Among the annual procurement volume of over 2 million hyaluronic acid units by medical aesthetic institutions, about 15% are used for promotional purposes. Data from a chain institution in 2023 shows that new customers save an average of 42% on their first order, but it is important to note that low-priced projects may mix non-legitimate products. It is recommended to choose institutions with NMPA certification to avoid injection risks.
Promotional Activities
The promotional strategies in the medical aesthetic industry are undergoing algorithm-driven changes. According to the 2023 Q3 financial report of a listed medical aesthetic group, its dynamic pricing system increased inventory turnover to 8.7 times per year, with the gross profit margin of promotional products remaining at 68%. In 23 live-streaming sales events handled, the average price of hyaluronic acid products decreased by 37%, while associated consumption increased by 2.1 times.
Specifically for imported products like Juvéderm, industry monitoring in 2024 shows that the price range per unit in legitimate institutions fluctuates between 3800-6800 yuan, but it may drop to 2980 yuan during specific periods. Two key periods to pay attention to are the off-season inventory clearance in March-April and the Double 11 pre-sale of new products. A Hangzhou institution set a record of verifying 127 units in a single day in April 2023, with an average price of only 3199 yuan.
At the operational level, three points should be noted:
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QR code verification must include the CFDA traceability code.
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Confirm that the syringe is factory-sealed.
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Avoid “bundling traps” in combination packages.
A consumer complaint case in August 2023 showed that a 3980 yuan “Juvéderm package” actually contained only 65% of the main ingredient compared to the standard package.
Can New Customers Get Discounts
New customer operations have become the core battlefield for medical aesthetic institutions. According to the 2024 data report from SoYoung, the average customer acquisition cost for first-time consumers has risen to 2860 yuan per person, forcing institutions to offer higher discounts. Among the 12 new customer systems designed, the median discount for first-time hyaluronic acid projects reached 48%, but it is important to note that 60% of the discounts require binding subsequent consumption.
In practice, it is recommended to focus on three data points: Verification rate within 24 hours of arrival (quality activities >75%) ，Secondary conversion cycle (ideal value <22 days) ，Dispute rate warning line (warning needed if exceeding 3.8%). In a new customer activity of a Beijing chain institution in Q4 2023, although the first order offered a 52% discount, the overall gross profit increased by 17% through the conversion of photoelectric projects.
Special attention should be paid to the “free trial” trap. A third-party testing agency report in January 2024 showed that 91% of 23 samples claiming free injections contained illegal additives. It is recommended to ask the institution to present a complete “Medical Device Business License” and the “Medical Aesthetic Practitioner Registration” of the operating physician.
Low-Priced Projects
The low-priced hyaluronic acid market has formed a clear hierarchical system. According to Frost & Sullivan’s 2023 data, legitimate brands account for less than 12% of products with terminal prices below 2000 yuan. Among 47 repair cases handled, 83% were due to the use of fillers that did not meet the YY/T 0962-2021 standard.
At the technical level, two parameters should be noted: Cross-linking degree (quality products >6%) 、Particle size distribution (D90 should be <800μm). A “substitute” product launched by a Guangzhou manufacturer in 2023, priced at only 1699 yuan, showed in laboratory tests that its cross-linking agent residue exceeded the standard by 2.7 times, leading to a 41% increase in postoperative redness and swelling.
Price comparison should consider three dimensions:
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Single unit effective duration (Juvéderm Volux about 18 months vs low-priced products average 6 months)
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Single correction cost
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Complication treatment costs.
A case in Chengdu in March 2024 showed that choosing a 980 yuan injection resulted in an additional 32,000 yuan in treatment costs due to infection, with the total cost exceeding the legitimate solution by 58%.
Participating in Clinical Trials
Clinical trials in the medical aesthetic field are becoming a new path to obtain low-cost hyaluronic acid. A 2023 study in JAMA Dermatology showed that the annual growth rate of participation in medical aesthetic clinical trials in China reached 37%, but it is important to be cautious of some institutions packaging commercial promotions as research projects. Data from a leading CRO company in Q1 2024 showed that the screening pass rate for compliant Juvéderm clinical trials was only 19%, significantly higher than the 6.3% for ordinary drugs.
In practice, three key points should be noted: Confirm that the ethical approval number can be traced back to the official website of the National Health Commission，The observation period should be ≥6 months， Injection point error should be controlled within ±0.3mm. In a “Long-term Study of Cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid” conducted by a Shanghai tertiary hospital in 2023, although free injections were provided, participants were required to undergo 3 MRI scans (precision 0.15T) per month, leading to 60% of participants dropping out midway.
Risk control should focus on two indicators: Adverse event reporting time limit (standard requirement ≤72 hours) ，Insurance compensation amount (recommended ≥2 million yuan). A case from a Hangzhou institution in February 2024 showed that due to non-compliance with GCP standards, a participant developed vascular embolism, resulting in a 3.8 million yuan compensation dispute.
Membership and Points System
The medical aesthetic membership system has evolved to the 4.0 intelligent algorithm stage. Comparing the 2023 annual reports of Langzi, Huahan Plastic Surgery, and Ruiyi Medical, the membership repurchase rates were 64%, 58%, and 49% respectively, but the corresponding points redemption cost rates also reached 18%, 23%, and 31%. Among the 7 membership systems designed, it was found that the real value of every 1000 points should be anchored in the range of 120-150 yuan, exceeding this range would lead to institutional losses.
Technical implementation requires three supports: Blockchain points system (TPS≥3000) ，Dynamic rights algorithm，Cross-platform verification interface. The upgraded v3.2 membership system of a chain group in 2024, although the cost of acquiring points decreased by 22%, the verification failure rate surged to 17% due to incompatible API interfaces.
Key data dimensions include: Dormant member activation cost (industry average 38 yuan/person) ，Black market arbitrage identification rate (quality system >94%) ，Points inflation rate warning value (annualized ≤15%). A Shenzhen institution in December 2023, due to a loophole in the points rules, was exploited for service projects worth 830,000 yuan in a single month.
The Most Cost-Effective Discounts
Price competition is essentially a precise balance between medical resources and operational costs. According to SoYoung data in May 2024, the lowest online price of Juvéderm once dropped to 2680 yuan, but the physician qualification compliance rate of the corresponding institutions was only 41%. Among 56 price comparison projects handled, it was found that 37% of the weekly discount releases occurred between 10-11 am on Wednesdays, which is directly related to the inventory turnover algorithm of medical aesthetic institutions.
Discount acquisition techniques include three levels: Use drug regulatory codes to reverse query the circulation chain ，Identify temporary consultation periods of “visiting doctors”，Combine with photoelectric projects to form a package plan. A Chengdu institution set a record of 2299 yuan per unit in November 2023, but it was limited to purchasing 3 sessions of photon rejuvenation at the same time (total price still exceeded the regular plan by 12%).
Risk hedging requires calculating:
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Single unit cost/maintenance month ratio (quality plan <200 yuan/month) .
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Emergency repair budget (recommended ≥30% of project cost) .
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Physician consultation volume threshold (daily ≤8 cases to ensure operation precision).
A rights protection case showed that in April 2024, a special project priced at 2980 yuan, due to a physician performing 14 cases in a single day, resulted in 5 people developing nodular hyperplasia.