The impact of COVID-19 has caused swift shifts in ecommerce around the globe and Alibaba have announced an update on the shifts they’re seeing on their platform amid COVID-19. The emerging data and trends show that American businesses are rapidly going digital.
Online marketplaces have been a vital support for businesses who needed help bringing their closed down physical businesses into the online world. During April, more US merchants joined Alibaba.com than from any other market and transactions between US business on Alibaba.com were up 120% with active buyers from the US up 76%.
Alibaba B2B Today program
Alibaba is committed to supporting small businesses in their transition online and helping them identify new ways to pivot their businesses to survive today, adapt to current and future changes and continue to thrive. As part of this commitment, Alibaba.com’s US-based team has reimagined its B2B Today program an awareness and education initiative for SMBs so that it now meets the needs of American small businesses who want to retool and recover.
As part of B2B Today, the company is now hosting daily content, including:
- Virtual events for small businesses featuring experts on topics like supply chains and logistics, financing and business certifications.
- SMB success stories showing how they are pivoting their businesses or offerings to create new opportunities in the fact of COVID-19; and
- TED-talk style tips from experts on topics ranging from cash flow to building a community.
Join in this Thursday at 5pm ET as John Caplan, head of B2B in North America and Europe, debuts Transformer Talks, a new LinkedIn Live series with his first guest, Hunter Walk, partner at Homebrew, the seed stage venture capital firm.
“As the world’s largest platform for global trade Alibaba, has visibility into and is sharing data about shifts in supply and demand. While it makes sense that the PPE category grew approximately7x between Jan and April this year, and Health and Medical grew by 2-3 times, Alibaba wants to help businesses see other possibly less obvious opportunities. For example, from February to March, wholesale demand on the platform has increased for many categories, including:
- Yoga Wear: +120%
- Casual Shoes: +49%
- Outdoor Furniture: +37%
- Education Toys: +49%”
