11.11 Singles Day: how should you prepare for it?

Get ready for 11.11 Singles Day! Discover winning strategies to prepare for the biggest shopping event of the year.

Singles Day, also known as Double 11, is a popular shopping holiday that originated in China as an anti-Valentine’s Day celebration and has since grown into a global phenomenon. Held on November 11th each year, it has gained significant popularity among consumers who are looking for great deals and discounts on various products. As a business owner or marketer, preparing for this shopping extravaganza is essential to maximise your sales and make the most out of this event’s tremendous potential. In this blog post, we'll explore how eCommerce businesses can prepare for Singles Day, with success stories from major brands to inspire you to make the most of this shopping holiday.

Planning and setting goals

To make the most of this shopping event, businesses need to plan ahead and set clear goals for the event. This includes determining your target audience, identifying your best-sellers, and setting target goals.

Alibaba, one of the largest eCommerce companies in the world has been a key player in the growth of Singles Day. In 2020, the company reported $74 billion in gross merchandise volume during its 11-day shopping festival. To prepare for Singles Day, Alibaba started promoting the event weeks in advance, offering sneak peeks at the discounts and promotions that would be available. It also leveraged its massive social media following to reach a wider audience, partnering with influencers and celebrities to promote the event.

In addition, Alibaba also reaped success from employing similar strategies in Southeast Asia (SEA). 11.11 has become a staple shopping holiday in the retail industry calendar of the SEA region. Apart from featuring sneak peeks of the deals, Alibaba-owned Lazada also collaborated with local key opinion leaders (KOLs) from different industries for an engaging shopping experience, combining entertainment, deals, and brand awareness in its 2022 mega sales. Hence, to attain success like these companies, make sure you set a clear goal ahead so you can hit the ground running.

Optimising your online store

To make the most of this shopping bonanza, it's essential for online retailers to focus on optimising their product details page and strategically placing their ad banners.

The product details page (PDP) serves as the digital storefront where customers get essential information about the products that they are interested in. As such, businesses should consider the following strategies:

High-quality visuals with concise descriptions: Use high-resolution images and videos that showcase the product from different angles. For product descriptions, use clear and persuasive language to highlight key features, benefits, and any exclusive offers.
Customer reviews and ratings: Display authentic customer reviews and ratings to build trust and credibility for conversion.
Mobile-friendly design: Ensure that the PDP is optimised for mobile view.

As strategic placement of ad banners can effectively capture shoppers' interest and drive traffic to specific products or promotions, businesses can consider the following strategies:

Homepage hero banner: Place an attention-grabbing banner on the homepage, showcasing the best deals or limited-time offers to entice site visitors to explore further.
Category and search result pages: Feature relevant ad banners on category and search result pages to guide customers to special deals or exclusive collections.
Exit-intent pop-ups: Implement exit-intent pop-ups with personalised offers such as discounts and free shipping to retain potential customers who are about to leave the site.

Optimising your website and mobile app

A key part of preparing for Singles Day is to optimise your website and mobile app to handle the increased traffic and sales. This includes ensuring that your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and can handle high volumes of traffic. You may also want to consider implementing features such as live chat or chatbots to help customers with their purchases.

To provide an interactive shopping experience for users, Shopee optimises its website and mobile app by creating a landing page. Specifically, they use countdown timers to create hype and ad carousel banners that highlight special promotions and discounts.

Countdown timers are also integrated with its in-app games such as Shopee Shake and Shopee Tap Tap games. Users can anticipate the moment to purchase while playing and winning coins that can be used during checkout. Other gamification elements like lucky draws and limited-time vouchers are also seen during Shopee LIVE events to engage and incentivise users to make purchases. Should users encounter problems when playing the games, they can either refer to the FAQs or contact the live agents for assistance. Furthermore, Shopee also provides similar product recommendations based on its customers’ search and purchase history, which facilitates product discovery, cross-selling, and up-selling opportunities.

Offering promotions and discounts

One of the biggest draws of Singles Day for shoppers is the opportunity to save on their purchases. As an eCommerce business, you can attract customers by offering promotions and discounts. This may include flash sales, free shipping, or discounts on specific products or product categories.

For Shopee, flash deals are offered on a wide range of products to encourage purchase. These deals are known for their steep price cuts, creating a sense of urgency among shoppers. Furthermore, discounts, free-shopping vouchers, and rewards in the form of Shopee Coins are also being offered, where shoppers can collect and redeem for additional savings on their purchases. Besides, Shopee engages shoppers with interactive games such as Spin & Win and Shopee Lucky Prize with additional chances as well as contests that offer exciting prizes during their livestream, making the shopping experience more entertaining and rewarding. Such incentives enable Shopee to obtain approximately six times more orders paid using ShopeePay on this day compared to other days of the month.

On the other hand, Lazada introduced a special collection of Lazzie characters redeemable via purchases, Lazada Wallet reload, and more between November 7th and 15th 2022. They could be used in exchange for incentives like entries to win an exclusive massage chair worth RM19,999, rebates, and others. To further boost conversion, Lazada provides various types of incentives catered to different groups of shoppers, allowing them to reap more sales for sportswear, beauty, and electronic products.

On the retailer front, premium brands such as Laneige often pull all stops for this shopping event. As shown, it offers more discount vouchers on 11.11 compared to other shopping holidays.

A comparison of Laneige’s promotions on 11.11 vs. 3.3

As competition becomes more intense and consumers are bombarded with multiple incentives, brands have come to realise that conversion has become increasingly challenging. Therefore, it is recommended that brands communicate their promotions early to build anticipation and tap into new segments.

Leveraging social media and influencer marketing

Social media and influencer marketing can be powerful tools for businesses looking to promote their brand and products during Singles Day. By partnering with influencers who have a large following, you can reach a wider audience and generate more interest in your brand. You can also use social media platforms such as WeChat and Weibo to promote your products and offers.

Sephora, the global cosmetics retailer, has been leveraging Singles Day to expand its reach in the Chinese market. In 2020, the company reported strong sales during the event, with a focus on digital marketing and online sales. Sephora launched a special Singles Day collection, featuring limited edition products and gift sets. The collection was promoted heavily on social media and through influencer partnerships, generating excitement among customers and driving sales.

A leading butter brand collaborated with ADA to relaunch its product on TikTok page to drive follower growth and traffic. Influencers kickstarted the campaign by demonstrating how butter could improve the taste of meals, desserts, and more. This was followed by a branded hashtag challenge, inviting foodies and chefs alike to participate. The campaign boosted content from both KOLs and users. Among the successes that the brand reaped was 21 million total video views against the benchmark of 6 million to 25 million.

An opportunity not to be missed

Singles Day presents a massive opportunity for eCommerce businesses to reach a wider segment and boost sales and revenue. By planning ahead, setting clear goals, optimising your online platforms, offering promotions and discounts, and leveraging social media and influencer marketing, businesses can effectively prepare for Singles Day and maximise their chances of success. With thoughtful planning and execution throughout the event, your business will be on track to reap the rewards from this global shopping holiday.

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