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Summary of article:
The popularity of Double 11 has declined significantly in China, with consumers turning to on-demand shopping and merchants experiencing greater operational pressure due to generalized promotions and intense competition.
Lots of sugar today (11th)e-commerce The platform’s “Double 11” shopping festival schedule. With the normalization of e-commerce promotions, some consumers no longer wait for Double 11 to purchase, and gradually move from stock accumulation to on-demand purchasing. Some Chinese office workers said that there are usually many discounts and the Double 11 discount rules are complicated, so they are too lazy to study and simply don’t buy it. operated oncetaobao People in the store also said that now there are promotions almost all year round and Double 11 is no longer attractive in price.
“I didn’t buy anything this time, and I didn’t even stock up on goods,” Ms Lu, an office worker in Shanghai, told reporters. He believes that the popularity of Double 11 has decreased significantly this year and there are very few people to discuss it. There are usually many discounts on e-commerce platforms, and the event also requires deposit amount, balance and full discount calculation, making her too lazy to spend time researching.
Ms. Lu said that during the Double 11 period in the past, e-commerce platforms were filled with advertisements, but this year she felt that there were fewer advertisements. “I’m not sure it’s just a personal feeling.” He also mentioned that a colleague received an AI marketing call from Li Jiaqi’s team today (on the 11th), asking the colleague to joke and ask, “Is the business situation so bad now?”
Mr. Cui, a Shanghai resident who once privately ran a Taobao store, said that in the early days, the e-commerce market continued to expand, and it was easier for Taobao merchants to get traffic and orders. Later, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu and other platforms joined the market, and the market traffic gradually expanded and merchant competition became more intense.
Mr. Cui pointed out that in the past, merchants participated in Double 11 promotions mainly to gain platform traffic and exposure opportunities. If they did not participate in the program, their products may be buried in search results. However, for merchants whose profits are not high, promotions may require lowering prices, and they may even lose every sale; Some merchants still accumulate data such as transactions, collections, and additional purchases, and choose to participate even if there is a short-term loss.
He said e-commerce platforms now often launch promotions that are as powerful as Double 11. Consumers do not have to wait this long to place an order. As an example he took purchases during the moving period. He usually makes a purchase when he comes across an event or coupon. He then compares the prices on Double 11 and finds that there is not much difference from before. He described, “There are 180 festivals out of 365 days in a year, so will you realize it when you encounter another festival?” Double 11 loses its uniqueness due to frequent promotions.
In addition to generalizing promotions, Mr. Cui pointed out that consumers should also keep an eye on product prices, study live broadcast room coupons and discounts on various platforms to find out whether it is a good deal or not. It’s not worth wasting time comparing prices just to save a few dollars. “Many people don’t want to waste their brains, and I don’t have these few dollars.” Earlier, people used to take advantage of Double 11 to buy large quantities of daily necessities, food, etc., but now they only buy when they are used up to avoid wastage caused by excessive hoarding. He buys everyday essentials himself and also opts for Sam’s Club and other channels.
Jimian News mentioned on the 11th that Double 11 is still an important consumption node in China, but consumers no longer intensively wait for annual discounts, and merchants are also facing market development differentiation and operational pressure. According to a report released by Bain and Nuruto Consumer Index in June this year, in 2025, sales of fast-moving consumer goods in China’s urban areas will increase by 3.6% annually, the average selling price will decrease by 2.6%, and total expenditure will increase by only 0.9%; In the first quarter of 2026, consumers will manage their budgets by reducing purchase quantities and choosing products with higher cost-effectiveness.
Summary FAQ
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Because e-commerce platforms often offer discounts on weekdays, Double 11 is no longer the only time for major sales. In addition, the discount rules are complicated, and many consumers feel that it takes time and is not necessarily cheap, so they no longer deliberately wait.
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Before, I used to take advantage of Double 11 to stock up on items, but now I prefer to buy what I need and buy when I’m done, and place my orders during weekday events or when I’m collecting coupons, just to save a little money and avoid wasting a lot of time comparing prices.
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Merchants participate in events mainly to gain platform traffic and exposure, otherwise the products will easily sink. However, promotions usually require significant price reductions, which can result in a loss of sales for less-profitable stores.
