Singles’ Day 2025 marketing playbook
Generated by Klaviyo AI
This article explains what makes Singles’ Day different from BFCM and why it’s a growing opportunity for ecommerce brands worldwide. It outlines creative campaign ideas, from self-gifting bundles and gamification to VIP experiences and referral promos, and shows how Klaviyo features support segmentation, personalization, and automation for Singles’ Day.
- Singles’ Day fundamentals: Learn how Singles’ Day evolved into a self-gifting, experience-driven shopping event distinct from Black Friday Cyber Monday and why it’s gaining traction beyond China.
- Creative campaign ideas: Explore eight Singles’ Day tactics, including personalized self-gifting offers, gamified experiences, 11-themed promotions, Singles’ Week warm-ups, VIP treatments, limited editions, referrals, and self-love storytelling.
- Segmentation and personalization: See how to use zero- and first-party data, quizzes, and behavioral signals to build intent-based segments for self-gifters and gift buyers and tailor Singles’ Day messaging accordingly.
- Klaviyo-powered execution: Understand how Klaviyo’s segmentation, dynamic content, flows, predictive analytics, and integrations with quizzes, UGC, and referral tools can operationalize Singles’ Day strategies across channels.
According to data from Syntun shared via EMARKETER, Singles’ Day 2025 generated $236.60 billion USD (RMB 1.695 trillion) in China, a 17.5% YoY increase from 2024.
To put that number into perspective, Black Friday in the US drove $11.8 billion in sales in 2025, according to Adobe Analytics. Singles’ Day is massive in markets outside the US, especially in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Europe. But global brands are starting to realize the potential for Singles’ Day, with 32% of US consumers aware of the holiday, according to Statista.
Singles’ Day, also known as Double 11, first kicked off in China as a kind of anti-Valentine’s Day. It started back in the 1990s when university students decided to celebrate being single on November 11. (Get it? 11/11, or 4 “ones” for 4 single people.)
What began as a tongue-in-cheek celebration quickly turned into the biggest shopping event in the world when Alibaba jumped on board in the 2000s and made it a mega ecommerce moment. The one-day event is a discount-driven event like Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM)—it’s even in the same month. But it’s a different beast entirely.
While BFCM is mostly about buying gifts for others or prepping for Christmas, Singles’ Day is rooted in self-gifting. That shift in mindset means there are some unique opportunities to promote products as indulgent, fun, or emotionally supportive.
As Singles’ Day gains traction outside of China, we’re seeing 3 global trends:
- Economic uncertainty is shaping shopping habits. With consumer optimism at a two-year low and rising prices topping shoppers' concerns, according to McKinsey, people are spending more selectively. So, offers that emphasize value, flexibility (like bundles or payment plans), and emotional benefit may land better.
- Younger audiences get it. Brands in markets outside of China see Singles’ Day as an opportunity to connect with younger, mobile-first shoppers who are used to shopping events that feel like experiences.
- Brands are starting early. Campaigns are launching weeks in advance to warm up audiences, gather wishlists, and reward VIPs.
Because this holiday is all about self-love and indulgence, it’s a great opportunity to break out of your usual promo playbook and create experiences that feel fun, empowering, and totally personal. Here are 8 creative angles you can explore.
1. Personalize Singles’ Day offers for single shoppers
Rather than blasting out a generic discount, make your Singles’ Day campaign feel a little more thoughtful with personalized gifts and offers.
Start by identifying customers who are most likely to vibe with the “treat yourself” mindset, like solo travelers, skincare lovers, or anyone who’s shown an interest in a product that screams self-care.
Here are some personalized Singles’ Day marketing campaign ideas to try:
- Use support conversations to gather data before Singles’ Day. Let’s say a shopper messages your AI customer agent to ask whether a sold-out serum will restock before 11/11. That exchange can update their profile to include them in a Singles’ Day promo segment, so you can send them a personalized back-in-stock alert.
