Singles Day began at Nanjing University on 11/11. The idea behind choosing the date was that it is made up of four “ones” or for single numbers (as it was started by four single men). The name for the day literally translates from Chinese as “Four Sticks Day”.
Drawing inspiration from American Black Friday, Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang, sees an opportunity with Single’s Day, sparking a trend that has surpassed Cyber Monday in single-day transactions,other shopping websites soon followed suit.
Singles’ Day is no longer just a day to celebrate singlehood. It also represents the international and influential consumer power of China, its ever-growing economy, and the affluence across the country.