The 2026 Overseas 618 Sale has concluded with great success, and the cross-border circle has ushered in a major turning point!
AliExpress, which has always been famous for its affordable cross-border small packages, delivered a report card that subverted the industry’s perception in this big promotion; the two major phenomena of brand GMV surpassing non-brands and European local orders surpassing cross-border direct shipments appeared at the same time, indicating that cross-border e-commerce has long bid farewell to the era of pure low price and volume.
1. AliExpress staged a “double overtake”
On the first day of 618 sales, AliExpress had two historic breakthroughs, which were also the benchmark for the entire cross-border industry.
1. The GMV penetration rate of Brand+ brands is close to 40%, and the growth rate of brands exceeds that of non-brands
In just over a year, the results of the Brand+ super brand overseas plan promoted by AliExpress have been fully demonstrated.
Nearly 40% of the platform’s transaction volume comes from regular Chinese brands, while white-label and retail sellers have seen sluggish growth.
Products with high unit prices and high technology content have become the main force, which is enough to prove that overseas consumers no longer only pursue low prices, but are more willing to pay for brand, quality and technology.
2. In the European core markets, the scale of local orders exceeds that of cross-border direct shipments
In mainstream European markets such as Spain, France, and Poland, the proportion of orders shipped from local warehouses has officially surpassed traditional cross-border direct shipments; affected by the EU’s new low-value package policy
Due to the impact of the epidemic, cross-border small package customs clearance costs and compliance pressures have increased significantly. Overseas local warehouse stocking has changed from an “optional solution” to a necessary operation strategy for brands going overseas. At present, AliExpress’s official warehouses in Spain, France, and Poland are fully covered, and the German warehouse is also stepping up construction.
2. Inventory of explosive orders in the global market
Relying on the dual strategy of branding + localization, domestic brands in major regions are experiencing explosive growth. High growth is no longer an exception, but a common phenomenon.
1. European market: high-end home appliances and smart devices lead the way
Europe has become the core testing ground for high-value brands, with sales of many home appliances and smart hardware soaring:
Spain: The swimming pool robot Seauto surged nearly 7 times month-on-month, and the energy storage battery brand increased by 2 –
4 times;
France: Tianco smart vacuum cleaners increased 23 times, Netco storage increased 5 times, and CHUWI mini hosts increased 12 times;
Poland: The local popular vacuum cleaner iLife increased 12 times, and the water sports brand Funwater increased 15 times.
2. American market: Hard-core technology categories are in full swing
American consumers prefer hard-core technology products, and sales of 3C digital, smart home appliances, and peripherals have fully broken through:
United States:3D printing brand Anycubic increased by 7 times, and sales of smart auto parts Autel doubled;
Brazil: Gamesir game controllers and Midea home appliances both increased by more than 300%.
3. British market: Cleaning appliances and transportation tools are out of the circle
Cleaning appliances and electric travel categories are very popular in the UK, and the highest growth items in this promotion were born:
The vacuum cleaner Lubluelu increased 43 times on the first day, the Urlife electric bicycle increased 17 times, and the GMKtec mini host increased 3 times.
Looking at all the top-selling brands, it is not difficult to find that most of them are new domestic dark horses that have independent product research and development capabilities and are deeply involved in localized operations. The pure OEM, low-price and volume model has completely lost its competitiveness.
3. Comprehensive rewriting of cross-border e-commerce competition rules
From the overall performance of AliExpress 618, we can clearly see the development trend of the entire cross-border industry:
1. Say goodbye to low-price involution, branding is the only way out
The focus of the platform is fully tilted towards brand merchants. Only domestic products with technology, reputation and brand power can seize overseas markets in the long term.
2. Localized contract fulfillment has become the industry standard
In mainstream markets such as Europe, local warehouse stocking and local after-sales will become basic requirements, and the cross-border small package model will gradually become marginalized.
3. Content operation has become a new core competitiveness
Short videos, Internet celebrity planting, and cross-border live broadcasts are the key to attracting overseas consumers and building brand trust; today’s cross-border e-commerce is no longer as simple as “selling goods”, but to truly create global brand assets; AliExpress’s upgrade path is also a true epitome of the entire Chinese cross-border e-commerce from “selling goods overseas” to “brands going overseas.”
