What Are The Top Categories On Tmall in China?

If you want to sell your products in the Chinese marketplace, Tmall is a platform worth exploring. As one of China’s leading e-commerce platforms, it offers a broad range of categories for consumers to browse and buy from. From clothing and fashion accessories to household appliances and personal care products, there are many options for potential merchants to sell on Tmall.

In general, there are four main categories on Tmall (and Tmall Global platform as well):

• Fashion & Accessories
• Beauty & Personal Care
• Electronics & Appliances
• Home & Living

In this blog post, we’ll dive into those categories on the Tmall eCommerce platform, explore popular trends within the top categories, and identify key factors contributing to their success. Keep reading to learn how you can strategically position your products for success on Tmall in Mainland China.

Fashion & Accessories

Fashion & Accessories is one of the top categories on Tmall, as fashion items are gladly bought online. China is the biggest fashion market in the world, with a CAGR of 6.79% (2022-2027) and a market worth 309.96 billion dollars in 2023.

In 2022, more fashion items were bought online (54.9%) than offline (45.1%) presenting a new trend among Chinese consumers. Tmall is one of the most popular platforms for fashion purchases, both for men and women.

Tmall’s Fashion & Accessories category boasts an impressive depth and variety of subcategories, including apparel, footwear, beauty, textiles, clothing accessories, luxury items, and more.

For example, in the apparel segment alone you’ll find brands like Uniqlo and Canada Goose among the top sellers on Tmall. Similarly across other subcategories such as footwear or textiles – popular trends continue to influence consumer demand.

Fashion and accessories are highly sought after on Tmall, with women’s handbags being the top-selling accessory priced at 69 RMB.

Online shopping has made it easier for customers to access a variety of clothing styles and popular items such as cosmetics, bags, and shoes are among the top 15 most purchased products in China.

Accessories like makeup brushes have also seen a surge in popularity due to their practicality and ability to enhance any look.

Focus on Brand Reputation to Sell in China’s Fashion Market

Brand reputation is one of the key factors that contribute to the success of top sellers in the Fashion & Accessories category on Tmall, as Chinese consumers highly value well-known and established clothing brands.

The use of marketing strategies, especially influencer marketing, is important in boosting sales and targeting younger demographics.

Live commerce, which involves live streaming to showcase products, has also gained popularity in all categories on Tmall, including fashion.

This provides opportunities for brands and influencers to showcase their latest collections and endorse specific items.

Beauty & Personal Care

Beauty & Personal Care is a highly successful category on Tmall, with subcategories including cosmetics, skincare products, and grooming tools.

Cosmetics in China are gaining popularity, and many international brands are now available on Tmall to take advantage of this growing market.

Skincare products are the most popular category on e-commerce platforms like Tmall due to the high demand for quality skincare products.

The demand for beauty products associated with mask-wearing has also increased significantly in post-pandemic China.

Shift toward self-care among Chinese consumers

One significant trend within this category is the rise of local Chinese brands, whose popularity has surged in recent years.

Additionally, there has been a shift towards self-care and wellness products as individuals seek to prioritize their mental and physical well-being. This trend can be seen across different categories within Beauty & Personal Care such as skincare, haircare, and personal grooming.

Focus on Skincare and Adapt to Chinese Beauty Standards

The biggest and fastest-growing market segment within Beauty & Personal Care on Tmall in China is skincare, which is one of the key factors that contribute to the success of top sellers, making it a prime area for brands to focus their attention.

Content strategy and influencer strategy are also critical, as Chinese consumers place a high value on educational content and social media influencers when making purchasing decisions.

It’s also important to note that Millennials and Gen Z are driving demand for clean or healthy beauty products in China, so brands should prioritize offering these types of products to succeed in this competitive marketplace.

Electronics & Appliances

This category includes a range of products such as smartphones, laptops, home appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners, and intelligent cleaning robots.

The subcategories within electronics and appliances include home entertainment systems, kitchen appliances, audio equipment, smart home technology, home security systems, personal electronics, office electronics, laundry machines, and cleaning appliances.

These subcategories play an essential role in shaping consumer purchasing trends and contribute significantly to the overall sales of the platform. For instance, smart home technology has experienced significant growth over recent years due to advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

As such, sellers looking to capitalize on this trend should focus their efforts on offering tech-savvy products that integrate seamlessly with other smart devices or provide new features altogether.

Which Appliances Do the Chinese Buy?

The popularity of smart home technology and wearable technology is on the rise. High-definition televisions, gaming consoles, and virtual reality devices remain popular among Tmall buyers.

Smart kitchen appliances are another hot trend on Tmall, offering energy efficiency and convenience for busy consumers. Wireless speakers are also increasingly popular as more people stream music at home.

Offer Smart Technology DevicesD

Smart technology has seen rapid growth on Tmall with a nearly 300% compound annual growth rate.

