Soon it will be the day, young Wang is writing his letter… This year he will ask for a ball, Sthephen Curry´s t-shirt (his new idol of the NBA) and skaters with music and light. But the letter doesn´t finish here, the three wise men are coming so also he will order one Mac adaptor, his turtle food, spare parts for his bike, foreign chocolate, school staff, something for his grandma and ten pages more.
But this time the pages are not as before, in 2015 he is not using paper and pencil. Wang doesn´t know who the three wises are, and he has never celebrated Santa Claus or three wise men day. As opposed to that he believes in something closer: Taobao and the possibility of buying everything he can imagine, with big discounts during 24 hours.
11th of November is the single day celebration in China 11.11 (because of the 1), a day when young single men traditionally use to go out to flirt. Some years ago, Internet sellers started to advert special discounts for the single day celebration, “products for singles” “you will not have a couple but at least you will get a discount”. Nowadays this celebration is a crazy moment, during 2014 only in Taobao were sold more than 9000 millions dollars worth in articles during that day.
China is the biggest online market in the world, with a big distance even EEUU. Companies prepare their sales and promotion several months in advance, also there are specific teams only for 11.11 and some companies will sell from the 20% to 40% of there annual sales only during that day.
Also the customers have been preparing their purchases during weeks, how?: They keep products in their online baskets with the normal price because on 11.11 they will be able to finalize their orders once the special prices of the single day promotion have been applied.
This is the three wise men letter in the XXI century, as our parents used their kids´ letters to buy the gifts in advance, the Chinese three wise men will analyse shopping baskets of their customers to prepare the single day purchases. Statistics will inform them about “products in wish list” “products in shopping baskets” “old customer” “provinces” “how much they earn” «what they usually buy»… and a long etcetera that will help to the companies to prepare the most important sales day of the year.
Online selling companies will not sleep, they will increase their staff and working hours because customer service, warehouse, packaging and every other company department will be overwhelmed. Transport companies will also be ready, and relatives (even retirees) will help. CNobody will take the risk of losing Internet connection on their home so they will have a plan B in the coffee shops or friends´house.
The factory of the world and the biggest consumer market will be one the 11.11, and our young Wang will admire how all his purchases, as gifts, arrive to his home.
Meanwhile, western people will observe this without understanding and maybe in the future will become part of it.
Oh wait! Although I love telling stories, let me stop here; I need to start writing my letter to the Chinese three wise men.