Summary
China’s 618 shopping festival in 2026 shows consumers shifting from bulk stockpiling to rational, quality-focused purchasing, with express delivery data revealing wave-like order patterns rather than a single peak. Categories such as fashion apparel, light outdoor gear, maternity and baby skincare, and pet food saw strong growth, while daily necessities, traditional FMCG, and mid-to-low-end cosmetics declined. E-commerce operators report lower return rates as impulse buying decreases and on-demand purchasing via quick commerce becomes mainstream.
Summary in Chinese
2026年618购物节数据显示，消费者正从囤货转向理性品质消费，快递数据呈现波段式订单变化而非单一高峰。时尚服饰、轻量户外、母婴护肤和宠物食品等品类增长显著，而日用品、传统快消和中低端彩妆出现下滑。电商运营商反映，随着冲动消费减少和即时零售兴起，退货率有所降低。
Comment
The structural shift away from panic-buying and towards considered, quality-driven purchases has direct implications for New Zealand brands selling into China via cross-border e-commerce. Products that occupy a clear functional niche — premium health supplements, specialised skincare, or high-quality single-ingredient food items — are more likely to gain traction than commodity-grade offerings competing purely on price. NZ exporters should also factor in the wave-pattern logistics: rather than betting on a single sales spike, building consistent availability across the promotional period may yield better sell-through results and reduce warehousing pressure.
Comment in Chinese
从恐慌性囤货向品质驱动型理性消费的结构性转变，对通过跨境电商进入中国的新西兰品牌具有直接影响。具有明确功能定位的产品——优质健康补充剂、专业护肤品或高品质单一成分食品——比纯粹以价格竞争的大宗商品更容易获得市场青睐。新西兰出口商还应考虑波段式物流模式：与其押注单一销售峰值，不如在促销期内保持稳定供货，这可能带来更好的销售转化率并减轻仓储压力。
Photo by Negative Space on Unsplash
Source: 第一财经 (Yicai)
Disclaimer / 免责声明：This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, trade, or investment advice. / 本文仅供参考，不构成法律、贸易或投资建议。