Inspiring Creative Content Strategies for the double-digit Sales Season

The year-end sale season in Southeast Asia kicks off with Singles Day sales. Singles Day originated in China as a discount day for single students in 1993. Also referred to as Double 11, it has since become a highly anticipated annual event and expanded to include other double-digital sale days on 9.9, 10.10, 11.11, and 12.12.

“In 2020, Singles Day generated more revenue globally than Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and in 2021, Alibaba and JD.com combined to sell $139 billion worth of goods on Singles Day, setting a new record.” - Singles Day 2022: A trend shift this year? by Asia Assist. In 2022, Alibaba and JD.com hid the 11.11 shopping festival sales figures for the first time.

@qoo10_sg

QOO10 10.10 Birthday Sale GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!!!! Stand a chance to win a FREE iPhone15 Pro! @qoo10_sg

♬ original sound - Qoo10 Singapore

Consumer Behaviour Trends

There is a lot to learn from trends in consumer behaviour ahead of the upcoming sales season. Let’s take a look at key trends from Meta’s Five consumer trends to help businesses maximise Mega Sale Days in APAC:

• Sales days offer a great opportunity to gain new consumers: Consumers are 94% more likely to try new brands during year-end sales periods.
• Consumers are shopping early: Shopping for year-end purchases often begins in October, with nearly 1 in 2 people planning their purchases in advance.
• Social commerce continues to thrive: Social media is a platform for inspiration and brand discovery. Social shoppers note recommendations, sponsored content, and video content as key to influencing their purchase decisions. Nearly 80% of social shoppers reportedly discover products via Meta platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp
• Interactive shopping experiences: AR tools are great for consumers to browse, test, and visualise products virtually. Live shopping events are also highly regarded for accelerating the shopping journey.
• Singles Day purchases: 11.11 purchases are focused on gearing up for the year-end mega sales, while 12.12 is the most popular mega sales day, with the majority of purchases made for holiday prep and gifts.

@shopeemy Jom Tonton & Membeli belah bersama 10.10 Festival Shopee Live sekarang ! Anda boleh nikmati semua promosi hebat ni 🤩 🎥 8PM 90% Diskaun Waktu Shopee Live 📦 Penghantaran Percuma Tanpa Perbelanjaan Minimum 🎁 Menangi RM10,000 Setiap Hari Dengan Shopee Live Pastikan anda tidak terlepas, Add to cart sekarang ! 📲 #ShopeeMY#ShopeeMY1010♬ original sound - Shopee Malaysia

Let’s take a look at each stage of the sales funnel along with examples from major e-commerce retailers including Lazada, Shopee, Alibaba, Qoo10 and Amazon to inspire your own creative content strategy. By understanding the consumer experience, your brand can maximise brand awareness, win over audiences, and achieve business goals.

Stage 1: Discovery

During this phase, audiences are discovering brands. In a Meta commissioned study conducted in partnership with YouGov, nearly 1 in 2 shoppers say they begin the planning for year end purchases in advance. This study also revealed that 94% of respondents are likely to try out new brands during this time of year.

Therefore, campaigns should highlight your brand and products, with clear USPs to draw consumers deeper into the funnel. Social media posts should create awareness and build up excitement.

@lazadaph

Ready for your 10.10 #LazadaTipidFest cart? Checkout from #LazFlashExtra to get limited 2x discounts on your favorite branded deals! 🥳 🛒 lzd.co/LazFlashExtraPH 🛒 lzd.co/1010-TipidFest #LazadaPH1010 #LazadaPH

♬ original sound - Lazada Philippines

Stage 2: Conversion

During the conversion stage, consumers need to see more targeted content. The goal here is for people to add items to their cart, or inspire them to take action or return for must-explore deals.

Influencers can inspire consumers to make purchases with promo codes. Creators can also help inspire others to make purchases with UGC related to their sales day finds.

@dingx._ Guarantee plus CHOP! Best deals @ZALORA Singapore 10.10 SALE and markdowns up to 90% from TOP global and local brands such as H&M. Can’t wait to shop till I drop🛍️🙀 #ZALORA1010Sale#ZALORAAsiaFashionExpert#ZALORAGetTheLook♬ original sound - ding

Stage 3: Retargeting

At this stage, you’re reminding consumers of the products they have in mind and giving them a final push to capitalise on the sale. Offering extra incentives like discounts and vouchers may be helpful to give people a final push through the funnel.

Here’s an example of how Shopee SG promoted their Live shopping event with vouchers:

That rounds up the tips and insights you need to know ahead of the upcoming Singles Day sales. With a creative content strategy designed specifically for the consumer journey in this extremely busy sales period, businesses can maximise their returns.