E-commerce Weekly: Double 11 Campaigns Kick Off; WeChat Launches Short-Drama Platform; Sanzang Sheep Nears Comeback

Platform Moves

Alibaba

1. Tmall Double 11 Unveils AI and Flagship Stores as Key Themes at Launch Event

At the 2026 Tmall Double 11 Global Shopping Festival launch, the company revealed that this year's event features 1 million global brands and 72 million products, both setting new records. Jia Luo, President of Tmall, stated that Taobao and Tmall will fully leverage AI capabilities to move forward with brands, embracing the new Double 11 and a new era of consumption. AI and flagship stores are the two defining keywords for this year's event. Jia noted, "No matter how times change, business stems from users and their needs. AI's greatest value lies in its deeper, more long-term understanding of consumer needs—before consumers even think of it, you've already prepared it. Shifting from meeting needs to creating needs is the true core competitiveness of brands. Taobao and Tmall's AI capabilities are continuously upgrading, and Tmall flagship stores remain the primary business hub for brands today, as well as the main arena for embracing AI and seizing future opportunities." During this year's Double 11, brands are offering 50,000 mega-hit products and 2,000 exclusive "surprise gift box" items available only on Tmall. Additionally, 60,000 new merchants are participating in Double 11 for the first time. The platform will also help brands integrate their official flagship stores with offline outlets, delivering a blended online-offline experience. Furthermore, over 100 million imported products from more than 80 countries and regions have been stocked across Tmall Global's 100-plus warehouses in bonded zones and overseas locations.

2. 1688 Integrates with AI E-Commerce Workbench Accio Ahead of Double 11

Alibaba's digital supply chain platform, 1688, has announced integration with Accio, a global AI e-commerce workbench. This move gives over 100 million annual active buyers and more than 1 million upstream manufacturers direct access. Buyers can use Accio for procurement and manage their cross-platform business via the "E-Commerce Assistant" agent, while sellers can manage their 1688 stores through Accio's one-stop interface. This integration helps small and medium-sized merchants keep pace with Double 11 using AI tools. Accio has introduced two key features: the "Procurement Assistant," which covers both 1688 and Alibaba International Station, allowing buyers in 128 countries and regions to find suppliers, compare prices, and send inquiries; and the "E-Commerce Assistant," which connects major domestic platforms like Taobao, Tmall, Douyin, Pinduoduo, and JD.com, enabling procurement and store operations to be managed seamlessly within a single workbench without switching between platforms.

JD.com

1. JD.com Doubles Down on Service Consumption Beyond Low Prices for Double 11

This Double 11, JD.com is focusing not only on affordable goods but also on expanding service offerings. At the 2026 JD.com Double 11 kickoff, the company showcased a lifestyle service ecosystem covering home, travel, and health, alongside promotional tactics like direct price cuts, multi-buy rebates, and live-streaming. It also introduced "Super Service Day," highlighting services such as housekeeping, elderly care, pet care, and auto repair. Last year's Double 11 saw JD.com's housekeeping transaction value grow fourfold year-over-year during certain periods. This year, JD.com is consolidating services across a more unified framework: using Super Service Day and 15 key service categories to push services to consumers, and standardizing pricing, fulfillment, and after-sales standards to reduce uncertainty in service consumption. Meanwhile, JD.com has upgraded its low-price screening mechanism for products, introduced cross-category cumulative rebates, and expanded content ecosystems like live-streaming and short videos.

2. JD.com Moves Officially Launches in Six Major Cities

JD.com Moves has officially debuted in Chengdu, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Qingdao, and Xi'an, following earlier expansions in September across cities like Hangzhou, Tianjin, and Shenzhen. JD.com Moves now provides one-stop moving services for household consumers in 12 major cities nationwide.

3. JD.com Discount Supermarkets Accelerate Expansion in Hebei, Anhui, and Jiangsu; Tangshan Store Opens Oct 30

JD.com Discount Supermarkets are entering a rapid rollout phase in North and East China, with the first Tangshan store in Hebei set to open on October 30. Five additional stores—first locations in Chuzhou (Anhui), Xuzhou (Jiangsu), Hengshui (Hebei), and two in Handan (Hebei)—are confirmed and expected to open within the year. During the recent National Day holiday, foot traffic across JD.com Discount Supermarket stores nationwide reached nearly 1.8 million visits.

