Alibaba Group’s annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival is back, and Alizila is in the thick of it.

11.11 is an opportunity for merchants to raise awareness about their brands in the world’s second-largest economy and build a loyal following.

We invite you to follow our live blog as we share updates, insights, and a behind-the-scenes peek into the world’s largest retail event.

Cainiao Delivers Upgraded Services

The platform teamed up with Alibaba’s marketplaces to power the world’s largest retail event, from preparing sufficient stock and warehouse space to solving last-mile delivery hurdles. 

“It’s all about speed and service for retailers and customers. We went to great lengths to ensure the speed and quality of our services,” Li Wuchang, who leads Cainiao’s 11.11 operations, explained in Mandarin in the run-up to the festival.

For orders generated in the first sales window of 11.11, Cainiao shortened the time between payment and fulfillment by over 3 hours compared with last year.

The period between product dispatch by sellers and delivery completion also narrowed by almost five hours. Read more now.

Green Products in the Spotlight

During this year’s Singles’ Day sales, more than 16.33 million consumers purchased eco-friendly products on Tmall and Taobao.

“Going green is the new trend representing consumers’ lifestyle,” Hao Zizi, head of ESG marketing at Tmall, told Alizila.

To reward consumers’ green consumption, brands including Procter & Gamble, Haier, ThinkPad, and Yili worked with the platform to offer free shopping bags made from plastic bottles.

Eco-friendly consumers can earn rewards worth RMB1 million ($140,000) from the platform. Read more about 11.11 green consumption now.

Calling All Recyclers

More than 7 million Idle Fish users offered their mobile phones for recycling in exchange for a cash subsidy as part of a used-item recycling campaign between 8 pm CST on Oct. 24 and midnight on Nov. 11.

Green Power-up

More than 32 million kilowatt-hours of electricity used by Alibaba Cloud to support 11.11 this year came from renewable energy, up by 30% on a daily average basis compared to last year.

“Technology of the future must be green, inclusive, and open-sourced,” said Alibaba’s Chief Technology Officer Cheng Li at the company’s Hangzhou campus last week.

Alibaba said it is on track to power its global data centers entirely by clean energy by 2030. It doubled clean energy use at its five hyper-scale data centers in China to support this year’s 11.11 from last year. Read more now.

A Wealth of Product Choices

This year’s 11.11 saw participation from more than 290,000 brands and millions of small and medium-sized merchants and livestreamers. More than 21 million products were featured during the event.

From the start of the pre-sale period to midnight on Nov. 11, more than 2,000 products surpassed RMB10 million ($1.42 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV).

Meanwhile, more than 25,000 products surpassed RMB1 million in GMV. Read Alizila’s wrap-up story now.

Alibaba Wraps Up Most High-Tech 11.11

The creator of the world’s biggest retail event deployed virtual influencers, spotlighted rewards programs and hosted a record number of product listings to bolster the festival in the face of economic headwinds.

The gross merchandise value (GMV) generated during 11.11 this year is in line with last year, despite COVID and economic headwinds.

There were many standout success stories, as over `1,000 Tmall Global brands more than doubled their GMV.

That’s not all. Swiss beauty brand La Prairie’s GMV generated during the first four hours of the first sales window surpassed that of the entire 11.11 sales period last year between Nov. 1 and Nov. 11. Get the full scoop now in the definitive wrap-up of 11.11.

It’s A New Day

And that’s a wrap — sort of. It may no longer be Nov. 11, but over the next few days, we will continue to update this page with data from this year’s Double 11 shopping festival.

In the meantime, save yourself the scrolling and visit our 11.11 hub now to catch up on all the technology, retail and logistics insights from the world’s biggest retail event.

⚠️ New Episode Alert ⚠️

Instead of chasing growth through discounting drives, brands are turning to customer membership programs to generate revenue over the long term, according to a new report by consultancy Bain & Co.

We sat down with one of the report’s authors, Bain Partner James Yang, to discuss what makes a winning loyalty program.

“Winning on price alone isn’t enough,” said Yang. Listen now.

Check out more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Wishes Do Come True

It’s not quite ‘I Dream of Jeannie,’ but Alibaba’s artificial intelligence-powered assistant Genie is bringing dreams alive with product innovation this 11.11.

Products developed in collaboration with Tmall Genie include smart eco-friendly air conditioners, smart washing machines, smart curtains, smart door locks and smart open kitchen facilities.

