China’s Singles’ Day shopping extravaganza loses luster

By ZEN SOO
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Singles’ Day, the world’s largest online shopping festival which falls on Nov. 11 every year, is losing its shine with less marketing hype and a crackdown on the technology industry. Singles’ Day has been viewed as the largest online marketing event of the year. It is heavily advertised for weeks ahead of time with brands and merchants offering deep discounts to attract consumers looking for bargains. This year, e-commerce platforms reduced marketing hype in line with the Chinese government’s push for less extravagance. Shoppers say deep discounts are a thing of the past and experts are predicting lower sales as the economy slows.