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ToggleTaobao has unveiled its 2024 Annual Product List, featuring ten representative items: “Einstein’s Brain,” horse-face skirts, clog-style shoes, Zhuozhou Book Support Packs, the “Linglong One” nuclear power bank, Coenzyme Q10, custom concert light boards, Moutai Latte, dark plum sauce, and The Art of War.
Each year, Taobao shortlists products based on search trends and sales data, then finalizes the top ten through public voting and expert reviews. As a leading e-commerce platform, Taobao’s annual list not only captures national memories but also mirrors shifts in consumer vitality and trends.
From the first virtual product “Einstein’s Brain” to The Art of War (revived by the hit drama The Knockout), these ten items reveal key 2024 consumption trends.
01 “Einstein’s Brain” – “Emotional Value” Consumption
A standout entry, “Einstein’s Brain” is Taobao’s first virtual product on the annual list. Sold as a low-cost (around ¥0.1) digital image of Einstein, it serves as a lighthearted “ritual” for self-encouragement or friend interactions. Similar virtual goods—like “good luck sprays” for exams—boom during stressful periods, reflecting young consumers’ focus on emotional healing and self-regulation.
Economist Wei Xiang links this to the “relaxation index” (inverse of inflation and unemployment), which rose in 2024 as economic pressures eased, driving demand for emotionally supportive services over traditional “motivational” products.
02 Horse-Face Skirts – “Guofeng” (Traditional Chinese Style) Thrives
A top Guofeng fashion item, horse-face skirts saw over 730,000 sold during 2024 Double 11, enough to cover 105 football fields. “New Chinese Style” searches on Taobao surged 50% year-on-year, driven by youth’s growing cultural confidence.
03 Clog-Style Shoes – Practicality Meets Individuality
Once mocked as “ugly,” these shoes now dominate youth fashion for their utility. Customization with affordable charms turns them into personalized “canvases,” showing young people’s active role in shaping trends.
04 Zhuozhou Book Support Packs – Heightened Social Concern
After floods hit Zhuozhou’s publishing industry, Taobao launched a relief campaign. Over 385,000 packs were bought in three days, raising ¥30 million to aid affected businesses.
05 “Linglong One” Nuclear Power Bank – Pride in Domestic Innovation
Part of a Taobao initiative to showcase “national heavyweights,” the world’s first land-based small modular reactor (dubbed “nuclear power bank”) drew massive attention. Though not for sale, it symbolizes national pride. Taobao has become a key platform for displaying such innovations, with state-owned enterprises using Double 11 to highlight tech milestones like the first domestic cruise ship and a ¥2 million commercial satellite (sold via live stream).
06 Coenzyme Q10 – Health Takes Priority
Search volume for Coenzyme Q10 spiked 2,500% in early 2024, with some live streams selling out. This reflects a growing focus on preventive health, as “fourth meal” nutrition products (daily supplements) gain popularity among younger consumers, driving a trillion-yuan market.
07 Custom Concert Light Boards – Revival of Offline Entertainment
2024 saw a boom in live events, boosting concert-related sales by 300x on Double 11. Light board sellers reported their best year in a decade, signaling a return to in-person leisure.
08 Moutai Latte – Hype for Brand Collaborations
The co-branded Moutai x Luckin latte topped Taobao’s search trends, sparking a wave of cross-brand partnerships. During Double 11, over 100 brands launched “Guo Huo Blind Date” (National Brands Matchmaking) collabs, like Lao Gan Ma x Coconut Palm and Six Walnuts x Liuliu Mei, elevating 2024’s (collab) craze.
09 Dark Plum Sauce – Viral Trend Merchandise
Li Ronghao’s hit song Dark Plum Sauce drove a 200x surge in related searches. Taobao users now instantly seek viral trend products, with sellers rapidly capitalizing on memes like “Dinosaur Kanglang” and “Capybara.”
10 The Art of War – Boom in TV/IP Merchandise
The Knockout propelled The Art of War to top Taobao searches, with its novel selling out. Similar trends followed hits like The Wandering Earth 2 (robot “Benben” raised ¥100 million in crowdfunding) and New Gods: Nezha Reborn (animation merch sold out instantly). This signals a rising market for Chinese TV/IP derivatives, opening new commercial possibilities.
