Pinduoduo Surpasses Taobao in User Engagement During Double 11, While Taobao Leads in Daily Active Users

The annual Double 11 shopping festival has once again revealed the fierce competition among China’s e-commerce giants. QuestMobile’s latest report highlights the changing dynamics of the sector, showcasing a pivotal moment in user behavior and market competition during the extended promotional period, which now spans nearly 30 days compared to 20 days in previous years.

Pinduoduo Overtakes Taobao in User Engagement

In a historical first, Pinduoduo outpaced Taobao in terms of user engagement, capturing 36.1% of total user time spent on e-commerce platforms during the 2024 Double 11 period. This marks a dramatic rise for Pinduoduo, which has seen consistent growth over the past three years.

JD.com also made notable gains, with its share of user engagement surpassing the 10% milestone for the first time, reaching 10.6%.

These shifts in engagement metrics underline the increasing competition for user attention as platforms refine their strategies to lock in loyal customers.

Taobao Maintains Dominance in Daily Active Users

Despite Pinduoduo’s victory in user time spent, Taobao retained its crown in daily active users (DAU), a critical metric for measuring platform activity.

On the peak day of the shopping festival, Taobao reported an impressive 4.87 million DAUs, continuing its legacy as the dominant player in China’s e-commerce landscape.

Pinduoduo, riding the wave of its engagement success, recorded over 4 million DAUs, reflecting its growing influence among shoppers. JD.com also delivered strong results, surpassing 2 million DAUs during the festival.

What the Numbers Say About Market Trends

The evolving user engagement patterns and DAU numbers shed light on the strategies and potential trajectories of China’s top e-commerce platforms.

• Pinduoduo’s Engagement Win: Pinduoduo’s ability to capture a larger share of user time highlights its innovative approaches, such as gamified shopping experiences and community-driven purchasing. This indicates the platform’s appeal to younger demographics and value-conscious consumers.

• Taobao’s Leadership in DAUs: While Pinduoduo excelled in engagement, Taobao’s extensive ecosystem and long-standing reputation helped it maintain its top position in active users. The platform’s dominance in categories such as fashion, electronics, and premium goods continues to attract a broad user base.

• JD.com’s Steady Growth: JD.com’s rise in both DAU and user time share demonstrates the effectiveness of its focus on logistics excellence and high-quality product offerings, particularly in categories like electronics and appliances.

QuestMobile’s findings highlight the increasing fragmentation of China’s e-commerce market. As platforms diversify their strategies to cater to specific user preferences, the lines between traditional strengths blur. The focus has shifted from merely attracting users to retaining them through personalized, engaging experiences.

The competition is no longer about “who sells more,” but about “who holds the user’s attention longer.” This evolution will likely drive innovations in AI-driven recommendations, immersive shopping experiences, and loyalty programs in the years ahead.