No more midnight rush: How Singles’ Day is being rebuilt for China’s cautious consumers

China’s Singles’ Day shopping festival has shifted from a high-pressure midnight sales race to longer promotions and more relaxed shopping, as platforms and brands respond to consumers wary of complicated discounts and hard-sell tactics. The change matters because shoppers are increasingly focused on buying what they need, while sales growth has slowed.

Alibaba moved presales and sales windows to 8pm and simplified discounts; JD.com dropped its presale system in 2023. Sales across platforms reached 1.695 trillion yuan during the 2025 promotional period, up 14.2 per cent year on year, about half the 26.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Livestreams are also moving towards more measured presentations, including fashion advice alongside product offers.