The gross merchandise value (GMV) of Tmall Genie AloT ecosystem products increased more than 40% year-on-year from the start of the pre-sale period to Nov. 10.

Products in this category achieved year-on-year GMV growth of up to 100%. Explore everything high-tech now.

♻️♻️♻️

During this year’s 11.11, Cainiao rolled out a package recycling initiative across more than 130,000 of its pick-up stations in China.

The platform facilitated the recycling of nearly 4 million carton parcel boxes from Nov. 1 and 11, and handed out some eggs to consumers in the process (scroll for deets).

More than 100,000 consumers on average every day dispatched parcels packaged in recycled cartons at Cainiao Post stations as well.

📦 Right To Your Door

This 11.11, Cainiao delivered over 120 million parcels to consumers’ doorsteps.

Meanwhile, a fleet of 700 Xiaomanlv automated guided vehicles (AGVs) delivered nearly 2 million packages, twice as many as last year. Read more Alibaba logistics news now.

Tmall Means Business

“Tmall is the primary choice for companies looking for business assurance, which remains an expanding platform,” Trudy Dai said on Friday. “Taobao and Tmall, like always, are ready to promote openness and diversity.”

This is clear in the sheer range of products and brands available on both e-commerce marketplaces, including many new additions: some 70,000 brands participated in 11.11 for the first time this year.

“We are determined to stay rooted in the real economy, to witness the vitality of Chinese consumption, and work together to make life better for all,” Dai added.

11.11 a Constant Amid Transforming Economy

“The economy is undergoing substantial transformations this year, and everyone is looking for assurance amid uncertainty,” Dai continued.

“As a result, both merchants and consumers have high expectations this 11.11. Businesses want to lock in certainty and cement confidence, while consumers expect pleasure and joy from 11.11.”

Double 11 managed to accomplish both, according to the Alibaba executive.

“This 11.11 saw a wide range of social involvement. We also witnessed extensive technological investment on this 11.11,” she said. “More brick-and-mortar retailers are expanding their operations online.”

Brands like 100-year-old home appliance maker Vitamix launched livestream programs to connect with customers, while others invested in extended reality tools to engage shoppers.

Domestic Demand Stays the Course

“We observed huge potential in domestic demand during this year’s 11.11,” said Trudy Dai, Alibaba’s President of Core Domestic E-commerce, speaking at the group’s headquarters in Hangzhou on Friday.

Over 1 billion annual active consumers on Alibaba’s platforms in China perused some 17 million products over two sales windows, the second of which closes this evening at midnight.

“We also noticed the vitality of Chinese consumption and the resilience of the Chinese economy and industries,” said Dai. “This gives us the confidence to better serve the real economy’s development.”

Merchants and consumers came together during the 14th 11.11 festival despite a dour macro-economic backdrop.

Alibaba provided a range of support to help brands leverage digital tools and grow their membership programs. Read more now.

A Boarding Call for Chinese Tourists

Alibaba’s online travel platform Fliggy recorded over 300% growth in the search volume of international flight tickets this afternoon compared with the same period yesterday.  

With the latest travel protocol changes announced by China’s State Council this afternoon, more overseas trips are likely.

International travelers can expect quarantine on arrival from seven days down to five, followed by three days of isolation at home. The new measures also include ending the practice of canceling international flights when too many passengers from previous flights test positive on arrival.  

Cainiao Delivers Over 100M Parcels This 11.11

Alibaba’s logistics platform Cainiao delivered tens of millions of parcels to consumers’ doorstep this 11.11.

With 120 million packages delivered between 8pm CST on Oct. 31 and noon on Nov. 11, the number of total parcels delivered during the entire 11.11 period — which goes until Nov. 20 — is likely to exceed 200 million.

Cainiao’s army of logistics workers has been hard at work to enhance the platform’s doorstep delivery program. For orders during the first checkout period, the time between payment and fulfillment shrank by three hours year-on-year.

Shoppers who return their packaging boxes to a Cainiao pick-up station may be eligible to receive an egg, as avid readers of this blog already know. Missed the memo? Get up to date here.

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The 1 Million Club

In the first four hours of the second sales period, 25,343 SKUs surpassed RMB1 million ($140,000) in gross merchandise value (GMV).

