Alibaba to host e-commerce expo in Melbourne

Internet Retailing

5th Oct 2017

Chinese retail giant, Alibaba, will host an e-commerce expo in Melbourne this month, in an effort to highlight the cross-border export opportunities for Australian small businesses (SMBs).

Taking place from 13 –14 October 2017, the Alibaba eCommerce Expo is expected to attract up to 500 brands and 3,000 attendees.

It will also feature keynote speeches from Alibaba Australia’s managing director, Maggie Zhou, successful cross-border seller, Jessica Rudd, and popular Australian Weibo influencer David Gulasi.

In a shift away from traditional sellers exhibitions, the Expo will have a strong digital and new media component, leveraging popular social influencers and live streaming events throughout the two-day event.

As a result, exhibiting brands are expected to reach tens of thousands of buyers in China as they live stream their products and brand stories from the event.

In addition to the seller exhibition, the Expo involves a conference, which aims to take Australian SMBs through the Alibaba ecosystem, providing them with access to service partners and buyers through Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms.

Workshops will be held for participating brands to advance the knowledge and skills needed to successfully export to China.

“Australian products are highly regarded in China and continue to attract the attention of millions of Chinese consumers who demand high-quality goods. To date, many Australian businesses have already taken advantage of the benefits of the Alibaba ecosystem and cross border e-commerce trade,” said Alibaba’s Zhou.

“The Expo is a unique event for aspirational small business owners who are keen to learn how to access and succeed in the China market. It will help open doors to new opportunities and empower brands and consumers to connect globally through Alibaba’s ecosystem.”