The major sales events for items found on the CNfans spreadsheet are tied to China's largest e-commerce shopping festivals. Key dates to mark on your calendar include the 618 Mid-Year Festival in June, the massive 11.11 Global Shopping Festival (Singles' Day) on November 11th, and the Double 12 (12.12) Festival on December 12th. Planning your purchases around these events can lead to significant savings on a wide range of products.
What Determines Sales for Spreadsheet Items?
Understanding when to find the best deals begins with knowing where the sales originate. The items listed on our curated CNfans spreadsheet are sourced from massive Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao, Weidian, and 1688. Therefore, the "sales events" for these items are not hosted by CNfans directly but are instead driven by the major shopping festivals held on those source platforms. Sellers on these marketplaces participate in platform-wide promotions, offering discounts that you can take advantage of.
Our role is to provide you with the tools and services to access these sales seamlessly. The spreadsheet acts as your curated catalog, helping you discover top-rated products without getting lost in millions of listings. During these high-volume periods, our streamlined ordering and warehousing system becomes essential for securing your desired items before they sell out and ensuring they are processed efficiently.
When Are the Biggest Shopping Festivals for Items on CNfans Spreadsheets?
Timing is everything when it comes to maximizing your budget. China's e-commerce calendar is marked by several massive sales events that see widespread participation from sellers. By aligning your purchasing schedule with these festivals, you can acquire high-quality items at a fraction of their usual cost. Here are the most important dates to remember.
The 618 Mid-Year Shopping Festival (June)
The 618 Shopping Festival, centered around June 18th, is China's second-largest sales event. It was originally started by JD.com but has since been adopted by all major platforms, including Taobao and Weidian. This festival is a mid-year sales bonanza, often featuring pre-sale periods starting in late May. During this time, sellers offer significant discounts on everything from summer apparel and sneakers to accessories and electronics.
For shoppers using the CNfans spreadsheet, 618 is an excellent opportunity to build a summer and fall wardrobe. Because it is slightly less frantic than the 11.11 festival, you may experience marginally faster processing times. However, preparation is still key. Many sellers announce their promotions in advance, allowing you to add items to your cart and be ready to check out the moment the sale begins.
The 11.11 Global Shopping Festival (Singles' Day)
The undisputed champion of all sales events is the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, also known as Singles' Day. Held on November 11th, this 24-hour event generates more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. Virtually every seller on Taobao, Weidian, and 1688 participates, offering their deepest discounts of the year. The hype begins weeks in advance, with pre-sale activities, games, and coupons available from late October.
This is the best time of year to purchase high-ticket items like jackets, premium sneakers, and complex pieces. The discounts are substantial, but so is the competition. Popular items can sell out in seconds. To succeed, you must have your shopping list finalized and loaded into your CNfans agent cart well before November 11th. Be prepared for the massive volume to cause delays in both domestic shipping (from the seller to the CNfans warehouse) and international shipping.
The Double 12 (12.12) Shopping Festival
Following the 11.11 frenzy, the Double 12 festival on December 12th serves as another major shopping event. It's often seen as a "mop-up" sale, where shoppers can grab deals they missed during 11.11 or find discounts on new items. While the price reductions might not always be as deep as those on Singles' Day, they are still significant and widespread. This festival focuses heavily on smaller and medium-sized sellers, which is great for discovering unique finds.
Double 12 is an ideal time for last-minute holiday shopping or for picking up items that were out of stock in November. The logistical pressure is less intense than during 11.11, which can lead to a smoother purchasing and shipping experience. It represents a final chance to score major deals before the pre-Chinese New Year slowdown.
Chinese New Year (CNY) Sales & Shipping Considerations
Chinese New Year, which typically falls in late January or early February, is a unique period. While some sellers may offer pre-holiday clearance sales, the primary thing to be aware of is the *nationwide shutdown*. For about two to four weeks, factories, sellers, logistics companies, and even agent services operate with minimal staff or close completely.
It is crucial to place your orders well in advance of CNY. Any orders placed too close to the holiday will not be processed or shipped until after businesses reopen. This can lead to very long delays. We recommend submitting your final pre-CNY orders by mid-January at the latest to ensure they are purchased and arrive at the warehouse before the shutdown begins.
