Every June, Chinese ecommerce grinds to a halt for one event: 618. If you sell into China or plan to, you have probably heard the number quoted without much explanation of where it came from or why it now sits alongside Double 11 as one of the two pillars of the Chinese sales calendar. This short spotlight fills that gap and gives first-time participants a few practical pointers.
Where 618 came from
The date 618 (18 June) marks JD.com’s founding anniversary. What started as an internal celebration turned into a promotional push, and JD used the date to clear stock and reward loyal shoppers. Alibaba noticed the traffic JD was pulling in and joined the date with its own Tmall promotions. Within a few years, 618 stopped being a single-platform anniversary sale and became a dual Tmall/JD event, with other platforms such as Pinduoduo and Douyin following. That history matters for brands: 618 is not one campaign to plan, it is at least two platform platforms running in parallel, each with its own rules, traffic mechanics and promotional calendar.
Four things a first-time 618 seller should know
Pre-sale deposits work differently than a normal discount. Shoppers pay a small, non-refundable deposit weeks ahead of 618, then settle the balance during the official sale window to enable the full discount. For a brand, this means orders and cash come in two waves rather than one, and your customer service team needs a clear script for shoppers asking about deposit terms.
The prep window is shorter than Double 11. Double 11 planning typically starts two to three months out. 618 planning often starts in April, sometimes later, which leaves less time to forecast demand and secure stock. Brands that treat 618 with a Double 11 timeline frequently run into stockouts mid-sale, which damages both revenue and store ranking, since Chinese platforms penalise listings that go out of stock during a promotion.
Father’s Day sits inside the same window. Father’s Day in China falls in mid-June, close enough to 618 that many brands run combined campaigns. A small gifting angle, a bundle, or a dedicated landing page can capture extra intent without building a second campaign from scratch.
Start smaller and confirm logistics early. First-time participants do better entering 618 with a tighter product list and confirmed fulfilment capacity than with a broad catalogue and untested logistics. A short, well-stocked campaign outperforms a wide one that runs out of inventory on day two.
For the full breakdown of 2026 sales data, Austin Li’s role in the festival, and a complete brand checklist, see our 618 Shopping Festival 2026 guide.
Harry Huang works with international brands entering Chinese ecommerce platforms, helping them plan store operations, promotional calendars and cross-border logistics for major sales events. He has guided teams through several 618 and Double 11 cycles, with a focus on realistic, well-stocked campaigns rather than broad, under-resourced ones.
Planning your first 618 campaign? Get in touch with our team for a practical readiness check before the sale window opens.
