Singles' Day is 11 November, a 24-hour online sale. The short answer: decide your list and spending cap before the day, buy needs and gifts first, read return terms before paying, and skip anything you did not already want. The sources give no product sizes, so you set those yourself.
Start here: what Singles' Day is and what to decide first
Singles' Day lands on 11 November (11/11). Alibaba began using the date in 2009 for a 24-hour online shopping discount event, according to Wikipedia. It is not an official public holiday in China, even though it is described as the largest online and offline shopping day in the world.
Your first decision is how big your plan is. The sources give no product sizes or capacities, so size comes from your own need. Read the size line on every listing yourself.
Our suggestion: Our suggestion: a week before the sale, write a list of no more than 10 items and a total spending cap in dollars. Put the cap at the top of the page. Your need and your budget set the size, not the size of the discount.
Pick the type of purchase and where to buy it
Sort first, then shop. The sources name no US retailers, so this guide names none either. Choose a seller whose return terms you can read before you pay.
- Need now: things you would buy at full price this month.
- Gift: items for a named person, ideally with a size or preference you already know.
- Nice to have: buy these last, and only if money is left under your cap.
Our suggestion: Our suggestion: buy the 'need now' and 'gift' groups first. Match type and material to how you will use the item, and read the listing's specification table rather than the sale banner. For gift ideas that fit a small budget, see How to Fill a Refillable Advent Calendar (Without Overspending).
Treat headline 'record' claims with caution. In 2022 neither Alibaba nor JD.com disclosed their Singles' Day sales results (Wikipedia).
What to check before you pay
The sources cover no seller, return or authenticity checks, so everything here is our suggestion. Run through it for every item over your own price threshold.
- Compare the sale price with the price you noted in the 2 to 4 weeks before 11 November.
- Read the return terms and find out who pays return shipping.
- Read reviews that describe real use, and be wary of a brand-new seller offering a deep discount.
- Add shipping and any import fees to get the total cost; the sources do not quantify these.
- Take screenshots of the listing and of the order confirmation.
Our suggestion: Our suggestion: if the final total is more than your cap for that item, close the tab and come back after 24 hours. A real need will still be there.
After you buy: tracking, using and keeping it
Open parcels quickly. The sources give no use times, care steps or lifespans, so these are our suggestions.
- Check the delivery against your screenshot the day it arrives.
- Open it as soon as it arrives so you do not miss a return window.
- Follow the instructions in the box for use and care.
- Keep the box and receipt until you are sure you will keep the item.
- Replace an item when it stops doing the job you bought it for.
Our suggestion: Our suggestion: write the delivery date and the last return date on your list, so one glance tells you what is still returnable.
Safety and reliability: what the sources tell us
The sources give no product safety rules for items bought on Singles' Day. Follow the safety instructions that come with each product. What they do give is context about the event.
Safety: Singles' Day is not an official public holiday in China (Wikipedia), so do not assume holiday-style consumer protections are tied to it.
Safety: Alibaba and JD.com did not disclose 2022 sales results (Wikipedia), so treat sales-record headlines as claims, not proof of a good deal.
Safety: Alibaba trademarked the term '双十一' (Double 11) in China on 28 December 2012 and has threatened legal action against media carrying competitors' ads that use it (Wikipedia). Sellers advertising in China should avoid the term.
Safety: In Belgium, 11 November is a day of somber commemoration of the war dead (Armistice, 1918), and Singles' Day promotion drew negative reactions there (Wikipedia). Keep any promotion respectful.
Safety: The UK has a separate National Singles Day on 11 March (Wikipedia). Confirm the date before assuming a sale there is the same event.
What to skip
- Anything not on your list just because it is discounted.
- An item you already own that does the job.
- Listings with unclear return terms.
- Listings whose specs leave out size or capacity.
- Sales that show no price history or no clear original price.
Our suggestion: Our suggestion: if you have a 'nice to have' group, buy at most 1 or 2 items from it, and only after your needs and gifts are in the cart and under your cap.
A little history
Singles' Day began at Nanjing University in 1993 and spread to other Nanjing universities in the 1990s. Alibaba started using the date for a 24-hour online discount event in 2009. The date also became popular for weddings: over 4,000 couples married in Beijing on 11 November 2011, against a daily average of 700 (Wikipedia).
Frequently asked questions
How big is Singles' Day compared with Black Friday?
Much bigger, according to Wikipedia. It reports that Singles' Day generated more than US$150 billion in sales in 2025, more than Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day combined. Another passage calls the event nearly four times the size of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Is Singles' Day celebrated outside China?
Yes. Wikipedia says it has grown in Southeast Asia, where Lazada customers ordered 6.5 million items in 2017. German retailer MediaMarkt promotes it in its stores, and Swedish retailer Elgiganten ran a campaign in Norway in 2016 before extending it to other Nordic countries.
Is Singles' Day only for single people?
No. It started as a day for single people, and blind date parties are popular, but it is now celebrated by both sexes. It has also become a popular wedding date: over 4,000 couples married in Beijing on 11 November 2011.
Why is the date 11 November?
The numeral 1 resembles a bare stick, which is Chinese internet slang for an unmarried man. The four 1s in 11/11 also stand for single people. The day began at Nanjing University in 1993.
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