Alibaba Group revealed its retail plans for the 2015 Single’s Day Global Shopping Festival this Tuesday, hoping to top their record breaking 2014 sales by inviting thousands of brands to participate in the festival. The shopping holiday, held on the 11th of November, is China’s largest sale day for e-commerce platforms.
Last year Alibaba recorded a record $9 billion USD in sales through its payment service, Alipay, during the one-day holiday.
Alibaba launched the Chinese Singles day sale in 2009 as a novel sales holiday to oppose Valentines day. Since then it has extended into a sales festival that spans most of China’s major e-retail platforms. Last year Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma proclaimed 2015 would be the “year of globalization” for Ali’s e-commerce platforms, hoping to extend the sale day internationally.
This year Alibaba has systematically invited hundreds of international brands to open stores on their Tmall Global platform, as well as establishing export sales channels. According to the company 200 countries and regions have purchased goods on Taobao and Tmall.
Omni-channel retailing plan will allow consumers to get access products, prices, services, delivery options and membership benefits online as well as at the participating brands’ physical stores. Brands participating in omni-channel sales will feature products in 10 major categories: automobiles, home furnishing, household items, consumer electronics, beauty and health, food, apparel, body care, baby care, and travel and hotel accommodation.
Omni-channel retailing represents a new business model for retailers. “Omni-channel retailing allows traditional businesses to keep pace with the rapidly changing retail environment. By synchronizing online and offline resources, retailers can provide their customers with a convenient shopping experience,” said Sun Weimin, Vice Chairman of Suning Commerce Group.
Alibaba introduced omni-channel celebration features several sales strategies, including discounted coupon offerings, reduced prices for online sales, optimal delivery services, after-sales services and membership benefits.
Image Credit: Alibaba