Alibaba sees double-digit sales growth for Singles’ Day in Hong Kong

The rosy prediction comes on the back of a US$142-million promotion that waives delivery fees on certain orders for Taobao users in the city

Reading Time:2 minutes

Alibaba Group Holding on October 1 started a free shipping promotion on certain orders for Taobao users in the city. Photo: Shutterstock

Ann Caoin Shanghai

Published: 8:30am, 18 Oct 2024

Alibaba Group Holding expects to record double-digit sales growth for its Singles’ Day campaign in Hong Kong, following the launch of a 1 billion yuan (US$142 million) promotion to waive delivery charges for Taobao users in the city.

The Hangzhou-based e-commerce powerhouse on October 1 started a three-month promotion to waive delivery fees for certain Taobao orders that cost more than 99 yuan, covering categories such as fashion accessories, electronics, skincare and cosmetic products. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

Taobao, mainland China’s largest online shopping platform, has so far achieved double-digit, year-on-year growth in both gross merchandise value (GMV) and order volume in Hong Kong on the back of that promotion, according to David Ye Jianqiu, general manager of Tmall Taobao World, a unit of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC).

“The user feedback on this free shipping plan is quite positive,” Ye said in a media briefing on Thursday, adding that he is confident of Taobao posting double-digit, year-on-year GMV growth during its Singles’ Day campaign in the city.

Tmall Taobao World general manager David Ye Jianqiu (left) and C.K. Chan, head of Hong Kong and Macau operations at Tmall Taobao World, launched a three-month, free-shipping promotion in the city on September 26, 2024. Photo: Handout

Ye said Taobao now counts more than half of Hong Kong’s population as users, which makes the city “one of the most important markets for Alibaba”.