Ahead of Double 11, Chinese ask strangers to check their shopping carts

During the world's largest shopping festival, "Double Eleven" (Double 11), Chinese shoppers are witnessing a rapid rise in the popularity of applications designed to prevent impulse spending. The mechanics of such services are simple: users create a list of desired items with prices and publish it for friends or even strangers, who vote on whether the purchase should be made.

Wave of new mini-programs

According to reports by Chinese media published last week, dozens of similar mini-programs have appeared on platforms such as WeChat and Alipay. This trend began following the success of the WeChat mini-program "Still Want to Buy?" (Chinese: Hai Mai Me) in August this year. By Thursday, related hashtags had gathered tens of millions of views on the platform Douyin — the Chinese equivalent of TikTok.

The Double Eleven festival, also known as Singles' Day, was launched by e-commerce giant Alibaba on 11 November 2009 as a 24-hour event. It later evolved into a month-long campaign covering all e-commerce platforms and starting approximately in mid-October.

Shift in financial attitudes among youth

The popularisation of such tools coincides with growing financial awareness among young Chinese consumers. According to a report published in May by Irish consultancy firm Accenture, 82% of Generation Z in the country — over 230 million people — have started saving or cutting spending on unnecessary items.

The history of anti-impulse apps dates back to the launch of the "Still Want to Buy?" programme in August. It was developed by a 29-year-old programmer working under the pseudonym Qiancheng. Three days after launch, the app gained over 75,000 daily active users, and the total number of registered accounts exceeded 500,000 by mid-September. According to Qiancheng, over 85% of the audience consists of women under the age of 24.

The developer said the idea emerged after his girlfriend suggested using automated office procurement approval systems — the same ones employees go through to get permission for work purchases — to manage personal shopping decisions. He also added that he often feels regret after impulse buys.

«Зараз важко заробляти гроші, тому я вважаю, що варто дозволити людям, яким ми довіряємо, допомогти нам приймати кращі рішення щодо витрат» ("It is hard to earn money now, so I think it is worth allowing people we trust to help us make better spending decisions"), said Qiancheng.

However, the "Still Want to Buy?" mini-program was discontinued on 31 October, likely due to targeted complaints from online trolls. Qiancheng told local media that he is applying to relist the programme and is developing an independent app to expand functionality.

User experience and new initiatives

The WeChat mini-program "Wait, Wallet" offers similar features but allows users to seek advice from complete strangers.

In October, 20-year-old student Lin Yinjie from Fujian province in the east of the country created a similar app using AI tools — the Alipay mini-program "Wait a Minute". This service allows users to log items and prices, setting a "cooling-off" period during which friends help them decide on the purchase. Currently, the programme is used mainly by Lin and her friends; a broad audience has not yet formed.

Lin told the publication Sixth Tone that she previously placed orders mindlessly while scrolling through shopping apps and social media.

«Як студентка з обмеженим бюджетом, я знаю, як легко бажання купувати речі може тихо висмоктати гаманець» ("As a student with a limited budget, I know how easily the desire to buy things can quietly drain the wallet"), she noted.

«Покупка за 9,9 юаня ($1,50) здається незначною, але перш ніж ти встигнеш зрозуміти, ти вже витратив сотні юанів» ("A purchase for 9.9 yuan ($1.50) seems insignificant, but before you know it, you have already spent hundreds of yuan"), Lin added, explaining: «Багато речей, які я думаю, що мені дуже потрібні, виявляються речами, про які я більше не дбаю через кілька днів» ("Many things I think I really need turn out to be things I no longer care about after a few days").

Over the past week, according to Lin, her tool helped save over 80 yuan, which she would have spent on buying camera memory. «Це схоже на обмін "непотрібних витрат" на те, що мені дійсно потрібно» ("It is like exchanging 'unnecessary expenses' for what I really need"), she summarised.

Public reaction

Public reactions to these apps are mixed. While many users report receiving practical advice through mini-programs, others note unwanted side effects.

«Коли я переглядаю запити інших людей, я сама починаю бажати купити ці товари» ("When I look at other people's requests, I myself start wanting to buy these items"), one user wrote on Douyin. «Це перетворилося на стрічку рекомендацій товарів» ("It has turned into a feed of product recommendations").