China E-commerce Calendar 2024: Key Festivals & Holidays

Published on: January 17, 2024

In the ever-evolving Chinese market, tailoring your marketing strategy to align with the nation’s cultural heartbeat — its festivals and holidays — is crucial for gaining a competitive advantage.

As each significant date on the China e-commerce calendar draws near, there’s a rise in excitement and consumer engagement, both online and offline. This period is a golden window for brands to execute a robust content marketing strategy, building anticipation and awareness. By aligning with the China e-commerce calendar, brands can capitalise on this heightened activity, driving conversions across popular platforms like Tmall and Douyin.

Here is an overview of China’s key e-commerce holidays and festivals, providing strategic insights for each quarter of the year:

Q1 (January-March)'s Marketing Highlights

Lunar New Year (春節 / 新年 / 過年)

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is China’s most significant traditional festival. It is the beginning of the new year based on the lunisolar calendar, which corresponds to February 10^th in 2024.

This festival heralds the change in zodiac signs — 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, following 2023’s Year of the Rabbit. Traditions include red decorations for luck, gifting red envelopes with money (both physically and digitally), family reunions, and for some, especially in Tier-1 cities, international travel.

Marketing strategies should focus on red-themed promotions, limited-edition products, and special collections that resonate with the cultural importance of the Lunar New Year.

Valentine's Day

Though a Western holiday, Valentine’s Day has been fully embraced in China, particularly by Gen Z and Millennials. Brands can target this day with promotions on gifts, luxury items, travel, and romantic experiences.

International Women's Day (國際婦女節 / 三八節)

Marked annually on March 8^th, International Women’s Day holds significant importance in China. While it’s not a public holiday, many businesses observe it by granting half-day leave to their female employees. The day is also marked by the tradition of gifting small presents to women in the workplace. In recent years, Chinese retailers have rebranded the day as “Goddess Day” (女神節) or “Queen’s Day” (女王節), , further highlighting the focus on female consumers.

Moreover, Women’s Day in China is distinguished by extensive product discounts aimed at women. The theme of self-care is heavily emphasised in advertising campaigns during this period, resulting in significant annual sales. This emphasis on self-care resonates deeply with the female demographic, making it an ideal time for brands to enhance their strategies for selling to women in China.

Q2 (April-June)'s Marketing Highlights

520, Internet Valentine’s Day (網路情人節)

The numbers “5-2-0” is phonetically similar to “I love you” in Mandarin, making it a popular day for expressing affection, especially among the younger generation.

Distinct from International Valentine’s Day and Chinese Valentine’s Day (七夕), which are traditionally for established relationships, Internet Valentine’s Day (aka 520) caters more to unspoken affections. Many young people in China find it easier to confess their feelings online, using Chinese social platforms to type “520” as a digital confession of love.

Businesses such as florists, chocolate makers, and brands in jewellery, cosmetics, and fashion have harnessed this online trend, transforming it into an effective marketing strategy to connect with young consumers in China.

618 Shopping Festival (京東618, 618購物節)

Marking the anniversary of JD.com, one of China’s largest e-commerce marketplaces, the 618 Shopping Festival runs from June 1^st to June 18^th. During this period, China’s e-commerce landscape buzzes with large-scale promotions and discounts on trending products.

Other e-commerce giants in China have also begun launching campaigns during this period, making the 618 shopping festival the 2^nd-largest shopping event in China after Singles’ Day. This festival offers a golden opportunity for international brands to tap into the world’s biggest market.

Dragon Boat Festival (端午節)

Celebrated on the 5^th day of the 5^th lunar month (which corresponds to June 10^th in 2024), the Dragon Boat Festival is a time for dragon boat races, eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and engaging in traditional customs. Brands often focus on promoting Chinese culture and history during this period.

Q3 (July-September)'s Marketing Highlights

Qixi Valentine’s Day (七夕節)

Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, is celebrated in the 7^th day of the 7^th lunar month (which corresponds to August 10^th in 2024) and it’s rooted in romantic folklore.

A lot of couples go on romantic getaways and exchange gifts. Brands can capitalize on this by marketing romantic gifts like jewellery, flowers, and chocolates.

8.8 Shopping Festival (8.8國際狂歡節)

Taking place on August 8^th, Alibaba’s 8.8 shopping festival is a 24-hour shopping event on its Tmall Global cross-border platform. Unlike the famous 11.11 Singles’ Day Shopping Festival, which focuses on sales, the 8.8 event is more about increasing awareness of international brands and products within China.

Additionally, Alibaba’s annual 88 Members Festival, coinciding with its 8.8 Shopping Festival, presents an exclusive opportunity for brands to connect with a dedicated audience. This event is marked by unique rewards and promotions, exclusively for Alibaba’s 88VIP club members. It’s a prime occasion for brands to deepen customer loyalty and engagement on Alibaba’s marketplaces, including Tmall.

Teachers’ Day (教師節)

China celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 10^th. While honouring educators is a global practice, China’s version is unique due to its Confucian origin and long historical significance. This day is marked by students showing appreciation to their teachers, offering opportunities for educational and gift-related marketing initiatives.

Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節)

Celebrated on the 15^th day of the 8^th lunar month (in 2024, is on September 17^th), the Mid-Autumn Festival is marked by family reunions, lanterns, and mooncakes.

Brands leverage this festival for marketing, featuring mooncakes, lanterns, and family themes, often the Moon Rabbit for added appeal.

Q4 (October-December)'s Marketing Highlights

China National Day / Golden Week

Celebrated on October 1^st, this day marks the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The following week, known as “Golden Week”, is a peak travel time, impacting e-commerce sales. Brands should plan inventory levels and consumer communication in advance, considering public closures.

Singles’ Day (光棍節 / 雙11)

The world’s largest online shopping festival, Singles’ Day (aka Double 11), traditionally falls on November 11^th but has ballooned into a multi-week event beginning in late October in recent years.

It started as an “anti-Valentine’s Day” for singles, symbolized by the number 1 (11/11). This shopping event consistently breaks sales records and is comparable to Black Friday in the U.S.

Year-end Good Price Festival (年終好價節)

Alibaba’s “Year-End Good Price” festival, starting on December 9^th, is a new large-scale shopping event in 2023 to replace its Double 12 event. It offers brands an extra opportunity to clear their inventory.

Need help with your China marketing strategy?

Incorporating the pivotal dates from the China e-commerce calendar into your marketing strategy is essential for a resonant connection with the Chinese market. This approach not only drives conversions but also significantly enhances brand visibility.

At WPIC Marketing + Technologies, we specialise in providing digital marketing services in China and the APAC region. If you’d like to learn more about how we can accelerate your brand’s growth in China, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

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