Spending climbs by 39% on this year's Singles Day

Bargain hunters splurged by spending a record 168.2 billion yuan ($25.3 billion) during this year's Singles Day on Saturday, the world's largest daylong discount gala, as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group took the online shopping spree to brick-and-mortar stores and beyond the nation's borders, banking on China's technological prowess.

Spending surged 39.3 percent during 2017's sale - the ninth iteration of the event - as consumers from 225 countries and regions scooped up goods that included apparel, mobile phones and motor vehicles from 140,000 brands that offered promotions during the annual jamboree.

The tech behemoth broke last year's 120.7 billion yuan total shortly after 1 pm, and gained fresh steam as overseas shoppers joined the fray in the afternoon, seeking good deals from China.