Home > Retail & E-Commerce Alibaba News Roundup: Rihanna’s Beauty Line A Hit With Chinese Consumers; Jumpstarter Opens Applications; Tmall Launches Perfume Consultations Photo credit: Shutterstock By Elizabeth Utley , Chloe Shen , Ivy Yu and Yashan Zhao | Published on Feb. 17, 2023 Fenty Beauty, the cosmetics company owned by singer and entrepreneur Rihanna, saw a jump in sales this week on Alibaba Group’s B2C marketplace Tmall Global following her Super Bowl performance. In other news, the group’s Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF) cut the ribbon on the 2023 edition of its Jumpstarter entrepreneurship competition, welcoming start-up founders worldwide to apply for part of a $5 million prize pool. As well, Tmall rolled out a perfume consultation service this week to help consumers buy scents for themselves and loved ones. Stay updated on the digital economy by signing up for our free weekly newsletter Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Shines Bright Like a Diamond on Tmall Global After Rihanna paused her Super Bowl 2023 Halftime performance to powder her nose, Chinese fans searched on Alibaba’s online marketplace Taobao to find the products she used on stage. Platform searches for Fenty Beauty more than doubled after the show compared to the day earlier. Unique visitors to the brand’s flagship store on Tmall Global also jumped, according to Alibaba. The songstress’ setting powder saw the biggest increase in sales. The compact has become the best-selling product in the Fenty Beauty Tmall Global flagship store. Rihanna’s performance also blew up the livestreaming channel of Fenty Beauty Tmall Global flagship store, where follower numbers rose after the Superbowl. The Jumpstarter pitch competition is underway. Photo credit: Alibaba Group Entrepreneurship Competition Back in Town Business pitching competition Jumpstarter 2023 is accepting applications through May 14, 2023, the Hong Kong arm of AEF announced this week. This year’s contest has expanded to include Biotech and Web 3.0 entrepreneurs, bringing the total number of industry categories to eight. Jumpstarter encourages start-ups across these sectors to integrate United Nations’ sustainability goals into their business plans. “Jumpstarter aspires to be a platform that supports individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations to accelerate the innovation and technology industry with our partners,” said Cindy Chow, Executive Director of Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund, in a statement. A judging panel will select 100 top entrants to proceed to a first pitch round in late June. They will be winnowed to 30 finalists in September, and a final shortlist will be announced in November. Jumpstarter 2023 will offer a $127,000 cash prize for the first prize winner and other awardees. Tmall Rolls Out Online Perfume Consulting Service for Consumers Tmall launched a perfume advising service this week to help consumers with perfume selection and use. Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Prada have piloted the service on their Tmall flagship stores. Consumers can chat with the perfumers, get advice on picking a daily scent or receive gifting tips. Close to 200 consumers tried out the service on its launch, including many male consumers buying perfumes for Valentine’s Day. The sales associates are certified perfume consultants versed in formulations and the science and technology of perfumery. More brands will roll out the service in the coming months, according to the platform. Luxury Brands Embrace China’s High-Tech Gen-Z This Valentine’s Day Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day as luxury brands release a bevy of limited collections targeting China’s young shoppers. Brands released 500 exclusive collections for the romantic occasion on Alibaba Group’s high-end shopping platform Tmall Luxury Pavilion, leveraging high-tech tools to engage digitally-savvy consumers. Parisian jeweler Cartier launched a rose gold version of its Santos-Dumont model featuring an emerald green strap available with a run of 300. Meanwhile, Swiss watchmaker Piaget hosted a pre-Valentine’s Day livestream on Tmall Luxury Pavilion that attracted over 500,000 views. Read more now Alibaba News RoundupBeautyEntrepreneurshipJUMPSTARTER Global Pitch CompetitionLuxuryTmallTmall Luxury Pavilion Reuse this content Never Miss a StorySubscribe to Our Newsletter
