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阿里巴巴酝酿重大行动 拉拢美国零售商来吸引中国消费者
2015年 1月 16
路透旧金山/北京/上海1月16日 - 中国阿里巴巴控股集团酝酿今年采取重大动作，向美国零售商提供新的销售途径，向中国数量巨大、并还在不断增长的中产阶级销售商品，以扩展在美业务。
两名消息人士对路透称，在支付宝提供配合下，这个全球最大的在线零售商利用中国消费者这张名片，吸引美国的合作者。
阿里巴巴以这种保守的方式在美国进行扩张，与业内猜测的其可能对美国市场发起直接攻势形成了鲜明的对比。全球销售额达3,000亿美元的阿里巴巴，一直被视作亚马逊(Amazon.com)最有力的对手。
这项计划中的战略，旨在提高阿里巴巴在美国的知名度，获得重要的商誉，以及长期发展奠定基础。这些都是消息人士及直接与该公司有交集的高管首次向路透透露。
战略核心是阿里巴巴和支付宝试行为美国部分最大的零售商处理面向中国的销售、支付及配送事宜，包括Neiman Marcus Group和Saks等。这两家公司确认了协议，但不肯透露如何实施。
阿里巴巴还将与美国新兴在线商城Shoprunner，以及零售服务商Borderfree(BRDR.O: 行情)合作，以吸引中国消费者。阿里巴巴持有Shoprunner部分股份。
阿里巴巴还在准备营销活动，以提高其B2B批发平台Alibaba.com在美国企业中的知名度，以促使这些企业在该平台进行采购和销售。
“他们是通向中国市场的康庄大道，”Borderfree执行长Michael DeSimone说。“当你同支付宝打交道的时候，真正吸引你的是他们很接地气，而且真的了解中国消费者。”
业内人士指出，不算在中国境内销售的美国商品，目前美国对中国每年的跨境消费品销售额只有150亿美元，预计到2020年这个数字可以增加到1.8万亿元人民币(2,910亿美元)。
"目前的规模还不算大，但在未来12到18个月里，3亿中国消费者将可以接触到美国境内的零售商。" 阿里巴巴集团执行副董事长蔡崇信(JoeTsai)在去年接受路透采访时表示。
然而，成功依然是无法100%确保的。
中国的中产阶级人数超过2.50亿并且还在继续增长，这得益于政府政策希望推动向消费拉动型经济的转变。苹果iPhone和通用汽车的产品已经成为畅销品的代表，但是对于西方企业来说，这个市场仍然充满了挑战，特别是对那些缺少缺乏全球布局的企业。家得宝(Home Depot)在2012年决定关闭中国所有的七家门店。去年12月，百思买表示将出售陷入困境的中国业务。
阿里巴巴花费了10个月时间，帮助海外零售商在中国建立店铺。其B2C网站天猫国际(Tmall Global)却反响不大。根据该公司，超过5,000个品牌和650家分销商进驻了该平台，但只有30家的销售额超过了1,000万元人民币。
不过，眼下还是有增长迹象。据阿里巴巴向路透提供的数据，去年11月入驻天猫国际的Costco Wholesale(COST.O: 行情)在运营的头一个月，销售超过4,000万元人民币。该店面自上线以来，已经吸引了约9,000万名访客。
**阿里的跨境交易原理**
阿里巴巴的目标之一，是打消美国政府对中国大型企业的顾虑。2014年，阿里巴巴委任美国前财政幕僚长James Wilkinson来制订国际策略，还委托光辉国际寻访一位驻华盛顿的国际政府事务负责人。
用数年时间打造的支付宝以及物流合作伙伴网络，是阿里巴巴进军美国的核心要诀。
在中国有大量实体店的耐克(耐吉,Nike)等知名品牌，已在天猫网上进行直接销售。但支付宝此次把美国零售商和中国消费者直接桥接，使其无需投资实体营运。
支付宝也让美国零售商和中国消费者可以避开外汇相关的麻烦。中国消费者以人民币付款；美国公司则拿到美元。
阿里巴巴和支付宝为美国企业推出的解决方案被称为ePass。该服务包括客户预准过程，即某种“快速通道”，缩短交货天数。大和分析师John Choi和Alex Liu认为，该功能是阿里巴巴相对于京东(JD.O: 行情)等对手的最大优势。
根据Borderfree，阿里巴巴和支付宝已与百货公司Neiman、Saks、Macy's Inc (M.N: 行情)及其旗下Bloomingdale百货连锁店、Ann Taylor、时尚精品网站Gilt，以及服饰品牌Aeropostale(ARO.N: 行情)等签订试行协议，负责处理付款和送货至中国的事宜。这些公司不愿置评，但Neiman、Saks和Ann Taylor均证实签订协议。
举例来说，如果中国消费者从Saks购买了一双鞋子，支付宝将负责金融交易。这双鞋子会进入支付宝设在美国的货运点，然后转入到中国。在通关后，通常由当地的合作伙伴处理最终的交货。
线上零售商Gilt营运长Tracey Weber表示，随着支付宝试行上路，阿里巴巴在行销、甚至产品选择方面提供的帮助愈来愈多。
她表示，“这是很不一样的环境。”
