From now until October, merchants (including brands, retailers and other sellers on Tmall) can actively prepare for Singles’ Day by planning and taking action to drive online traffic to their Tmall stores. In this report, we provide key strategies for how brands and retailers can increase their presence and exposure on the platform.   Leverage Ranking Lists on Tmall Platform to Increase Exposure and Traffic    Product ranking lists on e-commerce platforms such as Tmall are a source for consumers to easily and quickly browse a high-quality selection of products based on a particular keyword search. This enables them to be exposed to new products or brands that they would not have otherwise specifically searched for, so presents a key opportunity for brands to expand their reach to potential new customers. According to data from Alibaba, 55 million consumers “looked at a ranking list before placing an order” in 2019, of which millennial shoppers (those born during or after the 1980s) accounted for more than 72%.   1)  Tmall V List The Tmall V List is the platform’s official ranking list; it was launched in May 2019. The algorithm of the list is based on dozens of indicators, including product sales, product reviews and the store operation index (which benchmarks how well a store is running). Furthermore, Tmall invited over 100 media and institutions to write reviews about the top-ranking products to endorse the V List. According to the “Tmall V List 2020 Report,” 1,142 items on the V List contributed more than ¥10 billion ($1.43 billion) in sales by the end of 2019, and the list was checked by 500 million users. As of March 2020, the Tmall V List had issued 70 sub-lists comprising 1,197 products across many categories—such as smart watches, earphones, makeup removal products, washing machines, dishwashers, cell phones and personal care products. By gaining an understanding of the significant indicators and selecting the most appropriate ranking list in which to enlist, brands and retailers can start to create or build up their “star products.” It is also important for brands to communicate with Tmall category managers when constructing a plan for having their star products featured in the Tmall V List. [caption id="attachment_112672" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Tmall V List
Source: Tmall App [/caption]   2)  Here Are Quality Products (You Hao Huo) This list is located on the front page of the Taobao/Tmall app and is a recommendation-based ranking list that is customized for target consumers through precision marketing. When users enter a keyword search, they are provided with recommendations of the products that would interest them most—based on their recent searches and preferences—with an indication of the most popular items (e.g. the product pages that have been visited the most). Prior to Singles’ Day, brands and retailers can consider applying to have their products featured in the “Here Are Quality Products” ranking list, as it would drive traffic to their stores and support conversions to purchasing. The recommendations appeal to consumers because they are written by individual users of Taobao/Tmall or key opinion leaders (KOLs) who often write reviews and are active on social media. Brand and retailers could therefore also work with KOLs to produce favorable reviews of their star products and so increase their exposure. [caption id="attachment_112673" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Through the Here Are Quality Products list, brands can apply to join the front-page promotions on the Tmall platform during Double 11
Source: Tmall app [/caption]   1)  Top Hero Product List   The Top Hero Product List is a feature that is displayed on the front pages of Tmall stores. Many successful stores create a “Top Three” or “Top 10” ranking list for their star products, usually called “Store Treasure.” The ranking can be based on historical sales record, recent sales, popularity (e.g., total number of views by consumers) or recent “hotness” (increase of views or purchases in the past month). Brands and retailers should feature their star products on a ranking list to provide shoppers with an immediate and clear view of popular products and thus promote conversion. [caption id="attachment_112674" align="aligncenter" width="700"] “Top Three Ranking List” featured on L’Oreal’s Tmall store
Source: L’Oréal Official Tmall Store [/caption]   Utilize Tmall’s New Tools To Launch Products during Singles’ Day Double 11 has become a major stage for launching new products in China. In 2019, more than 1 million new products were launched on Tmall, and nearly 100 new products achieved Singles’ Day pre-sales of more than ¥10 million ($1.43 million). Lancôme’s second-generation “little black bottle” Genifique serum set a record sales high for a single new product on Tmall during the festival, amounting to over ¥100 million ($14.3 million). Tmall Hey Box is a new tool launched by the platform to help brands launch new products. It presents new products to consumers from domestic and international brands, with customized recommendations provided by Alibaba’s big data and artificial intelligence technology. The tool features “application scenarios,” which show consumers how the new products can be used. At the China New Product Gala 2020 in January, Jun Yi, General Manager of Tmall’s Branding and Sales Center, said that the Tmall Hey Box could help more than 300 new products see sales of over ¥100 million ($14.3 million) during Singles’ Day this year. [caption id="attachment_112676" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Balenciaga Track series, AJ3 Vintage sneakers
Source: Tmall Hey Box on Taobao App [/caption]   In addition, during Alibaba’s Investor Day event on September 23, 2019, Tmall released the TMIC [Tmall Innovation Center] system to support new product launches. According to the platform, the system helps brands to reduce the development of a new product from two years to six months. L’Oréal, Shiseido and Unilever are among the companies to have partnered with TMIC on new product innovations so far, and Tmall expects that more than 50% of new products in the Chinese market will be incubated on its platform. These tools provide opportunities for brands and retailers to launch new products, which, if done for Singles’ Day, would promise high exposure and sales during the festival. Apply To Join Tmall Double 11 Gala The Tmall Double 11 Gala was created in 2015 to combine entertainment with commercial sales. The event’s attendees include celebrity guests that perform in a livestreamed show (involving singing, dancing, gymnastics, magic performance, etc). Tmall encourages consumers to interact with the event online by offering coupons to viewers. In 2019, the Gala attracted an online audience of 51.44 million. Brands could choose to sponsor the Gala to increase exposure and awareness—for example, Aldi was a named sponsor in the 2018 iteration of the event. Brands that join the Gala also have their name specifically mentioned during the event, their products will be displayed—with promotional coupons offered to drive sales. Figure 1. International and Chinese Celebrities Attending the Singles’ Day Gala, 2015–2019 [wpdatatable id=311]

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Source: Baidu.com/Coresight Research   [caption id="attachment_112678" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Taylor Swift performed during the Gala last year
Source: Baidu Baike [/caption]   Key Insights It is important for brands and retailers to build their exposure on Tmall prior to Singles’ Day—particularly for those that are new to the platform. Increased store traffic is more likely to drive conversion and help brands to expand their presence on Tmall. Joining the Gala or ranking lists would further help them to tap into new customer bases by breaking barriers to awareness. For brands and retailers that have already been operating on Tmall for more than one year, Singles’ Day 2020 will be critical in driving repeat purchases and customer loyalty. Brands should look to build up their star products through ranking lists and the Gala to enhance impressions and boost sales. They could also consider launching new products for the shopping festival, for which they would receive allocated traffic support from Tmall.