Chinese retailer Suning has collaborated with livestream gaming platform Huya to launch an esports night for Singles’ Day on November 11. During the event, Suning will offer 100 million RMB worth of benefits to viewers, including discounts, vouchers, free gifts and free membership cards.
Suning is hoping that its focus on esports will help it to stand out from other e-commerce platforms due to the increasing popularity of the industry. China is the world’s largest esports market with a revenue which is expected to increase to 140 billion RMB this year from 110 billion RMB in 2019.
The esports industry has also received support from Chinese authorities. The Shanghai government released a set of guidelines to boost the city’s esports industry in June 2019 as part of its aim to become an international esports capital in the next three to five years. The growth of the market has also meant that jobs related to esports have been accepted as legitimate, and “esports operators” and “esports professionals” have been added to the list of approved career paths by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China.
Suning also held a gala show today (November 10) for Singles’ Day which 40 celebrities participated in. Viewers who downloaded Suning’s app were in with the chance of winning 200 million RMB worth of benefits during the super show.
How have other e-commerce platforms and retailers celebrated Singles’ Day? Read more:
- LVMH launches Chinese version of 24S ahead of Singles’ Day
- Taobao’s Singles’ Day pre-sales break last year’s day record in 10 minutes
- Tmall promotes brands in campaign for extended Singles’ Day shopping festival
- JD announces promotional measures for Singles’ Day