Meanwhile, over 2,000 SKUs surpassed RMB10 million in GMV, including products from prominent brands such as Apple, L’Oréal, Nike, Estée Lauder, Haier, Midea, Xiaomi, Huawei and ANTA.

🌳 Homes Get Smarter (and Greener)

More than 1.5 million eco-friendly, low-carbon products were available for purchase on Tmall during this year’s 11.11, and shoppers made the most of this green smorgasbord.

From the start of the presale period to Nov. 9, new products in the green smart home appliances category accounted for 37.5% of all home appliance products in the Tmall Genie ecosystem.

This is a 25% year-on-year increase and a big win for the environment as smart home appliances save energy and conserve water use.

Eco-friendly air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines, 2-in-1 washer dryers and integrated stoves were all best-sellers.

Alibaba platforms offer 1.63 million eco-friendly products across fashion, beauty, consumer electronics and home appliances categories, among others. Read more about sustainability now.

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Quirky Home Goods are a Hit

Chinese consumers are thinking outside of the box when it comes to furniture and home decorations, 11.11 sales data shows.

In the first 28 hours of the first sales window, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of so-called ‘floating beds’ — they’ve got hidden legs — increased more than 16-fold year-on-year.

Elephant ear sofas — flanked by foldable armrests — saw their GMV jump 19-fold and the value of sales of three-dimensional wall art climbed 800%.

GMV of sales of irregular-shaped rugs, high-end decorative accessories and check-pattern bedding increased over 100% year-on-year as well.

⛺ Tons of Tents

China’s passion for camping (and glamping) is getting in-tents.

In the first 28 hours of the first 11.11 sales window, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of tents sold on Tmall increased 130% year-on-year.

During that period, some 600,000 fishing rods and poles were also sold. Senior consumers made up a third of the buyers.

Kids Get Active This 11.11

Children’s sportswear in the mother & baby category recorded more than 700% year-on-year GMV growth in the first 28 hours of the first 11.11 sales window.

Kids haven’t forgotten about their studies though, and GMV of children’s electronic learning devices increased over 120% year-on-year.

Two Chinese brands stood out: PUBGO and iFLYTEK saw their GMV generated during the first hour of the first sales window surpass their GMV from the entire first day of last year’s first sales window on Nov. 1.

⚠️ New Episode Alert ⚠️

Retail expert David Roth joined Alicast to discuss the latest e-commerce trends in China, the world’s second-largest e-commerce market.

Roth, CEO of retail practice The Store-WPP and Chairman of consultancy WPP BAV, spoke about the evolution of the retail industry in China.

“If you really want to see the future of technology, of retail, of the combination between on-and-offline is, then China is the place to have a look,” he said. Listen to the full episode now.

Check out more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Vitamix Livestreams From Ohio Headquarters to China

American kitchen appliance brand Vitamix brought Chinese consumers to their headquarters in Cleveland Ohio during this year’s 11.11.

During the two-hour livestream, executive chefs shared different recipes using the brand’s gadgets, all designed with the Chinese palate in mind.

“With the reach that Alibaba Tmall has, we can get to millions of people all in one 30-minute live airing,” said Don Snyder, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Vitamix. Watch the video to learn more.

Catch Them All: Alibaba’s Michael Evans On China’s Many Consumption Trends

As Alibaba Group President, Michael Evans is responsible for leading and executing Alibaba’s international strategy for globalizing the company and expanding its businesses outside China.

He’s also got a finger on the pulse of consumer activity in the Middle Kingdom.

“Categories such as pets, haircare and outdoor recreational activities are seeing high growth on our platforms,” said Evans in a recent interview with our team. Watch the video now.

Keep It Clean

Rug stains in China will be seriously endangered after this year’s 11.11 shopping festival.

The gross merchandise value (GMV) of sales of carpet cleaners shot up 3,024% between 8pm CST Oct. 31 and midnight yesterday compared with last year between midnight on Nov. 1 and midnight on Nov. 11.

Likewise, GMV from sales of smart kitchen appliances — think energy-efficient fridges and their ilk — rose 270%.

That’s Ancient History

Chinese shoppers are digging in the archives for their next fashion look during this 11.11 — but they’re going back dynasties, not decades.

‘Hanfu’ is a style of dressing and cosplaying in which the wearer emulates how Han Chinese people dressed hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago.

Gross merchandise value of sales in this category increased 829% between 8pm CST Oct. 31 and midnight yesterday compared with sales GMV generated last year between midnight on Nov. 1 and midnight on Nov. 11.

