China 618 Shopping Festival Sales Growth Slows to 4% from 15.2% Year Prior
China's 618 online shopping festival sales grew 4% year-over-year to 934 billion yuan from May 13 to June 18, down sharply from 15.2% growth in the prior year, as household consumption remains weak despite export strength [1].
China's 618 online shopping festival recorded total sales of 934 billion yuan ($137.86 billion) from May 13 to June 18, growing 4% year-over-year, a sharp deceleration from the 15.2% growth reported during the same festival in 2025, according to retail data firm Syntun [1]. The slowdown marks the latest sign that household spending remains a weak point in China's economy, with May retail sales falling 0.6% year-over-year — the first decline since the country emerged from pandemic restrictions in 2022 [1].
Alibaba's Tmall led sales among e-commerce platforms, followed by .com and ByteDance's Douyin, though the segment posted only 0.9% sales growth [1]. Secondhand electronics platform ATRenew reported sales of preowned products grew nearly 80% during the shopping period, highlighting demand for lower-cost goods [1]. The shift contrasts with last year's 400% subsidy-driven growth in home appliance sales during the festival, while this year saw surging demand for home cleaning services instead, according to WPIC CEO Jacob Cooke citing .com figures [1].
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