Selling during Chinese New Year: What global merchants should know

Chinese New Year brings a surge in online shopping as people prepare gifts, home items, and travel essentials. It also brings a slowdown in production and logistics across the region. As merchants face a unique combination of higher demand and tighter supply, the right preparation allows you to keep orders moving while meeting buyer expectations.

Crucial dates merchants should know

Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, so dates shift each year. Public holidays in mainland China typically span about one week, yet the real slowdown starts earlier. Many factories close for two to three weeks as workers travel home, and logistics providers operate with limited capacity. The result is a period often known as the Chinese New Year shutdown.

The effect extends beyond the official holiday. Production slows in the weeks leading up to the break. Shipping delays and backlogs often continue once businesses reopen. Merchants benefit from planning around these cycles rather than treating the holiday as a short interruption.

Typical timeline for selling during Chinese New Year

CNY audience and market trends

People celebrate the Spring Festival across mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and large global diaspora communities. This creates a broad international audience for Chinese New Year sales. Merchants serve both local buyers within Asia and global shoppers wanting to send gifts to family abroad.

Seasonal interest concentrates on categories linked to celebration and family gatherings:

• Gifting and novelty items
• Apparel and accessories
• Home décor and household items
• Festive foods and hampers
• Travel accessories and luggage
  
  

Campaigns often feature colours such as red and gold, zodiac references, and themes of renewal. Buyers engage heavily with online shopping several weeks before the festival. Search data in recent years indicates that traffic starts rising well ahead of the official holiday period. If you align your timelines to this early activity, you stand a better chance of capturing demand.

How CNY affects your e-commerce operations

Factory closures and supply chain delays

Production slows significantly during the Chinese New Year shutdown. Many suppliers close for extended periods, and some reduce activity earlier to accommodate staff travel. Ports and warehouses also operate with smaller teams at this time. If your supply chain depends on manufacturing in China or Southeast Asia, you face longer lead times across the whole cycle.

Shipping, fulfilment, and courier delays

Courier networks across China and neighbouring regions process higher volumes while working with reduced capacity. Cut-off dates for international delivery tend to shift earlier than usual. Regional differences matter. 

Mainland China often has the longest downtime, while Singapore and Malaysia usually maintain partial operations. Merchants gain clarity by checking cut-offs with fulfilment partners and setting accurate delivery promises on the e-commerce site.

Inventory planning to avoid stockouts

Pre-stocking helps you maintain steady sales during the holiday period. You keep promotions aligned with the inventory you already have. Overpromising leads to cancellations, refunds, and a heavier load on support teams. Some merchants use cross-border fulfilment centres in markets closer to their buyers to reduce the risk of disruption during the festival.

Planning your CNY sales strategy

Understanding shopping behaviour during CNY

Seasonal shoppers seek items that support gatherings, gifting, and celebration. Popular categories include home goods, clothing, electronics, and packaged foods. Younger buyers drive much of the online shopping growth across Asia. 

Many engage through social commerce, following recommendations from creators and community-led channels. You reach them more effectively by preparing campaigns early and tailoring creative content to the festival period.

Culturally relevant promotions

Campaigns featuring zodiac symbols, curated bundles, or limited-edition packaging can draw attention when done respectfully. Red and gold packaging often signals celebration. 

If you run promotions, consider timing, product selection, and message clarity. Localised content tends to perform better than generic seasonal banners. You can ask yourself which aspects of the festival matter to your audience and how to present products in a way that feels relevant.

Channel-specific tips

Different channels require different approaches. Marketplaces attract high-intent buyers seeking quick delivery options. Branded sites allow greater control over messaging and bundling. Mini-programs within super apps can reach domestic Chinese buyers more directly. Social commerce offers strong reach among mobile-first shoppers. Your approach changes depending on whether you target domestic buyers in Asia or cross-border shoppers sending gifts abroad.

Managing costs and risks during the holiday peak

Payment fees and holiday spikes

Cross-border transactions often include currency conversion and processing costs. These influence your margins during Chinese New Year sales. You may see temporary fee changes from partners or surcharges tied to peak-season volumes. 

Some merchants adjust pricing to absorb part of these costs, while others maintain stable prices and manage margins within internal targets. Review your acquiring arrangements and confirm whether holiday-period fees change.

Chargebacks, refunds, and payment risk

Higher sales volumes often lead to more refunds and a higher risk of disputes. Clear refund policies help set the right expectations. Fraud screening is relevant during this period as buyers move across channels and devices. 

Real-time monitoring tools help you identify suspicious activity and reduce losses. If fulfilment delays occur, buyers may submit disputes more quickly, so transparent communication becomes important.

Multi-currency and cross-border settlement tips

Multi-currency settlement reduces the need for repeated conversions and helps limit FX loss. You need a settlement setup that supports the currencies relevant to your key buyer markets. Local settlement options can make reconciliation easier, especially if your e-commerce business operates in multiple Asian markets during the festival period. 

Providers such as Antom support a range of currencies and settlement options, which can be useful when you navigate fast-moving peak seasons.

Checklist to prepare for Chinese New Year

• Review supplier and fulfilment schedules well ahead of the festival.
• Pre-stock inventory and set clear order cut-off dates.
• Localise promotions and product selections for the celebration period.
• Review fees, settlement settings, and payment routing for cost efficiency.
• Test your checkout, refund flows, and communication templates.
• Prepare customer support teams with guidance on expected delays and common questions.

Conclusion

Selling during the Chinese New Year rewards early preparation. By aligning stock levels, logistics planning, promotional activity, and payment operations, merchants can keep commercial performance steady through a busy and time-sensitive period. Antom supports multi-currency settlement, trusted payment methods, and risk-control tools that help merchants maintain reliable payment acceptance when demand is at its highest.