China’s Singles’ Day, also called Double 11, is the world’s largest shopping event—bigger than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. If you’re in e-commerce or just a curious shopper, here’s what you need to know.
Singles’ Day on November 11 started in a dorm room and exploded into a multi-billion-dollar holiday. With over $84.5B in recent sales, it’s the largest online shopping day on the planet.
So, how did a quirky tradition become a retail phenomenon? These five facts reveal the untold history, explosive data, and how your business can join the biggest shopping event in the world.
1. The Story Behind the World’s Biggest Shopping Day
In 1993, four students from Nanjing University created a day to embrace singlehood. They chose November 11 (11/11) for its symbolic four “1”s—a visual nod to being solo. The idea caught on quickly across Chinese universities.
Their goal wasn’t commercial—it was social: parties, meet-ups, and self-love gifts. But over time, Singles’ Day snowballed into a cultural and consumer movement. By the late 2000s, it was already a familiar date for brands seeking to attract younger consumers.
2. Why Is It Called Double 11?
Why that name?
Because it happens on 11/11 and looks like four singles.
The name “Double 11” gained legal and commercial power in 2012 when Alibaba trademarked it. Beyond symbolism, the date became a branding goldmine.
Numbers matter in Chinese culture, and 11/11 is both visually and emotionally striking. Some even interpret the four 1s as “only one for me.”
3. How Alibaba Turned It Into a Billion-Dollar Event
When did it become a retail monster?
In 2009, when Alibaba commercialized it through Tmall.
That year, Alibaba made $8.2M in 24 hours. Not bad for a pilot. But the momentum didn’t stop.
According to Reuters, sales hit $14.3B by 2015, as Jack Ma turned emotional holidays into economic engines. Tmall became the Chinese Amazon with a turbo button.
Jack Ma once said, “If we can make people happy buying things, we’ll always have business.”
4. The 12-Minute Billion-Dollar Milestone
How fast do sales happen?
$1.57 billion in the first 12 minutes of 2015.
At 00:12:28 on November 11, 2015, Tmall recorded a record-breaking sales surge. The site processed 85,900 orders per second.
Consumers had prepared by collecting coupons, saving carts, and joining pre-sales. It wasn’t spontaneous; it was precision-planned.
5. Today’s Double 11 Is a Multimedia Spectacle
Is it still just shopping?
Now it’s part concert, part game, part global spectacle.
In recent years, Double 11 became a full-blown festival:
Virtual fashion shows
AR-powered games
Livestream commerce
Celebrity performances (Katy Perry in 2020)
It all starts on the evening of Nov. 10 with a Super Bowl-like countdown. For brands, it’s a chance to launch new products and connect with a hungry, tech-savvy audience.
What Makes Singles’ Day So Effective?
What It Means for You as a Business Owner
If you’re selling globally, Double 11 is your golden opportunity—but only with the right localization:
- Native-level Chinese content
- Integrated local payment systems
- Culturally adapted brand voice
Final Thoughts & CTA
Double 11 isn’t just a day—it’s a phenomenon. With $84.5B in reported 2021 sales, it eclipses every Western equivalent.
Want a piece of the pie? Let our localization team help you:
- Translate your site professionally
- Optimize your content for Chinese search engines
- Connect you with real customers in real time
Mark your calendar: November 11. Let’s localize and globalize your brand.
