The program, dubbed A100, marks another step by Hangzhou-based Alibaba Group to expand its footprint beyond new retail, and represents the latest shift to enterprise-facing tech, which recently has been gaining momentum in China.
A100 will be powered by Alibaba Business Operating System, a term used by the company to refer to its amalgamation of technology services, including online marketplaces like Taobao and Tmall, payment tool Alipay, logistics Cainiao, cloud computing Alibaba Cloud, and productivity tool DingTalk.
“This is a continuation of a race to snap up leading retailers and lock them into Alibaba or Tencent’s service ecosystems,” says Michael Norris, strategy and research manager of AgencyChina, referring to the program and similar enterprise-focused initiatives by Chinese tech giants.
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