Alibaba is integrating wholesale platforms 1688 and Alibaba.com under a single operation led by Zhang Kuo.

The move is meant to connect domestic supply chains with overseas demand and expand AI use as Alibaba responds to slower ecommerce growth.

In Alibaba’s latest quarterly report, the company grouped both platforms under its global wholesale segment after previously separating them into China wholesale commerce and international wholesale commerce.

The change reflects a broader reporting shift that introduced a Global Wholesale line in Alibaba’s disclosures.

For the quarter ended June, Alibaba said revenue from China ecommerce fell 8% year on year. Revenue from global wholesale rose 7%.

Analyst Zhang Yi said the integration could let factories use one set of goods to serve domestic and overseas buyers. He added that it could also increase risks around product quality, compliance, pricing, and fulfilment.

🔗 Source: Yicai

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