Among many promotional events that may drive sales and online engagements for foreign brands is China’s 618 Shopping Day. It’s the country’s second-largest annual e-commerce festival, so local consumers and participating merchants highly anticipate it year after year.
In this post, we’ll explore how international brands can prepare for the upcoming 618 Shopping Festival in China, the various platforms they can utilize, and the perks of participating in such events.
What is the 618 festival in China?
The 618 Shopping Festival was originally created by JD.com, specifically dedicated to celebrating its foundation anniversary in 1988. After the event generated promising sales figures, more key players from the Chinese e-commerce market started putting June 18th in their annual marketing calendars.
Today, most Chinese consumers share a fondness for this mid-year shopping festival. A key indicator of its continued popularity is its sales volume of 798.7 billion yuan in 2023. As you can see, it’s a significant increase from the event’s revenue of 695.9 billion yuan in 2022.
Advertisements for JD.com’s 618 Shopping Festival Campaign (Source: China Daily)
Compared to the past several years, the online shopping trend in China seems stronger and more influential than ever. In fact, despite the low consumer confidence during the pandemic, major Chinese e-commerce platforms like JD.com and Alibaba Group still recorded increased revenue and sales volume in 2020.
In addition to deals from online shopping platforms, many brands view this 618 shopping event as a golden opportunity to launch promotional activities and limited-edition products that will trigger spending habits.
Popular Categories for the 618 Shopping Day in China
● Nutrition and Health
The global pandemic has left quite a mark on the Chinese market, with most consumers eager to buy high-quality products related to health and wellness. In fact, the vitamins and supplement industry has seen heightened demand and an actual sales increase in the previous years.
Gen Z and Millennial consumers seem eager to pursue healthy lifestyles, which has renewed their interest in dietary and fitness products. Medical equipment, sporting devices, and outdoor-related goods also experienced increased sales during this event.
Protein Powder Products on Local E-Commerce Platforms
● High-tech Beauty Brands
Beyond typical makeup and skincare brands, last year’s 618 beauty sales were dominated by high-tech devices. One of the most talked-about items on Taobao during the shopping event was Seayeo’s LED facial beauty light.
The particular item with limited quantities surprisingly sold out within 20 seconds, driving an impressive record number of $13.9 million in sales.
Top KOL (Li Jiaqi) doing a product demo for LED beauty lights (Source: Jing Daily)
The demand for beauty devices is a local cosmetic trend predicted to grow in the next few years due to their excellent performance during last year’s 618 shopping festival.
There are very few domestic manufacturers and developers of these products, so this thriving market segment is ripe with opportunities for international brands.
Other platforms also reported repeat purchases and a high transaction volume for specific skincare items, such as essential oils, that target wrinkle reduction and skin nourishment.
● Electronics and Home Appliances
Electronics and appliances are high-ticket items. So, it’s natural for Chinese customers to buy them during the festival period in hopes of scoring deep discounts and promo deals.
Even globally renowned electronic merchants like Apple are enlisting the help of popular Chinese e-commerce platforms to meet the expectations of local customers. During last year’s 618 shopping day in China, the brand hopped on the live-streaming trend.
Apple’s first livestream session on Tmall (Source: Jing Daily)
Their first real-time content on Tmall showcased their popular offerings, from the iPhone 14 Pro to the Apple Watch Series 8. Beyond highlighting product quality, the brand also featured rare discounts on electronic devices specifically released for the 618 shopping festival.
Apple succeeded in driving traffic and potential sales conversions to their Tmall flagship store as the live-streaming session reached 1.3 million views in the first hour.
In addition to electronics, home appliance manufacturers, like Midea and Haier, performed well during JD.com’s 618 campaign. Their sales skyrocketed to $13.97 million just minutes after the shopping festival started.
● Luxury Brands
The fashion industry is another category that flourishes well during major e-commerce events like the 618 shopping festival. Global luxury brands like Coach and Jimmy Choo are implementing hefty 50% to 75% discounts on handbags and shoes to drive sales during this event.
Meanwhile, luxury giants such as Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. reported a threefold transaction volume increase during JD.com’s 618 Grand Promotion in 2023. Bottega Veneta and Tesla also joined the online shopping promotions, boosting the event’s overall consumer confidence.
JD and Bottega Veneta Collaboration for the 618 Shopping Festival (Source: JD.com)
Top Performing Platforms during 618 Shopping Day
1. Tmall/Taobao
As an e-commerce platform operated by Alibaba Group, Tmall is not one to miss launching shopping festivals as big as the 618 Mid-Year Sale.
Alibaba’s report on the shopping event showed that 2.56 million SMEs generated higher GMV compared to the 618 event in 2022. Among the promotional content types released on the platform, short videos seem to attract the highest views.
In a report, the tech giant highlighted that 365 brands on Tmall surpassed ¥100 million (≈$14M) in sales, and over 36,000 brands doubled their GMV year-on-year. These figures suggest robust online purchasing activity for many brands despite last year’s downturn in consumer spending.
2. Pinduoduo
Pinduoduo is known for its low-price range and group buying functions. With the 618 shopping day known for its discounts and deals, this platform aligns well with the kind of audience the event attracts every year.
Merchants and brands can launch promotional campaigns encouraging their target consumers to invite their friends and family to avail of platform discounts. It will drive traffic to your virtual storefront and help you reap the benefits of word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Douyin
As a content-based social commerce channel, Douyin had a more solid influence on younger online shoppers. During the platform’s 618 event in 2023, its live commerce sessions reached 42.02 million hours.