Other Notable Sales Periods
Beyond the "big three," several other holidays and platform-specific events offer good opportunities for savings. Keep an eye out for these smaller but still valuable sales periods:
| Event | Typical Timing | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Day Sale | Around May 1st | Moderate discounts, particularly on spring and summer fashion. |
| 818 Shopping Festival | Mid-August | Originally a Suning.com event, now adopted by others. Good for electronics and back-to-school items. |
| National Day (Golden Week) | Around October 1st | Sales on autumn and winter apparel. Note that this is a holiday week, which can cause minor shipping delays. |
| Queen's Day / Women's Day | Around March 8th | Discounts focused on women's fashion, beauty, and accessories. |
How Can You Prepare for These Major Sales Events?
Success during a major sales event isn't just about being there when the sale starts; it's about diligent preparation. With millions of other shoppers vying for the same products, having a strategy is non-negotiable.
Why Should You Start Planning Early?
Popular items sell out fast—sometimes in seconds. Starting your research weeks in advance gives you time to identify the products you want, find the best sellers, and compare different batches or versions. Early planning prevents impulse buys and ensures you are purchasing exactly what you want. Adding items to your agent cart ahead of time allows for a one-click submission the moment the sale goes live, dramatically increasing your chances of securing the item.
How Do You Use the Spreadsheet to Build Your Wishlist?
The CNfans spreadsheet is your most powerful tool for sale preparation. Instead of searching aimlessly on Taobao, you can browse our curated lists of popular and well-regarded items. Use the spreadsheet to:
- Discover Products: Find items you might not have known about, complete with community feedback and ratings.
- Organize Your Choices: Copy the links of desired items into a personal list.
- Pre-load Your Cart: Directly use the links from the spreadsheet to add items to your CNfans cart, ready for the sale.
This organized approach saves an immense amount of time and stress. Our spreadsheet streamlines the discovery process, so you can focus on finalizing your choices and budget before the sale begins.
What Should You Know About Sizing and Stock?
Always check the seller's size chart before adding an item to your cart. Do not assume your usual size will fit, as sizing can vary dramatically. Measure your own clothing to compare. During sales, many sellers will not accept returns or exchanges, making it critical to get the size right the first time. Furthermore, be aware that stock levels shown before a sale may not be accurate. Prepare backup options in case your first-choice item sells out instantly.
What Impact Do Sales Events Have on Shipping and Agent Services?
A successful purchase is only half the journey. The massive increase in order volume during shopping festivals has a significant ripple effect on every stage of the logistics chain, from the seller to your doorstep.
Will Shipping Times Be Longer During Sales?
Yes, absolutely. You must set your expectations accordingly. Domestic shipping—the journey from the seller to the CNfans warehouse—can take several days or even weeks longer than usual. Sellers are inundated with thousands of orders and pack them as quickly as they can. Similarly, international shipping lines experience heavy backlogs. Parcels that might normally take 10 days could take 20 or more. Patience is essential during these periods.
How Does Warehouse Volume Affect Processing?
Just as sellers and shipping companies are overwhelmed, so are agent warehouses. The influx of packages means that processing times for services like quality control (QC) photos, measurements, and packaging will be extended. While our team at CNfans works tirelessly to process items, the sheer volume means delays are unavoidable. Plan for extra time for your items to be photographed and prepared for international shipment after they arrive at the warehouse.
Are the Discounts on Spreadsheet Items Always Worth It?
For the most part, yes, the discounts during major festivals are genuine and substantial. However, it pays to be a savvy shopper. Some sellers may slightly inflate a product's price in the weeks leading up to a sale to make the discount appear larger than it is. The best way to combat this is to monitor the prices of items on your wishlist before the sale begins.
Even with this in mind, the vast majority of sellers offer legitimate deals. The platform-wide coupons and red packets that can be combined with seller discounts often lead to the lowest possible prices of the year. The key is to focus on items you already wanted to purchase, rather than buying something just because it is on sale.
How Can You Maximize Your Savings with CNfans?
Beyond the seller's discounts, using the CNfans platform strategically can lead to even greater savings. During major sales events, we often provide our own shipping coupons and promotions to help you save on the final, and most expensive, part of your purchase: international shipping. By combining seller discounts with our promotional shipping offers, you truly maximize your budget.
Furthermore, consolidating your purchases into a single, large haul is the most cost-effective way to ship internationally. Instead of shipping one or two items at a time, use our warehouse storage to accumulate all your sale purchases. Once everything has arrived and passed QC, you can ship it all together in one parcel, significantly reducing the cost-per-kilogram and making those sale deals even sweeter.