China’s 618 festival matures beyond the price war
This year's 618 marks a dramatic shift in China's retail strategy—less price-cutting, more platform cooperation, content-driven commerce, and instant retail innovation.
China’s 618 festival moves beyond price wars, shifting focus from pure discounting to ecosystem collaboration, user experience, and platform synergy.
Meituan enters the battlefield, blurring the lines between takeout, flash delivery, and e-commerce.
Xiaohongshu repositions itself as a lifestyle commerce platform, emphasizing user trust and high-quality discovery.
AI tools and immersive content gain traction, reshaping the role of marketing in the retail funnel.
China’s 618 Shopping Festival—launched by JD.com over a decade ago to celebrate its June 18 founding date—has evolved into a national mid-year consumption ritual.
It’s also a pressure test for brands, platforms, and retailers. In recent years, 618 was often synonymous with one thing: lowest prices, at any cost.
But in 2024, under macroeconomic caution and consumer fatigue, this formula reached its limits. This year’s 618 stands out not for how low prices went—but for how much the entire system changed.
Meituan makes its move
For the first time, China’s leading on-demand platform Meituan launched a full-scale 618 campaign, running from May 28 to June 18. Its participation signals a profound blurring between food delivery, flash commerce, and general retail.
The campaign offered platform-wide discount bundles and vouchers, covering categories from hot meals and groceries to premium spirits and electronics. Notably, some 618 liquor prices on Meituan were lower than wholesale market rates, including 1,499 yuan limited-time Moutai offers.
Meituan also focused on user experience: no pre-orders, no final payments, and instant delivery became standard. The platform moved toward a “30-minute fulfillment” model—transforming 618 from a long wait to a real-time gratificationevent.
Results were immediate. Within 24 hours, Meituan’s 618 transactions were double the same period in 2023. Over 800 brands saw flash sales volumes double. Offline retail partners like RT-Mart and Walmart also posted 2x growth via Meituan Flash Delivery. The platform’s pivot redefined what “retail” means—bringing e-commerce closer to the consumer than ever before.
Xiaohongshu steps sideways
While Meituan entered the fray, Xiaohongshu (RedNote) stepped back from the traditional 618 race—at least in its old form. Once seen as a contender to become a standalone e-commerce force through its "buyer commerce" model, Xiaohongshu is now pivoting toward "lifestyle commerce".
The platform tested "buyer livestreaming" with influencers like Dong Jie and Zhang Xiaohui, who captivated audiences with slow, sincere storytelling instead of loud urgency.
Yet, despite this success, RedNote rebranded its core shopping section as the “Friendly Marketplace.” This is no longer a one-off promotion but a new long-term space where users are nudged to discover products aligned with aspirations—not just discounts.
Instead of competing on rock-bottom prices, the Friendly Marketplace offers: