Alibaba kicked off Singles Day 2019 with $1 billion in sales achieved in just one minute and 8 seconds and in less than 30 minutes (29 minutes and 45 seconds) had hit the $10 billion sales mark. That’s about a third of last year’s Singles Day sales of $30.8 billion reached in 30 minutes flat.
The reason for this phrentic activity at the stroke of midnight is that many Chinese consumers would have preloaded their basket with must have goods ready to hit the buy button the minute Singles Day 2019 started.
As the clock struck 2am, just two hours into the sale, Alibaba Singles Day 2019 sales had broken the $18.3 billion mark – already eclipsing total sales for the day in 2014, 2015 and 2016. That’s a run rate for the first two hours of sales worth over $2.5 million per second.
Typically, Alibaba’s Single Day has focused on Tmall and Taobao but this year sales will also be taking place on AliExpress as well as Lazada in South East Asia. Hong Kong, the US, the UK, Australia and Japan were among the top overseas buyers in early business. At the open, the top 5 regions in mainland China in terms of transactions were Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai and Shandong.
In flamboyant style, the 11.11 Countdown Gala Celebration included Russian soprano Aida Garifullina and Chinese singer Ayanga performing a duet surrounded by dancers carrying glowing orbs who moved in unison to give the appearance of waves of light on stage. Teen sensation Jackson Yee, of boy band TFBoys, followed. Yee, surprised fans by performing a new single, “Fall,”. Halfway through the show, the audience went crazy when the coaches and champions of “Street Dance of China,” a popular reality series on Alibaba’s video-streaming platform Youku, took to the stage. Then were later joined by world-renowned dance crews The Royal Family and Kinjaz in a spectacular dance-battle performance on a moving, LED stage. Finally, Taylor Swift performed to the delight of the audience both in the Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena and via live streaming.
Singles Day 2019 a Global Event
More than 22,000 international brands from 78 countries and regions will participate in this year’s 11.11 on Tmall Global, Alibaba’s cross-border online marketplace, providing an expansive international product selection for consumers.
For the second year, Lazada will take part and expects its “shoppertainment” –an innovative blend of shopping and entertainment –to attract a record number of participating merchants and consumers in its six markets.
While continuing to serve over 200 countries and regions, AliExpress will enable local merchants from Russia, Spain, Italy and Turkey to participate in 11.11 for the first time.
Daraz disrupted South Asia’s retail market with 11.11 last year and is gearing up again with celebrations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal. India will celebrate with the UC Shopping Fest, in association with Paytm, VMate and 9Apps.
Fliggy will offer 30,000 different vacation packages to over 200 destinations to feed the wanderlust of Chinese tourists. Thousands of travel experts will offer tips and suggestions via livestreams during 11.11.