- Segment your lists based on interests like self-care, travel, or independent living, then use dynamic content in your messages to highlight products based on a customer’s past browsing or purchase behavior. One person might see a luxe candle set, for example, while another gets a coffee kit.
- Create irresistible bundles, like a “Self-care Sunday set,” “Solo spa night kit,” or “Treat yourself trio.” Product bundles not only have the potential to boost average order value (AOV), but can also help customers feel like they’re getting something curated just for them.
- Send a “self-love discount” text message to customers who are marked as single in their profiles or have shown solo-purchasing patterns. Even a cheeky subject line or text message like “It’s called self-love, and you deserve it” can go a long way.
- Extend the personalization to on-site experiences. When a solo shopper who’s been browsing self-care products lands on your site, their self-serve hub experience can surface Singles’ Day products for potential wishlisting.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Dermalogica offers product bundles
In this Singles’ Day marketing example, skincare brand Dermalogica skips a sitewide discount in favor of a cleansing set product bundle, priced 28% off with a free gift of a 4-piece self-care set. Rather than pushing every product to every subscriber, they likely focused on shoppers who would want to treat themselves, like big spenders or frequent buyers.
Subject line: Limited Supply❣️3 FREE minis + gua sha
Image source: Milled
2. Gamify your Singles’ Day campaign
Singles’ Day discounts are a huge hit in Asia, but the holiday is also so popular because it often makes shopping feel like a game. If you can bring that same energy to your own campaigns, you’re more likely to create an experience customers can’t help but get involved with.
Here are some gamified Singles’ Day marketing campaign ideas to try:
- Add a spin-to-win form to your site in the week leading up to 11/11. These are great for collecting email addresses and phone numbers, building hype, and making the shopping journey more exciting.
- Launch a Singles’ Day quiz with AI. Use AI to build the questions, logic, and product recommendations for a conversational quiz with your AI customer agent. When a shopper generates results from the quiz, follow-up messages and on-site experiences speak to corresponding preferences. You can also pair this with a themed discount tied to each person’s quiz results.
- Turn engagement into a game. Run a giveaway where customers earn entries by completing actions, like signing up, sharing with a friend, or adding something to their wishlist. You can also run a "Comment to unlock" campaign where anyone who comments with a keyword like “single” gets an automatic reply with a call to action (CTA) to sign up for access to exclusive codes.
- Send interactive mobile messages. Interactive formats like RCS support product carousels and tappable choices. For Singles’ Day, you can send a “Pick your treat” RCS message with 3 tappable gifts, like a mystery discount, a free add-on, or early access to your Singles' Day drop.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Campus Shoes runs an Instagram giveaway
In this Singles’ Day marketing example, footwear brand Campus Shoes promotes a #DamnGoodShoes giveaway on Instagram. Shoppers can win a pair of sneakers by commenting with a movie title or song that sums up their single life, tagging their single friends, and following Campus Shoes accounts.
This campaign gamifies engagement for Singles’ Day. Picking a movie title or song is more fun than filling out a form, and tagging friends turns one entry into several as those friends jump in to enter the giveaway, too.
Source: Campus Shoes Instagram
3. Lean into symbolism and play with the number 11
One of the easiest ways to make your Singles’ Day campaign stand out is by having a little fun with the number 11. It’s the heart of the holiday, and gives you a ready-made theme you can turn into creative offers.
Here are some 11-themed Singles’ Day marketing campaign ideas to try:
- Offer 11% off a $50 purchase sitewide as a nod to the date, and double it to 22% off if someone makes a $100 purchase. It’s a subtle discount that still feels generous and more meaningful than a random percentage.
- Try a “Buy 1, get 1 for $11.11” deal to add some flair to your bundles and increase AOV.
- Send a message on subscribers’ preferred channels at 11:11 a.m. on 11/11 with a flash discount, secret product drop, or VIP-only code.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Half Magic features 11:11 front and center
In this Singles’ Day marketing example, cosmetics brand Half Magic leans into 11:11 mysticism with a transformation portal theme. The email drives shoppers to the brand’s product duos while sweetening the deal with a free lip cream on orders of $50 or more for a limited time.