Video content integrated with shopping carts and product links gained a high impression rate of 130.9 billion views. Thanks to the engagements generated from these posts, Douyin’s 618 campaign exceeded 66% of the previous year’s sales volume.
In 2024, Douyin’s 618 GMV jumped by 26.2% year-on-year, the fastest growth among major platforms. This brought the app’s share to 16.6% of the total 618 online sales in the Chinese market.
4. JD.com
The originator of the 618 Shopping Festival cannot be removed from this list, mainly because its presale event spans over 300 cities in China. It also pioneered a program to ensure a safe and efficient product delivery process for brands and consumers.
Thanks to the platform’s continued effort to meet expectations and demands, sales during the event’s 2023 installment grew by 30%. And by 2024, JD.com reported that its order volume and transaction value hit a record high, with over 500 million users placing orders on the platform during the 618 festival period.
Its continued relevance as the founder of the 618 shopping event is often aided by aggressive promotions.
618 Grand Promotion 2023 (Source: JD.com)
4. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)
Given its heavy pivot to being a social commerce platform, Xiaohongshu eventually became an important online shopping channel in the Chinese market. Right now, this app caters to over 300 million monthly active users, many of whom are actively engaging with brands and making purchases online.
In 2024, the “618 直播季” campaign on Xiaohongshu prioritized live commerce sessions run from virtual storefronts. During the festival, the number of live broadcasts increased by 4.3 times, and purchases on these streams rose by 5.2 times from the previous year.
Best Marketing Practices During the 618 Shopping Event
● Launch Live Broadcasts During the Festival
Almost every social commerce platform in China now features live-streaming functions. Most of them are designed to optimize the consumer journey, from content and product discovery to purchasing decisions.
Video-sharing applications like Douyin and Kuaishou clearly show higher engagement rates during these events.
Even China’s biggest super app, WeChat, knew the importance of this media type during e-commerce festivals. Amid last year’s mid-year festival celebration, the platform announced a reduced technical service fee for merchants hosting live streams and posting short-form video content on Channels.
● Seek Collaborations with KOLs and KOCs
Remember, Chinese customers are curious and cautious online shoppers. So, if you’re a new brand trying to enter the Chinese market during the 618 shopping festival, it helps to enlist the help of familiar and trusted faces to promote your brand.
These influencers already have a community that trusts and supports their recommendations. While it may seem tempting to work with top KOLs with the highest follower counts, merchants should determine if their existing audiences are aligned with the brand’s marketing goals.
For example, some brands choose to work with Key Opinion Consumers primarily because they have more access to niche audiences. KOCs are also seen as more credible, as most are regular customers who give genuine reviews about the products and services they’ve paid for.
● Localize Your Digital Marketing Strategies
It’s no secret that domestic companies have an edge when it comes to online sales events. To successfully stay ahead of your competitors during 618, foreign brands must be aware of current local trends and cultural nuances.
It includes understanding popular product categories, preferred shopping habits, and the promotions that appeal most to Chinese consumers.
You must also remember that competitive pricing is crucial during the 618 Shopping Festival. To attract bargain hunters, offer substantial discounts, exclusive bundles, and flash sales. Highlight the limited availability of these deals to create a sense of urgency.
Who are the consumers of the 618 Shopping Festival in China?
Young, tech-savvy consumers in urban areas form a significant portion of the 618 Shopping Festival’s audience. These individuals are attracted to the convenience and variety offered by e-commerce platforms and the extensive promotions and discounts available during the festival.
On the other hand, the increased purchasing power of middle-class groups in China is also highly notable during these shopping events. These consumers seek deals on various products, including household items, electronics, and fashion.
E-commerce platforms also increasingly focus on consumers from lower-tier cities and rural areas. These regions represent a vast, relatively untapped market where shoppers are eager to take advantage of the discounts and special offers available during the festival.
Customers seeking high-ticket items like luxury brands and electronic gadgets will likely continue at the next 618 festival, especially considering last year’s top-earning market segments.
Quick Q&A
Why should you participate in the 618 Mid-year Shopping Festival?
The 618 festival’s timing (around mid-June) taps into consumer readiness to spend, often resulting in impressive revenue spikes for businesses. Leveraging the event’s immense traffic can help companies achieve sales volumes that might be difficult to attain within a short period.
With major players actively involved, sitting out could mean losing market share to competitors who capitalize on the festival’s consumer excitement and spending.
What makes the 618 shopping day special compared to other e-commerce festivals?
The 618 shopping festival is usually a 2-week or a month-long event. E-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com would often launch flash sales from the last week of May to June 18th. This extensive duration gives new brands more chances to reach their target audience and generate sales conversions.
Ready To Dominate the 618 Shopping Festival in China?
E-commerce festivals are an integral part of China’s consumer market. The 618 shopping day, held in the middle of the year, attracts a diverse consumer base, including first-time buyers and loyal customers.
You may also want to read:
At Sekkei Digital Group, we can guide you through every twist and turn, unlocking your brand’s full potential during the 618 shopping festival. Our team is ready to take a data-driven approach to help you stay ahead of the ever-evolving Chinese market.
Whether it’s launching an advertising campaign, localizing your brand, or working with KOLs for the mid-year festival, we have all the digital solutions you need. Contact us today, and let’s start working on your first campaign.
References:
Chinese consumers spend $111B on 618 in 2023
WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE FIRST 618 SHOPPING FESTIVAL AFTER CHINA ENDED ITS ZERO-COVID POLICY?
Why did June 18th (618) become a Shopping Festival?
JD.com shatters 618 shopping festival records