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Vivian Yan

It is Singles’ Day on Sunday, and for 24 hours keen shoppers will be hunting down top bargains on various Chinese e-commerce platforms. There is nothing worse than going into it unprepared, so here are some tips for how to spend smarter and avoid expensive mistakes.
Do your homework beforehand
Like any major project that requires research, shopping needs to be planned and organised. Write down a list of items you would like to buy. You might want to include details such as brand names, styles, colours and prices. This may sound obvious, but remember: it allows you not only to target your purchases effectively but to save time (and money).
Have your size measured
Will this skirt be too big for me? How will I look like in this hoodie? J. Crew sizing is different from H&M sizing, and retailers can be inconsistent across their own lines.

It is better to take a cloth measuring tape and measure your own body accurately. Stats for chest, waist and bust are for tops and dresses; measure hips and inside leg for bottoms and jeans. Bear in mind that you can also consult online retailers for help.
Make sure to have Alipay and WeChat Pay ready
Both Alipay and WeChat Pay are essential for Single’s Day, as they are the most popular digital payment apps. WeChat allows you the option of adding a foreign credit card – such as MasterCard and Visa – that can be used on its platform, but users must have downloaded the app in China, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.

Take reference from stylists on online platforms
This is what zillions of millennials (especially girls) in China do: follow stylists from a variety of online platforms in order to keep up to date with current trends. RED is a popular social media and e-commerce platform in China, providing product reviews, user experiences and lifestyle stories in photo and video format to 100 million young users. Users can easily get access to different products by typing in keywords, and exchange ideas with other buyers in the online community.
Use your smartphone
Some people may argue that websites are more stable than mobile apps for online shopping. However, mobile devices can be helpful when you are keeping track of items on sale.

For example, if you are shopping through Taobao mobile, pay attention to special offers that only come on at specific times; this information is more readily available on the app than a website. So remember to check your phone regularly for surprises this Singles’ Day.


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Singles' Day (11.11)

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C8WK34 Application centre of Alipay ,  China's leading third-party online payment solution.

This photo taken on November 11, 2017 shows employees of an e-commerce company working overnight for 11.11, known as the "Singles Day" shopping festival, in Yangzhou in China's eastern Jiangsu province. - China's smartphone-wielding masses unleashed billions of dollars in e-commerce spending November 11 as they rushed to snap up bargains on "Singles Day", billed as the world's biggest one-day online shopping festival, as shoppers once again broke records for e-commerce giant Alibaba. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT

PRP01J Curly vintage yellow measuring tape isolated on white background

People select watches on an electronic screen at a T-Mall exhibition during the Singles’ Day shopping festival in 2017. Knowing what you want beforehand will save you time, and money. Photo: AFP

Five ways Black Friday and Cyber Monday differ from Singles' Day

This picture taken on November 10, 2016 shows Chinese actress and singer Li Yuchun (2nd R) performing during the 2016 Tmall 11:11 Global Shopping Festival gala in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. - Chinese shoppers spent more than 1 billion USD in the first five minutes of Singles Day on November 11, e-commerce giant Alibaba said in the world's biggest online shopping promotion. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT

A shopper takes advantage of the Black Friday sales the day after Thanksgiving in New York City November 24,2017. - The Christmas shopping season kicks into high gear on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, with bricks and mortar retailers using innovative methods to attract customers in the face of exploding e-commerce. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Workers prepare packages for delivery at a sorting center in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province during the Singles Day online shopping festival on November 11, 2016. - Chinese shoppers unleashed a record deluge of cash online for Singles Day on November 11, Alibaba said, spending RMB 120.7 billion (USD17.8 billion) with the e-commerce giant in the world's biggest online shopping promotion. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT

Staff pose for photos in front of a screen at a gala event in Shanghai showing total sales of over 168 billion yuan on Singles’ Day 2017. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle

Writing down a list of things you would like to buy may sound obvious, but it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and lose focus shopping online
Check the latest trends online, and seek the advice of experts so you’re ready


Writing down a list of things you would like to buy may sound obvious, but it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and lose focus shopping online; check the latest trends online, and seek the advice of experts so you’re ready
