Aussie brands seek to speed up expansion in China via online platforms

SYDNEY - To promote Australian brands to Chinese consumers, "Aumake has recently partnered with an award-winning social e-commerce team based in Hangzhou, China," Keong Chan, executive chairman of the Australian online platform operator, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Australian company, which runs a social e-commerce marketplace that connects Asian influencers, buyers and sellers with Australian brands, has registered to attend the first China International Consumer Products Expo (Consumer Expo), to be held from May 7 to 10 in Haikou, South China's Hainan province.

Chan told Xinhua that the company has planned to set up a presentation booth opposite to the New South Wales Government booth area, displaying its self-owned brands of health supplement products as well as other skincare products.

Besides selling products, Aumake expects more opportunities of face-to-face conversations with customers across different industries, covering all aspects of the supply chain including supply of products, procurement, logistics and cross-promotion, according to Chan.

"In addition to promoting high-quality Australian products, we will also have a deeper understanding of the current market and the actual needs of the customers," he said.

Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aumake has, like many forward-looking companies, transferred its focus to online business. Chan said this shift follows new retail methods in Asia, and provides Australian brands with an effective channel to seamlessly promote, sell and deliver products to consumers in China.

Several Australian brands have been active players on online platforms familiar to Chinese consumers. According to Alibaba Group, after the first hour of the group-launched 11.11 Global Shopping Festival on Nov 11th, 2020, Australia ranked fourth of all countries selling into China in terms of total gross merchandise volume, maintaining its ranking from last year.

During the once-in-a-year shopping festival in 2020, a number of Australian brands were ranked in the top ten brands globally selling via cross-border e-commerce on the Alibaba platforms, including Swisse and BioIsland, Alibaba data showed.

For Aumake, among more than 20,000 registered active users on its new e-commerce platform, 85 percent of them are from the Chinese mainland. To make the most of the opportunity, Chan said that, over the coming quarter, Aumake will leverage its Hangzhou partnership to onboard new registered active users and convert these end-consumers to small business influencers.

"The Hangzhou team's expertise in identifying emerging consumer trends complements enhanced back-end reporting functionality, providing greater insights into products and brands that are resonating with active users," Chan said, expressing his hope that this cooperation will drive the launch of targeted new direct marketing campaigns to promote new Australian brands and products.

As for the upcoming Consumer Expo, Chan said, "we will also meet and communicate with more industry peers to allow us to gain an understanding of the latest information and developments locally in China within our industry."

The Consumer Expo is the first-ever expo to be held at the national level focusing on quality consumer goods, showcasing that China always adheres to its national policy of opening-up, and resolutely promotes globalization, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Bingnan said at a press conference.

According to official data, the expo will cover 60,000 square meters of international exhibition space featuring watches, cosmetics, jewelry, automobiles, yachts, consumer electronics, liquors, and food and health products of leading brands. More than 1,300 brands from 69 countries and regions will participate in the expo.