For everyone here in the western world, Black Friday reigns supreme as the most anticipated way to lock in the year’s best deals. Rightfully so, as even though we’ve just gotten a taste of what to expect this year, the deals look better than ever. Elsewhere in the world, specifically China, the usual holiday fanfare is helmed by none other than Singles Day. Each year retailers like Alibaba, Gearbest, and Bandgood get in on the action, offering noteworthy deals on everything from tech to home goods and more. Head below for a closer look at what to expect from Singles Day 2019 and for how to prepare for one of the year’s biggest shopping events.
What is Singles Day, anyway?
One might not expect it, but Singles Day is now estimated to be bigger than Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday sales combined. Now even more surprising is that most folks here in the United States still aren’t familiar with the shopping event or even how to take advantage of its discounts.
Going off what we saw last year, the Singles Day sale for 2019 is slated to begin on November 11th starting at 12 am. Keeping up with US residents, many retailers will flip the switch on deals in accordance with our timezones, too. Originally you’d have to plan accordingly for the 13 or more hour difference, but not anymore.
Now what will be on sale during the 24-hour sale this year? Groom through the various retailers participating in Singles Day for 2019 and you’ll see everything from tech and gear for around the house to fashion, outdoor goods, and much more.
How to prepare for the Singles Day festivities
Singles Day was effectively pioneered by Alibaba, so this will be the retailer to keep an eye on come Monday. The main way to lock-in discounts here will be heading to the Alibaba-owned AliExpress, which can be thought of as an Amazon-like shopping site for China.
Starting on November 11th, you’ll be able to take advantage of up to 70% off discounts. These offers will take the form of various deals that go live at midnight or pop up throughout the day. On top of that, there will also be flash sales throughout the day-long sale, which take upwards of 90% off.
Banggood is another retailer that has previously delivered loads of compelling Singles Day discounts, and we’re expecting to see the same in 2019. You’ll find a similar selection of offerings to AliExpress, but with what looks like a rotating batch of offers.
Brands like Xiaomi and Eachine shine
At both of the retailers, there are a few notable companies to look to for. Xiaomi is one of the most well-known Chinese tech brands, and we’re expecting to see a wide range of its products on sale. Banggood is specifically highlighting several of its smartphones, smart home security cameras, and more. AliExpress, on the other hand, shines the spotlight on the Mi TV Box 3 Android TV streaming media player, which will be down to $45.
The popular TicWatch lineup will be getting discounts of 30% or more at Banggood. We’re also expecting to see some enticing discounts on Roborock robotic vacuums, which we’ve featured many times in the past. Lastly, Eachine drones are expected to received some noteworthy price drops as well. We’ve previously reviewed several models in the past, and have found them to be solid options at an affordable price point.
Other helpful tips for surviving Singles Day 2019
Ahead of the Singles Day sale on Monday, it’s a good idea to make sure your ability to actually pay for deals is in order. Most of the big retailers accept common payment methods from here in the states. Of those, PayPal as well as Visa and Mastercard debit/credit cards seem to be two of the most popular. So depending on how you’re looking to pay, it’s a smart idea to scout out accepted checkout options at retailers like AliExpress, Banggood, and Gearbest.
While Alibaba and its affiliated sites are mostly in English, you won’t necessarily find the same courtesy elsewhere. So having your preferred translation service on-hand could really speed up the shopping process. For example, Google Translate will make quick work of deciphering Chinese listings into English.
Have any tips or recommendations for making the best of Singles Day 2019? Let us know in the comments below.
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