Singles set to deliver for Post

CHINA’S Singles’ Day shopping frenzy is set to provide a windfall for Australia’s postal service that has already started shipping locally made products for the $60 billion online bonanza.

Australia Post is expecting the November 11 Singles’ Day — the world’s largest shopping event — to exceed last year’s record volumes.

Australia Post chief Christine Holgate has previously said the annual day-long shopping event should eventually create as much business for Australia Post as Christmas.

The day is viewed as a growing boon for Australian companies that export to China — as well as for the postal service, which is looking to boost eCommerce revenue as traditional snail mail dies.

Australians were the third biggest sellers globally during last year’s Singles’ Day holiday.

“In the past few weeks we have been working with Australian retailers and brands to send their products to China ahead of the Singles’ Day,” Australia Post international services head Annette Carey said.

Also known as Bachelors’ Day, the holiday started as an “anti-Valentine’s Day” where singles splurged on themselves in the nation that formally ran a strict one-child policy.

November 11 was chosen because of the repetition of the digit “one” in the date.

Health and wellbeing products such as supplements, vitamins and beauty products rank among the most popular Australian items.