Singles Day 2025: The World Watches, China Sells

1. Consumer Perspective – Awareness Is Low Beyond Asia

While 61% of consumers globally plan to join at least one major sales event in 2025, only 33% know about Singles Day. In Germany, awareness is even lower — 21% know it, and only 17% plan to shop. This shows that Singles Day remains a mostly regional event: globally recognized, but rarely acted upon outside Asia.

2. Market Perspective – Growth Driven by Longer Campaigns

In China, the story is different. Singles Day 2025 continues to grow in total volume — from 913 billion RMB in 2020 to a forecasted 1.56 trillion RMB in 2025. But average daily GMV is declining — from 83 to 58 billion RMB — as retailers extend the event from a single day to a 27-day campaign. Singles Day has become a multi-week sales season, reducing pressure on logistics while maintaining customer engagement through constant deals.

3. Retailer Landscape – Alibaba Dominates, Western Players Observe

Alibaba accounts for 55% of Singles Day GMV, followed by JD.com (29%) and Pinduoduo (6%), leaving just 10% for all others. These three giants control over four-fifths of total GMV. Western brands like Zara (Zara Singles Day deals) or Amazon (Single Day Amazon offers) occasionally join the event, but their contribution remains marginal.
Singles Day 11.11 continues to be a uniquely Chinese eCommerce ecosystem.

4. Category Focus – High-Value Segments Drive Sales

The top-performing categories — Household Appliances (13.4%), Phones (11.8%), and Clothing (11.5%) — together account for around 37% of total GMV.
These are precisely the kinds of products where discounts and visibility matter most, confirming that single day shopping remains driven by price-sensitive, high-value segments.

5. Live Commerce – A Quarter of Sales via Livestreams

By 2025, live commerce is expected to generate 391 billion RMB, roughly 25% of all Singles Day GMV. The rise of livestreaming — where influencers, brands, and platforms merge entertainment with shopping — continues to make Singles Day the benchmark for interactive digital retail.

Conclusion – Opportunity or Distraction for Western Retailers?

Singles Day 2025 underlines a sharp contrast: High awareness in China, low engagement elsewhere. While global recognition is growing slowly, Singles Day remains a phenomenon rooted in Chinese retail dynamics — driven by platform dominance, category focus, and the rise of live commerce.

For Western retailers, the lesson is strategic: Joining Singles Day could mean acting as a first mover, using early November to test campaigns or capture attention before Black Friday. But without clear consumer demand or brand fit, it risks becoming a costly distraction rather than a meaningful opportunity.

In short — the world watches, China sells.