Sep 30, 2020|

Consumers Stock up on Hairy Crabs, Outdoor Gear and Snacks ahead of National Day

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by Ella Kidron

With this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival and Golden Week (National Day) eight-day holiday being the first major holiday post the COVID-19 outbreak, mooncakes are just one of the many items in high demand. Hairy crabs, outdoor gear and snacks are also seeing significant spikes, according to data from the JD Big Data Research Institute.

Beijing and Jiangsu province customers are loyal fans of hairy crabs, having been top two in terms of sales for two consecutive years. That said, Guangdong, Shanghai and Shandong consumers are also a force to be reckoned with. Sales of hairy crabs in Guizhou, Hainan, Zhejiang and Tibet are also growing rapidly, demonstrating the potential of online channels like JD in helping brands increase their reach customers. Customers also have a wider range of choices no matter where they sit.

Selected data from JD Big Data Research Institute report on National Day consumption trends

Selected data from JD Big Data Research Institute report on National Day consumption trends

JD data shows that the 18-35 age group continues to be a strong driver of hairy crab purchases, while the proportion of 46 and up middle-aged consumers increased 37%. While younger consumers are well served in online, many older consumers are cultivating online shopping habits, which combined with the trust and guarantee of the JD brand and the speed of JD Logistics, are key reasons why brands turn to JD.

This year JD implemented a series of measures to address consumer pain points associated with buying crabs online. First, the platform’s professional aquatic product buyers work almost year-round to guarantee the quality. Each hairy crab on JD also has a unique tracing code. Among other attractive incentives to customers of hairy crab are JD’s policy that crabs are weighed without ties to ensure fair pricing. Additionally, JD also offers two live crabs in compensation for any dead one – the highest level refund in the industry; price protection through year-end, and more.

It’s not all about crabs though. Several other staples of family reunions have seen huge increases. Making up for lost time having not been able to go home for a while, consumers are stocking up on liquor and other beverages, snack food and more. Those opting for a holiday adventure or even time in the great outdoors are also getting geared up.

Consumption in the travel category also increased 64% ahead of the holiday, while the jewelry category increased 31% and outdoor sports apparel, shoes and bags saw an increase of around 30%, all YOY (on the lunar calendar). Many people are spending the holiday getting married, and as a result wedding gifts, gold ornaments and other precious metal sales saw growth of over 50% YOY. Meanwhile, ice sports, yoga, equestrian, cycling, fishing, roller skating and other hobby-related gear have seen rapid growth. One consumer left a comment saying that they missed out on spring but are determined to not miss on fall and bought new equipment just in time to go cycling at Qinghai Lake.

 

(ella@jd.com)

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