Behind Alibaba International's Near Profitability, AliExpress Advances Brand Building and AI Efficiency Improvement on Two Fronts
Alibaba's international e-commerce platform, AliExpress, is nearing profitability, driven by a strategic shift towards brand building and enhanced operational efficiency. The platform's "Brand+" initiative, launched in September 2025, has seen significant adoption, with over 30% of its active buyers now purchasing from branded merchants, indicating a move from a traffic-centric model to a brand-focused one. This strategy aims to attract brands by offering a more cost-effective alternative to Amazon, with plans to double the export scale for 2,000 Chinese brands by 2026. Additionally, Alibaba has introduced an enterprise-level AI agent, Accio Work, to streamline business operations for merchants, further boosting efficiency and lowering the barrier to entry for international e-commerce. AI
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