10.10 Sale: An E-commerce Seller’s Guide to Maximizing Profits

If you’re looking at a competitive market like Southeast Asia, the success of inaugural double day sales and the reception among shoppers turned it into a monthly tradition. The first one to kickstart the last quarter is the 10 10 sale, preceding one of the busiest holiday quarter of the year. 

Google’s e-conomy report states that by 2025, the e-commerce market in Southeast Asia is anticipated to reach USD 211 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 17% from 2022 to 2025. And in a region home to a diverse consumer base receptive to killer deals and limited-time offers, double digit sales day like the 10 10 sale is a win-win.

While the 10 10 phenomenon will draw thousands of shoppers across the region, it gives e-commerce businesses a level playing field. To turn attention into a sale, e-commerce entrepreneurs must tap into the 10.10 craze to set themselves apart. This strategy to win shoppers lies in crafting a unique experience from marketing and promotion to a personalized online shopping experience. Wondering where to start? Let’s dive in.

What is the 10.10 Sale?

The 10.10 sale is a mega shopping event that takes place on October 10 each year in Southeast Asia. This sale has several online stores offering great deals, discounts, and promotions on various products, from electronics to fashion to home goods, attracting shoppers worldwide.

Originating from China, the 10.10 day sale quickly found great reception among shoppers in neighboring Southeast Asian regions like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Many e-commerce platforms and online retailers try to tap into the sales frenzy like the Shopee 10.10 sale, Lazada 10.10 sale, Zalore 10.10 sale, and TikTok 10.10 sale. This lets famous e-commerce platforms in the Southeast Asian region attract online shoppers and aid sellers selling on the platforms to maximize revenue. 

Shoppers enthusiastically look forward to the 10.10 sale, providing an excellent opportunity for e-commerce businesses to boost shoppin, acquire new shoppers, and increase brand loyalty.

Understanding the Significance of the 10.10 Sale 

The origin of the 10.10 sale can be traced back to the first-ever Singles Day Sale in China, started by Alibaba’s e-commerce platform. 

Following the sale’s success, the double digit sales day or the double day sale grew popular. The 10.10 sale has become a major global shopping event and tries to mirror the success of the double day sale events. 

There are a few theories about why the 10.10 sale became so popular. The obvious one is that the date is simply easy to remember. Another theory is that the retailers use the 10.10 sale to pull holiday shopping into October from closer to the November-December period. This provides business owners sufficient bandwidth to cater to the early holiday shoppers. By doing so, e-commerce business owners ease the effect of the unprecedented shopping surge during the holiday season affecting the supply chain.

Where is the 10.10 sale popular? 

The 10.10 sale enjoys immense popularity in the Southeast Asian countries like:

• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Indonesia
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Philippines
• Taiwan
• Hong Kong

E-commerce Platforms that participate in the 10.10 Sale: 

Mega shopping days like the 10.10 sale have become a staple in the Southeast Asian region thanks to e-commerce platforms. Platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok recognized the widespread reception the double day sale enjoyed in China. Soon, these platforms mirrored the model and tested the sale days in different countries. Today, both Shopee, Lazada and TikTok shop have become synonymous with the double day sale. With 10.10 fast approaching and holiday shopping picking up, sellers can rejoice as sales go in one direction – up! 

Why is the 10.10 sale popular in Southeast Asia

Like other double day sales, the 10.10 sale attracts a large volume of shoppers and e-commerce business owners observe a high uptick in the shopping activites during this period. But the reason that 10.10 enjoys this popularity goes beyond the apparent discounts and promotions. 

Growing popularity of e-commerce

Shoppers from the Southeast Asian region enjoy the convenience of online shopping. Google’s latest e-conomy report notes that the top 30% of high-value users in Southeast Asia account for 70% of the total online spending. With perks, accessibility, and product offerings conducive to high digital spending, sellers can tap into more sales through shopping incentives that appeal to newer and loyal shoppers during the 10.10 sale 2024.

A shopping-friendly demographic

The SEA region is home to a population of 655 million and growing. Thanks to a young demographic, increased digital adoption and a rising middle class with disposable income, the region is exciting for e-commerce growth and notices high shopping activities during peak sales periods. In fact, Shopee’s parent company posted a 10% sequential growth in active buyers in the second quarter.  

A Multi-channel Spending:

As economic conditions tighten, shoppers in the Southeast Asian region loosen their purse strings in favor of best-value deals. Sellers should know that customer loyalties sway when it comes to great offers at this time. In a reality where shoppers engage with various channels and explore diverse formats, sellers can consider multi-channel selling. Engaging with shoppers across many marketplaces, increasing the opportunities for sellers to close in on sales during 10.10 2024.