Subject line: 11:11 ✨ Make a wish. Manifest your next era.
Source: Milled
4. Build hype with a Singles’ Week warm-up
Some Singles’ Day campaigns stretch the fun over a few days (or even a full week) to build anticipation.
Here are some pre-Singles’ Day marketing campaign ideas to try:
- Run a 5- to 7-day Singles’ Week campaign with daily drops, flash sales, or themed offers. This keeps your audience checking back in and gives you more chances to showcase different products.
- Kick things off with a teaser sequence that hints at what’s coming. Try subject lines or text message copy like, “Mark your calendar…” or “Something exciting lands on 11/11 👀” to pique curiosity. Use a countdown timer to add a sense of urgency.
- Send personalized WhatsApp teasers. Send a branded, interactive WhatsApp message that promotes products customers have browsed in the last 3 months, with CTA buttons they can tap to buy.
- Turn each day into a themed moment (like “wellness Wednesday” or “feel-good Friday”) to connect with that self-gifting energy in a more focused way.
- Use TikTok Shop or live shopping events to demo each day’s featured products in real time.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Gym+Coffee builds anticipation for 11/11
Athleisure brand Gym+Coffee sent this teaser email ahead of their Singles' Day sale. The copy leans into self-gifting messaging and gives shoppers two CTA options: “Get Ready” to opt into Singles’ Day sale updates, or “Build Your Cart” so they're ready to buy the moment the sale goes live.
The latter option is great for brands that give customers access to a self-serve hub where they can build wishlists. If their list is ready to go the moment your Singles’ Day sale drops, most of the work is done and all that’s left to do is to buy.
Subject line: Singles’ Day Sale is coming 👀
Source: Milled
5. Launch a “Solo shopper VIP” experience
For loyal customers who regularly engage with your holiday messages or shopped last Singles’ Day, now’s the time to roll out the red carpet. You know that your solo VIPs are already fans of self-gifting, so give them something that makes them feel just a little bit special.
Here are some “Solo shopper VIP” Singles’ Day marketing campaign ideas to try:
- Offer early access to your Singles’ Day sale, limited-edition products, or best deals. You can frame it as “a little something just for our most loyal solo shoppers.”
- Send exclusive email-or text message-only offers, like extra perks, bonus gifts, or deeper discounts that don’t show up anywhere else.
- Build a hidden landing page only VIPs can access. Use password protection or a direct link in a message.
- Use predictive analytics to find customers with a high predicted lifetime value (LTV) whose predicted date of next order lands around 11/11. Treat those customers as your VIPs with early access to sales, bonus gifts, or deeper discounts.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Patrick Ta offers loyal shoppers double the points
In this Singles’ Day marketing example, beauty brand Patrick Ta incentivizes customers to join their loyalty program during Singles’ Day to double their points. Targeting customers with a high predicted LTV and next order date around 11/11 would put this offer in front of shoppers who are likely already close to buying.
Subject line: SINGLES’ DAY‼️DOUBLE POINTS
Source: Milled
6. Offer limited-edition products or collections just for Singles’ Day
One easy way to make Singles’ Day feel exciting is to launch something new. Something exciting. Something people can’t get any other time. This taps directly into the holiday’s “Treat yourself” energy and gives shoppers a reason to act fast.
Here are some product-specific Singles’ Day marketing ideas to try:
- Add special packaging or limited-time themes to existing bestsellers. Even a small design tweak can make a product feel extra giftable and exclusive.
- Open a waitlist before the drop. Use a form on your website where shoppers can sign up to be notified the moment your Singles’ Day collection goes live. In the days leading up to 11/11, build anticipation by posting about the collection on social media and ask shoppers to DM your brand a keyword to join the waitlist.
