Bigger than Black Friday
China's Singles Day: 3m people, 4,000 planes and cargo ships
China's Singles Day on 11 November is the world's biggest 24-hour online shopping event, with 1.9bn products ordered and delivered last year.
But it is thought pent-up demand from the pandemic will break new records.
However, luxury brands are also hoping to get a boost, as millions of Chinese who have been unable to travel overseas on shopping trips go online for what experts are dubbing "revenge spending".
"We anticipate ongoing international restrictions will cause a meaningful shift in Chinese consumers buying luxury online," said Michael Norris, at market research firm Agency China, an e-commerce consultancy based in Shanghai.
"Luxury brands have also risen to the occasion, with an estimated doubling in the number of luxury brands participating in Singles Day."
Singles Day in China - also known as 11.11 or Double 11 - was originally created by online retailer Alibaba to celebrate the unattached, an antithesis to the romantically-involved on Valentine's Day.
Alibaba's online shopping rival JD.com runs a similar event but Alibaba's Singles Day is bigger in terms of goods sold and revenue.
Last year, the gross merchandise value reached more than 210bn yuan (£23bn, US$31bn), double that of Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined, with sales hitting $1bn in a little over one minute of trading.
This year, Singles Day kicked off early with an online selling spree between 1 - 3 November to cater to the growing demand from Chinese consumers.
Wednesday will feature more than 350,000 local and international brands and even includes cars and houses for sale.
A logistical feat
Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba, said it is using more than 3,000 chartered flights and long-haul cargo ships to bring goods into China.
Meanwhile, a total of three million people across Cainiao and its partners will be involved in the logistics globally at warehouses and ports.
It will also be using more than 10,000 mobile lockers to allow customers to pick-up parcels without human contact.
Cainiao also plans to operate more than 700 chartered flights to deliver parcels outside China.
"The use of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, predictive algorithms and big data analytics will empower merchants with demand forecast data and allow them to accurately pre-stock their goods in the right quantity and location," said James Zhao, general manager of global supply chain at Cainiao.
Now in its twelfth year, health products such as vitamins and air purifiers are expected to be among the best-selling products on Singles Day, given the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, the most popular imported goods included pet food, healthcare and beauty products, with a 3,000% spike in beauty products for men.
"I expect beauty product sales to soar with foreign brands like L'Oreal doing very well. Sports apparel and vitamins will do well and consumers are placing increased importance on health," said Shaun Rein, founder of China Market Research Group.
"Companies like Vinda which sells toilet paper will do well as will soap companies like Unilever as consumer stock up in bulk on must-have items," he added.
But for those looking to spend a little more, there are also about 800,000 properties on offer at a discount along with more than 200,000 cars.
Comments
I knew Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, Valentine´s Day, Groundhog Day and, now, Singles Day. We need more days to celebrate all commemorations. I can see that Guanggun Jie or China´s Single Day is a fiesta commemorative in China to celebrate single pride, an antithesis to Valentine´s Day. It seems that Alibaba has created this 11.11 or Double 11 to increase its online sales. (Always a big company is behind a commemoration). Alibaba is going to sell more than €20bn. Everything is huge in China such as million workers, Chinese people, sales, 1.9 merchandises, 4.000 planes and ships.
Since the last decade, people have changed the way to purchase items. Consumers achieve a lot of goods online. This procedure is increasing with the Covid-19 pandemic. I stand out that 10.000 mobile lockers there are to allow customers to pick-up parcels without human contact, as it is said in the part of "A logistical feat" of this article.
It is said too that they expect to sell vitamins and air purifiers among the best-selling products. I thought it was necessary that the doctor prescribed vitamins but I can see that I´m old man.
See you.
I am sick and tired of the likes of Black Friday, Saint Patrick's Day, Halloween and other events and traditions being celebrated in Spain. In my opinion they should remain in their country of origin.
I knew about Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day, Valentine´s Day and Groundhog Day, but not Singles Day, until now that is. We need more days to celebrate all these commemorations. I can see that Guanggun Jie or China´s Single Day is a commemorative festival in China to celebrate pride in being single, an antithesis to Valentine´s Day. It seems that Alibaba has created this 11.11 or Double 11 to increase its online sales. (A big company is always behind a commemoration). Alibaba is going to sell more than €20bn. Everything is huge in China such as millions of workers, Chinese people, sales, 1.9 merchandises, 4.000 planes and ships.
Since the last decade, people have changed the way to purchase items. Consumers get a lot of goods online. This procedure is increasing with the Covid-19 pandemic. What strikes me mmost is the 10,000 mobile lockers customers to pick-up parcels without human contact, as it is said in the part of "A logistical feat" of this article.
It is also said that they expect to sell vitamins and air purifiers among the best-selling products. I thought it was necessary that the doctor prescribed vitamins but I can see that I´m an old man.
Are Brexit and Catalonia insignificant issues?
... sometimes it is because you don´t agree with me.
I must detail it. I agree with a lot of people of the UK, especially of Scotland. It isn´t important for me because I live in another country.
About Cataluña, I agree with the majority of catalanes but not with de independences, but you are English not Spanish, so it isn´t important for you.
Both things are insignificant for me (Brexit) and for you (Cataluña), so neither you have to agree with me about Spain nor I have to agree with you about the UK.
Impotant things for both are: human life, human rights, health and so on.
See you.
I am bewildered by your latest comment, more than usual.
First and foremost, I hope you are just pulling my leg when you call me English.
Brexit affects me more so naturally it is top of my list of topics - though the vast majority of people are sick and tired of it all. I have opinions about Catalonian independence too and I am probably just as well informed as the average Spaniard on the subject.
I have lived around 40% of my life in Spain so I think it would be strange not to have a view on Spanish events.
I must explain. I agree with a lot of people from the UK, especially the Scottish. It isn´t important for me because I live in another country.
Regarding Cataluña, I agree with the majority of Catalans but not , but you are English not Spanish, so it isn´t important for you.
Brexit is insignificant for me and Cataluña for you, so you don't have to agree with me about Spain nor do I have to agree with you about the UK.
Impotant things for both of us are: human life, human rights, health and so on.
Amen!