China’s 618 shopping festival sees record-breaking sales, stellar performance for Apple

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max
In 2025, China’s 618 Shopping Festival, the country’s second-largest e-commerce event, shattered records with a staggering gross merchandise value (GMV) of 855.6 billion yuan ($119 billion), a 15.2% increase from the previous year’s 742.8 billion yuan. This annual mid-year shopping extravaganza, originally launched by JD.com in 2008 to mark its founding anniversary, has evolved into a month-long retail phenomenon, rivaling Alibaba’s Singles’ Day in scale and impact. Spanning from mid-May to June 18, the 2025 edition saw an extended sales period, government subsidies, and aggressive discounts driving unprecedented consumer spending, with Apple emerging as a standout performer in the electronics sector.
The 618 festival, now encompassing platforms like JD.com, Alibaba’s Tmall and Taobao, and Pinduoduo, has become a critical barometer of China’s consumer sentiment. Despite economic challenges such as employment concerns and a sluggish property market, retail sales surged, bolstered by a 6.4% year-on-year increase in May, the fastest growth since December 2023. Government subsidies targeting high-ticket items like consumer electronics and home appliances played a pivotal role, with sales in these categories soaring 283% on Alibaba’s platforms during the initial checkout period (May 13-26) compared to Singles’ Day 2024, and 380% on JD.com in the first hour of its campaign.
Apple capitalized on this frenzy, leveraging deep discounts and strategic promotions to drive remarkable sales. The company, alongside competitors like Xiaomi and Huawei, was among the top brands surpassing 1 billion yuan in GMV on Alibaba’s platforms, with 217 brands exceeding 100 million yuan in sales by May 30. Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro led mobile phone sales rankings, fueled by discounts of up to 31%. For instance, the iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) dropped from 7,999 yuan ($1,100) to 5,499 yuan ($763) after subsidies and coupons. This aggressive pricing strategy addressed Apple’s declining market share in China, which fell to 15.7% in Q1 2025 from 19.7% the previous year, amid fierce competition from local giants like Huawei, whose sales surged 70%.
The extended festival timeline, starting on May 13, allowed brands like Apple to sustain consumer engagement over weeks, front-loading demand and smoothing consumption trends. Jacob Cooke, CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, noted that this prolonged period “helps sustain engagement across weeks and has contributed materially to May’s strong retail performance.” Apple’s performance was further amplified by platforms’ AI-driven personalization tools, such as Alibaba’s Quanzhantui, which optimized product recommendations and boosted conversion rates for over 1.4 million merchants.
Despite the festival’s success, analysts caution that a pause in subsidy programs could temper future gains, with funds reportedly depleted in some regions by June. However, consumer behavior during 618 2025 reflects a pragmatic shift, with some shoppers prioritizing necessity over stockpiling, a trend that may challenge brands relying solely on discounts.
For Apple, the 618 chopping festival underscored its ability to adapt to China’s competitive market, using price cuts and subsidies to reclaim consumer interest. With over 2.2 billion orders placed across JD.com’s platforms and 453 brands surpassing 100 million yuan in GMV on Alibaba, the 2025 618 festival cemented its status as a retail juggernaut, and Apple’s robust sales reaffirmed its enduring appeal in China’s dynamic e-commerce landscape.
MacDailyNews Take: Clearly, the reports of Apple’s death in China are greatly exaggerated.

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