China’s Lunar New Year Shopping Boom: AI & Experiential Trends 2026
Consumer spending in China is heating up ahead of the Lunar New Year, with the 2026 nationwide online Spring Festival shopping season revealing new trends. These include advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and a surge in emotionally-driven purchases, reshaping the consumer landscape and signaling a shift towards higher-quality, personalized offerings.
AI Revolutionizes Online Shopping
Unlike previous years focused solely on traffic competition, this year’s online events have seen AI integrated throughout the entire process – from product selection and user matching to order fulfillment, delivery, and livestreaming sales. Major platforms are actively innovating with AI technology to differentiate themselves.
Alimama has leveraged AI for in-depth analysis of user demand and brand marketing. According to Xijing, Head of Market Department at Alimama, AI tracks marketing effectiveness in real-time, identifies trending consumer groups and those with high purchase conversion rates, and automatically generates optimal strategies. This supports brands in building a positive cycle from external marketing to internal investment and search conversion, paving the way for precision marketing.
Supply Chain Optimization and Digital Avatars
While Alimama focused on demand matching, JD.com concentrated on supply chain optimization. The company launched the industry’s first “AI Spring Festival Supplies Map” to analyze and predict regional sales, aiding sellers in warehouse placement and inventory management. JD.com also implemented a “pre-delivery” system, pre-positioning goods near consumers for faster shipping.
JD.com extended its AI innovation to livestreaming, launching its AI digital human this past January 26th. During the promotional period, over 100 CEOs from brands like Haier and VAIO are scheduled to appear as digital avatars on JD.com’s livestream broadcasts.
A Shift Towards Experiential and Self-Reward Purchases
The rise of consumers born in the 1990s and 2000s is driving a change in shopping habits, moving away from bulk buying towards experiential and self-rewarding purchases. Recent data from Taobao shows a more than 50% increase in searches for “trophies” compared to the same period last year.
Taobao representatives noted that, unlike previous corporate purchases of trophies for employee awards, this year’s increase is driven by young people buying them for themselves to celebrate their accomplishments and express gratitude to family. The online phrase “love yourself” is translating into tangible consumer behavior.
On Tmall, the trend towards emotional appeal is also evident. Products with heartwarming and playful elements are proving more popular than those with traditional auspicious meanings. Pop Mart’s ‘Mali Quankai’ series sold out immediately upon release, and Wontonzi’s ‘Yimadangxian’ doll, a geometric and rounded reimagining of a horse, has sold over 30,000 units since the start of the Spring Festival shopping season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is driving the change in consumer behavior during this Spring Festival season?
The rise of consumers born in the 1990s and 2000s is shifting preferences from bulk buying to experiential and self-rewarding purchases.
How are companies like Alimama and JD.com utilizing AI?
Alimama is using AI for precision marketing and demand matching, while JD.com is focusing on supply chain optimization and integrating AI into livestreaming with digital avatars.
What types of products are currently trending on Tmall?
Products with emotional appeal and playful elements, such as Pop Mart’s ‘Mali Quankai’ series and Wontonzi’s ‘Yimadangxian’ doll, are proving more popular than those with traditional auspicious meanings.
As AI continues to integrate into the online shopping experience and consumer preferences evolve, it will be interesting to see how these trends shape future shopping seasons in China.