Core Insights - The 618 shopping festival has undergone a significant transformation this year, with a shift in focus from extreme GMV pursuit to enhancing brand value and consumer experience [2][20][31] Group 1: Market Performance - From January to May 2023, the retail sales of cosmetics in China reached 188.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%, with May's sales at 43.5 billion yuan, up 4.4% [2][4] - The overall e-commerce sales during the 618 festival reached 855.6 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 15.2%, with skincare sales at 43.2 billion yuan and fragrance and makeup at 14.3 billion yuan [5][6] - High-end beauty brands saw significant growth, with brands like YSL and Hourglass reporting over 60% year-on-year increases [9][10] Group 2: E-commerce Platform Changes - Major e-commerce platforms, particularly Tmall, have simplified their promotional strategies, eliminating complex rules and focusing on direct discounts to enhance consumer experience [14][20] - Tmall's 618 festival saw a 9% year-on-year growth in the first cycle, with a significant increase in user engagement and purchasing intent [18][23] - The introduction of features like "sold-out add-to-cart" has improved inventory management for merchants while enhancing the shopping experience for consumers [17][20] Group 3: Brand Dynamics - International beauty brands have experienced strong growth on Tmall, with a ratio of domestic to international brands at 5:15 [7] - New and innovative brands have emerged, with some achieving over 900% growth during the 618 festival, indicating a shift towards quality and innovation in the beauty sector [10][12] - The consumer preference for familiar brands has increased, with 47% of Chinese consumers indicating a tendency to choose known brands, up 14 percentage points from 2024 [22][23] Group 4: Future Trends - The beauty industry is moving towards a phase where brand value, product innovation, and operational efficiency are prioritized over mere sales volume [31][32] - E-commerce platforms are focusing on supporting high-quality brands and providing strategic guidance to enhance brand growth [26][29] - The market is transitioning from a focus on traffic-driven growth to a more sustainable model that emphasizes brand loyalty and consumer satisfaction [31][32]

Core Insights - The 618 shopping festival has seen significant changes in rules and strategies across e-commerce platforms, leading to a transformation in the beauty brand landscape, with international brands making a strong comeback while domestic brands face challenges [1][22] - The shift from a "price war" era to a focus on brand value and consumer experience marks a new phase for beauty brands, emphasizing the importance of quality and innovation [24] E-commerce Platform Performance - Tmall's 618 pre-sale data shows that international brands dominate the top rankings, with only a few domestic brands making it into the top 20, indicating a 5:15 ratio of domestic to international brands [2] - JD.com reported a nearly 300% year-on-year increase in sales for perfume and makeup sets on May 20, with overall beauty product sales doubling during the festival [5][11] - Douyin's beauty brand rankings have shifted significantly, with high-end international brands achieving explosive growth, while white-label brands have virtually disappeared from the charts [9][22] Changes in Promotional Strategies - The 618 festival duration has been extended to 35-40 days, with platforms simplifying promotional mechanisms to enhance consumer shopping experiences [13][16] - Platforms have moved towards straightforward discount strategies, eliminating complex promotional tactics that previously deterred consumer engagement [16][17] - E-commerce platforms are now focusing on balancing the interests of consumers, platforms, and merchants, moving away from strategies that heavily favored consumers at the expense of merchants [17][18] Brand Dynamics - International beauty brands have regained competitive advantages during the 618 festival, with brands like Helena and SK-II seeing significant sales growth on Douyin [22][23] - The shift in platform strategies towards supporting high-quality brands is beneficial for established international brands and leading domestic brands like Proya, but poses challenges for mid-tier domestic brands [23][24] - E-commerce platforms are investing heavily in brand support, with Tmall and JD.com committing substantial resources to foster brand growth and improve the overall shopping experience [19][21]

Core Viewpoint - The 618 shopping festival has undergone significant changes this year, with a longer duration and simplified promotional rules, leading to a shift in the beauty brand landscape where international brands are regaining prominence while domestic brands face pressure [2][20]. Group 1: Performance of Beauty Brands - Major beauty brands such as Proya, Lancôme, L'Oréal, and SK-II achieved over 100 million in GMV during the early stages of the 618 festival [3]. - International beauty brands outperformed domestic brands on platforms like Tmall, with a ratio of 5:1 in terms of brand representation in the top 20 rankings [3]. - The beauty category has become a core driver of sales growth across various platforms during the 618 festival [12]. Group 2: Changes in E-commerce Platforms - This year's 618 festival is the longest in history, with platforms like Tmall and JD.com extending the promotional period to around 39-40 days [13][14]. - E-commerce platforms have simplified promotional mechanisms, moving away from complex discount strategies to more straightforward price reductions and coupons [15][16]. - Platforms are focusing on balancing the interests of consumers, brands, and the platform itself, moving away from the previous price war strategy [16][20]. Group 3: Growth Trends and Strategies - JD.com reported significant growth in beauty product sales, with categories like lipsticks and serums seeing over 100% year-on-year growth [6]. - Douyin's beauty brand ecosystem has shifted, with high-end brands experiencing explosive growth while white-label products have disappeared from the rankings [9][20]. - Platforms are investing heavily in supporting quality brands, with Tmall and JD.com committing substantial resources to enhance brand visibility and sales [17][18]. Group 4: Implications for Domestic Brands - The shift towards supporting established brands may pose challenges for mid-tier domestic brands, which now face a more competitive environment [21]. - Domestic brands like Proya are solidifying their market position, while others must adapt to the changing landscape to maintain growth [22]. - The end of the price war signifies a new phase focused on brand value, product innovation, and user experience, presenting both opportunities and challenges for domestic brands [22].