Another important consideration for this category is keeping up with market trends. With China’s e-commerce market growing rapidly and accounting for 44% of total retail sales in the country, staying current with consumer preferences and purchase behavior can give your products an edge over competitors.

Home & Living

The Home & Living category on Tmall includes various subcategories, ranging from interior design and furniture to kitchenware and appliances, providing consumers with a diverse range of products to renovate their living spaces.

Bedding and lighting are also popular subcategories within Home & Living on Tmall. Garden and outdoor living as well as home improvement categories are gaining popularity too.

During the new year and spring, this category typically sees an increase in sales as consumers tend to redecorate or renovate their homes during these times of the year.

Adapt to Consumer Needs

The Home & Living category on Tmall is dominated by popular trends, with home-related items ranking among the top categories. This includes subcategories such as home decor, furniture, housewares, home appliances, and many others.

Another trend that has emerged is smart home technology, including devices like smart thermostats or voice-controlled assistants that can control various aspects of your living space.

Additionally, there has been a rise in interest in organizational tools and solutions for the home such as shelving systems or closet organizers.

Carefully Select Your Offerings – Chinese Tastes are Different than Western!

To stand out in this category and attract potential customers, top sellers on Tmall have some things in common.

Firstly they carefully select products that appeal to the Chinese market – either by having clear local relevance or by being unique or offering something new.

They also understand that Livestreaming has become popular for showcasing Home & Living products on Tmall – specifically, demonstration of products and special promotional activities via live broadcasts can be very effective at driving sales.

Emerging Categories On Tmall

Tmall and Tmall Global are seeing growth in categories like Health & Wellness and Green/Sustainable Products as consumers prioritize their health and environmental impact.

These niche categories are also attracting attention from Gen-Z consumers who value authenticity and individuality in their purchases.

This trend reflects a growing global shift towards conscious consumerism and healthier living. With Gen-Z consumers embracing niche markets like pet care, it’s important for brands to keep an eye out for opportunities within these developing subcategories.

For brands looking to expand their presence on Tmall, exploring these growing categories can offer new opportunities for differentiation and tap into evolving consumer preferences.

Seasonal Trends In Tmall Categories

Seasons and holidays affect popular categories and consumer purchasing trends on Tmall. For example, during Chinese New Year, gift-giving is a significant tradition, leading to increased demand for premium products in categories such as beauty and personal care.

Similarly, during the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival – an annual shopping extravaganza that generated $74 billion USD in sales last year – electronics and appliances are among the top-selling categories.

Another way brands can take advantage of seasonal marketing is by leveraging targeted promotions or discounts during peak shopping periods. With over 700 million active users on Tmall alone, online shopping events like this can be very profitable for businesses that position themselves correctly within popular holiday categories or offer attractive deals.

What Is The Customer Base For Each Category?

We’ll dive deeper into the demographics of each category and explore the key factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions, giving you valuable insights to best position your products on Tmall.

Demographics Of The Customer Base

Demographics vary greatly across categories, with some being more gender-specific (such as cosmetics and personal care products) while others are geared towards specific age groups (such as baby products).

For instance, according to recent statistics, apparel has a male-dominated audience with 73% of buyers being men. This makes sense, as women still often prefer to test and see the product in real life.

On the other hand, beauty and personal care have a higher proportion of female consumers at 79%. Moreover, understanding consumer behavior patterns along with demographic data can lead brands to develop effective content and advertising strategies that help improve conversion rates.

For example, sellers targeting young adults’ consumer electronics should be able to find insights about their spending habits for this product line.

Factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decisions

The top categories of Tmall are influenced by various factors that affect consumer purchasing decisions, such as online product reviews, customer experience, and the perceived quality of customer images.

Product reviews and customer experience are crucial in influencing buyers’ perception of a product’s value and quality.

Website design, navigation, and checkout process also impact customers’ overall perception of the brand and their likelihood to make future purchases.

Additionally, high-quality customer images positively impact purchase intention by providing comprehensive content for users to review before making a purchase decision.

We Are Your Local Partner in China!

The ability to position products strategically and drive sales is heavily dependent on the top categories on Tmall, and with its ecosystem, sellers can offer goods in a variety of product categories, catering to a massive user base of over 800 million buyers.

The Tmall Global Benchmarking Report 2022 highlights the top brands in the Baby, Beauty, and Vitamins & Supplements categories. This report provides valuable insights into user base analysis, category breakdowns, sales-driving tactics, and setup requirements for potential sellers seeking success on the platform.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency is a certified Tmall partner and we can guide you every step of the way to succeed on the platform.

We are a China-based marketing agency offering cost-effective solutions to foreign brands interested in tapping into the Chinese market. Our team of Chinese and foreign experts has the experience and know-how needed to succeed in this lucrative, yet complicated market.

Gentlemen Marketing Agency offers many digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, such as web design, e-commerce and social media marketing strategies, localization, market research, KOL marketing, and more.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us, so that we can schedule a free consultation with one of our experts, that will learn about your brand and present you the best solutions for your China market strategy.