What Happened: Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma latched on to the idea of centering a shopping promotion around a holiday, drawing inspiration from the tradition of U.S. retailers like Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) offering mega-discounts on the day after Thanksgiving (which became Black Friday). 

Ma's Singles' Day initially targeted consumers to celebrate singlehood and gradually extended to every demographic. China kicked off a campaign to rein in its tech giants in 2020 with curbs on fintech and an antitrust probe into Alibaba that ended in a $2.8 billion fine.

Alibaba's June-quarter revenue missed estimates for the first time in more than two years, reflecting the crackdown toll. Alibaba has pledged $15.5 billion over five years to foster social equality. It also promised to donate 1 yuan ($0.16) when Singles' Day shoppers buy certain items and post their purchases on social media.

Alibaba's platforms also showcase energy-efficient products during the shopping festival, and its logistics network will help recycle packaging. 

Chinese regulators shelved Alibaba's fintech affiliate Ant Group Co's initial public offering just before 2020's Singles' Day. Alibaba had to overhaul its business, and its super-app, Alipay, is on the brink of being sliced up.

The 2020 sales reached 498 billion yuan ($78 billion), surpassing 2019's $38 billion sales after Alibaba added several days and additional services to the count. 

For several years now, Singles' Day's tally has exceeded the five-day U.S. buying spree that begins on Thanksgiving and ends on Cyber Monday, making the Chinese event the most significant global shopping spree. 

Price Action: BABA shares traded lower by 0.02% at $162 in the premarket session on the last check Tuesday.