Gen-Z shoppers in China have a growing appreciation for their country’s ancient customs. Companies like local beauty brand Florasis are riding this wave with product designs drawn from the pages of history. Read more now.

🐶 Food for Fur-Babies 🐱

Pet ownership is on the rise in China, where people are feeding their furry friends only the best.

Natural pet food specialist Instinct Pet Food has experienced massive growth since its entrance onto Tmall Global in 2013. For this year’s 11.11, the brand has launched a longevity product line to promote animal wellness at every age.

What makes their products so popular in the China market? Watch the video now.

Lazada Sees 124X Sales Jump in 11 Minutes

Alibaba’s southeast Asia-focused platform Lazada started Singles’ Day on a high note.

11 minutes into its 11.11 sales today, Lazada recorded a 124-times increase in sales compared with average daily sales.

“This 11.11 Lazada’s Biggest One-Day Sale is extra special, as it’s the first mega campaign where our teams in all 6 markets are able to meet in person,” Lazada CEO James Dong wrote on Linkedin.

Read more about the platform’s growth strategy now.

Taobao Live Rookies Wow Chinese Consumers

Mega influencers are the cream of the crop on Taobao Live, but watch out: new hosts are the latest driving force for growth on the platform.
 
Taobao Live newbies earned 561% more views year-on-year in the period from October 31 to November 10 at noon.
 
In the past year, more than 500,000 new hosts joined Taobao Live from other channels, including tech key opinion leader Luo Yonghao and fitness guru Vivi Wang, whose workout livestreams went viral during the pandemic. Some of them used to stream exclusively on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
 
In the two months leading up to 11.11, more than 100 livestream agencies joined Taobao Live, including the top four multi-channel networks that incubate influencers in China. Read more now.

You’re Hot and You’re Cold

High-tech beauty products are having a moment in China.

Gross merchandise value (GMV) of heating and cooling facial beauty devices sold between 8pm CST on Oct. 31 and midnight yesterday rocketed up 5,568% compared with sales between midnight Nov. 1 and midnight Nov. 10 last year.

Cooling facial technology, known as cryotherapy, can sculpt and lift the skin, while heat-generating red-light tools are used to reduce acne scars and fine lines.

Can’t bring your beauty device on trips? Chinese consumers are a step ahead. The GMV of beauty travel kits sold over the same period more than tripled, with 276% year-on-year growth.

Consumers Prepare to Splurge on Taobao and Tmall

In a consumer survey by J.P. Morgan’s Asia Pacific Equity Research team, 70% of respondents signaled plans to increase their spending on Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall platforms during 11.11, which really kicks into gear tomorrow.

The survey also found that while 40% of shoppers intend to stick to their budgets, 28% are open to spending a bit more, and another 17% are planning to cut back. Find out China’s top consumer trends now.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies!

Taobao Live launched the “One More Agricultural Product” campaign this 11.11, encouraging livestreamers to showcase fresh produce as a way to boost visibility for farmers.

It’s looking like a success so far. Between 8:00 pm CST on Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, over 16 million users bought 35.49 million agricultural products. That’s shallot of onions (and apples, beets, carrots, and more).

In fact, the gross merchandise value of over 46,000 agricultural products on the platform more than doubled year-on-year!

Dancing the Night Away

Alibaba’s virtual influencer Noah made his debut at a metaverse-themed television variety show Wednesday night.
 
Hosted by China’s regional station Jiangsu Television, the gala featured performances from four celebrities in China, along with their virtual avatars.
 
Noah, donning a blue-and-white shirt, performed his new single to viewers that tuned into the show on TV or streamed live from the Taobao app. Discover more about Noah and fellow virtual idol Ayayi now.

Beauty Boom ✨

In the first 28 hours of sales last Monday and Tuesday, the gross merchandise value (GMV) of many beauty and skincare products shot up as Chinese shoppers stocked up on their favorites.

This is one of China’s hottest retail categories, but are you up-to-date on the lingo? The next paragraphs might confuse the uninformed, so here’s a quick refresher.

After cleaning their skin, many Chinese consumers apply an essence – a watery liquid that is quickly absorbed – followed by a thick, nutrient-rich serum. This is all sandwiched between a layer of moisturizer or sometimes below a facial sheet mask for an extra boost.

