What do young people in China have in common? The fact that they are tech-savvy? Quick learners? Masters of emojis? Yes, yes and yes. But there is another characteristic that most Chinese who were born between 1995-1999 have in common – they are Taobao users.
A large part of this young demographic watches Taobao livestreaming shows, asks and answers questions about products and enjoys the discoveries made possible by recommendation feeds, all due to the “personalized” and “intelligent” nature of these features.
Taobao developed its own AI-powered recommendation system algorithms to better connect the right offerings with the right consumers. It does so across a variety of scenarios, recommending not only homepage listings but also livestreaming shows, brands, stores and professionally generated content. It also improves browsing efficiency by keeping users engaged with content aligned with their interests.
Additionally, Taobao’s recommendation feed helps consumers learn about trends, discover new ideas and find relevant products. Due to how interactive the platform is, it also makes the shopping experience full of fun and excitement.
Through the platform, merchants are able to identify and engage with their most likely customers, a capability that is especially helpful for overseas brands, SME merchants and even farmers, who have historically struggled with limited channels for selling their agricultural products. From a batch of sweet apples to a bunch of fresh lettuce, Taobao helps farmers sell their products quickly. The value of Taobao’s recommendation system can be seen from the fact that the page views generated directly from the feed rose 30% year-on-year in Q1 FY21, signaling its popularity and increasing usefulness.