Taobao, China’s leading online shopping platform under Alibaba Group Holding, is experiencing high user growth in Thailand after launching a localized version for the market.
New user registrations jumped 60% year-on-year in a month after the May-end launch of Taobao’s Thai version, according to Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), as reported by South China Morning Post.
 |
|
An illustration photo shows the Taobao LOGO displayed in a smart phone in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, China on April 18, 2025. Photo by CFOTO via AFP |
During Taobao’s midyear 618 shopping festival, AIDC reported strong sales in Thailand, with growth in gross merchandise volume for categories such as clothing, home furnishings, and consumer electronics.
Local gross merchandise volume for women’s shoes doubled year on year, said Zhao Jing, manager of Taobao Thailand, as reported by South China Morning Post.
AIDC noted that the platform leverages Alibaba’s AI translation technology, enabling Thai users to navigate the app in their native language and make payments in baht.
The Thai version complements Taobao’s existing Chinese and English interfaces, aligning with Alibaba’s strategy to expand its user base in Southeast Asia.
Following the success of Singles’ Day, Chinese e-commerce platforms have introduced the 618 sales event to Southeast Asian markets.
Taobao in May announced that its free global delivery service would expand to 12 countries and regions across the globe, as the company is stepping up its globalization layout, according to ChinaDaily.
Since last year, Alibaba has accelerated its overseas expansion amid slowing domestic demand and rising competition from platforms like PDD Holdings’ Pinduoduo and ByteDance’s Douyin.
In September, Taobao rolled out its English version in Singapore and Malaysia, marking its first venture into non-Chinese languages. The English version has since expanded to other markets.
