China is the fastest-growing country in the world in terms of e-commerce. In fact, China recorded a growth of 44% in 2020. China certainly occupies a large part of the world's e-commerce and is one of the most attractive destinations for large companies and entrepreneurs. The Chinese population is known for its high consumption of products, especially those purchased online. It is therefore quite clear that the Chinese digital market must be taken into account if one wants to reach the highest peak in e-commerce
But when should this great potential be fully realized? In addition to some holidays that also exist in our continent, such as Women's Day, Valentine's Day, Labour Day, and summer sales, you should also keep in mind the Chinese holidays so that you can reach your potential buyers in China. Even Chinese customers can not resist the great discounts offered during the holidays or even on these special days. Therefore, they are much more likely to buy compulsively during the discount period.
You should adapt your marketing strategies to the events and festivals that are typical of China. In this way, you can increase your ROI. To help you plan which period and event is best to plan your marketing campaign in advance, here we list 8 of the most important dates in China
1. Chinese New Year 春节 (22 January 2023)
Unlike Westerners who use the solar calendar, the Chinese use the lunar calendar, so the New Year is celebrated between January and February. Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important event of the entire year. Many people plan weeks in advance to return home to their parents, spend time with family, and most importantly, buy gifts.
2. Dragon Boat Festival 端午（22 June 2023)
The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the life of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese scholar. On this day, people not only eat rice dumplings but also buy gifts for relatives and friends. At this time, Chinese people prefer to give gift cards, and high-tech or luxury products.
3. Qixi Festival 七夕节（22 August 2023)
The Qixi Festival originated in the romantic legend of two lovers, Zhinü the weaver, and Niulang the shepherd. Their love was not allowed, so they were each banished to opposite banks of the Silver River (Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, magpies built a bridge to reunite the two lovers for one day. This is also the reason why it is Chinese Valentine's Day and one of the most important festivals in China. The Qixi festival is becoming another shopping festival. Brands also need to consider this holiday for lovers to increase their sales.
4. Golden Week (01-07 October 2023)
It is the Chinese national holiday, also known as Golden Week. This week is one of the longest holidays in China after the Spring Festival and obviously one of the times when Chinese people consume and buy the most, not to mention how much they spend on travel.
5. Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 (29 September 2023)
3000 years ago, people celebrated the moon in the hope of a good harvest. This gave rise to the so-called Mid-Autumn Festival, which today is also called Mooncake Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is another important holiday spent with loved ones. Families get together, eat the famous mooncakes and other snacks, and even exchange gifts on this occasion.
6. Single’s Day “11.11” (November 11th)
Single's Day, also known as "Double Eleven," is a 24-hour super discount promotion originally launched by Tmall (Alibaba) and adopted by all other major online retailers, such as JD.com. For many years, it has been one of the most popular days among consumers because of the great discounts, and even in Western countries, there are the first digital marketing approaches to this special day.
7. Double 12 Festival (December 12th)
"Double Twelve" on December 12 is simply a continuation of "Double Eleven." It was originally introduced to support smaller sellers on Taobao who were struggling during "Double Eleven" due to heavy competition from the larger brands. Albeit to a lesser extent, this day also quickly became one of the most important days for discount promotions.
8. “618” Mid-Year Shopping Festival (June 18th)
618 is an online shopping festival launched by JD.com to celebrate the platform's birthday. Chinese consumers are obviously attracted during 618 by the numerous discounts that are exceptionally granted on this day and by the possibility of pre-order the products they want. Other major platforms did not miss this new source of revenue and also participated in the event, such as Tmall and Pinduoduo.
To have an effective campaign for the various Chinese holidays, you need to start advertising early so potential buyers know what products are available or being promoted. Planning for holidays is a great way to leverage emotions and create a stronger bond with your target audience. Many brands use the Chinese holidays/dates mentioned above as an opportunity to peak their e-commerce. This is a smart and easy way to show the Chinese that you are considerate of their culture by offering them coupons, vouchers, limited editions of your products and services, etc.
If you want to know more about how to reach your (potential) Chinese customers, if you need support, or even just advice on the different ways to market in China, do not hesitate to contact us! Our professional W4 team will be happy to accompany you on your advertising journey!
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