Apple Hopes To Boost China Sales Through Opening Online Store On Tmall
Apple’s iPhone is set to launch on China Mobile’s network later this month, and in advance of this the Cupertino, Calif. company is hoping to further encourage sales in the world’s largest smartphone market by offering its products through an official Apple Online Store at e-commerce website Tmall.
Tmall launched in 2008 and is operated by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.; it hosts more than 70,000 merchants, and global brands such as Nike and Gap are advertised at the website.
The Wall Street Journal now reports that Apple, too, has launched an official online storefront at Tmall. The online store, which can be accessed at apple.tmall.com, features a design similar to China’s Apple Online Store and advertises products including the iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5c (as pictured above).
In its report, the publication adds:
An Alibaba spokeswoman confirmed that the Tmall page is indeed Apple’s and that it opened recently, but declined to comment further. An Apple spokeswoman wasn’t immediately available for comment.
As such, it looks like 2014 is shaping up to be an important year for Apple’s efforts in China. Though the Cupertino, Calif. company hasn’t traditionally enjoyed a large share of the country’s burgeoning smartphone market, the recent launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c has helped Apple jump from being China’s No. 6 smartphone manufacturer to take the No. 3 position.
Of course, the availability of Apple’s new handsets with China Mobile (on Jan. 17) is expected to propel iPhone sales into the stratosphere. China Mobile offers more than 760 million subscribers and the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are compatible with the carrier’s new TD-LTE super fast cellular data network.
The Tmall Apple Online Store is also participating in Apple’s “Red Friday” sale on Jan. 10, which will be available in Asian markets in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Our original article explained:
During the Red Friday sale, customers in select Asian markets including China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand can avail of numerous special deals on Apple products and accessories. Some of these are also available through the official Apple Store apps for iPhone and iPad.
We’ll keep you updated with further information as we receive it.
In the meantime, see: Yahoo Launches New Yahoo News Digest App To Help You “Get In The Know In No Time”, Google Finally Updates Official YouTube App With iOS 7 Keyboard Support, and Today’s Best Apps: Groops And MyStocks.