Preparing For The New Year: A China E-Commerce Calendar For 2020

This article was originally released by Retail Touchpoints.

China is set to overtake the US as the world’s largest retail market by the end of this year, and roughly 35% of retail sales come from e-Commerce.

But little do outsiders know that up to 80% of a brand’s annual sales can come from major e-Commerce holidays such as Alibaba’s Singles Day, JD.com’s 618 Festival and traditional holidays like Valentine’s Day.

Here’s a look at China’s e-Commerce holidays and how U.S. brands and retailers can better prepare themselves for the coming year.

Q1: A Slow Start To The New Year

The beginning of the calendar year is oftentimes slow as brands recover from intense China retail campaigns on Singles Day on November 11, Double 12 on December 12 and Christmas. The period leading up to Chinese New Year is often quiet as brands formulate their strategies and budgets for the rest of the year.

Aside from Valentine’s Day, there are some Chinese New Year promotions in which customers purchase snacks and gifts for their families. Only in March do e-Commerce sales begin to rise significantly. Women’s Day on March 8th is a big holiday and all of the leading platforms host promotions for that day, particularly for products such as cosmetics, personal care items and apparel.

Q2: Heating Up, JD.com’s Big Day

May 20th, or 520, is also a popular holiday for couples as the Chinese pronunciation for 520 is an alliteration of the words “I love you” in Mandarin. Think of it as another Valentine’s Day; fashion and beauty products tend to sell well during this time frame.

Then in June you have the second largest e-Commerce festival of the year: JD.com’s 618 Festival. It’s considered a major test for new brands, as results can indicate whether or not they’re ready for Singles Day in November...

Read the full article by visiting Retail Touchpoints.