China's "Double 12" Loses Momentum: Consumer Market and E-Commerce Industry Undergo Transformation

Did you participate in this year's "Double 12"? As the year draws to a close, the "Double 12" shopping festival has kicked off across major e-commerce platforms. However, this year, the once equally prominent counterpart to "Double 11" seems to have lost its former buzz. Notably, Alibaba's Taobao official Weibo account didn’t even post promotional content for "Double 12," leaving Tmall as the sole platform for announcements. From "frenzy" to "cooling off," both the consumer market and the e-commerce industry have reached a new turning point.

**A More Rational Consumer Market** Taobao and Tmall began their pre-sale promotions on December 6, with official sales starting on December 8. JD.com also launched its "Double 12" pre-sale period on December 6, while Douyin and Kuaishou initiated their "Year-End Shopping Festival" on December 3, covering both "Double 12" and New Year’s promotions.

Yet, on social media, complaints about "Double 12" far outweigh the usual order-sharing posts. Many consumers noticed that prices in their carts had risen instead of dropping. While a few managed to snag deals by stacking membership coupons or pre-loading credits, the convoluted rules deterred most. One netizen commented, "If you don’t want to run promotions, just skip them. Constantly changing prices—who has the energy to figure it all out?" This sentiment perfectly captures the shift from anticipation to exhaustion among shoppers.

Industry experts point out that the declining hype around "Double 12" is now a consensus. Following the massive "Double 11" sales, both sellers and consumers experience fatigue. Originally designed for Taobao's smaller merchants, "Double 12" is now sandwiched between "Double 11" and the New Year and Lunar New Year holidays, naturally reducing its momentum.

From the consumer perspective, year-round promotions have diluted the appeal of shopping festivals. Coupled with growing skepticism toward pricing tactics, rational consumption has taken hold. Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, show little enthusiasm for traditional shopping events, prioritizing necessity and quality instead.

**From Festival-Driven to Everyday Commerce** In response to consumers’ rationalized spending habits, major e-commerce platforms are quietly shifting strategies—moving beyond "low-price promotions" toward "scenario-based services." While "Double 12" initially relied on discounts to attract shoppers, its role has evolved into a mix of "year-end clearance" and "lifestyle coverage" as promotions become routine.

In recent years, platforms have increasingly emphasized cultivating habits like "buy anytime, save instantly." Taobao and JD.com now focus on daily livestream sales and instant retail, while Pinduoduo undermines festival-specific value with its "everyday low prices" approach. Douyin and Xiaohongshu have even explicitly de-emphasized discounts, opting instead to enhance content-driven shopping experiences.

**E-Commerce Competition Enters a New Phase** This year, "Double 12" has faded as a standalone shopping event, yet its role as a year-end marketing fixture remains. However, promotions are a double-edged sword for platforms and merchants—excessive discounting can erode brand value. Moving forward, e-commerce platforms must innovate services to offer convenient, engaging activities that align with the new retail landscape.

The future of e-commerce competition will likely shift to more complex dimensions: How to better connect consumers with products, deliver seamless real-life services, and create emotional value beyond pricing.