Today, with the vigorous development of the e-commerce industry, promotional activities on major platforms have become a grand event that consumers and merchants look forward to. However, this year's Jingdong 618 Shopping Festival has set off an unprecedented storm. Fifty-six organizations jointly issued a collective boycott of what has been described as "the biggest shopping spree of the year", accusing it of being "too insulting" and warning that such operations would lead to market chaos. This incident not only sparked heated discussions in the industry, but also aroused deep thinking among consumers, providing an opportunity for us to reflect on the healthy development of the e-commerce industry.
From celebration to boycott
The JD 618 Shopping Festival began in 2010 as a mid-year promotion to celebrate the sixth anniversary of JD.com. Over the years, it has become one of the two landmark events in China's e-commerce industry, along with "Double 11". Consumers are looking forward to deep discounts on this day, and merchants are looking to take the opportunity to increase sales and expand their brand influence. However, this year's JD 618 made headlines in an unexpected way, with 56 organizations announcing a collective boycott.
These 56 institutions cover well-known brands and agents in many industries such as electronics and clothing. They jointly issued a statement making it clear that they would not participate in this year's JD 618 event. The statement was strongly worded, calling JD.com's approach "too insulting" and warning that if left unchecked, the entire e-commerce market would fall into chaos.
Merchant's helplessness: the evaporation of profits behind high discounts
Why did these institutions boycott JD 618 so strongly? The core reason is that JD.com requires merchants to offer high discounts. According to the revelations, some merchants are being asked to offer discounts of up to 8-9 percent, which means that their profits will be significantly compressed.
A person in charge of a well-known electronic brand who did not want to be named revealed in a private exchange, "As soon as the 20% discount comes out, our profits are almost gone." On the surface, it seems to be lively, and the sales are not low, but in the end, the income may not be enough to pay employees overtime. "This situation is even more serious in the apparel industry. Some clothing store owners reported that they were forced to sell goods at a "jumping price" close to the purchase price, "Where is this business, it's just making a wedding dress for the platform!" "
For many merchants, participating in JD 618 is like a big gamble. They take a huge financial risk in the hope of recoup the loss of profits through high sales volumes while increasing brand awareness. However, in the fierce price war, many merchants find themselves caught in a vicious circle of "the more they sell, the more they lose". One merchant vividly described: "It's like being in a food stall, you see the boss smiling and giving discounts, but in fact, every time he sells a skewer of barbecue, his heart is bleeding." "
Consumer Confusion: Real Discount or "Fake Rainbow"?
And for consumers, the allure of JD 618 lies in the ultra-low discounts it promises. However, more and more consumers are discovering that these "tempting" offers may just be a beautiful misunderstanding.
Netizen "Rational Shopper Expert" shared his experience on social media: "618 ago, I stared at a 6% off4K TV, and I felt that I had picked up a treasure. As a result, I checked the historical price and was dumbfounded! This TV in the past six months,The price has not changed at all,The so-called 6% off is a disguise。 There are many similar examples, some consumers have found that the price of certain goods is quietly increased on the eve of the event, and then "reduced" during the 618 period, and the actual price has no advantage compared with usual.
This kind of "false rainbow" marketing method has seriously damaged the rights and trust of consumers. Many feel like fooled clowns who wait for 618 with anticipation, only to be rewarded with empty joy. What's more, some consumers impulsively buy goods that they don't really need, and they regret it afterwards.
"Fake brand" incursions: the hidden dangers of masquerade
In the hustle and bustle of the price war, there is also a group of uninvited guests quietly coming - "pseudo brands". They are dressed as "brand drops", but in fact they may be the product of unlicensed small workshops. These items are beautifully packaged, advertised luxuriously, and the prices are extremely attractive, but their quality and after-sales service are often huge unknowns.
Consumer "Xiao Ming" planted a heel on last year's 618: "I was attracted by a refrigerator brand called 'German craftsmanship', and the price was only half of the big brand. Wait for the goods to be checked, stupid! I can't find any information about this brand at all, and it broke after two months, and looking for after-sales service is like looking for a needle in a haystack. "It's like a masquerade party, where some of the participants wear ornate masks, but when they take them off, they may reveal their shocking faces.
The proliferation of these "pseudo brands" not only harms the interests of consumers, but also disrupts the market order. They rely on the low-price strategy to seize market share, but do not assume the responsibility of quality assurance and after-sales service, which is undoubtedly unfair competition with brands that operate in good faith.
Deep reflection: the cost of e-commerce spree
The outbreak of the JD.com 618 turmoil reflects the pains in the rapid development of China's e-commerce industry. In an atmosphere where traffic is king and sales are paramount, some platforms and merchants have fallen into a strange circle of price wars, sacrificing long-term interests in exchange for short-term performance improvements.
High discounts are undoubtedly a double-edged sword for merchants. It can stimulate sales and increase popularity in the short term, but at the same time, it also compresses profit margins and weakens the company's ability to invest in R&D and services. In the long run, merchants may reduce product quality or reduce services in order to survive, and ultimately damage the rights and interests of consumers.
For consumers, dazzling promotions bring convenience but also increase the cost of decision-making. In the face of various discounts, full discounts, and coupons, consumers need to spend a lot of time comparing, calculating, and even doubting the authenticity of each "offer". This not only increases the psychological burden, but can also lead to irrational consumption and the purchase of unwanted or inappropriate goods.
