the console automatically redirects you to the management page of the created mini program.
Step 2: Provide mini program details
On the mini program's management page, complete the following two tasks:
Enter a tagline and a description
To help consumers know your mini program at first sight, you need to provide a tagline and a description for it. To provide such information, click the settings icon next to your mini program name, enter the details, and click Save.
Decorate a mini program
To customize the look of the mini program and provide the business information, click Edit under the Store Decoration tab. The required details vary depending on the industry and template. Provide the details according to the guidance on the user interface and click Submit in the top-right corner.
Step 3: Provide product and service details
Provide details of the products and services that your mini program offers to customers. This step varies depending on the industry and template. Follow the guidance on the user interface to complete this step.
Step 4: Launch a mini program
Launch your mini program to the super app to make it live and accessible for customers. To launch the mini program, take the following two steps:
- Submit your mini program to the super app for review and obtain approval for the launch. Click My Store > Target Channels > Manage Channels, tick the checkbox of the desired super app, and click Request Launch.
- The launch request usually takes 1-2 business days to be processed. You can check the result either in your email inbox or on the My Store > Target Channels page in Merchant Console. Then take the following actions according to the result:
- If your launch request is rejected, address the issues mentioned in the reason for rejection and request the launch again.
- If your launch request is approved, on the My Store > Target Channels page, click Launch next to the super app to launch your mini program.
Further actions
Once your mini program is launched, ensure to monitor its performance and manage your daily business operations.