Offer great shipping options:

During a double-day sale like the 10.10 sale, shoppers are looking for diverse shipping options. Some want faster shipping, while others wish for affordable shipping. Sellers must cater to shoppers’ needs by offering diverse shipping options that help orders reach customers faster and at affordable prices. 

Understanding the 10.10 sales 2023

Shopee, Lazada and TikTok shop are the top e-commerce platforms that are known for their remarkable 10.10 sale in Southeast Asia. During the sale, these platforms see a shopping spike thanks to a vast customer base, dominance in multiple Southeast Asian markets, strategic marketing, and user-friendly interfaces.

As an e-commerce fulfillment provider, Locad observed that these three marketplaces, outside custom branded websites and Shopify sites, contributed the significant share of e-commerce orders during the 10.10 sale 2023.

Let’s take a look at some of the key highlight from the 10.10 sale in 2023.

Shopping behavior during 10.10 2023

The first hour of the 10.10 sale kick-off will see a huge inflow of orders. Sellers must be able to keep stock in place and coordinate with warehouse executives to ensure that orders are not left out and impact the fulfillment SLAs.

After the first-hour rush, the 10.10 sale in 2023 saw a rise in orders at 9:00 AM and then later at noon. These peaks coincide with the start of work day and lunchtime when shoppers tend to browse their phones. Sellers must use this as a base to launch timely incentives and offers to increase conversions when more shoppers with high intent to buy are on the marketplace platform.

The final spike in shopping activity can be noticed during 7:00-8:00 PM, when shoppers will likely end their work and return home. 

What Locad-enabled Sellers Sold during 10.10 Sale 2023

E-commerce sellers in the Philippines sold accessories and skin care products during the 10.10 sale in 2023. In Singapore, Locad-enabled sellers predominantly sold beauty, skincare, and sleep essential products. In Thailand, the 10.10 sale saw Locad-enabled sellers maximizing gains through food substitutes and fashion, beauty, and skincare products the most.

Throughout Southeast Asia, the best-selling items sold by Locad-enabled sellers include:

• Canned Food
• Pet Products
• Beauty and Skincare
• Consumer Electronics

The most expensive items fulfilled by Locad across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand during the 10.10 sale 2023 include:

• Sleep Products and Essentials
• Home, Living and Kitchen Products
• Travel and Storage Accessories

Shopee 10.10 Sale 2023

With holiday shopping in full swing, it is no wonder that last year, in 2023, Shopee orders breached the two billion mark over two consecutive quarters. 

During the 10.10 sale of 2023, nearly 59.49% of the orders fulfilled by Locad were from Shopee. Across the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, Locad saw most of its orders from Shopee. In the Philippines, orders placed on Shopee were 52.22% of the total orders fulfilled by Locad. In Singapore and Malaysia, orders on Shopee were 75.68% and 78.08%. In Thailand, Shopee led with a total share of 51.43% of the total orders fulfilled by Locad during the 10.10 sale in 2023.

Lazada 10.10 Sale 2023

Among the Southeast Asian shoppers, Lazada is one of the top marketplaces for shopping during 10.10 sale. In 2023, Lazada secured 35 million monthly visits from the Philippines alone, followed by 32 million via Thailand. The e-commerce giant also enjoys popularity among Malaysians and Singaporean shoppers, with 10.6 and 6.3 million monthly visits from these regions.

Among Southeast Asian shoppers, Lazada is one of the top marketplaces for shopping during the 10.10 sale. In 2023, Lazada secured 35 million monthly visits from the Philippines alone, followed by 32 million via Thailand. The e-commerce giant also enjoys popularity among Malaysian and Singaporean shoppers, with 10.6 and 6.3 million monthly visits from these regions, respectively.

For the 10.10 2023 sale, 32.21% of 10.10 sale orders fulfilled by Locad in the Philippines were placed via Lazada. Locad fulfilled 19.37% and 9.18% of 10.10 orders from Singapore and Thailand shoppers through Lazada. Lazada held a respectable order share of 30.93% across major Southeast Asian markets in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

TikTok 10.10 Sale 2023

Another rising marketplace that sellers must focus on is the TikTok shop. In 2023, the platform has attracted increased attention, with shoppers opting to buy:

• Beauty and Personal Care
• Fashion
• Health and Supplements
• Home Supplies
• Consumer Electronics

During the 10.10 sale in 2023, nearly 9.57 orders were fulfilled by Locad across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand through TikTok Shop. In the Philippines alone, TikTok Shop orders represented 8.57% of the 10.10 sale orders. In Malaysia and Thailand, TikTok Shop became the second leading marketplace with an order volume of 20.54% and 39.38%.

