Singles' Day, a twist on Valentine's Day, started in China in the 1990s as an obscure holiday but has snowballed into a consumer phenomenon thanks largely to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., founded by Jack Ma and which runs China's largest online marketplace. Singles' Day is celebrated on Nov. 11 because the date—11/11—is reminiscent of "bare branches," the Chinese expression for bachelors and spinsters. In 2009, Alibaba sparked the flame that turned it into what it is today—a massive marketing event selling everything from electronics and clothing to cosmetics and food...
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