Apple is offering unprecedented price cuts in China as big brands and retailers launch promotions for the annual “618” shopping festival in the face of sluggish consumer demand.
The hefty discounts by the iPhone maker come at a time when it is battling stiff competition from Chinese smartphone manufacturers, such as Huawei and Vivo, and declining market share in the world’s second largest economy.
On Monday, Apple said it would slash prices of some of its smartphones on Tmall — an Amazon-like site owned by Alibaba — by as much 23% till May 28.
Customers can now get an iPhone 15 for 4,599 yuan ($639), down 1,400 yuan ($194) from the original price, according to promotions on Apple’s official store on Tmall.
Apple is hoping to boost its sales during China’s second biggest online shopping bonanza of the year, which usually runs from late May to mid-June. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Launched by e-commerce firm JD.com in 2008, “618” is beaten only by Singles Day, which was created by Alibaba in 2009.
McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Shenzhen in 1990. Paul Lakatos/South China Morning Post/Gety Images
Today, both festivals eclipse Black Friday and Cyber Monday in terms of total sales, and all major Chinese e-commerce sites and many brick-and-mortar retailers offer weeks of promotions across their platforms to lure customers. Stars often get in on the act, too.
Rihanna appeared in Shanghai Tuesday, making a popular Chinese breakfast crepe and hosting livestream sessions showcasing her Fenty Beauty products on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
While Apple has been slashing prices of its iPhone 15 models and iPads sold in China since October, the discounts this month are the biggest the company has ever offered in its biggest overseas market, according to Chinese state media.