Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall, two of China’s leading online shopping sites, have introduced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance merchant services and attract customers. This move is the first major initiative taken by the company since a leadership reshuffle in December.
At the recent sellers’ conference held in Hangzhou, Taobao and Tmall Group (TTG) unveiled AI features designed to improve services and boost customer attraction. One of the key AI tools is an upgraded customer service chatbot called Dianxiaomi, which is expected to be available to all sellers on Taobao and Tmall by June.
Dianxiaomi, currently undergoing tests with a select group of sellers, will assist in tasks such as pre- and post-sales service, data analysis, and other online sales activities. The use of AI models will transform Dianxiaomi into a more efficient and interactive tool for seller-consumer engagement. The accuracy rate of Dianxiaomi’s response time has already improved to 85%.
In addition, TTG plans to provide quality merchants with increased exposure to consumers, ensuring they are prominently featured on the homepage and in search results. This move is a response to growing competition from rivals like JD.com, Pinduoduo, and Douyin.
Eddie Wu Yongming, the new CEO of TTG, aims to bolster the company’s efforts through the adoption of AI tools. This new initiative follows Alibaba.com’s introduction of an AI tool for wholesale merchants in its international business-to-business marketplace.
At the sellers’ event, TTG highlighted the significant advantage enjoyed by five-star-rated sellers in terms of repurchase rates compared to lower-rated stores on the platform. The company also announced plans for a new rating system focused on customer service indicators such as the rejection rate of refund requests and platform intervention rate.
Both JD.com and Taobao recently implemented a refund only policy, allowing consumers to keep purchased goods they are unhappy with, aligning with Pinduoduo’s existing option.
The introduction of AI tools by TTG demonstrates Alibaba’s commitment to maintaining its competitiveness and enhancing merchant services on its online shopping platforms. By leveraging AI, the company aims to provide better customer experiences and drive continued growth.
