JD.com, Tmall break 618 shopping festival records

What happened Chinese e-commerce platforms JD.com and Tmall achieved tremendous sales over this year’s 618 shopping festival. JD.com saw record-breaking performance, with more than 2.2 billion orders and doubling its number of active buyers compared to last year. The JD app recorded its highest-ever daily active user count. While electronics and home appliances continued to dominate, categories such as beauty, fashion, and everyday goods posted the fastest growth. JD.com also reported a 285% jump in livestreaming sales and reported significant increases in offline purchases across over a million physical stores. Alibaba’s Tmall platform also hit new milestones during this year’s campaign. A total of 453 brands surpassed 100 million RMB ($13.8 million) in sales by June 18, up 24% from 2024. Leading brands included Apple, Huawei, Midea, L'Oréal, Proya, Xiaomi, and Nike. The platform’s premium membership base, 88VIP, grew beyond 50 million, with overall brand membership expanding 15%. Spending among its members was nearly twice the platform average. The Jing Take As Jing Daily has reported, China’s e-commerce platforms are playing by new rules for this year’s 618: With updated pricing models, simplified platform policies, and stronger links between content and commerce, 2025’s edition represents a major strategic overhaul. Launching a full week earlier than in 2024 and spanning nearly 40 days, this year’s 618 is the longest to date and characterized by greater efficiency and more variety. According to Jacob Cooke, founder and CEO of China-based marketing agency WPIC Marketing and Technologies, this year's highly successful 618 sales initially took off with a slower start: “The early start time caught many consumers by surprise. However, the extended sales window ultimately gave consumers more time to browse, compare, and ultimately convert,” which is especially important for larger-ticket items, he explained. “Platforms simplified their discounting mechanisms, moving away from complex cross-store couponing toward clearer, direct discounts, which improved engagement and conversion rates,” said Cooke. JD’s logistics arm enabled same-day delivery even in remote areas, and its new on-demand platform handled over 25 million daily orders. Globally, JD expanded its reach to 36 countries, while also supporting rural industries through partnerships with 100-plus agricultural zones. The campaign showcased JD’s supply chain strength and seamless integration across online, offline, and global retail. In Tmall’s case, government subsidies boosted demand, especially in home appliances and consumer electronics, driving over 9,200 brands to double sales versus 2024. Tmall led the market with a 45.3% share in home categories and 45.5% in electronics. Livestreaming also surged, with 81 live rooms exceeding 10 million RMB in sales. Beauty, apparel, and sportswear all posted strong gains. High-end beauty saw triple-digit growth for brands like Valentino Beauty, while local labels such as Shuangmei and Maogeping surged. Meanwhile in fashion, over 50 brands including Uniqlo and Zara topped 100 million RMB; and emerging Chinese bag brands like Songmont broke through. Sportswear grew over 50%, with niche sports like pickleball growing over 1,100%. Other fast-growing sectors included toys, jewelry, pet supplies, and alcohol. Overseas brands also gained traction, with 14 surpassing 100 million RMB, led by Nintendo, Swisse, and Crocs. New product launches played a major role, with sales up 153% and over 500 items exceeding 10 million RMB ($1.38 million) in revenue. Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall have also moved away from the complicated cross-store discount systems seen in past years, opting instead for straightforward, across-the-board price cuts. Loyalty programs like Tmall’s 88VIP were also major growth drivers, said WPIC’s Cooke. “88VIP-exclusive promotions helped brands tap into the cohort of high-spending consumers who account for a significant share of sales,” he said. “The government’s trade-in scheme also significantly boosted volume in white goods categories like appliances and consumer electronics, helping offset weakness in the property sector.” The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

JD.com, Tmall break 618 shopping festival records

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Published June 19, 2025

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JD.com, Tmall break 618 shopping festival records