Everything you need to know about Single’s Day, the world’s largest online shopping event

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With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up in a few weeks, the internet is already buzzing with amazing deals and sales. But did you know that these days pale in comparison to another shopping holiday that happens in mid November?

China’s Single’s Day, held on Nov. 11, is actually the world’s largest online shopping day. Initially created in the 1990s, Single’s Day first started as a sort of single pride day or anti-Valentine’s Day holiday for people not in relationships. However, in recent years, online mega-retailer Alibaba has transformed the day into the biggest 24-hour online shopping event in the world. 

With over 140,000 brands participating in the event, everything from tech products to home gadgets and even cars are marked down on Single’s Day. Last year, Alibaba sold over $25 billion (yes, that’s billion with a B) in goods on Nov. 11, selling $5 billion in the first hour alone. 

Shoppers living outside of China can get in on the action this year by heading to AliExpress.com. Those living in China can shop on Alibaba’s main websites, Taobao and Tmall, to find all of the biggest deals. And be sure to check back here on 11/11 to get the scoop on this year’s best sales.

15 PHOTOSInside China's Single's DaySee GalleryInside China's Single's DayA screen shows total sales at over 213.5 billion yuan (30.7 billion USD) shortly after the end of the 11.11, or “Singles Day” shopping festival, at the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai early on November 12, 2018. – Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba filled a record 30.7 billion USD in orders on November 11 during its annual “Singles Day” shopping frenzy, but growth slowed from previous years. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)A general view of the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)Chinese singer Jackson Yi (C) performs during the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)SHANGHAI, Nov. 11, 2018 — A giant screen displays sales on Alibaba’s online marketplace Tmall for Singles’ Day shopping spree in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 11, 2018. China’s Singles’ Day sales on TMall hit about 1.44 billion U.S. dollars at just two minutes and five seconds after midnight on Sunday. The e-commerce giant launched the annual online shopping promotion on Nov. 11, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi via Getty Images)Australian model Miranda Kerr (C) speaks during the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)Australian model Miranda Kerr attends the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)A general view of the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)A Tmall mascot (2R) performs during the 2018 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shanghai on November 10, 2018, ahead of the annual November 11 Singles Day shopping spree – China’s answer to Black Friday – which saw 25 billion USD spent in just one day last year. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)This photo taken on November 3, 2016 shows workers sorting packages at a logistics center in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province, ahead of the annual “Singles Day” shopping festival. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)This photo taken on November 3, 2016 shows workers sorting packages at a logistics center in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province, ahead of the annual “Singles Day” shopping festival. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)An employee prepares items for the upcoming “Singles Day” shopping festival at a logistics center in Nanjing in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on October 30, 2019. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)An employee prepares items for the upcoming “Singles Day” shopping festival at a logistics center in Nanjing in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on October 30, 2019. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)An employee prepares items for the upcoming “Singles Day” shopping festival at a logistics center in Nanjing in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on October 30, 2019. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)A worker transfers packages after the “Singles Day” shopping festival at a delivery company in Hengyang in China’s central Hunan province early on November 12, 2018. – Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba filled a record 30.7 billion USD in orders on November 11 during its annual “Singles Day” shopping frenzy, but growth slowed from previous years. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT(Photo credit should read STR/AFP via Getty Images)NANTONG, Nov. 11, 2018 — Employees work at the distribution center of a delivery company in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Nov. 11, 2018. Delivery companies were running at full speed to deliver massive number of parcels after Alibaba Group’s Singles’ Day online shopping spree on Nov. 11. (Xinhua/Xu Congjun) (Xinhua/Xu Congjun via Getty Images)Up Next

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