A few months after Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba grabbed 18 percent of Twitter-like microblogging platform Sina Weibo with a $586 million investment, the two have teamed up to launch a “Weibo-Taobao” platform to make it easier for customers on Weibo to shop on e-commerce site Taobao.
The collaboration basically allows users to buy products directly on the Twitter-like microblogging platform. A new type of display for Taobao products is being launched on Sina Weibo — a “name card” of sorts that shows more details instead of just a link to the listing, including pricing, store credit rating, and the popularity of the product. To make it even more convenient to purchase products from Taobao directly on Sina Weibo, there will also be a “Buy” button on the virtual card.
The new collaboration also includes integrating both account systems so users can bundle their Sina Weibo and Taobao accounts togther and use either account to log on to both platforms.
The Weibo-Taobao platform will be rolled out on August 5, and Alibaba is opening it up to sellers in batches.
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Interestingly enough, Sina Weibo will also provide Taobao sellers with marketing services. Sellers can upload products and create related product “cards” via Weibo, as well as manage their Weibo postings, and there is even a data center to help sellers analyze how effective their Weibo promotions are.
This comes as Alibaba confirmed it has suspended the use of WeChat marketing applications on its e-commerce sites, citing misuse by sellers — though it might be pure coincidence, it cannot be denied that the WeChat suspension means Taobao sellers can only flock to Sina Weibo for marketing purposes.
Image Credit: Peter Parks via AFP/Getty Images
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