Singles’ Day has become an important opportunity for retailers across Southeast Asia, not only because of the sales it generates but also because of the number of new customers it attracts.

A report by commerce intelligence company Criteo found that first-time buyers increased by 130% during the 2025 event compared with the usual baseline. The findings, featured in its 2026 Year-End Shopping Decoded report, reveal how shoppers approach major promotional periods, compare products, and decide where to spend their money.

Singles’ Day Leads Customer Acquisition

The research examined online shopping activity during the final quarter of 2025 across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Among the major promotional occasions studied, Singles’ Day recorded the strongest increase in first-time customers.

The number of new buyers reached 2.3 times the baseline level, representing a 130% rise. This was considerably higher than the increases recorded during other major shopping events. The 12.12 promotion generated a 79% increase, followed by Black Friday at 49%, 10.10 at 33%, and Cyber Monday at 25%.

New customers also grew faster than returning buyers during Singles’ Day. First-time purchases increased by 130%, compared with 106% growth among repeat shoppers. Across the entire fourth quarter, approximately 40% of buyers were purchasing from retailers for the first time.

Sales and Order Values Reach Higher Levels

Singles’ Day was also the strongest shopping day of the fourth quarter in Southeast Asia. Compared with the baseline, sales increased by 132%, while order value rose by 212%. Website traffic also climbed by 73%. Performance differed between markets. Malaysia recorded the region's largest sales increase, reaching 155%. Singapore experienced the strongest growth in order value, which rose by 299%.

Shoppers Spend Weeks Comparing Products

One of the report's notable findings concerns the amount of time consumers spend researching before making a purchase. Southeast Asian shoppers took an average of 22 days to consider products bought around Singles’ Day, which takes place on November 11. During the month before the event, shoppers viewed an average of 3.8 different brands on an individual retailer's website. When browsing across multiple retailers, the average increased to 5.8 brands.

This behaviour indicates that consumers are not necessarily making immediate decisions when they encounter a promotion. Instead, they compare alternatives, assess product details, and consider different purchasing options before choosing.

Online Retailers See Different Results

Criteo's findings also show that online retail performance varied by business category during the fourth quarter of 2025. Overall retail revenue increased by 21% year on year, while sales rose by 20%. Website traffic remained broadly stable, but conversion rates improved by 20%.

Marketplaces and department store websites recorded a 41% increase in online revenue. Online mass-market retailers also performed well, with revenue growing by 36%. Fashion retailers experienced a different outcome, as their online revenue declined by 21%. The differences highlight why retailers need to understand their own categories rather than applying the same promotional strategy across every type of business.

Double-Day Promotions Outperform Western Sales Events

The report also compared Southeast Asia's double-day shopping promotions, including 10.10, 11.11, and 12.12, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Across the fourth quarter, double-day events produced average increases of 89% in sales, 146% in order value, and 49% in product page views. Black Friday recorded smaller increases of 38%, 44%, and 26% respectively. Cyber Monday followed with growth of 35% in sales, 34% in order value, and 18% in product page views.

Shopping activity also started before the main promotional dates. November 10 recorded sales 76% above baseline, while December 11 experienced a 62% increase. Both dates became the second-biggest sales days of their respective months. This pattern suggests that retailers can miss potential customers if they concentrate their campaigns exclusively on the main sale date.

AI Changes How Consumers Discover Products

Another development highlighted in the report is the growing role of AI assistants in product research. Consumers increasingly use these tools to ask questions, compare options, and gather information before visiting shopping websites. Businesses are also encouraged to maintain visibility across marketplaces, retailer websites, and other online discovery channels.

Singles’ Day has become a significant customer acquisition opportunity across Southeast Asia. Maintaining visibility, providing useful product information, and understanding how customers compare alternatives can help businesses make better use of the entire shopping season.