Write the date November 11 as numbers and you get 11.11: four ones standing alone. In China that date is Singles' Day (光棍节 guānggùn jié, literally “bare sticks festival”). Over two decades it has also become the busiest online shopping event in the world.
From a campus joke to a festival
The most widely told origin story places it at Nanjing University in the 1990s, where single male students are said to have picked 11/11 as an unofficial, slightly self-mocking day to celebrate being single, because each “1” looks like a person on their own. The idea spread through universities and the early Chinese internet. It became a day for blind dates, karaoke with friends and treating yourself.
How shopping took over
In 2009, Alibaba's online mall, then called Taobao Mall and later Tmall, ran a one-day sale on November 11. It was a quiet time of year for retail, between the October Golden Week holiday and the New Year. The pitch was simple: if you are single, buy yourself something. It worked. Rivals such as JD.com launched their own events, and within a few years 11.11 was the biggest shopping day on the calendar, with livestreams, countdown galas and huge logistics operations to deliver hundreds of millions of parcels.
Alibaba used to announce a headline sales figure every year. The last full figure it released was for 2021, about ¥540 billion in gross merchandise value across the festival period. After that the company stopped publishing a total and shifted its messaging toward the number of merchants and consumers taking part.
How 11.11 works today
- It is no longer one day. Presales and early discounts now start in late October, and the event runs for several weeks, ending on or just after November 11.
- Deposits and presales. Shoppers can pay a small deposit early to lock in a discounted final price, then pay the balance during the main sale.
- Stacked discounts. Platform coupons, store coupons and “spend X, save Y” offers (满减 mǎnjiǎn) can be combined. Working out the best combination has become a pastime of its own.
- Livestream selling. Hosts on platforms such as Taobao Live and Douyin sell products live, often with limited-time prices.
- Global reach. Cross-border platforms, including Alibaba's AliExpress, run 11.11 sales for international customers. Many Western retailers now hold “Singles' Day” promotions too.
Shopping the 11.11 sales: practical tips
- Track prices from early October. Some “discounts” are applied to prices that went up shortly before. A price history extension or a screenshot helps.
- Read the coupon rules. Spend thresholds and stacking rules decide the real price, not the big red percentage.
- Buy from official stores. Look for the brand's flagship store (旗舰店 qíjiàndiàn) to avoid counterfeits.
- Expect slower delivery. Logistics networks handle enormous volumes, so allow extra days, especially for cross-border orders.
- Know the return policy. Mainland platforms generally offer a 7-day no-reason return on many goods bought online, but cross-border items and some categories are excluded.
- Watch your card fees. If you pay with a foreign card through a Chinese wallet, payments over ¥200 may carry a fee. See our payments guide.
Other shopping dates on the calendar
| Date | Name | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| June 18 | 618 | JD.com's anniversary sale, now a mid-year festival across platforms |
| November 11 | Double 11 / Singles' Day | The largest annual shopping festival |
| December 12 | Double 12 | A smaller year-end follow-up sale |
| Before Lunar New Year | New Year shopping | Gifts, food and travel ahead of Spring Festival |
Frequently asked questions
Why is November 11 called Singles' Day?
The date 11/11 is written with four 1s, which look like individuals standing alone. Students in China, traditionally linked to Nanjing University in the 1990s, adopted it as a day for single people.
When did Singles' Day become a shopping festival?
In 2009, when Alibaba's Taobao Mall (now Tmall) held a one-day November 11 sale. Other platforms followed and it grew into the largest shopping event of the year.
When do the 11.11 sales start?
In recent years presales have begun in late October, with the main discounts concentrated around November 11 itself.
Is Singles' Day the same as Double 11?
Yes. Double 11 (双十一 shuāng shíyī) is the common name for the shopping festival held on Singles' Day, November 11.