Cainiao's new highway route to deliver to Europe. Photo credit: Alibaba Group
Alibaba Group’s international B2C marketplace AliExpress is keeping soccer fans well-supplied for the World Cup, which will take place in Qatar next month, with discounts on popular sporting goods starting Saturday.
Also this week, the group’s logistics service Cainiao Network announced further cargo routes between southern China and Europe to serve consumers during the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
And speaking of 11.11, the first pre-sale period kicked off this week and will run until Oct. 31, when consumers can check out items in their shopping carts.
AliExpress Prepares for World Cup Sales
The FIFA World Cup kicks off in three weeks and AliExpress is rolling out a soccer-themed sale to cater to the needs of fans worldwide as they cheer for their favorite teams in the months ahead.
Over ten million product entries, including soccer star collectible cards, player jerseys, soccer balls, and various-sized national flags, will debut on the new World Cup sales page on AliExpress on Saturday.
Searches with the term “soccer” doubled month-on-month in October.
To guarantee fulfillment, AliExpress also teamed up with Alibaba’s logistics arm Cainiao Network to launch a designated shipping line for the World Cup sales products.
All World Cup sales products will be treated by designated packaging and shipping services to guarantee delivery to soccer fans worldwide. The fastest route can deliver a product from China to a consumer in Spain within seven days.
Cainiao Adds Highway Route to Deliver to Europe
Cainiao announced a new highway delivery route this Wednesday to send small electronics, batteries, and cosmetics from south China’s manufacturing hub Dongguan to the platform’s hub in Liège.
The daily dispatched delivery service will help Chinese exporters ship powder and liquid
products that are otherwise restricted by air freight or cargo shipping routes to Europe.
It takes around two weeks for the products to get to Cainiao’s warehouse in Liège, where they can be dispatched to as many as 20 European countries.
The highway route is cheaper than air freight. This provides manufacturers in cross-border e-commerce with a more cost-effective logistic option ahead of the year-end holiday shopping season.
Alibaba Kicks Off 2022’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival
Alibaba kicked off its 11.11 Global Shopping Festival on Monday, the biggest growth engine of the year for retailers in the world’s second-largest economy.
Over 1 billion annual active consumers on Alibaba’s platforms in China will be able to peruse 17 million products. 11.11, also known as Double 11 in China, will put a spotlight on over 290,000 brands in this its 14th year, some for the first time, such as luxury brands Moncler and Ferrari.
“11.11 this year will have the most diverse range of products in the event’s history,” said Alibaba’s Chui Xue, President of Industry Development and Operation Center of digital marketplaces Taobao and Tmall.
Read the full story here or scroll down to learn more about the many sides of 11.11
Taobao Live is Back This 11.11 with More Influencers
Chinese consumers are tuning in on Taobao Live, the live-streaming shopping platform embedded in Alibaba’s mobile marketplace Taobao and Tmall apps, for the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
Some 130 livestreaming channels generated above RMB10 million ($1.37 million) pre-sales volume within four hours of launching on Monday.
Over 500,000 new hosts joined Taobao Live over the past 12 months, including key opinion leaders (KOLs) who used to stream exclusively on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Read more here
Alibaba Offers More Perks to 88VIP Members for 11.11
Alibaba is bringing more perks to its most active consumers on e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall this 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
Members of its customer loyalty program, 88VIP Program, can access discount coupons, exclusive customer services and loyalty gifts during 11.11.
Launched in 2018, the loyalty program also helps brands identify and market to Alibaba’s most-active shoppers and convert them into loyal customers.
INTERVIEW: How Lazada’s CEO James Dong is Driving Sustainable Growth
Alibaba’s Southeast Asian e-commerce branch Lazada Group has geared up expansion efforts under the direction of Chief Executive Officer James Dong. He sat down with Alizila after five months on the job.
The platform is doubling down on previous areas of investment, from infrastructure to logistics, while plunging deeper into Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
“Post-COVID, Lazada needs continuously to grow,” said Dong, who joined Lazada in 2018 and took over the role of group head in June.
In March of this year, Lazada crossed the one million mark by the number of active monthly sellers on the platform.
Learn more here
Virtual Influencers Are Captivating Chinese Consumers This 11.11 Shopping Festival
Alibaba’s hyper-realistic computer-generated influencers Ayayi and Noah are helping retailers build brand profiles and amass followings among China’s digitally-native consumers.
“We want virtual idols to help brands with the digital upgrade and reach out to younger consumers,” said Rocker Hu, manager of digital marketing at Alimama, Alibaba’s digital marketing arm.
Virtual influencers have multiplied from roughly nine globally in 2015 to more than 200 this year, according to digital research group Virtual Humans. In China, the virtual idol industry more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, data from market consultant iResearch shows.
Get the full story here
Alibaba’s Chui Xue on What to Expect This 11.11
Alibaba has upped its investment in technology and doubled down on loyalty programs to provide consumers with an immersive shopping experience during this year’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
“We aim to provide value to our consumers across a longer time cycle using technology and innovation and translate this into growth opportunities for our merchants,” said Chui Xue, President of Industry Development and Operation Center of Taobao and Tmall, at an online press conference on Wednesday.
This year’s 11.11 will feature close to 40,000 merchants from over 90 countries and regions, offering products from close to 7,000 categories.
Simon and Shop Premium Outlets Team Up with Alibaba’s Tmall Global for Livestreaming
Real estate investment trust Simon and Shop Premium Outlets (SPO) are teaming up with Tmall Global, Alibaba’s cross-border e-commerce platform, to bring brands to consumers in China through livestream shopping events.
Beginning in October, these livestreams will allow shoppers in China to virtually shop SPO’s online inventory and purchase directly from participating stores located within Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, a Simon property, in time for Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival and throughout the holiday season.
Read more here
How FMCG Brands Leverage 11.11 to Connect with Chinese Consumers
Global consumer brands, including Mars Wrigley and Royal Canin, are leveraging 11.11, the world’s largest shopping event, to better connect with Chinese shoppers.
“We want 11.11 to be a platform for brands to showcase their innovation capabilities,” said Chui Xue, President of the Industry Development and Operation Center of Taobao and Tmall, at a media briefing on Wednesday.
Chocolate maker and seasoned 11.11 participant Mars Wrigley worked with Alibaba to bring new products to market, while festival veteran Royal Canin, also a member of the Mars Inc family, is using the promotion to reach a new generation of pet owners in China through education materials and membership programs.
The full story is available here
Retailers In ‘Fight For Loyalty’ During China’s 11.11 Shopping Festival – Bain
China’s retail sector has entered a new era: instead of chasing growth, players are laser-focused on profitability and attracting loyal customers, a new report found.
A “fight for loyalty” is underway, said consultants at Bain & Co, and the battleground is the world’s biggest shopping event.
Bain & Co surveyed the customer base of five Chinese companies with loyal consumer followings. It found their shoppers valued this elite group for their product quality, product range and membership programs over their pricing.
Read more here
