Alibaba.com, the platform for global business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce is launching Super September today, their largest B2B sales event of the year.
Super September will connect more than 40 million buyers and 200,000 suppliers from around the world to help them discover new products, services, and source online with greater certainty. Over 70 million products will be featured in this sales event, many of them offering the lowest price in 90 days.
During the month-long trade event, business buyers in the UK can access new and exciting products with on-time delivery, as well as quality suppliers showcasing their factories and product lines through livestreams and more than 20,000 VR show rooms.
For the first time, during this year’s Super September, buyers from the EU and the UK can access a dedicated ‘European pavilion’ which features 1.5 million products with EU product certificates, giving buyers peace of mind over their purchases.
Through its technology platform, Alibaba.com brings UK business buyers and global suppliers together more efficiently and cost-effectively, ultimately improving margins and aiding business growth.
Delivery on time and trade assurance during the whole customer journey
Super September will offer millions of “Super” products which will be sold at their lowest price in 90 days, while further discounts – up to $45 – are available for new customers that pay via PayPal.
In addition, Alibaba.com is extending its 30-day money-back protection to a 60-day money-back protection for all Trade Assurance orders from 1st – 30th September. Trade Assurance is Alibaba.com’s proprietary set of buyer protection services that covers every stage of the purchasing journey when orders are placed and paid through Alibaba.com.
Making B2B orders can be stressful when considering costs, expected quality, shipment time, and more. With Trade Assurance, buyers can be confident that they are protected throughout the whole process. Introduced to help SMEs mitigate some of the risks associated with global trade, Alibaba.com’s Trade Assurance program has protected nearly 160 million transactions to date. These protections include offering buyers secure and easy ways to pay for their B2B orders, escrow services for transaction safety, as well as safeguards against unforeseen circumstances such as product quality issues and shipping delays. Trade Assurance protections not only apply to ready-to-ship products, but also custom-made products.
Supply chain struggles hitting UK businesses
The launch of Super September comes as UK buyers continue to face ongoing supply chain issues. According to a new study from TMX Global, supply chain woes – including delays, capacity constraints and elevated prices – are costing UK businesses more than £12bn a year in lost revenue.[1] Meanwhile, data from PwC shows that managing costs and increasing efficiencies were the top priorities of operations leaders, supply chain officers and C-suite executives over the next 12-18 months.[2]
Supply chain issues have impacted many businesses over the last year – and macroeconomic challenges such as increasing prices continue to present major headwinds. Now, more than ever, wholesale buyers, and particularly SME wholesale buyers in the UK need to re-assess their supply chain and sourcing needs.
The innovative technologies offered on Alibaba.com during this Super September – such as livestreams and virtual reality show rooms – serve as tools that enable businesses to efficiently access a huge catalogue of products from hundreds of thousands of suppliers, access international trade opportunities, and—critically—drive growth.
– Roland Palmer, General Manager of UK, Benelux and Nordics, Alibaba Group