What to expect in 10.10 sale in 2024

With the 10.10 sale getting bigger and better, e-commerce marketplaces will compete against one another to woo shoppers with attractive discounts, vouchers and other incentives.  What should sellers expect ahead of the 10.10 sale in 2024? Let’s find out:

• Offers and Discount Vouchers: The 10.10 vouchers and discounts will be what attracts shoppers to your online stores. Make sure that you nominate products ahead of the sale that should go on sale with great discounts. While sellers may not be able to recoup an attractive margin by putting products on discounts, they will still be able to capitalize on the 10.10 sale shopping frenzy to bring customers to their online store.
• Platform-specific Digital Wallets: 10.10 sale 2024 will see Shopee and Lazada try promoting their native digital wallets to increase spending. Opt-in for Shopee and Lazada’s digital wallet adoption programs that incentivize sellers and customers when digital wallets are used to pay for orders. 
• 10.10 BNPL Offers: Southeast Asian shoppers love flexible payment, so marketplaces will attract more shoppers to take part in the 10.10 sale. These Buy Now Pay Later services from Shopee and Lazada, like Spay Later and LazPay, help make the 10.10 sale more accessible by making shopping less intensive on their financial situation. 
• Live Shopping: To combat the rise of TikTok Shop in this growing segment of social commerce, both Shopee and Lazada have live shopping features—Shopee Live and Laz Live. Sellers using such features increase their store’s visibility and convert more sales. This also allows sellers on Shopee and Lazada to interact with shoppers, promote products better, and roll out attractive incentives.
• Online Store Health Score and Seller Ratings: Trust is key to attracting new customers. As the 10.10 sale 2024 is expected to attract many customers on platforms, many online sellers will vie for shoppers through great discounts. One key factor that sellers will look out for is a healthy seller and store rating. Sellers must strictly follow marketplace rules to attract a high seller rating. This includes partnering with a best-in-class fulfillment partner to help you manage orders and deliver them on time. 
• Fast Fulfillment and Shipping: As shoppers continue adding items to their carts, they also look for cost-effective shipping options with quick delivery timelines. Sellers must reduce shipping time and cost to make shoppers choose their online stores over thousands of competitors.

How to Prepare Your E-commerce Store for the 10.10 Sale

On the day of the 10.10 sale, pre-sale promotion and marketing are key initiatives to attract your shopper’s attention. Generate adequate hype and offer compelling reasons for shoppers to visit your online storefront. Here are some tips to prepare for the big 10.10 sale and tailor some positive shopping experiences.

Check your inventory 

Deep dive into your current inventory and past sales insights. Through the exercise, you can recognize your fast-moving, slow-moving stock and deadstock. Next, identify your seasonal and off-season stock. This lets you clear off high holding costs for off-seasonal products. When it comes to perishable and dated products, ensure that you run an inventory check to identify the goods that are close to expiry. The goal will be to mark them with enticing offers or bundling promotions to increase sales.

Finally, based on seasonal trends and anticipated demand, you have a list of products from your existing inventory that can go on your online store’s 10.10 sale catalog list.

Capitalize on in-app promoting tools: 

Both Shopee and Lazada offer a rich mix of marketing tools to boost visibility and bring shoppers to their online stores. With Live Selling gaining wide acceptance, ensure you nominate the right products that will benefit from live selling and broader promotion. Capitalize on Shopee and Lazada’s in-app ads, pre-sale teasers and promotional activities, vouchers, cashback, and discount tools to offer more value and standout during the 10.10 sales. By gauging interests you can determine the anticipated sales and have your frontline executives in place ahead of the sales.

Strategize e-commerce pricing:

The 10.10 sale will have you battle sellers on a specific platform and other platforms that host the 10.10 sale. Before the sale, understand how to effectively price products on your store and the tools the platform offers to emphasize the marked-down price, discount, and impact. With competitor and dynamic pricing tools, you can determine the best price to list your products during the 10.10 sale. 

Update your website: 

Your online store on the e-commerce platform should be an extension of the 10.10 sale. Both Shopee and Lazada will inform sellers about ways to update the online stores for the 10.10 sale. In addition to modifying your store’s outlook, ensure that your product listing and pricing change pop out. Keep your product description structured and favorable for quick skimming. Upload high-resolution images of your products on sale in different views and perspectives to help shoppers make informed decisions.

Promote your products and benefits:

Shoppers during the 10.10 sale visit e-commerce platforms to identify what’s in store for them. Take the opportunity to nominate the right products for your pre-teasers. Also, partner with lifestyle bloggers, influencers, and reporters to promote attractive 10.10 offers. If your discount isn’t attracting much attention, ensure you call out features like free shipping, cross-selling options, or payment method-specific benefits.