Antioxidant ingredients are very popular this year. The GMV of antioxidant essence products sold within the first 28 hours rose 181% compared with the same period of last year’s 11.11 sales. Antioxidant facial sheet masks saw their GMV increase over 14-fold as well.

⚠️ New Episode Alert ⚠️

Podcast lovers are spoiled for choice this week with ANOTHER Alicast episode out now!

The Alizila team spoke with Scandinavian fashion house Filippa K’s CEO Rikard Frost about connecting with Chinese consumers.

A Swedish native, Frost joined Filippa K last year with a mission to reboot Filippa K for the post-pandemic landscape using his experience in e-commerce.

Frost spent over a decade leading the digital transformation of Acne Studios before becoming Alexander Wang’s Chief Consumer Officer based in New York. Listen now.

Check out more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Putting the Environment First

Alibaba aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, and this year’s 11.11 brings it a step closer with eco-friendly products and logistics solutions available for consumers.

The company has teamed up with merchants and brands to make more sustainable products available to Chinese consumers at a time when they are seeking a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

About 90% of consumers in Asia-Pacific are willing to pay more for sustainable products, but a lack of information and availability are holding them back, according to a survey published earlier this year. Read more now.

Hook, Line and Sinker

Chinese consumers are falling for niche sports — hard. GMV of fishing, camping and skateboarding products sold in the first hour of 11.11 sales more than doubled this year compared with last year.

Simply put, more people are trying out emerging sports in China, and it seems like they’re having fun as they invest more in their newfound passions.

⚠️ New Episode Alert ⚠️

Nanushka, one of fashion’s fastest-growing brands, is out to make a big splash in China, targeting nine stores across the world’s second-largest economy by 2026.

In this Alicast episode, the team is joined by Péter Baldaszti, the Hungarian brand’s co-founder and CEO.

“Any brand who has goals to grow the business will need to go to China and meet the brand’s Chinese community and customers in the domestic Chinese market,” he explained. Listen now.

Check out more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

7️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ Global Brands Double GMV Growth

During the first sales window of 11.11, 750 overseas brands on Tmall Global more than doubled their GMV growth compared to last year’s first sales period.

Among overseas brands on Tmall Global new to China, 300 surpassed RMB1 million ($140,000) in GMV, and 20 brands surpassed RMB10 million.

Camping Craze

Camping-related products are having a major moment among Chinese consumers this 11.11.

Brands and merchants sold more camping gear in the first 45 minutes of the first sales window than over the entire first day of sales last year.

Missed the memo? Catch up with our deep dive into China’s outdoor lifestyle trend now.

Alibaba Finds a Tasty Way to Encourage Recycling

Egg-cellent news for all the egg lovers out there: you may receive a free chicken egg if you recycle packing boxes this 11.11.

It’s a win-win: the recycled packaging materials will be remade into notebooks and stationary for students in China’s rural areas.

“Cainiao has been doing green logistics since 2016 and this year’s 11.11 initiative is stronger and more pick-up stations are involved,” said Li Wuchang, the person in charge of Cainiao’s logistics for this year’s 11.11.

Read more about Alibaba’s green 11.11 initiatives now.

Big Bling

From earrings to cufflinks, Chinese consumers are buying more jewelry.

Six brands in the category surpassed RMB100 million ($13.8 million) in GMV during the first hour of the first sales window.

This is part of a bigger trend toward non-perishable, long-lasting purchases.

“We’ve spotted a significant increase of consumer demand in products with investment values,” said Tmall Luxury Pavilion’s Janet Wang in an earlier interview with Alizila.

Gen-Z Zooms Ahead

During the first 11.11 sales window, the total GMV from Taobao merchants born after 2000 increased by 23.7% compared with the first sales window last year.

Those merchants achieved remarkable growth in categories including sports, outdoors, automotive, storage and organization, alcoholic beverages, and musical instruments.

Speedy Service

The number of parcels sent through Cainiao’s expedited delivery service has increased by 50% year-on-year during this year’s 11.11.

Brands like P&G and Unilever are using the service to fulfill pre-sale orders, more than 75% of which are being delivered the same day they are purchased! Learn more about 11.11 logistics measures by scrolling down.

⚠️ New Episode Alert ⚠️

A new episode of Alizila’s alicast podcast has just dropped!

Alibaba Group President Michael Evans gets into the nitty gritty of this year’s 11.11 sales and why local and overseas brands alike are focusing more than ever on consumer loyalty.

