Chinese consumers have exhibited robust purchasing power for high-quality and intelligent products containing innovative technologies during the Singles Day shopping extravaganza.

在“雙十一”購物狂歡節期間，中國消費者對包含創新技術的高品質和智能產品表現出強勁購買力。

Experts said this has played a vital role in promoting the recovery of consumption and shoring up economic growth in the country.

專家表示，這對促進國內消費復蘇和支撐經濟增長起到了重要作用。

Major Chinese e-commerce platforms have extended the promotional period, and adopted a simple and more pragmatic approach by canceling presale campaigns this year.

中國的主要電商平臺都延長了促銷期，並采取簡單務實的做法，取消了今年的預售活動。

Instead, direct price cuts have become the preferred strategy to attract price-conscious customers and bolster sales during China's biggest online shopping event. 

直接降價反而成為吸引價格敏感型顧客的首選策略，在中國最大的網購活動期間助力促售。

Experts also said that unlike in the past, when record-smashing gross merchandise volume, or GMV, through discount-led sales had come to characterize the 11-11 or Double Eleven promotional campaign, chasing high GMV is no longer the focus now.

專家們還表示，以往通過折扣帶動銷售來創造破紀錄的商品交易總額（GMV）是雙十一促銷活動的特點，而現在，追求高GMV已不再是重點。

Chinese shoppers are becoming more rational and carefully reviewing their needs, with an emphasis on the quality and value of commodities, they added.

專家補充，中國購物者變得更加理性，他們會仔細思考自己的需求，注重商品的質量和價值。

Data from Tmall, Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group's business-to-customer platform, showed that in the first four hours after the shopping carnival officially kicked off at 8 pm on Oct 21, 174 brands saw their sales surpass 100 million yuan ($14 million).

中國科技巨頭阿里巴巴集團旗下B2C平臺天貓的數據顯示，在“雙十一”於10月21日晚8點正式拉開帷幕后的四個小時內，有174個品牌的銷售額超過了1億元人民幣（約1400萬美元）。

During this period, the turnover of more than 12,000 brands surged over 100 percent year-on-year and the sales of nearly 6,000 brands skyrocketed more than 500 percent compared with the same period last year.

在此期間，12000多個品牌的營業額同比增長超過100%，近6000個品牌的銷售額同比增長超過500%。

The transaction volume of Apple Inc's products on Tmall exceeded 1 billion yuan within five minutes, while sales of domestic smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo all surpassed 100 million yuan in the first four hours of the promotional event, according to Tmall.

天貓數據顯示，蘋果公司產品在天貓上的交易額5分鐘內就突破10億元，而華為、小米、vivo等國產智能手機品牌在促銷活動的前4個小時內銷售額均突破1億元。

Consumers preferred to snap up bargains via livestreaming on e-commerce platforms, with sales from some top-tier livestreamers on Taobao Live, Alibaba's livestreaming arm, surpassing 100 million yuan within a short period.

消費者更喜歡通過電商平臺上的直播搶購特價商品，阿里巴巴旗下直播平臺淘寶直播上一些頭部主播直播間的銷售額在短時間內就突破了1億元。

JD, another major Chinese e-commerce player, has launched a subsidy campaign worth 10 billion yuan, and given discounts for commodities included in the consumer goods trade-in program, such as home appliances and computers. It has also stepped up efforts to upgrade supply chains and logistics services.

中國另一家大型電商平臺京東推出了價值100億元的補貼活動，並為家電、電腦等以舊換新計劃中的商品提供折扣。京東還加大力度升級供應鏈和物流服務。

JD said it recorded a double-digit year-on-year growth in transaction volume, orders, and user numbers between 8 pm on Oct 14, when its promotional gala opened, and 9 pm on Oct 31.

京東稱，從10月14日晚8點促銷活動開始至10月31日晚9點，其交易量、訂單數和用戶數量均實現了兩位數的同比增長。

More than 16,000 brands saw their sales surge over threefold year-on-year, while the number of brands exceeding 100 million yuan in turnover increased over 400 percent compared with the same period last year. More than 17,000 merchants witnessed their order volumes soar over five times from a year earlier.

16000多個品牌的銷售額同比增長超過3倍，營業額超過1億元的品牌數量同比增長超過400%。17000多家商戶的訂單量比去年同期激增5倍多。

New users who bought apparel and cosmetics via JD's online marketplaces skyrocketed over 140 percent year-on-year, while JD's livestreaming channel saw a 245 percent year-on-year increase in order volumes.

通過京東網上商城購買服裝和化妝品的新用戶同比激增超過140%，而京東直播頻道的訂單量同比增長245%。

Consumer electronic devices witnessed robust growth during the shopping extravaganza.

電子設備消費在購物節期間實現了強勁增長。

The transaction volume of gaming laptops rose 120 percent year-on-year during the shopping spree, and AI smartphones and 4K projectors experienced 100 percent growth in turnover, while the sales of AI learning devices and 3D printers surged over 10 times from the same period last year, JD said.