What's more, the spread of some improper behaviors is shaking the foundation of the e-commerce ecosystem. Price gouging, false advertising, and "fake brands" are all issues that, if not effectively addressed, will seriously damage consumer trust and ultimately lead to a credibility crisis for the entire industry.
Turnaround: The call behind the collective boycott
In this e-commerce turmoil, the collective boycott of 56 institutions is undoubtedly a heavy blow. It is not only a protest against the misconduct of individual platforms, but also a call for the entire market order. This action sends a clear signal that industry players no longer tolerate short-term gains, but instead want to build a more fair, transparent and healthy playing field.
The boycott has also sparked widespread discussion in all sectors of society, prompting people to rethink the meaning of e-commerce promotions. The shopping festival should not be reduced to a simple price war, but should return to the origin of meeting the real needs of consumers and improving the quality of life. As an industry expert put it: "The real shopping feast is not about who has a big discount, but who understands consumers better and whose products and services are better." "
On the other hand, the awakening of consumers is also a key force driving the progress of the industry. More and more consumers are beginning to look at various promotional activities rationally, learn to distinguish between genuine and fake offers, and resist impulsive consumption. Some netizens launched the "Rational 618" initiative, encouraging everyone to make a list of items they really need, shop around, and not pay for gimmicks. This kind of consumer self-discipline not only protects its own rights and interests, but also forces merchants and platforms to provide more practical and sincere services.
Looking ahead: a new chess game for e-commerce
The JD.com 618 turmoil has sounded the alarm for all parties in the industry, urging them to re-examine their roles and responsibilities in the e-commerce ecosystem. For the platform, in the short term, it may face the risk of some businesses withdrawing and consumer trust declining, but in the long run, this is an opportunity for transformation and upgrading. Future e-commerce platforms should abandon the paranoia of "traffic-only" and focus on the following points:
Improve rules and severely punish untrustworthiness. Establish stricter and clearer business access and operation norms, zero tolerance for false publicity, price fraud and other behaviors, and use big data and other technical means to strengthen supervision.
Support small and medium-sized businesses. Design more flexible promotion plans with lower rates to help merchants with weak financial strength participate fairly and avoid "big fish eating small fish".
Innovative promotion models. No longer blindly pursuing price wars, but combining cultural, entertainment, social and other elements to create an immersive and experiential shopping model.
Strengthen quality orientation. Through algorithm optimization, resource tilting, etc., guide traffic to concentrate more on merchants with good reputation and excellent service, forming a virtuous circle of the fittest.
For merchants, this event is an opportunity to move away from relying solely on platform traffic to a more autonomous and sustainable business model:
Focus on product strength. We will invest more resources in R&D and innovation, quality improvement, and create unique value that is difficult to replace.
Strengthen brand building. Through content marketing, cross-border cooperation and other methods, cultivate a loyal user base and reduce dependence on big promotions.
Develop private domain traffic. Use social media, membership systems and other tools to build your own customer pool and increase the repurchase rate.
Diversified channels. Avoid over-reliance on a single platform, and try strategies such as online and offline integration and cross-platform operation to diversify risks.
As consumers, we should also improve our "immunity" and participate in e-commerce activities more rationally:
Learn to distinguish between authenticity and falsehood. Use price tracking tools to check historical prices and spot fake discounts.
Make a plan rationally. Make a shopping list based on your real needs, set a budget cap, and refrain from impulsive spending.
Pay attention to quality reputation. Don't be greedy for the small bargain in front of you, and pay more attention to long-term indicators such as business reputation and user evaluation.
Have the courage to defend your rights and speak out. In the event of infringement, make the dishonest pay the price through complaints, bad reviews, media exposure, etc.
Conclusion: Rebuild trust and create a better future
Although the JD 618 turmoil is menacing, it may not be a disaster, but may be a turning point for China's e-commerce industry to mature. Through this turmoil, all parties in the industry have realized that the extensive mode of simple competition for price and traffic has come to an end, and only by returning to the origin of honest management and attaching importance to user value can we remain undefeated in the fierce competition.
The collective boycott of 56 institutions is like a roar of a dragon and a tiger in the e-commerce rivers and lakes, awakening the sleeping conscience. It reminds us that business is never a vacuum independent of morality, but is intimately linked to societal values. Only by rooting the awareness of rules, the spirit of contract, and the concept of sharing in the soil of the industry can the tree of e-commerce flourish and bear fruit.
Looking forward to the future, we have reason to believe that after the baptism of this turmoil, China's e-commerce will usher in a new situation of fairness, transparency and health. In this new chess game, merchants are no longer vassals of the platform, but partners with independent character; Consumers are no longer synonymous with traffic, but value creators who are genuinely respected. At that time, the numbers of "618" and "Double 11" no longer only represent the beacon of the price war, but a beautiful symbol of sharing, win-win and common growth.
Let us work together to overcome difficulties with an open and inclusive attitude, rebuild trust, and jointly create a better tomorrow for the e-commerce industry. Because we firmly believe that honest management and people-oriented will be the most precious wealth in this commercial hot land, and the only road to sustainable prosperity.