The history and the development of Double 11 explained
The highly anticipated annual Double 11 shopping carnival is here again! This year, it's the 17th 双十一 (shuāng shíyī / Double 11) since it first came out.
Many of you might have heard of it already or even have been participating in it, but I still would like to share with you some interesting stories behind it to help you know better about its development. In this post, let's have a closer look at 双十一！
The Origin of 双十一
双十一 is originally a festival called Bachelor's Day, also known as The Singles' Day (光棍节 Guānggùn Jié). On this day, many people on the Internet will play jokes, whining about a lack of romance in their life.
The date, November 11th (11/11), was chosen because the numeral "1" resembles a bare stick (光棍 guānggùn), which is Chinese Internet slang for an unmarried man who does not add "branches" to the family "tree".
There are many versions about who invented 光棍节. The widely recognized one is that it was born on the campus of Nanjing University in the 1990s. The four boys who were chatting in the dorm joking about that "11.11 should be 光棍节!" may have never thought that it would become so popular today!
A Humble Start of 双十一 in 2009
With all the Internet revelry, 光棍节 gradually became an opportunity for business.
In 2009, Chinese E-Commerce giant Alibaba ( the parent company of Tmall, Taobao, AliExpress, etc.) created a shopping festival named "Double 11" with the reason to celebrate 光棍节. Alibaba promoted the festival with the slogan: Even if you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you can at least shop like crazy!
By emphasizing that singles who are often shamed over their status should treat themselves on this special day, Alibaba created a kind of party feeling for this festival.
a yearly 1111 Shopping Festival-themed TV gala
China's biggest shopping festival has once again made headlines. During the 2024 Double 11 period, the total online Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) skyrocketed to RMB 1.44 trillion, marking a 26.6% year-on-year increase.
Traditional e-commerce giants Tmall, JD, and Pinduoduo contributed RMB 1.11 trillion, while livestreaming platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou took center stage with RMB 332.5 billion, proving their unstoppable rise.
From empty shopping carts to sold-out livestreams, Double 11 is no longer just about discount, it's a grand spectacle of consumption upgrades, traffic reshuffles, and platform rivalries.
As traditional e-commerce and content-driven platforms continue to compete head-to-head, we're witnessing the evolution of China's digital commerce - full of momentum and possibilities.
*Data source: Syntun 2024 Double 11 Shopping Festival Report
E.g.: 今天我买了很多东西，我要剁手了。
E.g.: 这个月没钱了，我只能吃土。
E.g.: 我今天种草了朋友的一双鞋！
The full process now looks like this:
1)Deposit payment (定金 dìngjīn)
The campaigns kick off early. For example, many platforms opened pre-sales as early as mid-October, giving shoppers plenty of time.
2)Coupon & Red packet grab (优惠券 yōuhuìquàn / 红包)
These are more central than ever. Platforms offer "red-packet rain", energy-accumulation tasks, search-code bonuses, and more.
3)Balance payment (尾款 wěikuǎn)
Then you pay the remainder, often during designated "golden hour" windows (e.g., evening 20:00). Pricing is more transparent: many items show official immediate discounts and platform-wide 10% off coupons.
What's new and noteworthy in 2025:
1)The event period is extended: some platforms run for 31 days or more, giving more time but also demanding more planning.
2)Simplified pricing mechanics: fewer hoops to jump through, more direct discounts ("official stand-still reduction" + "platform-wide 10% off coupons") rather than complicated stacking.
3)Seamless online + offline & multi-scenario participation: It's not just e-commerce websites anymore; live-streams, social platforms, and physical stores blur boundaries.
So yes - whether you see it as "another shopping spree" or a "Strategy Session" depends on how prepared you are. For newcomers, the rules may seem complex at first. But once you understand the three-step flow (deposit → coupons/red packets → balance) and keep an eye on those key time-windows and platform codes, you'll enjoy the carnival rather than get overwhelmed.
I hope this update helps you navigate the 2025 Double 11 event smartly - happy shopping!
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