京東表示，“雙十一”期間，遊戲筆記本電腦的成交量同比增長120%，AI智能手機和4K投影儀的成交量增長100%，AI學習設備和3D打印機的銷售量比去年同期激增10倍以上。

Furthermore, a series of products that represent scientific and technological innovations achieved by Chinese enterprises have been made available on e-commerce platform Taobao. These products cover fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, aerospace, new energy and quantum technology. 

此外，代表中國企業科技創新成果的一系列產品已在電商平臺淘寶上進行銷售。這些產品涵蓋信息技術、人工智能、航空航天、新能源和量子技術等領域。

For example, consumers can directly purchase the country's independently developed AS700 civil manned airship and enjoy discounts. The airship can be used for sightseeing, emergency rescue and geophysical exploration of the skies, among other things.

例如，消費者可以直接購買中國自主研發的AS700民用載人飛艇，並享受折扣優惠。該飛艇可用於觀光旅遊、緊急救援和天空地球物理勘探等。

The Double Eleven festival was just a 24-hour event on Nov 11 when it was unveiled by Alibaba in 2009, but has stretched into a weekslong shopping spree lasting from mid-October to mid-November this year. Online retailers initiated the promotional event one week earlier this year than previously.

阿里巴巴在2009年推出“雙十一”活動時，該購物節還只是一個在11月11日舉行的24小時活動，但今年的“雙十一”已發展成從10月中旬持續到11月中旬的長達數週的購物狂歡節。與以往相比，今年的促銷活動提前了一週。

"Consumption has become the main driving force boosting China's economic growth, and the Singles Day shopping carnival is pivotal to unleashing consumers' purchasing potential, bolstering domestic demand and promoting consumption recovery," said Wang Yun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research.

中國宏觀經濟研究院研究員王蘊表示：“消費已成為拉動中國經濟增長的主要動力，‘雙十一’購物狂歡節對於釋放消費者購買潛力、拉動內需、促進消費復蘇具有舉足輕重的作用。”

More stimulus policies are needed to stabilize and expand employment, improve household incomes, and boost people's ability and willingness to spend, so as to further perk up consumption, Wang added.

王蘊補充，需要更多的刺激政策來穩定和擴大就業，提高家庭收入，增強人們的消費能力和意願，從而進一步刺激消費。

China's retail sales, a significant indicator of consumption strength, rose 3.3 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of this year, said the National Bureau of Statistics. Online sales remained a bright spot, rising 8.6 percent year-on-year during the January-September period. 

國家統計局數據顯示，作為衡量消費實力的重要指標，今年前三季度，中國社會消費品零售總額同比增長3.3%，線上消費仍是一大亮點，網上零售額1-9月同比增長8.6%。

Based on a survey by global consulting firm AlixPartners in early October, consumers still view Singles Day as the most important shopping festival. Most consumers are likely to maintain their spending levels from the previous year, with 25 percent of interviewed shoppers saying that there would be an increase in their overall spending, the consultancy said.

根據全球谘詢公司艾睿鉑10月初的一項調查，消費者仍將“雙十一”視為最重要的購物節。谘詢公司稱，大多數消費者可能會保持去年的消費水平，25%的受訪購物者表示他們的總體消費會有所增加。

Most of the increased spending based on the survey would be in apparel, daily necessities and cosmetics. Consumers are likely to remain sensible in their spending given the current economic backdrop, it added.

根據調查，大部分增加的支出將用於服裝、日用品和化妝品。該調查補充，在當前的經濟背景下，消費者可能會保持理性消費。

Online retailers have made promotional methods simpler this time, with a key focus on improving user experience and seeking high-quality and long-term growth, as Chinese consumers are more prudent and rational about potential purchases, said Jason Yu, managing director and vice-executive president of CTR Media Convergence Institute.

央視市場研究（CTR）總經理、CTR媒體融合研究院執行副院長虞堅認為，隨著中國消費者對潛在購買行為更加謹慎和理性，網絡零售商此次將促銷方式變得更加簡單，重點放在提升用戶體驗、尋求高質量和長期增長上。

Yu said retailers hope to roll out new products to attract consumers and build brand image during the shopping spree.

虞堅表示，網絡零售商希望在購物熱潮中推出新產品來吸引消費者，並樹立品牌形象。

High-quality and intelligent commodities are crucial for stimulating the purchasing appetite of consumers and unleashing new consumption potential, he said.

他說，高品質、智能化的商品對於刺激消費者的購買欲、釋放新的消費潛力至關重要。

"A series of pro-consumption policies, such as the consumer goods trade-in program, have played a significant role in bolstering the sales of consumer electronic products and household appliances on major online marketplaces," Yu added. 

虞堅補充：“消費品以舊換新等一系列有利於消費的政策，對促進電子消費品和家用電器在主要線上市場的銷售發揮了重要作用。”

Meanwhile, Taobao and Tmall have officially integrated JD's logistics during this year's shopping carnival as sellers on these platforms can choose JD Logistics as the delivery method. JD has accepted the mobile payment option from Alipay, which is operated by financial technology company Ant Group.

