The golden September and silver October promotional season has arrived, and a fierce commercial marketing battle is underway in China's retail market. The drums of competition are beating loudly, with numerous domestic brands gearing up and various online and offline activities in full swing.
Nowadays, "Golden September and Silver October" has become a common term used by businesses across industries to describe the annual sales peak season. No matter the market conditions, Golden September and Silver October arrive as scheduled. And the closely following Double Eleven shopping extravaganza extends Silver October into Silver November. Wave after wave of marketing promotions leave no room for a breather in this marketing war.
The marketing battle is even more intense in the online e-commerce channel. With the gradual rise of outdoor sports in China, domestic outdoor sports brands are making a strong push. The 2013 "Golden September and Silver October" marketing season is the stage for outdoor sports brands. Currently, major domestic outdoor brands such as CAMEL Camel, Kailas, and The North Face have launched brand group deals, major promotions, and deep discount campaigns to seize market share and attract customers.
To tackle the marketing battle, Kailas has introduced a campaign with discounts of up to 30% and free shipping, offering free bracelets with purchases and limited-time exchange deals, creating a shopping bonanza. Coinciding with the anniversary celebration of Kailas’ Guangzhou flagship store, the Guangzhou outlets are also giving away hundred-yuan vouchers and exquisite gifts. The synergy between online and offline channels is evident, and the recently concluded “Tmall 9.9 Big Gathering” also achieved remarkable results. The first stop has ended, and more exciting events are yet to come.
The most impactful marketing effort among outdoor sports brands goes to market leader CAMEL Camel Outdoor. In the recently concluded “Tmall 9.9 Big Gathering,” CAMEL Camel Outdoor achieved the highest transaction volume in the outdoor category across the entire web, winning the championship by a wide margin over the second and third place sellers. In terms of popularity, CAMEL Camel Outdoor’s daily popularity index even surpassed the combined total of the second and third place brands. This initial marketing victory shows that CAMEL Camel’s market position is truly exceptional. It is well-deserved to be the No. 1 outdoor category seller for three consecutive years.
After the 9.9 Big Gathering, the next big marketing promotion season for CAMEL Camel is coming. What kind of surprises will CAMEL Camel bring us this year? According to an insider source from Taobao, the “CAMEL Camel Across America” campaign officially kicks off on September 23, with major stores simultaneously launching joint promotions. Offers include discounts on minimum spends and free gifts with purchase, running through October. There will also be interactive game modes: log in with your Taobao ID, favorite the store, and start the adventure game. Generous rewards will be given out daily, along with a mysterious grand prize. Play games, win big prizes—CAMEL Camel is fully prepared to offer consumers the greatest benefits.
Marketing tactics are endless, but ensuring the backend supply system remains a key focus for many brands. Throughout the year, Double Eleven is undoubtedly the marketing highlight for numerous brands. Reliable sources reveal that CAMEL Camel is actively preparing for Double Eleven. Starting from late August, management urgently redeployed a large number of staff and even recruited numerous volunteers to assist in warehouse inventory checks, restocking, and reorganization to facilitate faster and more accurate order picking during Double Eleven. Professional training has now begun, especially for the warehouse system. Special personnel have been assigned for picking, packing, and shipping, optimizing the assembly line to improve both the accuracy and speed of order fulfillment.
During promotional periods, as consumers rush to snap up deals, their expectations for merchant service experiences grow increasingly discerning. In this regard, CAMEL Camel’s service approach is worth emulating. They insist on shipping products purchased via Ju Huasuan within 24 hours. Compared to the traditional rule of shipping within seven days for Ju Huasuan deals by other brands, Camel’s commitment to ensuring customer experience during promotions far surpasses that of many other brands.
With major brand promotions in full swing, it is still too early to determine who will dominate this marketing stage and emerge as the biggest winner of 2013. But we firmly believe that “victory always belongs to those who are prepared”!