Around 40,000 international merchants are participating in the 2022 11.11 Global Shopping Festival via Alibaba’s Tmall Global platform. How are they getting Chinese consumers on board? Listen now to find out.

Check out more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Pardon the Interruption

We’re interrupting this live broadcast to bring you a special update from Alibaba Cloud’s Apsara Conference now underway in Hangzhou.

The company unveiled an ultra-thin cloud-powered laptop dubbed Wuying Cloudbook. Learn more now.

In It To Win It

Today, Tmall launched the largest 11.11 draw activity to date on an Alibaba platform and expects more than one million people to participate.

Users can enter the competition by liking a specific photo on Taobao daily. A lucky winner will be selected at random each day to receive RMB4,999 ($683). May the odds be in your favor!

Fashion Brands Strut Their Stuff

Over 2,000 fashion brands generated more gross merchandise value (GMV) in the first hour of the first check-out window on Monday than during the entire first day of last year’s first purchasing period.

Homegrown brand Bosideng surpassed RMB100 million ($13.7 million) in GMV in the first 40 minutes of the first sales window.

Bosideng, along with emerging domestic brands Bananain (蕉内), NEIWAI and Ubras, sold more than 10 million units of a single SKU in the first four hours.

Can’t Be Tamed

There’s no reining in French luxury brand Hermès.

Gross merchandise value generated by its beauty line in the first four hours of 11.11 sales on Monday surpassed that of the entire first check-out window last year.

The New Face of Retail

Business units across Alibaba’s ecosystem are using extended reality (XR), virtual influencers and artificial reality (AR) to transform online shopping.

As part of its push to embrace immersive retail, Alibaba’s luxury shopping platform Tmall Luxury Pavilion has made an avatar of its own: a virtual influencer named Timo. 

The white-haired character will curate and host exhibitions on the platform, including showcases of 3D digital collectibles from luxury brands. Read more now.

Beauty Brands Pull Ahead

In the first four hours of the first check-out window on Monday, the official livestreaming channels of Estée Lauder, La Mer, Lancôme and Proya each surpassed RMB100 million ($13.7 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV).

In the first hour, the beauty product lines of luxury brands Valentino, Burberry and Kenzo saw their GMV surpass that of the first purchasing period last year.

Meanwhile, the GMV generated by Swiss beauty brand La Prairie during the first four hours this year surpassed that of the entire 11.11 sales period last year. Très bien!

How To Do Business in China: Wellness SME Edition

Chinese consumers do far more research and ask more questions than shoppers in other markets, according to Jessica Bragdon, co-founder of Sydney-based cleaning products brand Koala Eco.

Koala Eco has been exporting to China since April and has gotten used to fielding inquiries.

“People are becoming much more educated and aware of what they’re putting into their homes, on their skin, and in their bodies,” she told Alizila in an interview.

The brand recently set out to test the waters in China through Alibaba Group’s Tmall Global Ministore Program, an integrated solution for brands looking to quickly reach Chinese consumers with a low entry barrier for set-up. Read more now.

Taobao Live Views Grow 600%

In the first hour of the first check-out window on Monday, the number of views recorded by Taobao Live increased by 600% compared with the first hour of the first purchasing period last year.

Users on the livestreaming e-commerce platform can watch videos and buy items instantly with a product display feature at the bottom of the screen. Read more about Taobao Live now.

By The Numbers

In one hour on Monday evening, 102 brands recorded more than RMB100 million ($13.6 million) in gross merchandise value (GMV) on Alibaba platforms.

The first 11.11 check-out window started at 8 pm CST on Oct. 31 and will go until midnight on Nov. 3. Shoppers have the opportunity to purchase the items in their carts and lock in the 11.11 deals.

Overseas brands accounted for over 40% of the brands in the RMB100 million club.

Missed out on last week’s news? Catch up now with our news roundup from across the Alibaba ecosystem.

Tmall Enters A New Dimension

Consumers can now experience 3D immersive shopping on Tmall after an update on Thursday.

Products will be shown from all angles, allowing shoppers to interact with them in 3D without wearing a headset. Built-in artificial reality feature also helps consumers virtually try on products before purchasing to try different sizes and colors.

INTERVIEW: How Lazada’s CEO James Dong is Driving Sustainable Growth

Alibaba’s Southeast Asian e-commerce platform 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.