- Reveal your Singles’ Day collection on a livestream. Call out which pieces you’d recommend to a solo shopper treating themselves, and encourage viewers to shop in real time while a Singles’ Day stock counter ticks down.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Subtl Beauty drops new products as “singles”
Subtl Beauty sells makeup “staks” that include a full face routine in one compact. On Singles’ Day, they dropped new holiday shades as “singles,” so shoppers could build their own stack or add to one they already own.
Customers may choose to add more shades as “singles” to their cart than the amount in a traditional stack, so this new product line is likely to increase AOV for the brand.
Subject line: NEW: Holiday Singles 😱
Source: Milled
7. Run a referral promo for singles
While Singles’ Day is all about self-love, it doesn’t necessarily need to mean solo. In fact, you can encourage your customers to spread the joy by launching a referral promo just for them. Frame it as a “treat yourself and someone like you” deal to add a social layer to the day.
Here are some referral-based Singles’ Day marketing ideas to try:
- Set up post-purchase flows inviting new customers to refer their own single friends.
- Offer a reward for both the referrer and their friend, like a discount, a free mini gift, or loyalty points. Just make sure it’s easy to redeem.
- Add a fun twist with a “Refer your favorite fellow singleton” campaign. It gives people a chance to celebrate the strong, solo friends in their lives.
- Train your AI customer agent on Singles’ Day referral program details, so it can answer questions about how redemption works, whether a code can stack with another offer, and more.
Singles’ Day marketing example: Rachel Jackson encourages singles to “share the love”
In this Singles’ Day marketing example, jewelry brand Rachel Jackson offers 22% off everything during Singles’ Day using the code 111SINGLES. Toward the end of the email, they encourage singles to “share the love” and check out their bestsellers. They could also promote their loyalty and referral program here.
Subject line: FINAL CALL FOR 22% OFF
Source: Milled
8. Celebrate self-love stories
Hand your audience the mic. Invite your community to share what being single means to them, how they practice self-love, or even what solo rituals bring them joy.
Here are some self-love celebration Singles’ Day marketing ideas to try:
- Ask followers to share their self-love stories via email replies, Instagram comments, or a simple form on your website. Make sure you get consent to use them in your marketing.
- Tap into user-generated content integrations (like Okendo, Stamped, or Typeform) to collect stories. Use flows to follow up with subscribers who share, click, or comment on social media. For instance, if someone shares their story, you could send them a heartfelt thank you and a discount as a reward.
- Pair stories with product recs or bundles that align with each individual’s vibe. (Example: “Claire’s story is all about Sunday resets, so we paired it with our self-care Sunday kit.”)
- Make it interactive by letting your community vote on their favorite story for a chance to win a special prize.
Make Singles’ Day 2026 personal with Klaviyo
Singles’ Day is more than just a sales event. It’s a chance to connect with your customers in fun, meaningful, and memorable ways.
Klaviyo, the autonomous B2C CRM for ambitious consumer brands, can help you build and personalize those campaigns with:
- Composer: Describe the Singles' Day campaign you want in plain language and let Klaviyo’s built-in AI marketing agent build the segment, draft the copy, choose the right channel and timing, and stage everything for your review.
- K:AI Customer Agent: Give shoppers 24/7 help with sizing, restocks, and referral questions, with Klaviyo’s built-in AI agent that captures each answer as new customer data you can take action on.
- Customer Hub: Create a personalized on-site experience where customers can see their orders, loyalty balance, exclusive bundles, and Singles' Day offers the moment they land on your site.
- Marketing Analytics: Use RFM analysis and predictive analytics to find your loyal solo shoppers and the customers most likely to buy next, then match your offer to the segment.
- Social Marketing: Turn Singles' Day comments, tags, and shares into new subscribers to follow up with after the holiday is over.
- RCS and WhatsApp messaging: Send tappable, interactive mobile moments for countdowns, early access drops, and flash discounts at 11:11.
Grow sales and engagement all year long with Klaviyo.
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