另一方面，Shoprunner去年则聘用前亚马逊高层主管，负责在上海成立新办公室；执行长Scott Thompson则表示，公司正准备2015年在中国举办大型的行销活动。
**锁定仿冒**
阿里巴巴并希望吸引更多美国企业进驻Alibaba.com，作为买家和卖家。策略之一是降低仿冒商品数量。仿冒是中国的一大问题，也是企业在考虑分享技术和设计等知识产权时的重要担忧。
为解决该问题，阿里巴巴聘请了企业资讯公司邓白氏(D&B)等公司强化一项供应商验证程序，阿里希望在这个程序的帮助下，吸引到许多目前没有在网上开展业务的小型美国企业和制造商，这样的小公司目前估计有2,700万家。
验证程序将让双方确保自己在与合法经营的伙伴展开合作。
邓白氏阿里巴巴项目的主管Jeff Stibel称，一体化已经开始，验证程序将在今年初推出。
阿里巴巴也有一些针对美国消费者的销售计划。
阿里巴巴在美国有个小型电商平台11Main.com，上面有许多小企业的网店，出售从瑜伽垫到香薰蜡烛的各种商品。虽然这个平台主要针对美国消费者，但其网站上约140万种产品中有四分之一可以运送到亚洲。11Main.com总裁Mike Effle对路透表示，该网站希望最终能帮助卖家进入阿里巴巴的美国至中国的销售通道。
就像Michael Sorrentino在去年拉斯维加斯消费电子展上认识到的那样，Alibaba.com本身就是个向美国消费者出售商品的平台。
Michael Sorrentino是智能手机外壳生产商Eyepatch的执行长，他表示，与他交流过的美国零售商中，有约20%的人问过他，是否能通过Alibaba.com买到他的产品。
“这迅速提醒我，不管我是否熟悉那个平台，都要赶快把产品放上去，”Sorrentino说。(完)
(编译/审校 王丽鑫/洪曦/戴素萍/白云/王洋/高琦/王兴亚)
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plots major initiative for U.S. retailers to sell to China
Edwin Chan, Paul Carsten and John Ruwitch, Reuters | January 16, 2015 12:57 PM ET
More from Reuters
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty ImagesAlibaba founder Jack Ma. Long seen as the most potent threat to Amazon.com Inc with US$300 billion in global sales, Alibaba's moves add up to a conservative approach to expanding in the United States, contrary to industry speculation that the company may be plotting a direct assault on U.S. soil.
SAN FRANCISCO/BEIJING/SHANGHAI — China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plans a major move to win U.S. business this year, by offering American retailers new ways to sell to China’s vast and growing middle class.
Anchored by Alipay, the dominant Chinese electronic payments system that works closely with Alibaba and is controlled by its executives, the world’s largest Internet retailer is using the calling card of China’s consumers to attract U.S. partners, two sources close to the company told Reuters.
Long seen as the most potent threat to Amazon.com Inc with US$300 billion in global sales, the moves add up to a conservative approach to expanding in the United States, contrary to industry speculation that the company may be plotting a direct assault on U.S. soil.
