Gift Culture Drives Seasonal Lingerie Purchases in China Today

Let’s be real — if you’re selling lingerie in China and not tapping into the gifting economy, you’re leaving money on the table. Forget the old idea that people only buy intimate apparel for themselves. In today’s Chinese consumer landscape, lingerie is increasingly a *gift-driven* purchase, especially around key seasonal events.

I’ve been tracking fashion e-commerce trends in China for over six years, and one thing stands out: holidays like Valentine’s Day, Qixi Festival (China’s Valentine), and even Chinese New Year have become major lingerie sales spikes — not because people are treating themselves, but because they’re giving it as a romantic gesture.

According to data from Alibaba’s 2023 White Paper on Intimate Apparel, **over 68% of lingerie purchases during Valentine’s Week were made by men buying for their partners**. That number jumps to **74% during Qixi**, thanks to targeted campaigns by brands like NEIWAI (内外) and Maniform.

Here’s a breakdown of peak gifting seasons and average spend:

So what does this mean for brands? First, your marketing shouldn’t just focus on self-purchase empowerment (sorry, ‘love yourself’ messaging only goes so far). You need **romantic storytelling** that makes it easy and *socially acceptable* for men to buy lingerie as a gift.

NEIWAI nailed this in 2023 with their Qixi campaign, using soft visuals and emphasizing emotional connection over sex appeal. Result? A 40% YoY increase in gift-set sales. Meanwhile, Maniform partnered with JD.com to offer discreet packaging and gift messaging — small touches that reduce purchase friction.

Another pro tip: **limit edition sets sell better than individual items**. During Qixi, limited red-themed sets accounted for 61% of all gifted lingerie. Why? They feel special, seasonal, and intentional.

If you're entering or expanding in the Chinese market, align your product drops and ad spend with these gifting windows. And don’t forget SEO — optimize for keywords like *lingerie gift China*, *best romantic gift for her*, and *Qixi Festival gifts*. Two of those are linked right here: lingerie gift China and Qixi Festival gifts.

Bottom line: romance sells. But in China, it’s not about impulse buys — it’s about culturally smart, gift-optimized strategies.