Mei.com & Alibaba Launch the TMALL Luxury Flash-Sale Channel with Star-Studded Live-Streamed Fashion Show
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A live-streamed fashion show featuring 42 looks has marked the launch of a luxury Tmall flash sales channel via app that makes the styles immediately available to shoppers.
Alibaba Group’s B2C online marketplace Tmall.com has launched the channel through its mobile-phone app, allowing viewers of the live stream to “scan and buy” the runway looks.
Soft-launched about three months ago, the Tmall channel is being managed by Mei.com, which since 2010 has run a website in China that provides a flash sales outlet for nearly 300 international luxury brands including Armani, Longchamp, Michael Kors, Tumi and Zegna, through exclusive partnerships.
Mei.com CEO Thibault Villet with Olivia Palermo and Mei.com President Seamon Shi.
Alibaba invested an undisclosed amount in Mei.com in July, saying the site’s relationships with affordable luxury goods merchants would complement Tmall’s roster of high-end retailers such as Burberry, Coach and Hugo Boss. The new flash-sales channel gives Tmall.com shoppers direct access to discounted luxury goods from more than 3000 retailers and authorised distributors.
“The launch of the channel will further the variety of brands on Tmall and offer China’s burgeoning middle class a one-stop shopping platform,” says Alibaba Group CMO Chris Tung.
Millions of consumers across China watched the fashion show. It featured clothing and accessories, including 30 womenswear looks, 10 menswear looks, and a finale including two children’s looks.
Actor Peter Sheng, famous for his role in the China web series Go Princess Go, made his runway debut in the show wearing a Carven suit. American socialite Olivia Palermo styled one of the runway looks and was a front-row attendee of the show wearing the look herself.
Trendsetters and tastemakers attending the event also included singer Chris Lee and runway model and pop star Tia Ray, who also performed.
Questions & Answers
Q.How is the new flash-sales channel different from the existing Tmall platform?
How is the new flash-sales channel different from the existing Tmall platform?
The new channel provides Tmall.com shoppers with direct access to discounted luxury goods. It expands Tmall's offerings by specifically focusing on flash sales from over 3000 retailers and authorised distributors, managed by Mei.com.
Q.What is Mei.com's role in this new flash-sales channel?
What is Mei.com's role in this new flash-sales channel?
Mei.com is managing the new Tmall channel, using its experience since 2010 running a flash sales website. It has exclusive partnerships with nearly 300 international luxury brands and relationships with affordable luxury goods merchants.
Q.How do shoppers buy items seen during the live-streamed fashion show?
How do shoppers buy items seen during the live-streamed fashion show?
Viewers of the live stream can use their mobile-phone app to 'scan and buy' the runway looks immediately. This allows for direct and instant purchases of the styles featured during the event.
Q.When was this new Tmall luxury flash-sales channel first introduced?
When was this new Tmall luxury flash-sales channel first introduced?
The Tmall luxury flash-sales channel had a soft launch approximately three months before the star-studded live-streamed fashion show. The show itself marked the official launch of the service.
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