China’s major e-commerce platforms, Alibaba, JD.com, and ByteDance’s Douyin, are preparing for the 618 shopping festival, a massive mid-year sales event initiated by JD in 2004. With weak consumer spending in China, the companies are already entering a fierce price war with early discounts and aggressive promotions.
Why it matters: The early roll-out signals a race to secure consumer attention before wallet fatigue sets in, and highlights how China’s internet giants are adjusting their tactics in response to slowing domestic demand and rising competition from content-driven platforms such as TikTok sibling Douyin.
Details:
- Douyin was first out of the gate, launching its 618 Good Goods Festival at midnight on May 13, a full 20 hours ahead of JD.com and Tmall’s equivalent promotions. The ByteDance-owned platform is leaning heavily on subsidies: users can claim up to RMB 2,280 ($316.5) in vouchers, with over RMB 10 billion ($1.39 billion) in discounts on offer. Core perks include 15% off label prices, instant price drops, and zero commission for merchants using Douyin’s product card feature, which is open to all compliant sellers via a one-time sign-up.
- JD.com, China’s largest direct retailer, launched its Shopping Season teaser campaign at 8 PM the same night, but will officially begin its main 618 event on May 31. The campaign features themed days such as Billion-Yuan Subsidy Day and Super Livestream Day, designed to segment discounts and spotlight new product categories.
- Tmall, meanwhile, is positioning itself as the most “user-friendly” option, emphasizing simplicity: a flat 15% discount, stackable with 88VIP coupons, beauty and fashion vouchers, and livestream red envelopes. The first wave of pre-sales went live at 8 PM on May 13, with general sales and final payments permitted from May 16. Alibaba has implemented price verification tools and a price guarantee lasting through July 5, in a measure it says will help protect shoppers.
Context: The policy shift comes as China’s e-commerce platforms face mounting pressure to sustain growth. JD said over 500 million users placed orders during last year’s 618 campaign, while 83 brands exceeded RMB 1 billion ($138.8 million) in sales. But those figures are looking harder to replicate in 2025’s more cautious climate, where even loyal customers are holding out for clearer deals and bigger guarantees.
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