From just discounts to real shopping experience

Big data, algorithm used to better serve customers

Cheap prices are no longer the only determining factor for consumers, especially in cities, to make a purchase, as quality and service have also become important considerations, in accordance with the upgrading of consumption and the industrial structure.

Many e-commerce giants, such as Alibaba and JD, have extended the Singles’ Day celebrations to nearly a month, not only to increase sales but also to relieve customers from exhausting one-day shopping, which prevents them from fully enjoying the shopping gala.

Besides, learning a lesson last year that complex algorithms for discounts confuses consumers, gameplay has been made simpler and funnier than in previous years so customers get entertainment and better participate in the Singles’ Day gala.

Unlike last year, both online and offline sales were closely connected on Singles’ Day with the help of new technologies such as self-guided drones and blockchain.

In addition, this year’s Singles’ Day laid more emphasis on serving cosumers’ needs based on big data and algorithm, instead of just selling goods.

E-commerce platforms play an important role in not only expanding imports and upgrading consumption, but also promoting the development of domestic industries and prompting some to reform in the face of global competition. To overcome the risk of the oversupply of low-end goods in China thanks to the upgrading of consumption, domestic industries must set higher standards when chasing after international brands to enhance their bargaining power and more widely spread their influence globally.

Cao Lei, director of an e-commerce research center based in Hangzhou