Alibaba, top brands set for US market push
More than 30 of the mainland's best-selling premium brands, including clothing supplier Vancl and fashion accessories maker Mbox, are making a big push into the United States this year through Alibaba.com.
Hangzhou-based Alibaba.com, the world's largest business-to-business e-commerce services provider, has opened a new channel on its AliExpress wholesale transaction website to help US retailers source top-tier, mainland-designed consumer products, as well as give a boost to Chinese exports.
Annie Xu, general manager at Alibaba.com in the United States, declared it was 'the ideal time' for US retailers to introduce their customers to 'new products that have already been successful in China's growing consumer market'.
'China's best brands already offer sophisticated, high-quality products that take advantage of the nation's capabilities in innovative design and well-known strength in cost-efficient manufacturing,' Xu said.
Alibaba.com, which had 61.8 million users as of December and operations in more than 240 markets worldwide, yesterday launched AliExpress Premier Channel to mark the first anniversary of its wholesale platform. The Hong Kong-listed firm committed an investment of more than US$100 million when it established AliExpress in April last year.
AliExpress provides smaller-quantity orders, instant online transactions and an escrow service to protect suppliers and their buyers.
It was initially focused on bringing top-quality, non-branded goods to buyers looking to source items for resale or to customise as promotional products.
Other brands carried by the website's Premier Channel include casual wear suppliers AK Series and Deere Marchi, video-game peripheral equipment maker Shenzhen Dilong Electronic Co, school uniform supplier Etonian Kidd, a women's apparel specialist named rip, and fashion jewellery specialist Justmatch. 'We are looking forward to making contact with companies in the US,' said Tang Xianfeng, the chief executive at rip.
Mbox chief executive Shi Xin said: 'We are confident that our distinctive design aesthetic will resonate as strongly with US women, as it does with women here in China.'
Alibaba.com has intensified its fight against fraud after scams by fake traders were revealed in February. It said all Premier suppliers guarantee the authenticity of their products.
