Feed Dat Cat! a Detailed Guide to the 11.11 Consumer Frenzy

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When the temperature drops and people begin anxiously comparing their online shopping cart total to their savings account, it can only mean one thing in China. No, not Black Friday, but the Chinese equivalent, 双十一 shuāng shíyī Singles' Day (aka the world's largest online shopping event)! This year, there's no doubt that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on consumer purchasing power, not to mention their willingness to visit a physical grocery store and touch a bunch of products that have been fondled by potential virus carriers. Lucky for us, domestic e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba is well aware of this fact, and thus they've graciously decided to expand 11.11 from a one-day affair into a month-long orgy of consumerism.

To be sure, you can save a considerable amount of money during 11.11, however, there is a dizzying number of coupons, discounts, deals, and events to wade through before you actually reach the savings. As such, we consulted a few folks who work in the e-commerce industry and came up with a list of keywords to help you understand the perks available during this holiest of days (as long as your religion is consumerism, that is).

Disclaimer: You do not need to be single to celebrate Singles' Day.

购物满减津贴 gòuwù mǎn jiǎn jīntiē purchase threshold coupon (Spend RMB XXX and save RMB XX)

This is one of the most common coupons on days like 11.11 and, if you play your cards right, they can result in some of the largest savings. Generally speaking, when you apply this coupon to your purchase, a fixed amount will be deducted from your total bill based on how much you spent. Sometimes there is just a simple minimum for a discount, but more often than not these coupons on a sliding scale. In other words, the more you pay the more you save. 

These savings can quickly add up when you combine them with other discounts, rebates, and red packets. Pro tip: look out for products labeled 跨店满减 kuàdiàn mǎnjiǎn (cross-store discounts) because these are the ones you can bundle with purchases from other stores to reach that next threshold of savings.

超级红包 chāojí hóngbāo super red packet

We're seeing red... packets!

An ancient Chinese tradition reborn during the digital revolution, the red packet – or hóngbāo – used to be the exclusive domain of children However, I think we can all agree that no tradition should be ageist, especially when it involves spending (and receiving!) money. That's why between now and Nov 11, you can make it rain red envelopes by searching 每天领超红 Měitiān lǐng chāo hóng everyday Super red packet on Taobao's mobile app. What's more, as they say, third time's the charm, so you can get up to three red packets a day! The contents of each hongbao vary, from discounts for specific outlets and products to lucky draw tickets. According to some online shopping aficionados, the earlier you open the red packets, the larger the rewards may be. We don't know for sure if there's any truth to this, but it doesn't hurt to try.

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预售 yùshòu Pre-saleDebuting for the first time this year, a considerable amount of goods will be released via presale links during nightly broadcasts from some of the biggest personalities and channels in the streaming community, with luxury brands such as Estée Lauder, YSL, Dior, and Zwilling getting in on the action. The presale price can be hundreds of RMB cheaper, even when compared to the discounted prices available on 11.11. All you have to do is A) watch the live stream, B) incessantly refresh the page while you wait for the link, C) pay a 定金 deposit upfront, and D) 付尾款 fù wěikuǎn make the rest of the payment between Nov 1 and Nov 11. If that weren't enough, early payment guarantees that your goods will be shipped earlier as well, effectively avoiding those pesky shopping season delivery delays. 运营活动（养猫）yùnyíng huódòng (yǎng māo) promotional campaign (Cat-feeding)

Finally, a cat that pays you to take care of it!

This campaign makes use of (exploits?) your social network by rewarding you every time you share an event or promo link with your friends. To be honest, it's okay if your friend group is relatively small or you shudder to think of yourself as that person who indiscriminately forwards links around because frankly, this shit requires way more time and effort than it's worth.

前N件、秒杀款 qián n jiàn, miǎoshā kuǎn First come, first served discount

Pretty self-explanatory. Unfortunately, though, these discounts are usually gone in the blink of an eye and also require incessant page refreshing. But who can resist the chance to land (almost) free stuff?

直播红包 zhíbò hóngbāo Streaming red packet

Naturally, much like the presale links above, platforms, vendors, and streamers will be distributing tons of red packets during 11.11 to capitalize on that coveted influencer hype. Every day will present a new opportunity to bank some red packets, however, you're going to need to brush up on your Chinese, and listen for any time the streamer says 红包 hóngbāo red packets, 福利 fúlì benefits, or 优惠券 yōuhuì quàn coupons since it may be a sign that they're going to release the goods.

隐形降价 yǐnxíng jiàngjià invisible discountSome luxury brands aren't willing to offer large-scale discounts because, ya know, branding strategies and reputation (read: snobbery). And yet, that doesn’t mean they won’t tack little free samples and accessories on to whatever you purchase, albeit at full price. 

And of course, our favorite for saving both your wallet and your time...

Happy shopping, Beijingers!

Images: Freestocks (via Unsplash), TMall and corresponding vendors, 17qq              

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