Chinese e-commerce attacks with five-week series of promotions – Singles’ Day has become a global shopping marathon

The two e-commerce giants are applying a more aggressive pricing policy than ever before: JD.com, for example, is offering thermal underwear for 30 cents with shipping and is announcing the “lowest price of the year” on 100,000 products. Alibaba is planning a $7 billion campaign budget this year, and the promotions are also supported by ByteDance (TikTok)’s Chinese sister app, Douyin.

A new feature of the 2025 campaigns is the use of artificial intelligence (AI): the platforms are trying to increase the number of clicks and purchases with intelligent search and recommendation systems. AI-driven recommendations generate up to 10% more interactions, helping customers find the right products – or at least not leave their cart empty.

The start was spectacular: in the first 60 minutes, 35 brands – including Nike, L’Oréal, Anta and Proya – crossed the 100 million yuan (about 4.7 billion forints) sales threshold. Instant retail, or one-hour delivery, has received a special focus: Alibaba and JD.com’s logistics infrastructure is now capable of delivering within the hour in more than 200 Chinese cities.

According to experts, this year’s hit products will be beauty products, outerwear, and packaged food and beverages. On the technology front, the iPhone 17, which was introduced in September, may also be on the discount list – even with a significant discount.

Although Singles’ Day remains the world’s largest online shopping event, the enthusiasm of the average Chinese consumer is waning. The weakening real estate market, inflation and domestic competition are all holding back spending, so companies are now trying to maintain interest with longer, more intense campaigns.

The Chinese e-commerce expansion is also being felt globally: the actions of Alibaba, JD.com and Temu are also affecting global trade, generating price competition in European and American online marketplaces. The question is how long this “price everything” strategy can be maintained, when consumers are increasingly considering whether they really need another sale product – no matter how cheap it is.