Alibaba targets western consumers with new fast fashion app

Alibabahas launched allyLikes, a new fast fashion platform aimed at the American and European markets. It is also in direct competition with Shein, the Chinese fashion online store that is taking the western world by storm.

Tried and tested model

Both business models bear a striking resemblance: Shein too targets young customers outside China and offers new items at bargain prices every week. The fashion retailer, also called “the TikTok of e-commerce”, has become the most downloaded shopping app in the United States this year.

AllyLikes sells everything from affordable jewellery to ready-to-wear – including leather jackets for under 30 euros. The company ships to Europe, the United States and Canada. The app is available in several European languages, including Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. But as with other fast fashion players, the strength of allyLikes lies mainly in the speed with which it responds to new styles and trends. Every week, more than 500 new items get added to the platform, writes FashionUnited. To promote the app, the company is engaging influencers.

For now, allyLikes is still in its early stages: data by Sensor Tower shows that the app has been downloaded under 5,000 times worldwide since September. In the same period, Shein registered around five million and Alibaba two million downloads.