“At the moment we are slightly ahead of our trajectory of hitting 300 million [active annual users] by 2030, partially due to fast growth especially during the pandemic period,” said Dong. Read more now.

Calling For Back-Up

Cainiao has added 100,000 new short-term staff this 11.11 to ensure smooth to-door delivery for Chinese consumers.
 
The platform also prepared four million square meters of additional warehouse space to help merchants overcome logistic difficulties caused by Covid-19 outbreaks.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

Delivery and installment of heavy home purchases, such as wardrobes, beds, air conditioners, and washing machines, have long been thorns in the side of shoppers.

But Chinese consumers can forget about booking installment appointments or paying additional fees – home appliance and furniture purchases on Tmall will come with free fulfillment and installment for the next three years.

From New York With Love

American real estate investment trust Simon and Shop Premium Outlets (SPO) are teaming up with Tmall Global to connect over livestream with Chinese shoppers.

These streams will allow consumers to virtually shop SPO’s online inventory this 11.11 and purchase directly from participating stores located within Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. Read now here.

Something For Everyone

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.

But 88VIP isn’t limited to shopping. Holders have membership across Alibaba’s businesses, including on-demand delivery service Ele.me, video streaming platform Youku, navigation platform Amap and others. Watch the video now.

E-Commerce Picks Up in China: NBS

Chinese online retail sales increased by 4.0% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics reported this week.

Retail sales of consumer goods as a whole grew by 2.5% year-on-year in September, up 0.43% from August.

Alibaba is on track for better growth this quarter, according to an Oct. 24 UBS Evidence Lab research note. Analysts pointed to better-than-expected growth recovery, efficiency gains and narrowing losses at the company.

They expect Alibaba to record gross merchandise value of RMB1.8 trillion ($25 billion) in the September quarter, which covers the 11.11 period.

China is Starstruck by Virtual Idols

Brands are tapping virtual influencers this 11.11, and consumers can’t get enough.

Luxury powerhouses, including Dior and Gucci, have led the way by hosting virtual runway shows, and Alibaba’s Ayayi has partnered with over 30 high-end brands, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Prada, on domestic marketing campaigns. Read more now.

Taobao Live Welcomes Newbies

The livestreaming e-commerce platform recorded 684% growth in pre-sale volumes generated by new live-streaming hosts compared with last year’s 11.11 in the first four hours of pre-sales.

Luo Yonghao, a serial tech entrepreneur and internet sensation with 19 million followers on his Douyin live-streaming channel, is among the newcomers. Read more here.

Buckle Up For EV Sales

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) shoppers can buy a Tesla with a 24-month interest-free loan on Tmall this 11.11 or browse the offerings of domestic companies.

In fact, this is the first Singles’ Day for four auto brands, including three EV makers.

Missed yesterday’s domestic press conference? Catch up with Alizila’s article. Read now here.

Total Immersion

Alibaba is creating more immersive shopping experiences for consumers this 11.11, Ruo Hai, Chief Technology Officer of Taobao and Tmall, told the press conference audience.

“We’re thinking about how technology can better improve operations and customer experience and unlock new possibilities for merchants,” he explained in Mandarin.

Members Only

Brand loyalty initiatives have found favor among many shoppers who join membership programs to follow their favorite brands, according to Chui.

“The biggest goal for us this 11.11 is to create lifelong value for consumers. We will continue to engage our users and to build new membership systems,” he told the audience in Mandarin.

Finding Certainty Amid Uncertainty

The 2022 11.11. Global Shopping Festival launch event is underway in Hangzhou, and Alizila is tuning in.

“This year has been extraordinary, and merchant partners have gone through a journey with us to find certainty amid uncertainty,” Chui Xue, President of Industry Development and Operation Center of Taobao and Tmall, noted in Mandarin.

We’re Back!

Alibaba Group kicked off its 14th annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival on Monday with the start of pre-sales.

For readers new to 11.11, this is how it works: between today at 8 pm CST and Oct. 31, consumers can add items to their online shopping carts at 11.11 prices, but they can’t pay just yet.

Instead, the shopping festival is divided into two check-out windows — the first from 8 pm CST on Oct. 31 to midnight on Nov. 3 and the second from 8 pm CST on Nov. 10 until midnight on the 11th.

Staggered orders help merchants accommodate the large number of purchases this event has become known for.