Core Insights - The annual "Double Eleven" shopping festival has evolved into a prolonged consumption event, with major platforms starting promotions earlier than in previous years, indicating a shift in consumer habits and intensified competition in the e-commerce sector [2][3][4]. Group 1: Promotion Strategies - Douyin e-commerce launched its "Mid-Autumn & Double Eleven" event on September 16, marking the longest "Double Eleven" period ever at 57 days [2]. - Major platforms like JD, Douyin, Tmall, and Xiaohongshu have also initiated their promotions in early October, with JD starting its event on October 9, aiming to alleviate logistics pressure and extend promotional periods [3][4]. - This year's promotions focus on simplified discount strategies, such as "official discounts" and "direct price reductions," moving away from complex multi-store discounts to enhance consumer experience [2][5]. Group 2: Consumer Behavior and Market Trends - The shift to longer promotional periods allows platforms to better manage logistics and consumer engagement, as the traditional single-day sales model has led to issues like server crashes and delivery delays [6]. - Consumers are increasingly favoring direct discounts and transparent pricing, leading to a decline in the popularity of complicated discount schemes [5][6]. - The rise of live-streaming and social media marketing is influencing consumer purchasing behavior, with platforms utilizing these channels to showcase products and drive sales [6]. Group 3: Instant Retail Development - Instant retail is becoming a significant focus for e-commerce platforms, with JD announcing a $270 million acquisition to enhance its last-mile delivery capabilities [7][8]. - The instant retail market in China is projected to exceed 500 billion RMB in 2023, with a growth rate of approximately 30%, and is expected to continue expanding rapidly in the coming years [8][9]. - Platforms are integrating instant retail into their promotional strategies, with JD and Alibaba incorporating it into their "Double Eleven" events to capture local consumer demand [9][10].