On May 20, Taobao Tmall Hong Kong Station held the "2026 Taobao Tmall Hong Kong 618 Launch Conference." Ding Zhencai, General Manager of Taobao Tmall Hong Kong and Macau, stated that this year's Taobao 618 sale will break from tradition by adopting a direct supply strategy of "starting sales at midnight with no pre-sale period." The event will also see three key service milestones achieved by May 31: the official launch of "Tmall Supermarket HK Next-Day Delivery," a comprehensive upgrade of the "HK Returnable" service for the clothing category, and more.

This year's Taobao 618 sale will be conducted in two phases: the "618 Early Access" from midnight on May 21 to May 30, and the "618 Carnival" from midnight on May 31 to June 21.

Ding Zhencai announced that Tmall Supermarket will officially launch on Taobao Hong Kong Station on May 31, with a commitment to next-day delivery for orders placed before 4 PM on the same day, and delivery the day after for orders placed after 4 PM. Additionally, starting in June, Taobao Hong Kong Station will introduce the "HK Returnable" service, offering free shipping and returns for clothing categories.

Regarding the recent price war among Hong Kong supermarkets, Ding Zhencai noted that Tmall Supermarket differs from local Hong Kong supermarkets. Local supermarkets primarily focus on Hong Kong-version products for immediate purchase and use, while Tmall Supermarket offers a wider selection of mainland Chinese brand products, creating a distinct product range.

When asked about JD.com's (09618) acquisition of Kaibo to enter the local physical supermarket market in Hong Kong, Ding Zhencai stated that there are currently no plans for offline supermarket acquisitions or mergers. The primary strategy remains centered on user needs, developing the online platform, and enhancing logistics services to directly address the pain point of users wanting to purchase mainland products quickly. He emphasized that mergers and acquisitions would only be considered in the future if truly necessary and are not a key strategy at present.