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INTRO
China's Singles' Day, held on Monday, is a celebration for people who have not yet found a partner. Now the annual event has become the country's most popular annual commercial holiday, creating an online sales storm.
And it is not just sales that have been given a dramatic boost.
Data shows China's four biggest express delivery companies hit new order highs during Monday's online shopping frenzy.
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According to China's Express Association, Shentong, Yuantong, Yunda and Zhongtong each received delivery orders for over 10 million pieces on Monday.
As of 12 a.m. on Monday, express enterprises had received delivery orders for over 144 million items, double the orders for the whole of last year's Singles' Day.
Netizens' frenetic clicking during the 24 hours of online shopping madness shows just how China's online retail sector has benefited, with a wave of discounts and record-breaking sales.
A CNC reporter visited China's EMS sorting center and found mountains of parcels waiting to be delivered.
SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) XIE FANG, Vice Manager, Hunan EMS Logistics Company:
"During this Single's Day, the cargo volume has increased more than threefold. Last year, we got fewer than 300,000 parcels, but this year the number reached over 1 million. This is unprecedented."
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba has seen sales at its two online platforms rise more than 83 percent compared to last year, hitting 35 billion yuan, or 5.75 billion U.S. dollars.
Alibaba's founder and chairman Jack Ma said if the company wished to seek a higher turnover, that number could reach 100 billion yuan, or about 16.4 billion dollars.
He said he valued the celebration behind the figures and hoped November 11would become a holiday for Chinese consumers.
SOUNDBITE (CHINESE) MA YUN, Founder & Chairman, Alibaba Group:
"I have repeatedly said that the most valuable is not how much products have been sold, but lessons we've learned. We need to reflect on this year's sales, on how we can improve our service and management, so that consumers can enjoy more pleasure shopping online."
