China’s Singles’ Day shopping event in 2025 experienced a modest improvement compared to the previous year, but retailers noted that growth has slowed as customers showed a preference for bargains over luxury items.
This shopping holiday, celebrated on November 11th, or “11/11,” is a nod to the date as well as an encouragement for singles to shop online. The number “1” is reminiscent of the Chinese character for a solitary person. Some locals refer to it as “Double 11.”
Singles’ Day, which originated in 2009 by Alibaba, was created to promote online shopping among single individuals, with slogans like “You can still shop without a boyfriend or girlfriend!”
Initially, the event was a huge hit, seeing a rapid influx of participating retailers. Traditional stores even started offering special Singles’ Day deals.
This event grew to become the largest single-day sales event in the world, surpassing both Black Friday in the US and Amazon Prime Day. Despite Alibaba and other Chinese companies working hard to promote it globally, by 2025, under a third of global consumers were aware of either Singles’ Day or Double 11. Possibly, its close timing with Black Friday impacts its international recognition.
Moreover, Singles’ Day’s evolution has seen it extend throughout December, diluting the original excitement of the one-day event. This shift seems to have influenced Chinese shoppers’ habits, with many now focusing on finding deals for practical items rather than splurging on luxury gifts for others.
In 2024, Singles’ Day was less successful; the downturn in the economy and disappointing stimulus measures from China’s government dealt a heavy blow to retailers. Analysts pointed out that many consumers found less incentive to engage with the sales, as prices had already dropped significantly over the year.
Despite this, various analytics firms suggest that Singles’ Day in 2025 will see a 14-18% improvement over the disappointing figures from 2024, though it still doesn’t feel particularly robust.
According to the Associated Press, consumers are being cautious with their spending following a lengthy slump in the real estate market, stagnant wage growth, and high unemployment rates among young people—who often are the ones most willing to splurge online.
WPIC Marketing + Technologies CEO Jacob Cook provided a somewhat hopeful analysis, labeling the 2025 sales figures as a positive sign for China’s consumer economy.
He mentioned that “even though the longer sales period complicates year-over-year comparisons, key indicators, such as strong participation and engagement across various categories, demonstrate that consumers are still making purchases.”
Meanwhile, CNBC referred to this year’s Double 11 as a “stumbling block,” noting a shift in consumer focus toward less profitable essentials like groceries and pet food.
CNBC also pointed out that many of China’s leading e-commerce platforms appeared hesitant to disclose their Singles’ Day sales data, contrasting sharply with the celebratory announcements of previous years.
Some retailers thrived in this latest Singles’ Day. JD.com reported a remarkable performance, with customer numbers soaring by 40% and order volume by 60% compared to October.
