Henkel, Alibaba Form Partnership

The world's biggest online sales network has teamed up with Henkel to launch a new hair care line. Henkel and Alibaba’s senior management met at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China, to set a key strategic partnership in motion. Schwarzkopf, Henkel’s top hair care brand, plans to exclusively introduce its new product range at Tmall, an e-commerce website operated by Alibaba, globally.

With the launch scheduled for November 11, (“Double Eleven”), Henkel will create an international shopping experience for Chinese consumers. Michelle Cheung, corporate senior vice president Henkel Beauty Care Asia Pacific & APAC president, attended the meeting and highlighted the importance of meeting with strategic partners.

Tmall has always been one of Henkel’s most important partners Henkel. Tmall is a reputable online retailer in China and indispensable channel for consumer communication and engagement.

2015 has been an important year for Alibaba’s globalization strategy. Alibaba’s CEO Yong Zhang said in September that the company has established close partnerships with many governmental organizations, industrial associations and almost all large retailers worldwide.

Henkel and Alibaba’s partnership will focus on international brands and products, big data, and penetration of rural and suburban markets. With regard to big data, Henkel aims to integrate market and consumer data with German research and technology to develop products that meet Chinese consumers’ needs. Henkel expects to drive both volume and market penetration to lower-tier cities by leveraging Alibaba’s strong distribution competency.

During the visit, James Wang, General Manager, Henkel Beauty Care Greater China Retail gave a preview of a new series of products to be launched exclusively on Tmall – the new Schwarzkopf Extra Care 8 Precious Oil hair care series, which is silicone-free and contains essential oil.

Henkel will also be launching a range of high-end products from Germany on “Double Eleven” on TMALL for Chinese consumers. Many European brands and products, from hair care to body wellness to dental care, will be featured on TMALL International this year.

According to data from Alibaba, Schwarzkopf achieved the highest sales for three consecutive “Double Elevens” in the hairc are category. Analysts see Schwarzkopf as a high-end hair care brand, focused on advanced technology. This fits with Tmall's positioning and will help Schwarzkopf win over other big international brands in the e-commerce channel.