Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba (BABA) is stepping up its online shopping game in China. The tech giant has joined hands with Chinese social media platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu or “Little Red Book,” a social app with over 300 million users. The goal is to make it easier for people to shop directly from the products they see while browsing on social media.
With this tie-up, users can now tap on product links inside RedNote posts and be taken straight to Alibaba’s main online stores, Taobao or Tmall, to buy the items, cutting out the need to search or switch between apps anymore.
A Big Step for Both Platforms
Alibaba and RedNote have collaborated in the past to help users discover products on RedNote. However, this new partnership takes it a step further. Now, sellers on Taobao and Tmall can share accounts with RedNote to track how well their product posts on RedNote perform. They can see which products from their stores are being clicked, liked, and purchased, all in one place.
RedNote also benefits from this partnership. With a strong base of young users who trust peer reviews and lifestyle content, RedNote is expanding its reach to other platforms, making it easier for users to shop for what they love. This move also allows RedNote to generate more revenue from shopping-related posts.
Why This Could Be a Smart Move for 2025
This deal comes at a time when Alibaba is working hard to hold its ground in a fast-changing market. Competitors like PDD Holdings (PDD) and ByteDance (which owns Douyin, China’s version of TikTok) are growing quickly in this space. Douyin blends video and shopping in real time and has become a top choice for many shoppers.
Alibaba’s plan is to blend the fun of content with the power of e-commerce. The company says this deal will help brands grow by reaching shoppers in new ways. “This marks a new chapter,” said Tmall’s President, Liu Bo. “We’re combining lifestyle with buying to help brands grow faster.”
Alibaba’s e-commerce arm, Taobao and Tmall Group (TTG), also said it now works with over 200 apps, from social sites to payment platforms, as it builds a more open and shared digital world. In the last quarter, TTG brought in 136.1 billion yuan (about $18.8 billion), up 5% from the year before.
Is BABA a Good Stock to Buy Now?
Analysts remain highly bullish about Alibaba’s stock trajectory. With 16 unanimous Buy ratings, BABA stock commands a Strong Buy consensus rating on TipRanks. Also, the average Alibaba price target of $167.13 implies 30.92% upside potential from current levels. Year-to-date, BABA stock has gained over 50%.