That considered strategy, outlined to Reuters for the first time by the sources and executives who work directly with the Chinese company, is intended to heighten awareness in the United States of what Alibaba does, gain goodwill in an important Western market, and lay the groundwork for a longer-term play.
At the heart of its push are Alibaba’s and Alipay’s trial deals to handle Chinese sales, payment and shipping for some of the biggest names in U.S. retail from Neiman Marcus Group to Saks Inc. Both confirmed the agreement but would not talk about how the pilots are faring.
Related
And Alibaba is preparing a marketing campaign to raise awareness among U.S. businesses of its global business-to-business wholesale platform, Alibaba.com, so they can buy and sell to and from global suppliers.
“They own the toll road into China,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Borderfree. “What really puts the jetpack on things when you deal with an Alipay is, they’re on the ground and they know the Chinese consumer so well.”
Industry insiders point to just US$15 billion in annual U.S.-to-China, cross-border consumer sales now.
But Daiwa estimates cross-border purchases, which exclude sales of American products within the country, can grow to 1.8 trillion yuan (US$291 billion) by 2020.
“It’s not a big thing right now, but within the next 12 to 18 months what you’ll see more of is bringing 300 million Chinese consumers to retailers in the U.S.,” Alibaba Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai said in an interview with Reuters last year. He laid out the broad plan, and sources have now described details.
Still, there’s no guarantee of success.
China’s middle class is over 250 million strong and growing, spurred by government policy to create a more consumer-driven economy. Apple iPhones and General Motors cars have become big-selling status symbols, but the market remains a challenge for Western companies, especially those lacking a global footprint. Home Depot Inc decided in 2012 to shut all seven of its big box China stores, while in December, Best Buy said it will sell its struggling China business.
And Alibaba’s 10-month-old effort to help foreign retailers set up shop in China, Tmall Global – its business-to-consumer website, has had muted success. Of 5,000-plus brands and 650 merchants that now sell on that site, just 30 have accumulated more than 10 million yuan in sales, according to the company.
But there are signs of traction. Costco Wholesale Corp , which began selling on Tmall Global in November, saw sales of more than 40 million yuan in its first month of operations, according to data Alibaba provided to Reuters. And the site has attracted some 90 million unique visitors since launch, buying from 90% of listed merchants.
KNOWING THE NAME
Part of Alibaba’s aim is to counter official concerns about Chinese mega-corporations. In 2014, Alibaba hired former Treasury chief of staff James Wilkinson to help tailor its international strategy, and it has enlisted Korn Ferry to search for a Washington-based international government affairs chief.
Alipay and a logistics-partner network that took years to assemble are central to Alibaba’s U.S. effort.
Major brands, such as Nike, that have a large physical presence in China already sell directly on Tmall.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty ImagesWorkers at a handbag factory packaging up orders to be sold through the Chinese Internet e-commerce site Taobao in Baigou, Hebei Province.
But Alipay’s effort directly connects American merchants with China, without the need for investment in a physical presence.
It also allows U.S. retailers and Chinese consumers to avoid difficulties associated with foreign exchange. Chinese consumers pay in yuan; U.S. companies get paid in dollars.
Alibaba’s and Alipay’s program for U.S. companies is called ePass. It includes a customs pre-approval process, a sort of “fast lane” that shaves days off delivery. Daiwa analysts John Choi and Alex Liu call that capability Alibaba’s biggest advantage over rivals such as JD.com.
Alibaba and Alipay have made pilot agreements to handle payments and shipping to China for department stores Neiman, Saks, Macy’s Inc, Macy’s Bloomingdale’s chain, Ann Taylor, luxury fashion site Gilt, and apparel label Aeropostale, according to Borderfree. The companies declined to comment, although Neiman, Saks and Ann Taylor confirmed the deal.
If a Chinese consumer bought a pair of shoes from Saks, for instance, Alipay would handle the financial transaction. The shoes go to a U.S.-based Alipay facility that handles the transfer to China. After clearing customs, a local partner typically would handle final delivery.