Pinduoduo

1. Pinduoduo Unveils Double 11 Playbook with 'Promo War Room' for Merchants

Pinduoduo's 2026 Double 11 is set to begin on October 15 and run through November 30. To simplify participation, Pinduoduo has created a "Promo War Room" offering centralized functions like activity registration, performance data queries, rights recovery, and delisting alerts. Invited brand flagship stores can access a dedicated registration channel for easier entry. Pinduoduo has also introduced exclusive "flood links" for select brand stores, allowing qualified merchants to enroll with relaxed criteria and gain traffic and subsidy benefits. The platform requires items marked with promotional badges to offer "price-drop compensation"—if merchants lower prices within the price protection period after a successful group purchase, consumers can claim refunds for the difference. Additionally, Pinduoduo will offer large-value discount coupons during Double 11, free for merchants to opt into.

2. Pinduoduo Adjusts Category Deposit Requirements, Raising Mobile SIM Cards from 100K to 150K Yuan

Pinduoduo has released an updated "Deposit Rules," effective October 24. Under the new rules, merchants selling specific products must pay a special deposit in addition to the standard store deposit. Adjustments affect categories including mobile SIM cards, gaming accounts and boosting services, live performances, education, and training. Some existing categories have higher deposit thresholds, while others are now tiered based on transaction volume over the past 30 days. For example, mobile SIM cards in online stores see special deposits rise from 100,000 to 150,000 yuan—a 50% increase. Gaming services/live streaming, previously set at 40,000 yuan flat, are now tiered: merchants with 30-day transaction volumes between 50,000 and 150,000 yuan face an additional 20,000 yuan; 150,000 to 500,000 yuan, an extra 50,000 yuan; and volumes above 500,000 yuan, an extra 100,000 yuan, with the top tier up 250% from the original standard.

ByteDance

1. Douyin Double 11 Day-One Results: New Products Exceeding Million in Sales Up 111% YoY

Douyin e-commerce kicked off Double 11 on October 15. According to platform data, the number of creators surpassing one million yuan in sales for the first time this year grew 30% year-over-year, and first-time merchants breaking the million-yuan mark rose 74%. On launch day, merchants using product cards to exceed one million yuan in sales increased 103% YoY, search-driven sales over one million yuan grew 111%, and new products surpassing one million yuan rose 111%. By sector, apparel, beauty and personal care, and fast-moving/non-durable consumer goods saw strong growth: pet supplies merchants' sales rose 129% YoY, farm produce and fresh food merchants exceeding one million yuan grew 205%, apparel merchants surpassing ten million yuan grew 69%, non-durable goods brands breaking 100 million yuan grew 120%, and FMCG merchants exceeding ten million yuan grew 223%. The campaign calendar shows Douyin e-commerce Double 11 starting October 15, with the "Opening Spike" phase from October 15–18 (all-category spot inventory). The second phase from October 19 to November 6 will feature sustained platform support, focusing on spot days (October 24–25, October 31–November 1) and category-specific promotions. The final "Carnival" phase from November 7–11 will drive cross-category peak sales.

2. Double 11 Brings Back Top Livestreamer; Sanzang Sheep Receives Approval to Resume Operations on Douyin

Douyin has announced that, based on the Hefei Market Supervision Administration's review of rectification efforts by Hefei Sanzang Sheep Network Technology Co., Ltd., the company has met compliance requirements and is eligible to resume operations. In accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and platform rules, and with regulatory approval, Douyin will allow Sanzang Sheep to cancel its original accounts, register new ones, publish content, and restart business. In September 2024, Douyin suspended broadcasting for Sanzang Sheep's accounts, citing violations of laws and platform rules, and urged rectification and consumer after-sales compensation. Throughout 2025, Sanzang Sheep's streamers—Qiao Mei, Lao K, and Zui Ge—along with the official "Xiaoyang Zhenxuan" account, have resumed selling on Douyin, with third-party data showing per-session sales under 500,000 yuan. However, anchors Crazy Dayang Ge and Xiao Yang Ge themselves have not returned to live streaming. Currently, the "Xiaoyang Zhenxuan" Douyin account remains restricted from following, with 8.85 million followers.

