Key takeaways
- Tmall has removed cross-store discounts and basket-building from this year's campaign, making official discounts the primary mechanic. Store-level discounts such as spend-based reductions and multi-item offers are suspended during the campaign, shifting the average order value strategy from growing baskets to improving single-item conversion.
- Cross-border products face an additional constraint: the dutiable value equals the actual transaction price, so an official discount also lowers the tax base. However, orders above the single-transaction limit of RMB 5,000 switch to full general-trade taxation.
- Health foods cannot use advertising endorsers to recommend or certify products. This limits influencer distribution and makes advance planning for brand livestreaming and content essential.
Three-Platform Rules at a Glance
Tmall and Taobao: Official discounts are the core mechanic throughout the campaign, while cross-store discounts and basket-building are no longer part of the main promotion. During the campaign, merchant-set store-level offers such as spend-based discounts, multi-item discounts and gift-with-purchase coupons will not apply. They are replaced by direct discounts on individual items. The platform requires a discount of around 15%, although merchants may offer more. Price protection runs through November 28. From September 6 to November 13, the price-check period, the listed price of a campaign product during the presale period may not exceed the lowest listed price during the check period by more than 20%.
JD.com: The campaign is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on October 12. Breaking with the usual presale-first model, JD.com will sell in-stock products directly, focusing on official price reductions without basket-building, while retaining cross-store discounts and stacking category coupons, national subsidies and other benefits. The campaign includes the launch period, opening promotion, dedicated-event period, peak period and return period. A new Super Service Day will be added on October 28.
Douyin Mall: The campaign runs from 12 a.m. on October 15 through 11:59 p.m. on November 11. It is divided into the October opening promotion, the formal period from October to November, and the November 11 celebration day. The platform will continue to promote direct discounts on individual items and official discounts of 15%, with platform-funded shopping coupons and smart coupons stacked to reduce the final price.
How Official Discounts Change the Equation
The core purpose of cross-store discounts is to exchange a basket threshold for higher average order value and attachment rate. Once that mechanic is removed, consumers no longer need to add another item to reach the threshold. The conversion path becomes shorter, attachment rates decline, and purchase decisions become faster.
Two effects are particularly relevant to imported supplements. First, higher-priced individual products stand to benefit: demand for single items previously suppressed by the idea that customers needed to buy one more product to get a better deal may be released. Second, combination packs need a new sales logic. Gift boxes and multi-bottle packs can no longer rely on basket-building to drive volume; their value-for-money proposition must stand on its own.
Two Hard Constraints for Cross-Border Sales
The first is the transaction limit. The single-transaction limit for cross-border e-commerce retail imports is RMB 5,000, while the annual personal transaction limit is RMB 26,000. If the dutiable value exceeds the RMB 5,000 single-transaction limit but remains below the RMB 26,000 annual limit, and the order contains only one product, the product may still be imported through the cross-border e-commerce retail channel. However, customs duty, import-stage value-added tax and consumption tax must all be charged in full at the applicable goods-tax rates.
This is especially important for premium gift boxes and large combination packs. Bundling several high-priced products into one gift box could push a single order above RMB 5,000, switching it from preferential taxation to full general-trade taxation and eliminating its price advantage. Brands should calculate the dutiable value of each order during product-bundle planning instead of making reactive adjustments after the campaign begins.
The second is the tax base. Cross-border e-commerce retail imports are subject to customs duty, import-stage value-added tax and consumption tax under the goods-tax regime. The actual transaction price, including the retail price of the product, freight and insurance, is used as the dutiable value. For imports within the transaction limits, the temporary customs duty rate is 0%, while import-stage value-added tax and consumption tax are temporarily charged at 70% of the statutory amount payable.
This means an official discount is more than a concession to the customer: it also lowers the tax base. The reduction in the actual tax burden from the same 15% discount differs between cross-border products and general-trade products, so brands cannot simply apply a domestic-product pricing model.
Price-Check Period: The Line Against Raising Prices Before Discounts
Tmall has designated September 6 through November 13 as the price-check period. During the presale period, the listed price of a campaign product may not be more than 20% higher than its lowest listed price during the check period. The platform also provides price protection through November 28.
For brands, this creates a specific action item: start archiving daily screenshots of the regular prices of key SKUs. This provides evidence that prices were not raised before being discounted and creates a reliable basis for comparing prices after the campaign. For consumers, it is also one of the most practical rules of this year's 11.11 shopping festival: screenshots of products added to the cart may be more reliable than waiting for the campaign page.
Influencer Restrictions and Livestream Planning
The Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Livestreaming E-Commerce will take effect on February 1, 2026, explicitly defining livestream commerce as a form of commercial advertising. Under the Advertising Law, drugs, health foods and medical devices may not use advertising endorsers to recommend or certify products.
The practical implication is clear: cross-border supplements cannot rely on influencer endorsement to amplify sales. Influencer distribution is restricted, making brand-owned livestreaming the mainstream route. Douyin Global Shopping also implemented an invitation-based process and registration for approved listings in 2026. Livestream scripts, creative assets and compliant claims should therefore be completed before the campaign. Compliance problems with supplements often arise not from the product itself, but from one extra sentence spoken by the host.
Three Actions for Brands
First, lock in price anchors early and conduct both transaction-limit and tax-base calculations for every key SKU, confirming that the post-discount price will not exceed RMB 5,000. Second, schedule brand-owned livestreams and prepare creative assets in advance, with scripts reviewed for compliance. Third, redesign combination packs so that their value-for-money proposition is built into the product itself rather than depending on basket-building.
Frequently asked questions
Will average order value definitely decline after cross-store discounts are removed?
No. Attachment rates will generally decline, but average order value will not necessarily do so. Shorter decision paths may release some single-item demand previously suppressed by basket thresholds, benefiting higher-priced individual products. The products most affected are combination packs that depended on mechanics such as buying three items for an 80% price. These packs need to be redesigned.
Can cross-border supplement brands scale sales through influencer distribution?
The room to do so is limited. Livestream commerce is now treated as commercial advertising, and health foods may not use advertising endorsers to recommend or certify products. Mainstream cross-border platforms have also introduced invitation-based processes and registration for approved listings. A more viable route is a combination of brand-owned livestreaming and professional content.
Is the dutiable value based on the listed price or the price actually paid?
It is based on the actual transaction price, including the retail price of the product, freight and insurance. An official discount therefore lowers the tax base at the same time. This is a fundamental difference between cross-border products and domestic products in pricing calculations.
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