Alibaba has even taken on a role akin to a cultural liaison for U.S. retailers. Tracey Weber, chief operating officer of online retailer Gilt, said that as their Alipay trial progressed, the Chinese company began increasingly to help with marketing and even product selection: advising them to use more red for instance, or to more prominently display cross-body handbags popular in China.
“It is such a different environment,” she said.
Shoprunner, meanwhile, hired an ex-Amazon executive to head up a new Shanghai office last year, and Chief Executive Scott Thompson said the startup is preparing a major marketing campaign in China in 2015.
Nelson Ching/BloombergPeople walk through Alibaba.com Ltd.'s headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
TARGETING COUNTERFEIT
Alibaba also aims to draw in more U.S. businesses to its Alibaba.com portal, as buyers and sellers. One strategy is to reduce the number of counterfeit goods, a major problem in China and a concern for companies considering sharing intellectual property such as technology and designs.
To that end, Alibaba has enlisted data company Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp, among others, to beef up a supplier-certification program it hopes will help draw in many of the estimated 27 million small-time American businesses and manufacturers that now operate mostly offline.
Validation could allow both sides to assure themselves that they are working with legitimate partners.
Jeff Stibel, who is heading up Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp’s effort with Alibaba, said integration was starting, and it will launch its certification program early this year.
Alibaba also has some plans to sell to Americans.
Alibaba has a small U.S.-based portal, 11Main.com, a collection of Internet storefronts for smaller businesses and products from yoga mats to scented candles. While it focuses on U.S. consumers, a quarter of its 1.4 million listed products can already be shipped to Asia. It hopes eventually to help sellers gain access to Alibaba’s U.S.-Chinese corridor, 11Main President Mike Effle told Reuters.
Alibaba.com itself is an avenue to sell to Americans, as businessman Michael Sorrentino found at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year.
The chief executive of smartphone case maker Eyepatch estimates about 20% of U.S. retailers he spoke with asked if they could buy his gear through Alibaba.com.
“That quickly taught me, whether I’m familiar or not with that platform, that I need to be on it,” he said.
© Thomson Reuters 2015
2015年 1月 16
路透旧金山/北京/上海1月16日 - 中国阿里巴巴控股集团酝酿今年采取重大动作，向美国零售商提供新的销售途径，向中国数量巨大、并还在不断增长的中产阶级销售商品，以扩展在美业务。
两名消息人士对路透称，在支付宝提供配合下，这个全球最大的在线零售商利用中国消费者这张名片，吸引美国的合作者。
阿里巴巴以这种保守的方式在美国进行扩张，与业内猜测的其可能对美国市场发起直接攻势形成了鲜明的对比。全球销售额达3,000亿美元的阿里巴巴，一直被视作亚马逊(Amazon.com)最有力的对手。
这项计划中的战略，旨在提高阿里巴巴在美国的知名度，获得重要的商誉，以及长期发展奠定基础。这些都是消息人士及直接与该公司有交集的高管首次向路透透露。
战略核心是阿里巴巴和支付宝试行为美国部分最大的零售商处理面向中国的销售、支付及配送事宜，包括Neiman Marcus Group和Saks等。这两家公司确认了协议，但不肯透露如何实施。
阿里巴巴还将与美国新兴在线商城Shoprunner，以及零售服务商Borderfree(BRDR.O: 行情)合作，以吸引中国消费者。阿里巴巴持有Shoprunner部分股份。
