what is singles day

what is singles day

1 year ago 39
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Singles Day, also known as Double 11 or Bachelors Day, is a Chinese unofficial holiday and shopping season that celebrates people who are not in a relationship. The holiday originated at Nanjing University in 1993, when four male students of Mingcaowuzhu dorm discussed how they could break away from the monotony of being single and agreed that 11 November would be a day of events and celebrations in honor of being single. The date, 11 November (11/11), was chosen because the numeral 1 resembles a bare stick (Chinese: 光棍; pinyin: guānggùn), which is Chinese Internet slang for an unmarried man who does not add branches to the family tree.

Singles Day has since become an important part of Chinese culture and is now the largest shopping day in the world, bigger than Amazons Prime Day and Black Friday combined. Alibaba, Chinas largest online shopping company, transformed the event from a 24-hour period into an 11-day affair, dubbed the Alibaba Global Shopping Festival. The festival is now celebrated throughout Southeast Asia and in some European countries, including Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

Retailers, beginning with Alibaba, have used the occasion as a platform to generate more sales. They offer deep discounts and encourage single folks to treat themselves. In 2017, Alibaba set a world record for shopping with a whopping $25.3 billion in sales in just 24 hours. The festival boasts 290,000 brands, making it the largest merchant presence in history.

Singles Day is no longer just one day, as pre-sales start weeks before the actual day. The festival is now a multi-day event, with brands releasing several rounds of discounts and coupons to ease the shipping pressure on logistics providers. Online celebrities partner with brands for a substantial chunk of commissions in return for their influence and ability to generate higher traffic.

Singles Day is not just about shopping. It is also an occasion for single people to meet and for parties to be organized. Blind date parties are popular on this day, and single people can celebrate self-love and independence.

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