For Sunny He, a 32-year-old Shanghai resident, this year’s Singles’ Day shopping season culminated in a single, high-value purchase: a 12,000-yuan (US$1,797) iPhone 18 Pro Max, sweetened by a 300-yuan voucher on Alibaba Group Holding’s Tmall marketplace.
“For me, Double 11 definitely isn’t as lively as before because I have less spare cash than in previous years,” He said. “Even so, I’ll take advantage of this chance for products that I couldn’t bear to buy at full price, like a new iPhone.”
He’s selective approach reflects a broader shift among Chinese shoppers during Singles’ Day – the world’s largest annual online retail event, also known as Double 11 – as consumers become more cautious about spending in a sluggish economy.