(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s holiday seasons—Singles’ Day (11.11), Double 12, Chinese New Year, and 618—generate billions in e-commerce and retail sales. But price cuts alone no longer cut it. For overseas brands, executing effective discount strategies requires precision, timing, and alignment with local shopping behavior. This article explores how brands are leveraging limited-time offers, psychological pricing, and omnichannel coordination to stand out during China’s busiest shopping windows.
1. Tiered Discount Structures to Encourage Upsell
1.1 Volume-Based Incentives
Encourage larger baskets by offering tiered discounts—for example, ¥30 off ¥300, ¥80 off ¥600. This tactic not only increases average order value but creates a game-like shopping experience consumers enjoy.
1.2 Bundle and Save Deals
Grouping complementary products with a combined discount provides greater perceived value. It’s particularly effective for beauty, fashion, and electronics—encouraging trial of secondary SKUs.
2. Pre-Sale and Early-Bird Campaigns
2.1 Deposit-Based Pre-Sales
Platforms like Tmall and JD popularized the use of pre-sales where customers pay a small deposit to lock in a discount. This builds anticipation and allows brands to gauge demand before final production or fulfillment.
2.2 Early Bird Flash Discounts
Time-limited, early-bird deals (e.g., during the first hour of a holiday sale) create urgency and reward loyal followers. This tactic boosts early momentum and increases exposure through platform algorithms.
3. Culturally Aligned Discount Triggers
3.1 Lucky Number Pricing
Prices ending in 8 (prosperity) or 6 (smooth progress) resonate positively with Chinese consumers. Discounted pricing using symbolic figures can enhance both emotional connection and conversion rates.
3.2 Festival-Specific Bundles
During Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, or 520 Valentine’s Day, theme-based bundles and red packaging reinforce cultural relevance while offering value through discounts.
4. Influencer-Backed Coupon Strategies
4.1 KOL-Exclusive Coupons
Collaborate with Douyin or Xiaohongshu influencers to distribute exclusive discount codes. These drive urgency and help track ROI across different influencer campaigns.
4.2 Gamified Coupon Drops
WeChat Mini Programs and Douyin livestreams often use “shake to win” or “spin the wheel” mechanics to distribute discount coupons, making the offer more engaging and shareable.
Case Study: Nordic Skincare Brand Drives Holiday Revenue with Tiered Flash Sales
A Scandinavian skincare brand ran a Singles’ Day campaign offering ¥50 off ¥500, ¥120 off ¥900, and ¥200 off ¥1,200. Using early-bird livestreams and Xiaohongshu influencers to drive awareness, they sold out their bestsellers within 8 hours. The tiered discount structure not only raised basket size but boosted cross-category trial, resulting in a 3x increase in new customer acquisition.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
