Tmall Global is an eCommerce platform that businesses’ can use to sell their products to the Chinese market without having to open a business in China. The goods sold on Tmall Global are originally produced and sold overseas, then imported legally into China. Tmall Global is not the same as Tmall as Tmall Global was made for non-Chinese Brands.
Tmall Global should not be seen as a temporary investment, but a long-term eCommerce business.
Customers will use Alipay or other methods to buy your products in their currency, meanwhile, you will receive the payment in your own currency. Having an Alipay account for your brand is essential, this can be connected to your chosen bank account.
Cross-Border eCommerce requires all goods to have at least 2/3rds shelf life remaining. Assuming a 12-month shelf life, you’ve effectively got 4-months to receive, sell, and ship your stock.
Tmall mandates that brands hold a minimum of two-months inventory at all times. Furthermore, to participate in major sales events, merchants must hold inventory levels 3x more than their forecasted monthly unit sales.
Tmall Global is B2C which means the following types of products can be sold
skincare
Cosmetics
Beauty tools
Supplements
Beverages
Household appliances
Kitchen utensils
Baby food
Babycare
Baby clothes
Toys
Apparel
Watches
Jewellery
Lingerie
Tmall Global does have basic restrictions on what a store can be, on basic terms, your store must;
Be registered overseas
Merchants should own a trading license
Must be the brand owner or have the brand re-selling authorisation
Merchants need authentic products
Chinese language customer support must be available
Sold products should be dispatched within 120 hours of purchase
Other restrictions include;
To apply to open a store you must;
Submit product information and wait for checking – 10 business days
Register for an overseas Alipay account – 10 business days
Sign the agreement and pay the annual – 10 business days.
service fee and deposit
Open the store. This includes registering an account in Tmall Global, taking a test, completing the information needed, adding products, and finally launching the store.
Tmall Global is a big investment but has proven to be successful for brands. The fees of Tmall Global include an opening deposit fee, annual fee, commission fee, and a small Alipay fee for checkout.
Opening a store on Tmall Global can improve your business to target the Chinese demographic. Since foreign countries do not have access to Tmall itself, Tmall Global has become the website to use for the rest of the world. If you need help starting and managing your store, as well as ad placement, feel free to contact us.