Tmall Releases 2025 618 Presale Report

This year’s 618 has launched earlier than ever, as China’s major e-commerce platforms race to recapture consumer attention in a market increasingly defined by caution, fatigue, and practical spending.

Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin all kicked off their presale events on May 13—five days earlier than last year—signaling a shift in tempo from all sides of the ecosystem. But in today’s promotional climate, first-mover advantage is no longer a sure bet. Presale data now serves as an essential compass, giving platforms and brands time to refine their messaging before the final sales push.

In beauty, the landscape is once again being reshaped. According to Tmall’s four-hour leaderboard, Proya, L’Oréal Paris, and Comfy led the pack, with Lancôme slipping and SkinCeuticals holding steady. Local brands like Maogeping and Co-Signal—a Jinbo-backed brand founded just last year—made their debut in the top 20, showing the potential of newer, niche Chinese players.

Meanwhile, the sportswear category saw dramatic momentum shifts. Brands like lululemon, SALOMON, and On Running recorded triple-digit year-over-year growth in just the first hour, driven by demand for performance and outdoor gear. These surges reflect not only rising fitness trends but a growing appetite for lifestyle products with technical appeal.

On the livestreaming front, Li Jiaqi remains the undisputed king. His opening-night stream alone brought in an estimated RMB 2.5 to 3.5 billion in GMV, featuring 385 beauty SKUs from 145 brands. The top performers ranged from skincare to footwear, reinforcing beauty as the event’s core sales engine.

But this year’s biggest shift may be structural. Platforms have finally responded to years of consumer complaints about confusing mechanics. Tmall’s new function lets users reserve hot items and gives brands more time to fulfill orders—an elegant fix to inventory headaches. Discounts are also more direct: Tmall is offering 8.5% off across categories, JD is pushing cross-store reductions, and Douyin is granting users up to RMB 450 in stackable vouchers.

After two years of overcomplicated strategies and underwhelming results, 618 is returning to its essence: delivering simple, tangible value. And in doing so, platforms are once again proving that when infrastructure meets empathy, everyone wins.