AliExpress eyes 'live commerce,' financial products to expand Brazil sales
26/05/2021 23:21
SAO PAULO, May 26 (Reuters) - AliExpress, the global
e-commerce platform of Chinese giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
BABA.N , aims to increase its Brazil sales by offering "live
commerce," financial services and registering local sellers in
its marketplace, its Brazilian head told Reuters on Wednesday.
With Brazil sales growth of around 130% in 2020, the
shopping portal wants to use these initiatives to deepen its
links with customers in Brazil, which has become one of the five
largest AliExpress markets in sales in the world, Yan Di said.
He said the company plans to invest more in live commerce,
referring to a model that involves online entertainment as a
tool for generating customer engagement and driving sales. In
recent months, it has increased investments in marketing in
reality TV shows with a large audience in Brazil, such as "Big
Brother Brasil."
He added that AliExpress plans to start offering financial
services in the country, adding to options it already offers
like paying in installments without interest. In doing so, it is
taking on a bevy of other local e-commerce players that have
also started offering financial services, including MercadoLibre
Inc MELI.O , Magazine Luiza SA MGLU3.SA and B2W BTOW3.SA .
"Entering the finance ecosystem in Brazil is a matter of
time," said the executive, declining, however, to say when this
might happen. AliExpress, which works mostly with importers, is
also preparing to register local sellers in its marketplace
"soon," he said.
Finally, AliExpress is also seeking to improve logistical
efficiency to reduce delivery times, Di said. He declined to
comment on reports the company may be interested in buying
Brazil's Correios postal service, which Brazil's government is
eager to privatize.
(Reporting by Aluisio Alves in Sao Paulo
Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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