by Kelly Dawson

During the economic uncertainty of 2020, a spike in imported cosmetic sales was a bright light on JD.com and other Chinese platforms, said Mark Tanner of marketing and research agency China Skinny, during a webinar hosted in partnership with AustCham Shanghai on April 12.

“Last year was the first time in generations that people in China spent less than the year before,” Tanner said during the webinar. “But one of the bright lights was significant growth in imported cosmetics, with an increase of 30% sales industry-wide YOY. Because of COVID, people had to repatriate their spending, much like with luxury products.”

The first quarter of 2020 saw a dip in cosmetics sales as people stayed indoors during the early lockdown period, but once conditions began to stabilize, cosmetics sales boomed—first for eyeshadow and eyeliner, visible even while wearing face masks; and later for lipstick, as face mask usage became less strict, Tanner said.

During JD’s Singles Day Grand Promotion in November 2020, lipstick sales grew 167% YOY; and lipstick was a top choice for men buying gifts for their partners during Chinese Valentines Day (“Qixi”，which fell on August 25, 2020) Tanner noted, citing JD.com’s sales statistics.

As customers spent more time at home, the pandemic accelerated both the growth of online shopping, and an increased focus on self-care.

“The idea of ‘Be kind to yourself,’ with products including luxury, beauty and self-care, all have grown well into the triple digits YOY on JD,” Tanner said. “Overall, it’s looking really good for imported products.”

(kellydawson@jd.com)