阿里巴巴还在准备营销活动，以提高其B2B批发平台Alibaba.com在美国企业中的知名度，以促使这些企业在该平台进行采购和销售。
“他们是通向中国市场的康庄大道，”Borderfree执行长Michael DeSimone说。“当你同支付宝打交道的时候，真正吸引你的是他们很接地气，而且真的了解中国消费者。”
业内人士指出，不算在中国境内销售的美国商品，目前美国对中国每年的跨境消费品销售额只有150亿美元，预计到2020年这个数字可以增加到1.8万亿元人民币(2,910亿美元)。
"目前的规模还不算大，但在未来12到18个月里，3亿中国消费者将可以接触到美国境内的零售商。" 阿里巴巴集团执行副董事长蔡崇信(JoeTsai)在去年接受路透采访时表示。
然而，成功依然是无法100%确保的。
中国的中产阶级人数超过2.50亿并且还在继续增长，这得益于政府政策希望推动向消费拉动型经济的转变。苹果iPhone和通用汽车的产品已经成为畅销品的代表，但是对于西方企业来说，这个市场仍然充满了挑战，特别是对那些缺少缺乏全球布局的企业。家得宝(Home Depot)在2012年决定关闭中国所有的七家门店。去年12月，百思买表示将出售陷入困境的中国业务。
阿里巴巴花费了10个月时间，帮助海外零售商在中国建立店铺。其B2C网站天猫国际(Tmall Global)却反响不大。根据该公司，超过5,000个品牌和650家分销商进驻了该平台，但只有30家的销售额超过了1,000万元人民币。
不过，眼下还是有增长迹象。据阿里巴巴向路透提供的数据，去年11月入驻天猫国际的Costco Wholesale(COST.O: 行情)在运营的头一个月，销售超过4,000万元人民币。该店面自上线以来，已经吸引了约9,000万名访客。
**阿里的跨境交易原理**
阿里巴巴的目标之一，是打消美国政府对中国大型企业的顾虑。2014年，阿里巴巴委任美国前财政幕僚长James Wilkinson来制订国际策略，还委托光辉国际寻访一位驻华盛顿的国际政府事务负责人。
用数年时间打造的支付宝以及物流合作伙伴网络，是阿里巴巴进军美国的核心要诀。
在中国有大量实体店的耐克(耐吉,Nike)等知名品牌，已在天猫网上进行直接销售。但支付宝此次把美国零售商和中国消费者直接桥接，使其无需投资实体营运。
支付宝也让美国零售商和中国消费者可以避开外汇相关的麻烦。中国消费者以人民币付款；美国公司则拿到美元。
阿里巴巴和支付宝为美国企业推出的解决方案被称为ePass。该服务包括客户预准过程，即某种“快速通道”，缩短交货天数。大和分析师John Choi和Alex Liu认为，该功能是阿里巴巴相对于京东(JD.O: 行情)等对手的最大优势。
根据Borderfree，阿里巴巴和支付宝已与百货公司Neiman、Saks、Macy's Inc (M.N: 行情)及其旗下Bloomingdale百货连锁店、Ann Taylor、时尚精品网站Gilt，以及服饰品牌Aeropostale(ARO.N: 行情)等签订试行协议，负责处理付款和送货至中国的事宜。这些公司不愿置评，但Neiman、Saks和Ann Taylor均证实签订协议。
举例来说，如果中国消费者从Saks购买了一双鞋子，支付宝将负责金融交易。这双鞋子会进入支付宝设在美国的货运点，然后转入到中国。在通关后，通常由当地的合作伙伴处理最终的交货。
线上零售商Gilt营运长Tracey Weber表示，随着支付宝试行上路，阿里巴巴在行销、甚至产品选择方面提供的帮助愈来愈多。
她表示，“这是很不一样的环境。”
另一方面，Shoprunner去年则聘用前亚马逊高层主管，负责在上海成立新办公室；执行长Scott Thompson则表示，公司正准备2015年在中国举办大型的行销活动。
**锁定仿冒**
阿里巴巴并希望吸引更多美国企业进驻Alibaba.com，作为买家和卖家。策略之一是降低仿冒商品数量。仿冒是中国的一大问题，也是企业在考虑分享技术和设计等知识产权时的重要担忧。
为解决该问题，阿里巴巴聘请了企业资讯公司邓白氏(D&B)等公司强化一项供应商验证程序，阿里希望在这个程序的帮助下，吸引到许多目前没有在网上开展业务的小型美国企业和制造商，这样的小公司目前估计有2,700万家。
验证程序将让双方确保自己在与合法经营的伙伴展开合作。
邓白氏阿里巴巴项目的主管Jeff Stibel称，一体化已经开始，验证程序将在今年初推出。
阿里巴巴也有一些针对美国消费者的销售计划。
阿里巴巴在美国有个小型电商平台11Main.com，上面有许多小企业的网店，出售从瑜伽垫到香薰蜡烛的各种商品。虽然这个平台主要针对美国消费者，但其网站上约140万种产品中有四分之一可以运送到亚洲。11Main.com总裁Mike Effle对路透表示，该网站希望最终能帮助卖家进入阿里巴巴的美国至中国的销售通道。
就像Michael Sorrentino在去年拉斯维加斯消费电子展上认识到的那样，Alibaba.com本身就是个向美国消费者出售商品的平台。
Michael Sorrentino是智能手机外壳生产商Eyepatch的执行长，他表示，与他交流过的美国零售商中，有约20%的人问过他，是否能通过Alibaba.com买到他的产品。
“这迅速提醒我，不管我是否熟悉那个平台，都要赶快把产品放上去，”Sorrentino说。(完)
(编译/审校 王丽鑫/洪曦/戴素萍/白云/王洋/高琦/王兴亚)
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plots major initiative for U.S. retailers to sell to China
Edwin Chan, Paul Carsten and John Ruwitch, Reuters | January 16, 2015 12:57 PM ET
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JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty ImagesAlibaba founder Jack Ma. Long seen as the most potent threat to Amazon.com Inc with US$300 billion in global sales, Alibaba's moves add up to a conservative approach to expanding in the United States, contrary to industry speculation that the company may be plotting a direct assault on U.S. soil.
SAN FRANCISCO/BEIJING/SHANGHAI — China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plans a major move to win U.S. business this year, by offering American retailers new ways to sell to China’s vast and growing middle class.
