Launched in January 2012, Tmall is Alibaba Group’s premium general shopping platform and China’s largest e-commerce shopping platform.
The Tmall ecosystem includes Tmall, Tmall Global, Tmall Supermarket, Tmall Pharmacy and Fliggy, covering almost every consumer product used in daily life. A consumer brand can open one or more stores in the relevant sections. More than 12,000 brands worldwide have already opened official flagship stores on Tmall, making it the natural first choice for international brands building a presence in China.
Tmall’s strengths include access to China’s largest consumer audience, flexible operating models, substantial brand control, faster payment collection, comprehensive financial and other services, and a mature software ecosystem. More system-driven processes and less individual discretion also help reduce corruption. Tmall is likely to remain a leader in Chinese e-commerce for years, if not decades.
How the channels differ
- Tmall: A brand B2C channel with a straightforward store-opening process, serving Chinese-made and general-trade imported products. It offers the most traffic—and the most competitors.
- Tmall Global: A brand B2C channel for cross-border imported products. The store operator must be based outside mainland China. It complements Tmall and is the first choice for some cross-border brands.
- Tmall Supermarket: An invitation-only B2B2C channel for Chinese-made and general-trade imported products. Brands deliver inventory to Tmall Supermarket warehouses, and the platform ships orders centrally after consumers purchase. Its hallmarks are one-stop shopping and next-day delivery.
- Tmall Pharmacy: A specialized channel for OTC medicines, medical devices and related healthcare services.
- Fliggy: A travel platform selling tickets and other travel-related products and services.