In an email, Alibaba sent to TechNode, the Taobao owner said it has seen “encouraging user engagement and growth” from merchants of all sizes. Why it matters: The 618 shopping festival is the second largest online shopping event in China, with consumption levels during the event seen as a barometer of the country’s overall spending trends. JD, the platform that began the 618 shopping festival in celebration of its founding, this year partnered with Hunan TV for its evening gala three years after such last event was held. Elsewhere, content-sharing platform Xiaohongshu reported triple orders on purchases made via its site compared with the same period last year. Context: The main e-commerce players kicked off their 618 promotions in mid-May, but none have posted overall sales totals for the period.