Tencent

1. Tencent Quietly Launches 'Green Bubble' Short-Drama Platform on WeChat

Tencent has discreetly launched "Green Bubble Short Dramas," a mini-program embedded in WeChat rather than a standalone app, promoting "Free good dramas, one tap to watch." Compared to Red Fruit Short Dramas, Green Bubble emphasizes social features. Alongside standard ranking lists, the homepage features "Friends Are Watching" recommendations and a region-based hot list, such as "What Beijing users are watching." Tencent states that, to deliver personalized content, it collects user browsing, viewing, sharing, liking, commenting, and favoriting records, as well as shows viewed by friends. After algorithmic analysis, the platform predicts user preferences, with friends' viewing activity directly influencing recommendations.

Vipshop

1. Vipshop Launches Self-Developed AI Shopping Assistant 'AI Xiaowei'

Vipshop has launched "AI Xiaowei," an AI assistant developed by its large model team, supporting text and voice interactions to help users find products, check promotions, and inquire about discounts. Concurrently, Vipshop is aggressively hiring for core large-model roles, including Head of Post-Training, Head of LLM Data Compliance, and Head of LLM SFT Text Data, with monthly salaries ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 yuan (annual 600,000–960,000 yuan), aiming to boost team expertise and accelerate development.

Brand News

1. Pop Mart Reports H1 Revenue of 17.173 Billion Yuan, Net Profit of 5.038 Billion Yuan

According to Pop Mart's 2026 interim results, the company posted revenue of 17.173 billion yuan and net profit attributable to shareholders of 5.038 billion yuan for H1 2026. By IP, THE MONSTERS series generated approximately 4.454 billion yuan in revenue, down from 4.814 billion yuan in the same period last year, while Starry Man series jumped from 389 million yuan to 2.65 billion yuan year-over-year, indicating fluctuations across IP portfolios. Overseas revenue reached 4.972 billion yuan in H1, down 11.1% YoY, with the Americas seeing a 16.5% decline. Offline channel revenue continued to grow, but online channel revenue fell 45.6% YoY, showing divergent trends across overseas channels.

2. Chagee Sends Internal Thank-You Letter; Distributes 13.5 Million Yuan in Employee Rewards

Chagee celebrated its global brand ambassador Zheng Qinwen's China Open victory with a "buy one, get one free" storewide promotion, leading to nationwide store sellouts and online comments expressing concern about frontline staff's intense workload. An insider close to the company said Chagee has issued an internal thank-you letter to all stores, announcing 13.5 million yuan in special rewards: 3.5 million yuan allocated as "team building funds" and 10 million yuan as "partner incentive red packets," all to be distributed to store employees involved in the promotion as soon as possible.

3. Dingdong Maicai's Private Label 'You Dou Zhi' Surpasses 1.5 Billion Yuan in Cumulative Sales

Dingdong Maicai's private label tofu brand, "You Dou Zhi," has announced two strategic moves: a tripartite agreement with Longwei Foods and Beidahuang Group's Nenjiang Farm in Heilongjiang to co-plant 50,000 mu of soybeans, expected to yield 10,000 tons; and the start of production at its newly invested Ningbo factory. Since its launch over five years ago, You Dou Zhi has accumulated sales exceeding 1.5 billion yuan, with annual sales growing 20% YoY.

4. Tesla Launches Children's Balance Bike in China

On October 15, Tesla's China online store began selling a balance bike for children aged 2-6 (feet push off the ground to glide), priced at 1,399 yuan, with a sleek, recognizable design. A Tesla customer service representative told media that the two-wheeled bike is now open for pre-order, with shipping expected by October 28. The bike features a lightweight magnesium alloy frame, a seat with 5 height adjustments, a net weight of 5.6 kg, a recommended load up to 30 kg (max 35 kg), suitable for heights 85–120 cm and a minimum leg length of 35 cm. The handlebars include a steering angle limiter to prevent tipping from excessive turns.