Group 1 - Tmall's 618 shopping festival saw over 13,000 brands double their sales in the first hour, with 43 brands including Apple, Midea, and Nike surpassing 100 million yuan in sales, marking a 50% increase in the number of brands in the "billion yuan club" compared to last year [1][4][9] - Beauty brands such as Proya, Lancôme, and L'Oréal achieved over 100 million yuan in sales within the first hour, while 32 products exceeded 10 million yuan in sales within 30 minutes [4][5] - High-end and light luxury sports brands experienced significant growth, with brands like lululemon and Hoka one one seeing sales increases of over 160% and 400% respectively [5][9] Group 2 - Tmall's adjustments to promotional rules, such as eliminating cross-store discounts and lowering coupon usage thresholds, contributed to a better shopping experience, leading to increased brand sales [9][10] - The focus of this year's 618 festival shifted from price wars to high cost-performance competition, emphasizing product quality and service rather than just the lowest prices [10][18] - Tmall's president emphasized the importance of supporting quality brands that can create innovative products and retain customer loyalty [13][20] Group 3 - Major e-commerce platforms, including Tmall and Pinduoduo, are investing heavily in supporting quality merchants, indicating a shift in competition from traffic acquisition to quality enhancement [18][22] - Alibaba plans to invest 2 billion yuan in cash subsidies for brands and merchants during the 618 festival, while Pinduoduo announced a 100 billion yuan support plan over the next three years [20][21] - The simplification of promotional rules is expected to help merchants better plan their sales activities and focus on providing quality products [20][22]

Core Insights - The "Global Brand China Online 500 Strong List" (CBI 500) highlights the importance of consumer purchasing behavior in evaluating brands, moving beyond traditional metrics like sales revenue [2][5] - The beauty industry is identified as having the highest "brand index" among daily consumer goods, with a clear trend towards brand competition concentrated among leading brands [11][14] - International brands continue to outperform domestic brands in overall scores and representation on the list, indicating a need for domestic brands to focus on brand building [11][14] Industry Trends - The beauty sector's CBI score reached 75.83 in Q1 2025, an increase of 2.82 from Q1 2023, reflecting a strong brand presence among top players [11] - The CBI index emphasizes quality over quantity, with a scoring system that includes brand awareness, novelty, loyalty, and reputation [7][11] - The online retail market in China is significant, with the beauty segment accounting for 64.35% of total online transactions, amounting to approximately 6910.52 million yuan in 2024 [5][11] Competitive Landscape - The latest Tmall sales data indicates a growing head effect, where leading brands are capturing more market share, pushing lower-quality products out of the market [3][15] - In the recent Tmall 618 event, brands like Proya and Lancôme achieved significant sales milestones, showcasing the competitive dynamics between domestic and international brands [15][20] - International brands are regaining market strength, with companies like L'Oréal reporting a 6.9% sales growth in Q1 2025, indicating a recovery in the Chinese market [20][21] Brand Development Strategies - Tmall is shifting its focus from low-price strategies to supporting quality brands, aiming to enhance brand loyalty and consumer engagement [22][24] - The platform is investing heavily in brand support initiatives, with a budget of 200 billion yuan aimed at fostering innovative and high-quality brands [22][25] - The competition is evolving beyond product offerings to include brand equity and market positioning, with both international and domestic brands needing to adapt to these changes [25]

Core Insights - Tmall's 618 shopping festival has seen a strong start in the beauty sector, with several brands achieving significant sales milestones within minutes of the sale beginning [1] Sales Performance - Within the first 10 minutes, Proya achieved over 100 million yuan in sales - By 20 minutes, Lancôme also surpassed 100 million yuan - Other brands like L'Oréal and Shiseido followed suit, reaching the 100 million yuan mark by 30 minutes, with Estee Lauder and CPB hitting the same target by 45 minutes [1] Product Highlights - In the first 30 minutes, 32 products, including the Collagen Stick 2.0, SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, Shiseido AGE Cream, La Mer Essence Water, and Proya Double Anti-oxidation Essence, each exceeded 10 million yuan in sales [1] Discounts and Promotions - This year's Tmall 618 features an 85% discount, with additional large consumer coupons and category coupons, offering greater discounts and lower thresholds compared to previous years - For example, the beauty surprise coupon has been adjusted from a minimum spend of 1000 yuan last year to 900 yuan this year, with the highest discount reaching 700 yuan when combined with other offers [1] Consumer Behavior - The combination of multiple discounts has led to a concentrated surge in consumer spending in the beauty category [1]