Alibaba urges local SMEs to go global with e-commerce power

Alibaba.com Business Development Manager Ma Haobo - Pic by Upul Abayasekara

• Alibaba Executive Ma Haobo urges local SMEs to embrace digital transformation through e-commerce to reach global markets

By Janani Kandaramage

Global e-commerce giant Alibaba recently called on Sri Lankan small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace digital transformation to expand their global footprint, noting the immense potential of e-commerce platforms over traditional retail.

Addressing an event organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last week, Alibaba Executive Ma Haobo outlined a roadmap for SMEs to establish a sustainable and profitable presence online, noting that businesses must shift towards becoming ‘eExporters’ by leveraging Alibaba’s expansive business-to-business (B2B) ecosystem.

He added that while much of the platform’s manufacturing base is in China’s mainland, the majority of buyers are located in the US and EU markets.

“Online platforms provide access to a far broader customer base than brick-and-mortar stores,” he said, underscoring the importance of global connectivity in the post-pandemic digital economy.

Commenting on Alibaba’s seller ecosystem, he described how SMEs could utilise the platform’s array of digital tools to create what he termed a “digital showroom” – a fully optimised online profile enabling businesses to market their products to international buyers. A key focus was the Request for Quotation (RFQ) system, which allows sellers to proactively engage with buyers, rather than relying solely on passive inquiries.

Ma also emphasised the importance of visibility through organic traffic, performance advertising, and participation in signature e-commerce campaigns such as March Expo and Super September.

“March Expo brings together global suppliers and buyers in a concentrated virtual marketplace, while Super September serves as a month-long B2B sales campaign, strategically timed ahead of the global holiday season to enable bulk procurement and drive end-of-year revenue,” he observed.

Highlighting Alibaba’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), he described how the platform’s AI-powered Smart Assistant—launched last year—integrates over two decades of buyer data to generate actionable insights for sellers.

The Executive explained that the assistant can be operated in three modes: Captain, Copilot, and Manual. In Captain mode, the AI takes comprehensive control of the seller’s operations, automating engagement and insights delivery. “They will only ask the basic questions from buyers and will give you data insights,” Ma said of Captain mode, adding that, “Automatically. You don’t need to do any operations.” 

Manual mode, by contrast, allows sellers full autonomy, while Copilot strikes a balance between automation and human control.

“Through integrated analytics, sellers gain access to real-time data on buyer purchasing patterns, keyword trends, and regional preferences—tools designed to refine marketing strategy and optimise product offerings,” he opined.

He recommended Sri Lankan SMEs to participate in Alibaba’s Verified Suppliers program. Conducted in partnership with leading inspection and certification agencies SGS and TÜV Rheinland, the program verifies sellers’ export records and certifications to ensure buyer trust according to him.

Membership, he remarked, unlocks priority access to high-value buyers, advanced marketing tools, and increased exposure on the platform – critical advantages in today’s competitive global marketplace.