It all started with a few students from Nanjing University who decided to break away from the monotony of being single for one day.
They chose 11.11 or Nov. 11 because of the solitary implications of the number 1 which symbolize being single. However, this simple celebration turned into one of the largest shopping days in the world, according to global discount provider Picodi.com.
The event also gained great interest in Southeast Asia. According to Google, the popularity of Singles’ Day in the Philippines has increased more than four times in the last five years.
A survey by Picodi.com suggests that more than half of the participants are women—57 percent. In accordance with the event’s name, three out of four consumers are single. Not only singles went on a shopping spree though. An increase in interest was also noted in the group of people in relationships.
The interest in Singles’ Day is especially apparent among young Filipinos. Compared to a regular day, the number of transactions on Singles’ Day among people aged 18 to 24 grew by 1,022 percent. However, getting great discounts is not restricted to younger people—there was a noticeable interest in this shopping festival among all age groups.
The results of the survey show that while more than half of Filipinos do not prepare for the Singles’ Day shopping craze, they buy impulsively on that day.
About 43 percent compare the prices in different stores and only 11 percent declare that they make lists before shopping. It looks like most people treat 11.11 as an occasion to meet their desires rather than an opportunity to execute a well-thought-out shopping plan.
On top of that, most of the consumers—more than 60 percent—declare that they buy things just for themselves. Only a third of the respondents also buy gifts for other people on that day. It appears that—as the name of the event suggests—Singles’ Day is a perfect day for getting a present for yourself.
An average man buys less than an average woman—2.4 and 4 products respectively. The most desirable items among men are clothes, delivery food, and electronics. Similarly, women buy mostly clothes, delivery food, and cosmetics.
It’s not surprising that Filipinos buy more than usual on Singles’ Day. According to Picodi.com platform’s statistics, the number of online transactions increased significantly—there were 970 percent more purchases compared to a regular day.
A survey indicates that an average Filipino is willing to spend P3,050 on a Singles’ Day shopping spree. The sales reached a peak right in the middle of the day, at 1 p.m.
Majority of the consumers—70 percent—use desktops when doing their shopping on Singles’ Day. Only 26 percent of Filipinos make their purchases on mobile phones. Most of the transactions are made on Apple devices, followed by Samsung, Oppo, Asus, and Huawei appliances.
The report was created based on internal data provided by Picodi.com. About 600 participants from the Philippines took part in the survey.