Produced by｜Huabo Business Review

After rectifying the workplace, the post-00s generation has now entered the entrepreneurial circle to rectify 'Singles' Day'.

01

Post-00s generation becomes the main force in preparing for 'Singles' Day'

The post-00s generation, which has been the main force of consumption for 'Singles' Day since 2021, has now become the main force of merchants. According to data from the Taobao Factory's production center, among the new sellers preparing for this year's 'Singles' Day on Taobao Factory, sellers are divided into three age groups: 'before 1984', '1985-1995', and '1995-2000'. Sellers from the '1995-2000' age group account for 41.6%, slightly higher than the 40.4% of sellers from the '1985-1995' age group, successfully joining the ranks of mainstream new sellers. Compared to last year, the number of this group has surged by 106%, making them the most active new seller group. Notably, the number of female sellers in this group is also on the rise, accounting for nearly 30% of new sellers. These post-00s sellers not only dominate in quantity but also demonstrate remarkable potential in performance. They are active not only in eastern regions but also in central and western regions, where more and more young people are joining the wave of e-commerce entrepreneurship. Among sellers in 10 provinces such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Shandong, post-00s account for up to 87.66%. Most of them are 'second-generation factory owners', 'third-generation factory owners', or young college students starting their own businesses.

In addition, young sellers from provinces such as Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, and Yunnan have also entered the top 10, indicating that young forces in central and western regions are actively engaging in e-commerce entrepreneurship. Zhang Peng, head of Taobao Factory's production center, said that the post-00s sellers have become the main force of new sellers for this year's 'Singles' Day on Taobao Factory, which is a positive sign for various production bases. It reflects not only young people's recognition of Taobao Factory but also their confidence in local industrial development. Moreover, the post-00s sellers are not only young and energetic but also have a deep understanding of young consumers' needs. The entrepreneurial paths they choose often overlap with areas that young people are passionate about and full of trends, such as toy hobbies, pets, outdoor travel, maternity and baby care, sports and fitness equipment and apparel, beauty and beauty tools, and food and beverages that integrate medicine and food. These industries are also popular on Taobao this year and provide a vast stage for young sellers.

02

The longest 'Singles' Day in history

What are the other new changes for this year's 'Singles' Day' besides the rise of post-00s sellers? Firstly, the time span of 'Singles' Day' has been significantly extended, earning it the title of 'the longest 'Singles' Day' in history. E-commerce platforms such as Tmall and JD.com have advanced the start of 'Singles' Day' to mid-October, about ten days earlier than in previous years. Live-streaming e-commerce has also made early moves, with Douyin starting its 'Singles' Day 'early bird' period at the beginning of October, followed closely by Kuaishou. This timing adjustment aims to better lock in consumers and stimulate consumer demand by starting early and extending the activity period. In terms of retaining merchants, e-commerce platforms have also demonstrated more sincerity. Platforms like Tmall and Taobao have reduced merchants' return costs and financial pressures by introducing measures such as return insurance and blocking unreasonable refund requests. JD.com has enhanced merchant confidence and promoted win-win cooperation between the platform and merchants by iterating on its 'Spring Dawn Plan' to provide more exposure opportunities and support to merchants. At the same time, barriers between platforms are gradually being eliminated.

Interoperability has been achieved between Taobao and WeChat, with Meituan Takeout, Meituan Hotels, and others officially entering Alipay Mini Programs, while JD.com has introduced Cainiao and Alipay. These changes have broken down artificial barriers, allowing competition to focus more on core elements such as product quality, price advantages, and service experience. In terms of payment and logistics, e-commerce platforms have also achieved more partnerships. The payment page provided by Taobao and Tmall merchants now supports WeChat Pay, providing users with a more convenient payment method. At the same time, Taobao and Tmall plan to integrate with JD.com's logistics system to provide merchants with more logistics options. JD.com will also integrate with Cainiao Express and Cainiao Posts, further improving logistics efficiency. Of course, what consumers care most about is how to buy more affordable products during 'Singles' Day. This year, various platforms have increased subsidies. Tmall claims to offer the largest subsidies and red envelopes, with an additional investment of 30 billion yuan in consumption vouchers and red envelopes. JD.com has set up 'Super Seckill Day', 'Billion Subsidy Day', and 'Peak 28 Hours'. Pinduoduo launched 'Billion Consumption Vouchers' and upgraded its 'Super Bonus'. However, some consumers have expressed concerns that merchants may raise prices before offering discounts, resulting in no change in the actual price of the product.