E-Commerce Heavyweights Turn Up Heat with Monthslong “Double 11” Blitz
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“Double 11,” also known in China as “Singles Day,” has become a key gauge of consumer confidence
China’s major e-commerce platforms are extending the country’s signature shopping event to more than a month in a fierce battle for consumer attention amid cautious spending.
Kuaishou Technology Co. kicked off this year’s “Double 11” shopping festival on Oct. 7 — three days earlier than last year — marking the earliest launch on record. JD.com Inc. and Xiaohongshu followed, while Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s Tmall and ByteDance Ltd.’s Douyin started their campaigns on Oct. 15 and Oct. 9, respectively. The staggered timelines reflect a competitive push by platforms to secure early consumer engagement for what is now the world’s largest online shopping event.
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- China’s major e-commerce platforms extended the 2023 “Double 11” shopping festival to over a month, with early launches and aggressive discounts amid cautious consumer spending.
- Alibaba’s Tmall offered a record 50 billion yuan ($6 billion) in vouchers and leveraged AI for better coupon conversion; JD.com, Douyin, and Kuaishou rolled out major subsidies and discounts.
- Initial results: Tmall saw 35 brands hit 100 million yuan in presale, JD.com’s electronics orders rose 70% YoY, and Douyin’s 100 million yuan sellers grew 800%.
AI generated, for reference only
Who’s Who
- Kuaishou Technology Co.
- Kuaishou Technology Co. initiated its "Double 11" shopping festival on October 7, the earliest launch on record. It plans to allocate 2 billion yuan in user subsidies and 1 billion yuan in product subsidies, demonstrating an aggressive push to engage consumers during the extended shopping event.
- JD.com Inc.
- JD.com Inc. launched its "Double 11" shopping festival campaign following Kuaishou. The platform is emphasizing "good and cheap" messaging, offering simplified, direct discounts on in-stock items ready for immediate shipment. By noon on October 14, JD.com reported a 70% year-over-year increase in electronics orders, with significant surges in AI-driven device sales.
- Xiaohongshu
- Xiaohongshu, an e-commerce platform, launched its "Double 11" shopping festival campaign on October 10th. Unlike other platforms focusing on price wars, Xiaohongshu emphasizes product quality, with its slogan "making good products sell better." This strategy appears to be gaining traction, as shopper traffic on the platform increased by 77% in the first 48 hours of the event.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s Tmall launched its "Double 11" shopping festival on October 15. The e-commerce giant is offering significant promotions, including automatic 15% discounts, stackable digital coupons, and plans to distribute 50 billion yuan ($6 billion) in consumer vouchers. Alibaba is also focusing on its 88VIP program, with 53 million high-value members considered a core growth driver.
- Tmall
- Tmall, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s platform, launched its "Double 11" campaign on October 15. It's offering the "best prices of the year," including an automatic 15% discount, stackable digital coupons, and 50 billion yuan in consumer vouchers. Tmall also collaborates with Taobao Flash for same-day delivery and leverages an AI-powered "Smart Subsidy Engine" to improve coupon conversion rates by 15%.
- ByteDance Ltd.
- ByteDance Ltd., owner of Douyin, initiated its "Double 11" shopping festival campaign on October 9th. Douyin is offering instant discounts of at least 15% and providing broader support to merchants, including waived commissions and cash incentives, as part of the extended multi-month event. The company reported an 800% surge in brands achieving over 100 million yuan in sales on the first day, and a 75% year-on-year increase in merchants seeing income gains.
- Douyin
- Douyin, a platform operated by ByteDance Ltd., began its "Double 11" shopping festival campaign on October 9. It is offering instant discounts of at least 15% and providing extensive merchant support, including waived commissions and cash incentives. On the first day of the event, Douyin reported a 75% year-on-year increase in merchants with income gains and an 800% surge in brands achieving over 100 million yuan in sales.
- Taobao Flash
- Taobao Flash is Alibaba's instant retail division. It collaborates with Tmall to facilitate same-day delivery from flagship stores during shopping festivals like "Double 11." On its opening day, Taobao Flash experienced a remarkable 670% surge in orders from supermarkets and convenience stores.
- Meituan
- Meituan, a major food delivery platform, has not yet confirmed its participation in this year's "Double 11" shopping festival. However, it did join the midyear "618" sales event.
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What Happened When
- Oct. 7, 2025：
- Kuaishou Technology Co. kicked off the 'Double 11' shopping festival, marking the earliest launch on record.
- Oct. 7, 2025：
- Taobao Flash reported a 670% surge in orders from supermarkets and convenience stores on its opening day.
- Within the first hour after Oct. 7, 2025：
- Tmall reported 35 brands surpassed 100 million yuan in GMV and 1,802 brands doubled their sales from a year earlier.
- Between Oct. 7, 2025 and Oct. 9, 2025：
- On Xiaohongshu, shopper traffic rose 77% in the first 48 hours.
- Oct. 9, 2025：
- Douyin (ByteDance Ltd.) started its Double 11 campaign.
- Oct. 9, 2025：
- Douyin reported a 75% year-on-year rise in merchants posting income gains on the first day, and a number of brands with sales topping 100 million yuan surged by 800%.
- By noon on Oct. 14, 2025：
- JD.com logged more than a 70% year-over-year increase in electronics orders.
- Oct. 15, 2025：
- Tmall (Alibaba Group) started its Double 11 campaign.
AI generated, for reference only
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