Anchored by Alipay, the dominant Chinese electronic payments system that works closely with Alibaba and is controlled by its executives, the world’s largest Internet retailer is using the calling card of China’s consumers to attract U.S. partners, two sources close to the company told Reuters.
Long seen as the most potent threat to Amazon.com Inc with US$300 billion in global sales, the moves add up to a conservative approach to expanding in the United States, contrary to industry speculation that the company may be plotting a direct assault on U.S. soil.
That considered strategy, outlined to Reuters for the first time by the sources and executives who work directly with the Chinese company, is intended to heighten awareness in the United States of what Alibaba does, gain goodwill in an important Western market, and lay the groundwork for a longer-term play.
At the heart of its push are Alibaba’s and Alipay’s trial deals to handle Chinese sales, payment and shipping for some of the biggest names in U.S. retail from Neiman Marcus Group to Saks Inc. Both confirmed the agreement but would not talk about how the pilots are faring.
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And Alibaba is preparing a marketing campaign to raise awareness among U.S. businesses of its global business-to-business wholesale platform, Alibaba.com, so they can buy and sell to and from global suppliers.
“They own the toll road into China,” said Michael DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Borderfree. “What really puts the jetpack on things when you deal with an Alipay is, they’re on the ground and they know the Chinese consumer so well.”
Industry insiders point to just US$15 billion in annual U.S.-to-China, cross-border consumer sales now.
But Daiwa estimates cross-border purchases, which exclude sales of American products within the country, can grow to 1.8 trillion yuan (US$291 billion) by 2020.
“It’s not a big thing right now, but within the next 12 to 18 months what you’ll see more of is bringing 300 million Chinese consumers to retailers in the U.S.,” Alibaba Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai said in an interview with Reuters last year. He laid out the broad plan, and sources have now described details.
Still, there’s no guarantee of success.
China’s middle class is over 250 million strong and growing, spurred by government policy to create a more consumer-driven economy. Apple iPhones and General Motors cars have become big-selling status symbols, but the market remains a challenge for Western companies, especially those lacking a global footprint. Home Depot Inc decided in 2012 to shut all seven of its big box China stores, while in December, Best Buy said it will sell its struggling China business.
And Alibaba’s 10-month-old effort to help foreign retailers set up shop in China, Tmall Global – its business-to-consumer website, has had muted success. Of 5,000-plus brands and 650 merchants that now sell on that site, just 30 have accumulated more than 10 million yuan in sales, according to the company.
