CHINA’S “Double 11” shopping festival, which celebrates its 18th edition this year, unfolds with a longer presales window, deeper discount combinations and more aggressive subsidy stacking. According to industry observers on Monday, the annual sales event remains an important gauge of consumer confidence as the country works to sustain domestic demand in the second half of the year.
Chinese e-commerce platforms from Alibaba’s Tmall and Taobao to JD.com and short-video platform Douyin have launched preliminary activities featuring cash coupons, limited-time subsidies, preorders with locked-in prices and “national subsidy” programs for eligible products. The promotions are designed to stimulate spending ahead of the main sales peak around Nov. 11.
JD.com kicked off its “Double 11” spot sale on Monday, emphasizing immediate discounts and “buy now, ship now” deals, particularly for home appliances and digital devices. Tmall will begin accepting preorders on Thursday, allowing consumers to pay deposits to lock in discounts and gifts before making final payments on Oct. 20. Douyin has joined the early push through livestream subsidies and platform-wide coupons.
This year’s shopping bonanza is expected to run until Nov. 11 or thereabouts, with promotional intensity peaking between the evening of Nov. 10 and 11.
Industry observers said that the annual shopping bonanza has evolved from a one-day frenzy into a monthlong consumption campaign, reflecting both platform competition and increasingly rational, fragmented consumer behavior.
Hu Qimu, a professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times on Monday that the shift from a one-day shopping frenzy to a longer promotional period has not weakened consumer activity. Instead, it may improve conversion rates, reduce pressure on logistics networks and better support the long-term health of the retail and manufacturing sectors.
“I’m shopping more rationally this year,” said a consumer surnamed Liao in Beijing. “I’ve already joined the pre-sale for items I really need, and I’m comparing prices carefully before placing my final order. I’m not buying just because of the festival — I only purchase what I need.”
Analysts said that the changing format of the festival also reflects a broader transformation in Chinese consumption habits, with shoppers increasingly moving away from “stockpiling” toward more need-based purchases.
“The ‘festival fever’ is not as intense as it was a few years ago,” Hu said, citing two reasons. First, the mechanics of the “Double 11” shopping festival have become mature after years of iteration, leaving little room for disruptive innovation; second, consumers are more rational and no longer concentrate purchases so heavily in a short period.
According to analysts, platforms are experimenting with AI-assisted shopping tools, sometimes described as “AI shopping agents,” to help users compare products and complete purchases more efficiently.
As a national consumption event, Double 11 is widely watched as a window into household spending intentions and broader economic expectations.
“The ‘Double 11’ shopping festival preheat campaign is a concentrated test of consumer confidence,” Hu said. “Platforms are trying to turn short-term promotions into sustained spending momentum.”