Moves to Melbourne next month.
The Alibaba Group eCommerce Expo kicked off on Friday at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Sydney. Over 175 Australian and New Zealand brands and retailers participated in the two-day event focused on helping local businesses tap into the eCommerce enabled Chinese economy.
Exhibitors were able to experience first-hand the retail technology developed by Alibaba Cloud, build relationships with Alibaba and its ecosystem of partners, meet with Chinese buyers, and engage directly with Chinese consumers who will livestream product demonstrations on Taobao – China’s largest mobile commerce destination.
Alibaba Australia and New Zealand managing director, Maggie Zhou said the Expo provides value to Australian businesses large and small.
“The 2018 Expo was designed to engage big businesses already having great success with our online marketplaces like Tmall and Tmall Global, as well as SMEs who are looking for knowledge and support to tap into the Chinese market,” she said.
Augmented reality technology powered by Alibaba Cloud was on display at the Expo, as well as artificial intelligence with the ‘cloud shelf’ where Chinese retailers include virtual products on the shop shelf that are available to order online.
A select showcase of Hema supermarket features will be available at the Expo where attendees can experience the future of grocery shopping in China. QR codes enable Hema shoppers to access product information while customers can pay for their purchases through their mobile devices.
Alibaba Cloud Australia and New Zealand general manager, Raymond Ma commented, “Retail and technology trends in China are continuing to change the way consumers, sellers, service providers and producers buy and sell. Alibaba Cloud underpins much of this technology.”
Panel discussions offered insights into the nuances of Chinese consumers, cross border eCommerce ecosystem, payments, logistics and digital marketing solutions including the use of Chinese online influencers.
The Alibaba eCommerce Expo will return to Melbourne for a second consecutive year at the Melbourne Convention Centre from 18-20 October.