Bangkok--20 May--124 Communications Consulting
Alibaba.com, a leading business-to-business (B2B) platform for global trade, today organized its first online summit aimed at helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand recover faster from the Covid-19 crisis. The event called for Thai SMEs to get onboard with digitization, grasp opportunities in the global market amidst the current economic challenges and thrive in the post-Covid-19 era.
More than 3,700 representatives from export-focused businesses across Thailand joined the “Go Export 2020: Thailand Online Seller Summit,” during which Alibaba.com announced the launch of an online supplier training program and unveiled a smart marketing solution to help them connect with buyers more effectively.
The event started with a sharing session by the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP) on opportunities from e-commerce and DIP’s plans to support Thai SMEs.
“Just as online seminars like what we are having today has become a 'new normal’, online trade has also become essential in both domestic and international markets. In every crisis, there is an opportunity. E-commerce is one solution that Thai suppliers should not miss in order to thrive and succeed during these hard times,” said Dr. Nattapol Rangsitpol, Director General of the Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP).
Stephen Kuo, Head of Asia Pacific of Alibaba.com, introduced how the platform can help support Thai businesses during the current economic uncertainty. He provided an overview of the global e-commerce market and valuable insights including buyer behaviours, trends, and the easy access for businesses to the global buyer market via Alibaba.com.
“The impact of the pandemic means it is more important than ever for SMEs to shift to a more nimble business model to triumph over this challenging economic situation. We want to help exporters and brands in Thailand to access and be visible in the global market efficiently and effectively via our online platform. Along with the digital tools to better anticipate and respond to changing buyer behaviour and market needs, we hope to help businesses here meaningfully in this crucial recovery phase,” said Stephen Kuo, Head of Asia Pacific of Alibaba.com.
Alibaba.com has proven experience in using digital technology to support SMEs globally, with around 18 million active buyers sending inquiries or requesting quotations from more than 190 countries.
On top of existing tools such as automatic translation and performance analytics, the platform today unveiled the “Smart Marketing Solution,” designed to help Thai suppliers market their products at the right prices using AI algorithm and intelligent bidding, based on Alibaba.com’s platform insights. This solution makes it easier for SMEs to understand the demand for a product category, how to price effectively to acquire new customer traffic and account for conversion rates, helping them finetune their business strategies and grow faster. The technology also helps businesses to reduce the labour costs required to acquire these insights through automation.
In addition, Alibaba.com launched the “Star Supplier Incubation Program – Alibaba.com Seller E-academic Program,” a four-week online training course customized to enable Thai suppliers to navigate the world of e-commerce and global trade. The program offers 12 modules in four major topics, aiming to guide participants in setting up an online business, develop a deep understanding of online buyer behaviour, understand online business negotiations and customer service, along with hands-on tips from industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs. Classes will last from June 19 to July 10, 2020 and are open for registrations to all Alibaba.com Thai paying members from now until June 15, 2020.
The summit also spotlighted two Thai SMEs who have successfully leveraged Alibaba.com to keep their business thriving. Ms. Weeranut Kotcharat, CEO of K.S. Industry and Trading Co., Ltd., shared how her company is promoting Thai specialty products such as processed agriculture food and fresh food on the global stage using Alibaba.com. The company, which brings international goods to Thailand and Thai products to the international market, continued to do well on Alibaba.com even as the other parts of the businesses suffered from the Covid-19 outbreak.
Also in this summit, Ms. Panicha Laohamonthonkul, Business Development Director of 3M Food Product Co., Ltd., shared how competing on the same playing field with food suppliers around the world on Alibaba.com over the past 14 years has motivated her company to keep progressing. She also cited the company’s recent success in securing an order from Bangladesh during a time of economic difficulties.
Spurred by a surge in interest in online trade as traditional ways of doing business are disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Alibaba.com recorded an 86% year-on-year growth in transaction volume on its platform in April 2020. Thai suppliers have listed more than 170,000 products on Alibaba.com and receive an average of about 40,000 inquiries globally every 30 days. Top local industries like food & beverage, agriculture and beauty & personal care have seen impressive growth on the platform.
Interested parties can watch the full playback of the “Go Export 2020: Thailand Online Seller Summit” on: https://bit.ly/AlibabaGoExportThailand
For more news and information about Alibaba Group, please visit the company's Thai-language content platform AlibabaNews Thai.
About Alibaba.com
The first business of Alibaba Group, Alibaba.com (www.alibaba.com) is China’s largest integrated international online wholesale marketplace in 2018 by revenue, according to Analysys. Buyers on Alibaba.com were located in more than 190 countries as of March 31, 2019. Buyers on Alibaba.com are typically trade agents, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers and SMEs engaged in the import and export business. Alibaba.com also offers its members and other SMEs import/export supply chain services, including customs clearance, trade financing and logistics services.