Food vendors in Yilan County’s Dongmen Night Market are offering extra discounts in an effort to attract customers. The strategy is aimed at bringing a big online shopping festival Monday into the real world.
A large number of customers have lined up at the entrance of Dongmen Night Market in eastern Taiwan’s Yilan County. The night market has offered a NT$50 (US$1.60) voucher for anyone whose birthday or citizenship number contains two one’s. Those with four one’s will get two vouchers.
Why all the emphasis on the number one? It has to do with the date, November 11, or eleven-eleven. On this day each year, one of the world’s largest online shopping events takes place. The custom began in China, but it has since taken firm root in Taiwan as well.
Only in Taiwan at least, it’s no longer just an online event. Real-world vendors like stallholders in night markets are marking the shopping festival with their own promotional events. One drink vendor, for instance, has taken to giving each customer a chance to roll a dice for a chance to win a free drink. A bakery is offering 600 loaves a day at a price of NT$11 (US$0.36). Meanwhile, a hotel in Yilan is also taking advantage of the festival with discounted rates for single travelers.