Alibaba opens e-commerce platform to sellers outside of China

-text c-gray-1" >China's e-commerce giant Alibaba is now allowing businesses from a select few other countries to sell goods on its platform. AliExpress, which enabled small and medium-sized companies in China to sell goods to over 150 countries, has opened up to businesses in Italy, Russia, Spain and Turkey reports The Financial Times. The company hopes to expand AliExpress to retailers in other countries.<br> <br> <br> <br> loading-dudes-transparent</a>.gif" style="max-width:400px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;">AliExpress, which solely consists of third-party retailers, is notable for selling items at "too good to be true" prices, such as 49-cent iPhone cases or counterfeit luxury handbags for a few US dollars. Last year, AliExpress registered a 94 percent spike in sales. "This year is the first year for table edge protector - https://anotherdiscount.com/ our 'local to global' strategy," said Trudy Dai, president of AliExpress to FT. "This strategy is intimately connected to Alibaba's broader globalization strategy."<br> <br> <br> <br> Alibaba's global expansion is a direct aim at Amazon, which is currently the world's largest online retailer. But Alibaba's presence in China is unrivaled, and the country is expected to surpass the US this year as the biggest retail market in the world. Meanwhile, Amazon has struggled to make much of an impact in China, where shoppers prefer Alibaba and JD.com. Last month, Amazon announced it was shuttering its Chinese domestic e-commerce business.<br> <br> <br> <br> Source: FT In this article: alibaba, aliexpress, amazon, business, china, ecommerce, entertainment All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Comments 312 Shares Share Tweet Share Save Popular on Engadget <br> <br> You need a password manager -- right now <br> <br> View Audi teases the E-Tron Sportback with a short cameo <br> <br> View The Morning After: 20 years later, the Dreamcast has a powerful legacy <br> <br> View Honda reveals pricing for its lovable E electric car <br> <br> View Google's 'Play Pass' for Android is coming soon <br> <br> View From around the web