How JD.com Boosted Order Volume in 618 Sale with Innovative Downstream Event Design

Project Background

In the mainstream e‑commerce perception, JD.com is known for "high quality, excellent service, high price," which contrasts with platforms like Taobao and Pinduoduo that target price‑sensitive users. The challenge was to leverage the traffic surge during major sales to attract more downstream (value‑sale) users and increase sales.

Design Approach

1. Core Metric Identification

The downstream venue had only two prior iterations (Double 11 2019 and New Year Festival 2020) and lacked a mature framework. Initially, GMV growth (order count × average order value) was used as the north‑star metric, but analysis showed that average order value was heavily influenced by product selection, making it unsuitable for strategy validation. Therefore, the metric was refined to focus solely on order count growth.

After defining the north‑star metric, the team broke down the UGD data into two sub‑metrics: "increase order conversion rate" and "increase daily UV," and explored data‑driven strategies around them.

2. Improving Order Conversion – Content Attraction

The downstream venue primarily promoted low‑price items with rich promotional tactics. To boost conversion, three visual strategies were applied:

① Innovative Price‑Drop Curve Design

Top‑selling items received a redesigned price‑drop visual that highlighted the direct discount using curves and arrows, comparing the current price with regular and historical lowest prices, thereby enhancing trust.

The visual emphasized the discount by using high‑saturation warm colors and a clear, noise‑free presentation of price information.

② Highlighted Discount Tags

Key modules used specialized arrow tags to make discount information instantly recognizable, combined with a prominent "Buy Now" button to drive clicks.

③ Thematic Packaging & Main KV Visual Continuity

The main KV visual style was retained to create consistent brand recognition for the 618 event, while adapting the packaging to convey a lively, immersive atmosphere suited to downstream users.

Downstream Pre‑sale Phase

The visual combined the main KV with elements like "Jing Xuan Quality" and "Factory Direct Supply," using micro‑scene packaging to deliver a distinct, festive feel.

Downstream Main Event Phase

The design incorporated an infinite symbol motif, emphasizing benefits, categories, and red‑packet excitement with tailored color schemes.

Downstream Peak Phase

The visual climax featured a burst‑light effect, birthday celebration elements, and live‑stream motifs to create an immersive stage atmosphere.

④ Micro‑Motion Effects

To match competitors' dynamic pages, three layers of motion effects were introduced: background (ambient light, meteors), main subject (cake platform), and foreground (floating red‑packets and product images). The background used breathing light and moving meteors; the foreground items performed subtle up‑and‑down oscillations with staggered start times.

3. Improving Daily UV – Retention Mechanism

① Gameplay Optimization

In 2020, a video‑based retention popup was introduced but performed poorly. The new design expands retention triggers across multiple user touchpoints (entry, browsing, exit) and offers daily incentives such as red‑packets and low‑price items to encourage repeat visits.

② Front‑End Implementation

Key technical steps included:

Login State Detection : Use jm-common library's isApp('jd') to confirm JD app environment, then query {"type": "loginState", "mapTo": "timeline"} or myMultiNumInfo API to verify user login.

Red‑Packet Retrieval : On venue entry, request the red‑packet API; store the response in localStorage keyed by date and nickname. Subsequent visits read from storage to display amount or "sold out" status.

Return‑Button Interception : Register a custom navigation back‑event via JD app's API to show the retention popup when the user clicks the top‑left back button after receiving a red‑packet.

Visibility Change Handling : Bind visibilitychange to reset a firstBack flag in storage when the page is left, ensuring the popup only appears on the first back action of the day.

Project Outcomes

Page Showcase

Data Performance

The order volume after launch showed a significant increase compared with the 2019 Double 11 and 2020 New Year Festival, achieving the north‑star metric effectively.

User Research Feedback

Surveys during the pre‑sale and main‑sale phases indicated that both downstream and non‑downstream users perceived the discount messaging strongly.

(Source: 2020 618 Promotion User Research Report)

Conclusion

During the 618 promotion, JD.com applied a product‑centric iteration approach to the downstream venue, aligning on core goals and north‑star metrics early on. The resulting improvements in design, retention, and visual experience delivered notable order growth, and future work will focus on further integrating brand identity with evolving industry and user trends.