But there are signs of traction. Costco Wholesale Corp , which began selling on Tmall Global in November, saw sales of more than 40 million yuan in its first month of operations, according to data Alibaba provided to Reuters. And the site has attracted some 90 million unique visitors since launch, buying from 90% of listed merchants.
KNOWING THE NAME
Part of Alibaba’s aim is to counter official concerns about Chinese mega-corporations. In 2014, Alibaba hired former Treasury chief of staff James Wilkinson to help tailor its international strategy, and it has enlisted Korn Ferry to search for a Washington-based international government affairs chief.
Alipay and a logistics-partner network that took years to assemble are central to Alibaba’s U.S. effort.
Major brands, such as Nike, that have a large physical presence in China already sell directly on Tmall.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty ImagesWorkers at a handbag factory packaging up orders to be sold through the Chinese Internet e-commerce site Taobao in Baigou, Hebei Province.
But Alipay’s effort directly connects American merchants with China, without the need for investment in a physical presence.
It also allows U.S. retailers and Chinese consumers to avoid difficulties associated with foreign exchange. Chinese consumers pay in yuan; U.S. companies get paid in dollars.
Alibaba’s and Alipay’s program for U.S. companies is called ePass. It includes a customs pre-approval process, a sort of “fast lane” that shaves days off delivery. Daiwa analysts John Choi and Alex Liu call that capability Alibaba’s biggest advantage over rivals such as JD.com.
Alibaba and Alipay have made pilot agreements to handle payments and shipping to China for department stores Neiman, Saks, Macy’s Inc, Macy’s Bloomingdale’s chain, Ann Taylor, luxury fashion site Gilt, and apparel label Aeropostale, according to Borderfree. The companies declined to comment, although Neiman, Saks and Ann Taylor confirmed the deal.
If a Chinese consumer bought a pair of shoes from Saks, for instance, Alipay would handle the financial transaction. The shoes go to a U.S.-based Alipay facility that handles the transfer to China. After clearing customs, a local partner typically would handle final delivery.
Alibaba has even taken on a role akin to a cultural liaison for U.S. retailers. Tracey Weber, chief operating officer of online retailer Gilt, said that as their Alipay trial progressed, the Chinese company began increasingly to help with marketing and even product selection: advising them to use more red for instance, or to more prominently display cross-body handbags popular in China.
“It is such a different environment,” she said.
Shoprunner, meanwhile, hired an ex-Amazon executive to head up a new Shanghai office last year, and Chief Executive Scott Thompson said the startup is preparing a major marketing campaign in China in 2015.
Nelson Ching/BloombergPeople walk through Alibaba.com Ltd.'s headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
TARGETING COUNTERFEIT
Alibaba also aims to draw in more U.S. businesses to its Alibaba.com portal, as buyers and sellers. One strategy is to reduce the number of counterfeit goods, a major problem in China and a concern for companies considering sharing intellectual property such as technology and designs.
To that end, Alibaba has enlisted data company Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp, among others, to beef up a supplier-certification program it hopes will help draw in many of the estimated 27 million small-time American businesses and manufacturers that now operate mostly offline.
Validation could allow both sides to assure themselves that they are working with legitimate partners.
Jeff Stibel, who is heading up Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp’s effort with Alibaba, said integration was starting, and it will launch its certification program early this year.
Alibaba also has some plans to sell to Americans.
Alibaba has a small U.S.-based portal, 11Main.com, a collection of Internet storefronts for smaller businesses and products from yoga mats to scented candles. While it focuses on U.S. consumers, a quarter of its 1.4 million listed products can already be shipped to Asia. It hopes eventually to help sellers gain access to Alibaba’s U.S.-Chinese corridor, 11Main President Mike Effle told Reuters.
Alibaba.com itself is an avenue to sell to Americans, as businessman Michael Sorrentino found at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year.
The chief executive of smartphone case maker Eyepatch estimates about 20% of U.S. retailers he spoke with asked if they could buy his gear through Alibaba.com.
“That quickly taught me, whether I’m familiar or not with that platform, that I need to be on it,” he said.
© Thomson Reuters 2015
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