Create 10.10 sale buzz with email and social media:

Do not wait for the 10.10 sale to attract your shoppers. Instead, try converting them early on. Participate in cross-platform promotional activities by announcing your power-packed lineup on social media platforms and email marketing. Send 10.10 sale promotional emails to your existing customers. Tease online and window shoppers with a glimpse of expected discounts. Offer smaller discounts if they add products to the cart early on. Keep a safety buffer for the expected high-demand products. If you notice your competitors marking these products heavily, offer ways for your shoppers to purchase them beforehand at a moderate discount without facing an out-of-stock experience. 

Capture Cross-border Shopping

Since the 10.10 sale isn’t unique to a single country in Southeast Asia, e-commerce business owners can utilize the opportunity to capture customers across the border. Create exclusive deals for shoppers who visit your store from different countries through geo-targeting. Incentivize these shoppers with attractive deals like discounted shipping, higher benefits for increased order values, and attractive cashback for international payments.

Level up Fulfillment this 10.10 Sale

The right 10.10 sale strategy will turn your online store into a shopping frenzy environment. Attractive offers and a solid line-up of products can influence shoppers and move carts to checkouts. 

Partnering with a best-in-class third-party logistics provider like Locad gives you a strategic advantage and can positively impact your 10.10 sales success. Here’s how

Scalable Inventory Storage:

Avoid settling for inexpensive warehouses far away from customers and committing to last-mile carriers who could hurt your store’s reputation. Locad offers a flexible infrastructure to store your inventory in strategically located warehouses nationwide. Store inventory close to customers in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore to reduce storage and shipping costs and deliver orders faster to customers. 

High Inventory Visibility and Insights:

Locad’s VAS and inventory inbounding processes help sellers gain complete visibility into their current SKUs. This digitization helps them with batch management with updated SKU details. Stay in touch with your inventory levels across all your sales channels. With advanced reporting features, tap into past metrics to identify your best sellers, slow movers, off-season items, and deadstock. Make data-driven decisions to decide on products that go on sale, offer competitive pricing, and maximize profits during the 10.10 sale.

10.10 sale Picking and Packing:

High inbound orders require fast dispatch for faster delivery. Customize picking and packing to match your online store branding. Choose to ship products in boxes and pouches—secure orders with appropriate fillers to avoid exceeding dimensional weight and attracting high shipping charges. For brands selling bundled products, Locad helps with kitting and bundling services so that stock is prepared in advance to reduce time spent retrieving, picking, and packing during the 10.10 sale. Improve loyalty through custom inserts with 10.10 post-purchase discounts that bring back customers to your online store after the sale.

Reduce Tracking inquiries:

With huge orders, it’s easy for your support comms to receive a lot of “where’s my order” requests. With Locad, generate sharable live tracking links that you can pass on to customers to track their orders through the fulfillment journey.  

Free up your customer support lines for customers who may require your support team’s immediate attention and extend an excellent customer support experience.

Multi-channel Selling:

Managing multiple online stores may involve back-and-forth toggling to check if orders are synced and routed to the correct warehouse/fulfillment center. With Locad, sellers can integrate their online stores on popular e-commerce platforms like Shopee, Lazada, Shopify, TikTok shop, and more. Use a single infrastructure and cloud-run platform to automate orders, allocate stock across marketplaces, and effortlessly oversee order fulfillment.

Multi-channel Selling:

Leading up to the 10.10 sale can be taxing for many online sellers. When outsourcing fulfillment to Locad, sellers also leverage features like demand management that help log your sales forecast to manage warehouse executives and ground staff effectively to process orders. Locad will help you maintain your marketplace fulfillment SLAs throughout the 10.10 sale with the staff to support your business just like you would. 

Diversify Shipping Options:

Sellers can choose multiple carrier partners to deliver orders from the warehouse to customers. This helps sellers access preferential rates that otherwise may not be available if they tie up with a single carrier. With the Locad Logistics engine, sellers can ensure that the cheapest carrier is automatically assigned to orders without manual intervention. With better serviceability and regional features, Locad lets sellers make the best out of carrier partners, offering customers diverse and cost-effective shipping options.

Final Thoughts

A double-day sale like the 10.10 sale day may appear as a recurring shopping event, but it is a crucial driver of increased sales buzz translating to high shopping activities. It presents an opportunity for e-commerce sellers across Southeast Asia to attract new customers, turn one-time shoppers into repeat customers, and maximize sales.

As you approach an important sales day of the holiday quarter, you must strategically look at creating a solid product lineup, tailor a personalized shopping experience, and offer a fantastic order fulfillment journey. With the proper awareness and enablers, you can ensure that the 10.10 sale goes from just another double-day sale to the biggest sale day for your online e-commerce store.