# Lian Jie
**Lian Jie** (连杰) is a Chinese serial entrepreneur, founder and CEO of [订单兔](https://www.edgepedia.org/ding-dan-tu) (Dingdantuo), a software company founded in 2016 that provides free SaaS tools and an S2B (service-to-business) sourcing platform for community group-buying companies in third-tier-and-below Chinese cities and counties.[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) • [2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) Dingdantuo began as an order-management tool for agricultural-product WeChat micro-merchants; in June 2017 Lian Jie redirected the team fully into community group buying, a scenario he judged far larger than micro-commerce.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) • [2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founder and CEO | 连杰 (Lian Jie), Tsinghua University MBA (2008), six years in securities-firm investment banking[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) |
| Company | 订单兔 (Dingdantuo), founded 2016, pivoted to community group buying June 2017[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) • [2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) |
| Product | Free SaaS tools plus the 货源多 (Huoyuanduo) S2B sourcing platform launched September 16, 2018[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) |
| Funding | 2017 angel round from Innoangel Fund, Feitu Ventures, Tsinghua x-lab Entrepreneurship DNA Fund, and Shuimu Tsinghua Alumni Fund[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) |
| Scale (September 2018) | 10,000+ monthly active merchants, 10,000+ daily orders, coverage in over 1,100 county-level areas, hundreds of group-buying company customers[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) • [2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) |
| Revenue plan | 2% commission on supplier goods sold through 货源多[2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) |
| Target market | Small and mid-sized group-buying companies in third- and fourth-tier cities and below[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) |
## Career before Dingdantuo
Lian Jie graduated from [Tsinghua University](https://www.edgepedia.org/tsinghua-university)'s MBA program in 2008 and then spent six years in investment banking at a securities firm, following the typical path of his classmates.[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) Dingdantuo was his third venture.[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml)
## Dingdantuo: product and model
Dingdantuo chose not to serve individual group leaders (团长) directly. Its SaaS tools serve the small group-buying companies of lower-tier cities and counties, businesses that lacked in-house IT infrastructure.[2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358)
On September 16, 2018 the company launched 货源多 (Huoyuanduo), an S2B trading platform.[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) Revenue was planned from a 2% commission on supplier goods.[2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) In 2018 the company also worked to help offline chain supermarkets launch community group-buying businesses of their own.[4](https://www.woshipm.com/newretail/2330790.html)
Lian Jie described community group buying, in his own published account, as retail conducted through community WeChat groups, with concentrated delivery to the community plus self-pickup as the fulfillment method and household planned-consumption goods as the main products.[4](https://www.woshipm.com/newretail/2330790.html)
## Funding
Dingdantuo completed an angel round in 2017 from 英诺天使基金 (Innoangel Fund), 飞图创投基金 (Feitu Ventures), 清华x-lab创业DNA基金, and 水木清华校友基金 (Shuimu Tsinghua Alumni Fund).[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) • [1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml)
## Scale
By September 2018 the SaaS platform reported more than 10,000 monthly active merchants and daily orders stable above 10,000, covering every Chinese province except Tibet, [Qinghai](https://www.edgepedia.org/qinghai), Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.[1](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml) CEO Lian Jie stated the company operated in more than 1,100 county-level areas, served hundreds of small group-buying companies and indirectly reached more than 10,000 group leaders.[2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) Jiemian reported the same figure of 10,000-plus onboarded group leaders supplied with over 10,000 accumulated supply-chain resources in late 2018.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html)
## Positioning against the giants and peer tools
Dingdantuo's niche was selling to independents while capital-backed platforms built consumer-facing businesses. The sector around it transformed after 2020. In December 2020 China's market regulator and commerce ministry issued the community group-buying "nine don'ts" rules, banning low-price dumping, price fraud, and big-data price discrimination.[5](https://m.36kr.com/p/3895307402722308) A 2024 report put Duoduo Maicai's market share at 44%, Meituan Youxuan's at 32%, and [Xingsheng Youxuan](https://www.edgepedia.org/xingsheng-youxuan)'s at 17%.[5](https://m.36kr.com/p/3895307402722308) In 2024 the capital-backed platforms retreated at scale: Meituan contracted to provincial capitals and core markets, Duoduo Maicai raised commissions, and Taobao Maicai withdrew from many [Guangdong](https://www.edgepedia.org/guangdong) markets, while regional operators such as Zhihua Zhiguo (2024 GMV about RMB 900 million, up 6%) kept growing.[6](http://m.linkshop.com/article/news/527452) After Meituan Youxuan's major contraction in June 2025, Duoduo Maicai expanded rapidly into the vacated market; by late November 2025 its GMV for the year was approaching RMB 300 billion, exceeding its and Meituan Youxuan's combined 2024 GMV.[7](https://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/t/2025-12-26/doc-inheayzs1119830.shtml) Meituan Youxuan closed its [Guangzhou](https://www.edgepedia.org/guangzhou) operations from December 15, 2025.[5](https://m.36kr.com/p/3895307402722308)
## What the Dingdantuo case shows
Dingdantuo sold software and sourcing to hundreds of independent operators in counties, having raised a 2017 angel round, while billion-dollar platforms fought for the consumer side.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html) • [2](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358) After the capital-backed platforms retreated in 2024, regional operators kept growing.[6](http://m.linkshop.com/article/news/527452)
## References
1. [五环外的社区团购：瞄准县域团购 日订单1万 - 红商网](http://www.redsh.com/view/20180922/125141.shtml)
2. [县域市场潜力大，订单兔以SaaS工具切入社区团购 - 爱分析](https://ifenxi.com/research/content/4358)
3. [「订单兔」要用SaaS系统服务三四线中小团购公司 - 界面新闻](https://www.jiemian.com/article/2628743.html)
4. [如何看清社群零售的本质？ - 人人都是产品经理](https://www.woshipm.com/newretail/2330790.html)
5. [社区团购八年战事：中国互联网烧钱史的切片与遗产 - 36氪](https://m.36kr.com/p/3895307402722308)
6. [社区团购的2024年与2025年趋势展望 - 联商网](http://m.linkshop.com/article/news/527452)
7. [社区团购血战终局：多多买菜"闷声"收割3000亿战场 - 新浪财经](https://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/t/2025-12-26/doc-inheayzs1119830.shtml)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Technology founders and companies › China internet and new economy › AI, robotics, and enterprise software*
*Initially written Sep 19, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 19, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license