與此同時，淘寶和天貓在今年“雙十一”期間正式整合了京東物流，這些平臺上的賣家可以選擇京東物流作為配送方式。京東已接入由金融科技公司螞蟻集團運營的支付寶提供的移動支付方式。

Industry insiders said these moves signify a key step in breaking down barriers between the two leading internet companies, enhancing interconnectivity of different platforms, and elevating the online shopping experience of users.

業內人士表示，這些舉措標志著兩家先進互聯網公司在打破壁壘、加強不同平臺互聯互通、提升用戶在線購物體驗方面邁出了關鍵一步。

Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy, said major e-commerce platforms have ramped up efforts to offer steep discounts and shopping subsidies as well as simplify promotion methods during the prolonged shopping carnival to rev up sales.

網經社電子商務研究中心高級分析師莫岱青表示，各大電商平臺已加大力度，在持續很久的購物狂歡節期間提供大幅折扣和購物補貼，並簡化促銷方式，以刺激銷售。

"The policy measures to encourage trade-ins of consumer goods have not only stimulated consumers' desire to purchase, but also bolstered the sales and upgrades of household appliances, and propelled the popularity of green and energy-saving products," Mo said.

“消費品以舊換新的政策措施不僅刺激了消費者的購買欲望，還促進了家電產品的銷售和升級換代，推動了綠色節能產品的普及。”莫岱青說。

She noted that Chinese consumers have become more value-conscious and are paying more attention to the quality and cost-effectiveness of commodities. Mo also emphasized that online retailers should launch new products and upgrade supply chains to attract a new breed of young shoppers.

她指出，中國消費者變得更加注重價值，更加關注商品的質量和成本效益。莫岱青還強調，線上零售商應推出新產品並升級供應鏈，以吸引新一代年輕購物者。

It is noteworthy that generative artificial intelligence technology has witnessed a ramp-up in China's retail industry during this year's 11-11 promotion.

值得注意的是，在今年的“雙十一”促銷活動中，生成式人工智能技術在中國零售業迎來了爆發期。

According to a report from consultancy Bain & Company, Chinese retail players are investing in generative AI to boost sales and Singles Day could be the perfect opportunity.

根據貝恩谘詢公司的一份報告，中國零售商正在投資發展生成式人工智能技術，以期拉動銷售額，今年的“雙十一”成為生成式AI大顯身手的好機會。

The report said 52 percent of the surveyed merchants have used at least one generative AI-enabled tool. More than half of them have used generative AI-powered customer service chatbot tools, while about one in three have used AI to generate content. The survey interviewed over 500 merchants trading on China's major e-commerce platforms.

報告稱，52%的商家使用過至少一種生成式AI工具，其中超過50%的商家使用過AI智能客服機器人，還有約1/3的商家利用AI生成內容。這項調查訪問了中國主要電子商務平臺上的500多家商戶。

It stated that the era of high double-digit increases in the GMV during the Singles Day shopping spree has come to an end, forcing retailers to focus more on sustainable growth, profitability and customer loyalty, rather than a win-at-all-costs obsession with the top line amid current economic headwinds.

該報告指出，“雙十一”期間GMV以兩位數高速增長的時代已經結束，這迫使零售商更加關注可持續增長、盈利能力和客戶忠誠度，而不是在當前的經濟逆風中一味追求最高利潤。

Kelly Liu, partner at Bain & Company's Greater China retail and performance improvement practices, said AI's increasing prominence across Chinese retail sector offers a timely boost to a maturing industry that is facing challenges such as slower retail sales growth.

貝恩公司全球合夥人、大中華區零售和績效提升業務領導團隊成員劉洋表示，人工智能在中國零售業的影響力和作用與日俱增，這為面臨零售銷售增長放緩等挑戰的成熟行業提供了及時的推動力。

Generative AI gives Chinese retailers access to a powerful tool for increasing sales and lowering cost, Liu said.

劉洋認為，生成式人工智能為中國零售商提供了促進降本增效的強大工具。

"It is vital that Chinese retailers deepen their customer engagement. AI tools can energize customer retention efforts, enabling e-commerce players to hyper-personalize their engagement with consumers and create bespoke shopping experiences for them," said James Yang, head of Bain & Company's Greater China retail practice.

貝恩公司大中華區零售業務主席楊大坤表示，“中國零售商必須加強與顧客的互動。AI工具可以優化顧客挽留措施，幫助電商平臺打造高度個性化的顧客互動方式，為顧客帶來量身定制的購物體驗。”

Chinese retailers need to transition faster from AI experimentation to deployment at scale. The retailers that master generative AI in three key areas — deepening customer engagement, turbo-charging productivity and cost savings, and finding new growth beyond trade — could build a lasting strategic advantage, according to the report.

中國零售商需要加快從AI實驗過渡到大規模部署的步伐。報告指出，零售商如果能掌握生成式AI技術，並利用其成功強化顧客經營、推動降本增效、找到新增長點，就能建立長久的戰略優勢。

Singles Day shopping extravaganza

“雙十一”購物狂歡節

price-conscious customers

價格敏感型顧客

apparel

n. 服裝

gross merchandise volume

商品交易總額