In the early hours of November 11, China’s Singles Day, e-commerce platforms issued a slew of statistics related to performance during the country’s biggest consumerist festival, though as with recent years they shied away from boasting about their gross merchandise value (GMV) totals, numbers that consistently led their announcements in the event’s 2010s heyday. The platforms’ Double 11 press releases also highlighted the key role that AI and livestreaming played for them during this year’s event.
Why it matters: Now in its 16th year, China’s biggest annual shopping event not only reveals consumer buying power but also tracks trends in consumer interests and emerging product hotspots. The widespread use of AI and livestreaming points to the strategies that the country’s major e-commerce platforms are employing as they look to entice a consumer base that has become more careful with its spending in recent years.
Details:
- According to data from Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant behind major shopping platforms Taobao and Tmall, its AI toolkit enabled 4 million merchants to simplify their marketing efforts by generating over 100 million pieces of content, ranging from images to text. Additionally, the toolkit helped 800,000 merchants analyze consumer traffic patterns, allowing for more targeted and efficient outreach. With this support, 589 brands on Alibaba’s platforms achieved RMB 100 million (USD 13.8 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV) this year, up from 402 brands last year. Furthermore, 45 brands, including Apple, Haier, Midea, and Xiaomi, surpassed the RMB 1 billion GMV milestone, according to Alibaba.
- AI not only served merchants but also emerged as a popular category among consumers during this year’s Singles Day. According to data from JD, demand for AI-driven electronics surged on JD.com, with sales of AI learning devices growing tenfold and sales of AI-enabled computers, smartphones, and related technology items doubling year-over-year. In addition, livestreaming proved to be a crucial engagement channel for the platform, as orders from JD Live surged 3.8 times compared to last year. Supported by a logistics network of 340,000 couriers, JD.com expanded its services to rural areas, adding nearly 300 remote townships to its delivery range and ensuring fast delivery even for large appliances.Transaction volume for 519 home appliance categories doubled, with top sellers including large-screen TVs, energy-efficient air conditioners, and smart toilets.
Context: Double 11, also known as the “Chinese Black Friday,” is China’s largest shopping festival, held annually on November 11. Launched by Alibaba in 2009, it has grown into a major event across all e-commerce platforms, featuring massive discounts and record-breaking sales. This year, Double 11 promotions kicked off as early as October 8 on Douyin, marking the longest lead-up to the event at nearly a month.
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