Special Edition: The Evolving Landscape of Singles' Day

Imagine Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, but on a much grander scale. If you follow China’s ecommerce market, Singles’ Day should already be on your radar. It’s the world’s biggest online shopping festival, and for many brands, the defining commercial moment of the year.

First launched by Alibaba on 11 November, 2009, the event has since evolved far beyond its origins — from a one-day sale to a sprawling, multi-platform phenomenon across all ecommerce and social commerce platforms in China, establishing itself as the world's largest online shopping event.

However, Covid lockdowns and consumer fatigue dampened enthusiasm for purely consumerist spending. Alibaba stopped publishing GMV figures from 2022 onwards, suggesting flat or declining growth. Complex coupon systems and endless discount rules made participation confusing and exhausting. Where does this leave us today?

• Is Singles’ Day still worth it for brands
• Who really benefits — the brands, the platforms, the consumers?
• How can brands boost sales and maintain brand equity during such a price-driven event?
• Is participation a must, or are there alternative tactics for ecommerce success and sustained revenue generation in China’s marketplaces?

This month’s China Playbook Special Edition takes you inside Singles’ Day — its history, its evolution and what it now means for China’s retail landscape.