5. Uniqlo Parent Fast Retailing Posts 31.7% Operating Profit Growth in FY2026, Fifth Straight Record

Fast Retailing, parent of Uniqlo, reported FY2026 results (ending August 31, 2026) with revenue of 3.9633 trillion yen, up 16.6% YoY, and operating profit of 743.1 billion yen, up 31.7%, marking a fifth consecutive annual record, while net profit also hit a sixth straight record. Based on sales, Fast Retailing is poised to overtake H&M and become the world's second-largest apparel retailer, trailing only Inditex.

6. IKEA Launches Official Douyin Flagship Store

IKEA has launched its official flagship store on Douyin, offering 179 categories and over 6,500 home furnishing products, with delivery covering 301 cities across China. The move is part of IKEA China's "Growth" strategy to enhance its omnichannel ecosystem, integrating content, inspiration, and shopping to help consumers discover home ideas and complete purchases more conveniently.

7. Sam's Club Updates Membership Rules, Plans to Restrict Companion Card Binding

Sam's Club is proposing updates to its "Sam's Club Membership Terms" and seeking public feedback. The draft adds a rule: within every 365 days from the initial activation of a companion card, the real-name identity linked to that card can only be used to activate companion cards for two individual primary members, and only one at a time. If no changes are made after the comment period, the new rule is slated to take effect on October 16, 2026.

Other Intelligence

1. Seven Ministries to Correct Unfair Competition Like Auto Price-Matching and 'Lowest Price on the Web' by E-Commerce Platforms

The Ministry of Commerce and six other departments have issued a notice on implementing the "Five Excellence" initiative for quality e-commerce. It calls for coordinated crackdowns on disorderly and irrational competition, including correcting e-commerce platform practices like "auto price-matching" and "national lowest price" claims. It also aims to regulate platform commission fees and merchant ratings to avoid squeezing quality merchants' margins, crack down on fake transactions and review manipulation, and establish communication mechanisms between e-commerce platforms and small/mid-sized merchants to resolve operational bottlenecks and promote win-win development.

2. Four Departments Report Diaper Investigation: No Formamide Detected in Samples from All 168 Domestic Producers

On October 15, a joint task force from the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration released findings. The team inspected 168 domestic infant diaper manufacturers and contract producers, testing 368 batches of finished products across 180 brands via accredited labs, with no formamide detected, and confirmed that production raw materials and processes were free of formamide. The report notes that earlier online claims of formamide detection came from multiple testing entities with flawed procedures and data issues, rendering their conclusions invalid. The expert group also developed a specific detection method and re-tested blood samples cited in the controversy; no formamide was found, and no formamide-related health risks were identified from diapers. Authorities say they will continue strengthening oversight of infant products.

3. Strict Payment Regulation Continues; Over 40 Penalties Issued to Licensed Payment Firms in First Three Quarters

In the first three quarters of 2026, People's Bank of China branches continued to publish penalty information for payment institutions, maintaining a tight regulatory environment. Licensed payment firms received more than 40 fines totaling over 350 million yuan, with the highest single penalty at 74.45 million yuan. Regulators have enforced a dual punishment system, holding institutions and their senior executives and directly responsible personnel accountable simultaneously.

4. China's Service Trade Exports Up 14.8% YoY in First Eight Months of the Year

On October 13, the Ministry of Commerce released data showing continued growth in China's service trade for the first eight months of the year, with strong performance in travel, transport, and knowledge-intensive service exports. From January to August, China's total service trade imports and exports reached 5.07016 trillion yuan, up 7.9% YoY. Exports hit 1.99961 trillion yuan, a 14.8% increase, while imports totaled 3.07055 trillion yuan, up 3.8%. The service trade deficit narrowed by 145.12 billion yuan YoY.

This article was first published on Ebrun's official website.