What is Singles’ Day in China

Every year on February 14th, we are bombarded with pictures of love and romance in honor of Valentine’s Day. But have you heard of Singles’ Day in China? Every year on November 11th, (dnshn gu; single persons; lit. “single dogs”) across China celebrate this unique Chinese holiday. It was originally known as Bachelors’ Day. And it is a Chinese unofficial festival and shopping season that honors single individuals.

Additionally, the said holiday has grown to become the world’s largest physical retail and online shopping day. During the 2018 Singles Day festival, Alibaba shoppers spent a total of 213.5 billion yuan (USD $30.7 billion). That bring the Chinese total to USD $44.5 billion total sales volume in 2017. In 2019, Alibaba said that its gross merchandise volume for the entire event was 268.4 billion yuan (USD $38.4 billion), up 26 percent from the previous year.

Moreover, there are various theories on how the Singles’ Day festival came to be. The most widely acknowledged theory is that it evolved from Nanjing University’s dorm life. According to one version of the story, in 1993, four male students from Nanjing University’s Mingcaowuzhu (all single guys) dorm discussed how they could break away from the monotony of being single. And decided that 11 November would be a day of festivities and celebrations honoring singleness. These events extended throughout the campus and subsequently into the general public. With the widespread use of social media, the event has grown in popularity within contemporary Chinese culture and society.

What do you do on Singles’ Day?

Despite the fact that it is not an official holiday. Singles’ Day is widely observed in China. And it has grown in popularity in other nations over time.

Shopping online is, of course, the true essence of Singles’ Day. Isn’t that what it’s all about when you’re single? They are trying to fill the vast void of emptiness and loneliness. While avoiding your parents’ constant and vocal judgment about your inability to find lasting love in a dying world. Through sifting ththe material goods available to be shipped to your doorstep in one to three business days. While wondering which will ultimately keep your dread at bay, a V-neck midi dress or a cowl-necked mini? Oh, look, your dread of dying alone has manifested itself in polka dots, how adorable!

Also, this is a day for singles to pamper themselves with gifts, excellent dinners, and a night out on the town. Despite the fact that the concept of “self-care” has become somewhat commodified, it is one of the key motivations and branding tactics behind the massive sales generated each year on this day.

Companies like Sprinkles Cupcakes and Target began offering discounts and freebies on that day every year, bringing what was previously just the creation of a bored and subpar writers’ room to life in the real world. It’s no longer enough to go out with your significant other for an overpriced. Lousy prix fixe lunch that will invariably culminate with a molten lava chocolate cake, despite the fact that it’s definitely not 2002. You’ll also have to go to Chili’s the night before for pre-mixed frozen cocktails.

China’s Singles’ Day 2021

If you’re inquisitive about China’s economy and consumer behavior, Singles’ Day—not just China’s top shopping day. But the world’s top shopping day—can provide some answers. China can boast high sales figures for the November 11 shopping holiday once again.

The headline numbers: Alibaba’s gross merchandise value (GMV) reached $84.5 billion, up 8.4% from the previous year. But the slowest rate of growth since the event began in 2009. JD announced $54.7 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV), up 28.6% from 2020.

Is China’s expansion over? No, despite the fact that the rate of growth has slowed from its high. China’s GDP expanded by 4.9 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period the previous year.

Has China’s consumer confidence or purchasing power eroded? No, even in the face of economic uncertainty, consumers are remarkably resilient. Retail sales in China increased 16.4% year on year in the first three quarters of 2021, according to the country’s statistics agency.

Do trade friction or bilateral tensions affect U.S. products? It was mentioned that there are no demands for boycotts of American goods or obnoxious displays of nationalism in consumer behavior have been made.

Consumer patterns have altered since prior Singles’ Day events when customers would take advantage of substantial discounts to stock up on daily essentials.

Because of the pandemic’s uncertainty, demand has slowed, and Singles Day is now competing with other e-commerce festivals all year.

“2021 will be a difficult year, with the pandemic and numerous disasters, slow economic growth, and poor stock market performance,” predicted Hua Wei, a Beijing resident.

Will Singles’ Day be able to maintain its popularity in the face of shifting consumer patterns and new regulations?

Although the world’s largest online shopping event remains popular, observers say the hedonistic self-indulgence has been replaced with the sober reality that China’s economy is still navigating its way out of the epidemic. And that the business faces regulatory obstacles ahead.

Furthermore, critics of the current spending culture have increased, and e-commerce platforms are increasingly substantially investing in promotion and advertising efforts.

Furthermore, with increasingly sophisticated preferences and more diverse experiences, China’s middle class is finding it more difficult to open their wallets, and retailers are finding it difficult to break into the market.

Since then, the internet has helped to publicize Singles’ Day, which is now celebrated in a number of countries outside of China. Customers at Lazada’s Southeast Asian marketplaces ordered 6.5 million things in 2017, indicating that the holiday has increased in popularity there. For example, in Indonesia, the 11th of November is known as “Harbolnas” (National Online Shopping Day). And big online merchants give significant discounts.

The 11th of March is Singles Day in the United Kingdom, also known as National Singles Day. It was founded by a group of internationally recognized dating gurus with the goal of assisting singles in either embracing their solitary status or finding new partners.