"Double 11" platform merchants' competition logic shifts: bidding farewell to low-price involution becomes the industry mainstream

The 2026 "Double 11" is the first major Double 11 shopping festival since the implementation of the Rules for Price Behavior of Internet Platforms. The competitive paradigm of e-commerce mega-promotions is quietly shifting, and moving away from low-price involution has become the mainstream view in the industry. During this year's promotion, leading platforms adjusted their competitive approach, simplified gameplay, downplayed GMV narratives, and no longer treated across-the-board price comparison and lowest prices as their core levers. Merchants also changed their strategies in tandem, brand pricing power is gradually returning, and the industry's focus is tilting toward value-based competition. Industry insiders interviewed noted that policies continue to correct low-price involution, pushing platforms and merchants to move beyond single-dimensional price competition and increase long-term investment in R&D, supply chains, products and services. The e-commerce industry is gradually weakening its reliance on low-price competition and moving toward a new stage of benign competition that places greater emphasis on brand value and certain services.