Alibaba says its 11.11 Global Shopping Festival will be “the largest-ever in scale and reach” to mark its 10th anniversary.
This year’s Single’s Day, which will see more than 180,000 global brands participating, is focusing on the Alibaba’s concept of ’New Retail’ that blends the best of online and offline experiences. Some 200,000 smart stores in China, fast-moving consumer goods, beauty products, automobile and home decor retailers will help boost traffic to online and shops, according to Alibaba Group news service Alizila.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of 11.11,” said said Daniel Zhang, Alibaba Group chief executive officer at the official launch of this year’s Global Shopping Festival in Bejing. “On the back of China’s explosive digital transformation, the Festival’s astounding growth over the past decade has powered the steady rise in quality consumption sought by Chinese shoppers. The evolution also showcases the development of the Alibaba ecosystem over time, expanding well beyond ecommerce.”
Key brands in Alibaba Group will offer home and international consumers luxury and exclusive items on the day. These will include 100 Hema stores, 400 RT Marts, and 62 Intimate Malls, as well as 22 Easyhome stores.
Tmall introduces a monthlong celebration of 11.11
Shoppers can already pre-order 500,00 products, using discount coupons, via Mobile Taobao and Mobile Tmall apps. Customers can purchase from more than 3,700 categories of imported goods across 75 countries and regions.
Its third 11.11 annual Gala countdown on November 10 in Shanghai Mercedes Benz Arena will feature a themed variety show programme with interactive mobile games and celebrities such as Miranda Kerr.
Tmall showcased its annual ’See now, Buy later’ fashion show to mark a month-long celebration of Singles Day. The live-streamed four-hour show, which attracted more than 57m online viewers – three times as many as last year – allowed the audience to buy items they saw on the catwalk in real-time via their smartphones.
Lazada brings global consumers to the local show
Alibaba Group retailer Lazada will host its 11.11 event for the first time across six countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The marketplace promises a more engaged consumer experience and the highest discounts of the year for 24-hours from its own platform and LazMall.
Innovating at a new level to stay ahead of consumers expectations
As Alibaba’s Singles Day begins its second decade, there is still room for growth, says Daniel Zhang. “In the past decade, we have gone through many changes and collected some great memories. But in grand scheme of things, this is just the beginning. In the next five to 10 years, surely the internet will change, and thus we will have to innovate new ways to serve our customers,” he said.
Image credit: Alibaba
