2026 618 Shopping Festival Preview: Rules Changed Significantly This Year
As someone who studies 618 rules every year, I have to say 2026’s 618 is genuinely different.
Biggest change this year: presales are cancelled
Yes, you read that right. Both Tmall and JD canceled presales this year.
The old presale benefit was: pay a deposit to lock in price, then pay the balance when it’s due. But the problem was—once deposit was paid, you felt committed, or the balance increase made you regret it.
This year it’s changed to “direct price cuts + limited-time flash sales.” Honestly, more consumer-friendly—you see it, you buy it. No waiting for presales, no calculating balance payments.
Coupon structure adjusted
Previous years’ “spend 300 get 50 off” structure has changed:
- Tmall: base 300-50, plus new “small items section” where many small products don’t qualify for percentage discounts but have extra markdowns
- JD: cancelled cross-shop discount matching, changed to individual brand flagship store subsidies—savings more concentrated but can’t mix and match across shops
Platform subsidies shrunk
This is the most disappointing change.
Major platforms reduced subsidy budgets by roughly 30% compared to previous years. You’ll notice—red packets are smaller, coupons fewer, platform-issued “magic coupons” basically gone.
My strategy
- Cancelled presales doesn’t mean don’t watch early—add items to cart, then order promptly at 8pm on May 31st
- Hit the discount thresholds when you can, but don’t buy things you don’t need just to qualify
- Brand flagship store individual subsidies are actually better value this year—worth focusing on
- 88VIP, JD PLUS member discounts are still decent—don’t forget to use them if you have them
My take on this year’s 618: platforms aren’t as aggressive as before, but with the right strategy, you can still save money.