How to Sell on Tmall in China: A Guide for Foreign Brands

Tmall is one of China’s main e-commerce channels for established brands, but selling on the platform involves more than translating product listings and opening a storefront. A company must choose the right Tmall route, meet the applicable entity and brand requirements, prepare its products and supply chain for China, and operate the store in Chinese after launch.

Alibaba describes the Taobao app as the top-level traffic gateway through which consumers access Taobao stores, Tmall flagship stores, Tmall Supermarket and Tmall Global. Alibaba reported that Taobao and Tmall together had one billion annual active consumers in 2025. 

This guide explains the different routes foreign brands can take to sell on Tmall to Chinese consumers. 

What Is Tmall and How Does It Differ From Taobao and Tmall Global?

Taobao, Tmall and Tmall Global sit within the same Alibaba commerce ecosystem, but they serve different merchant and consumer needs.

Taobao is a broad marketplace open to individuals and businesses, while Tmall is a more selective platform designed primarily for established brands. Tmall Global is the cross-border marketplace where foreign brands can sell directly to Chinese consumers.

Taobao	Tmall	Tmall Global
Eligible seller: Individuals, individual businesses and companies can use the corresponding store route.	Eligible seller: Generally requires an eligible Mainland China-registered business entity.	Eligible seller: Accepts qualifying companies registered outside Mainland China, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan entities.
Brand requirements: A trademark is not required to create a standard store, although sellers must have the right to sell branded products.	Brand requirements: The applicant must own the relevant trademark or provide a valid brand-authorisation chain.	Brand requirements: The brand must generally be registered outside Mainland China, with proof of ownership or authorisation.
Application review: Primarily covers seller identity, entity status, account risk and category qualifications.	Application review: Includes both qualification review and brand evaluation.	Application review: Covers the overseas entity, brand, product category, ownership structure, product origin and supply chain.
Key documents: Identification or business-registration information, Alipay verification and any licences required for the selected products.	Key documents: Business licence, trademark documents, authorisation letters, category qualifications and other company information.	Key documents: Overseas company registration, trademark or authorisation documents, product-sourcing records and cross-border compliance information.
Fulfilment: Products are normally sold and fulfilled through a domestic operating structure.	Fulfilment: Requires a domestic inventory, import and fulfilment model appropriate for the category.	Fulfilment: Products are normally shipped from overseas or an eligible bonded warehouse under a cross-border e-commerce model.
Difficulty: The most accessible route, particularly for smaller businesses or merchants testing demand.	Difficulty: Stricter because valid documents do not guarantee admission; the merchant, brand and category must be approved.	Difficulty: Also selective and requires additional cross-border payment, customs, logistics and product-provenance åarrangements.

Taobao is generally the easiest platform to open a store on. Domestic Tmall is more difficult because it uses a selective brand-admission model. Tmall Global removes the need for a Mainland China company but introduces additional requirements covering the overseas entity, product provenance and cross-border operations.

Can a Foreign Company Sell on Tmall in China?

Yes. However, the required structure depends on whether the company uses domestic Tmall or Tmall Global.

A foreign brand with an eligible Mainland China company may apply for domestic Tmall, subject to the relevant brand, category and platform requirements. Another option is to work through a Chinese distributor or authorised local merchant. The commercial agreement must make clear who owns the stock, store account, customer relationship, intellectual property and channel rights.

A foreign company without a Mainland entity will normally consider Tmall Global. Tmall Global’s current merchant information states that the store-opening entity must be an overseas or Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan company. The platform accepts both self-initiated and invitation-based applications and also maintains priority or actively recruited brand categories.

Eligibility does not mean automatic acceptance. Tmall assesses the applicant company, brand, trademark or authorisation structure, product category and supporting qualifications. Product categories may be restricted, subject to directed admission or require additional evidence.

No agency or service provider can guarantee acceptance because the final decision belongs to Tmall.

Should a Foreign Brand Choose Tmall or Tmall Global?

The correct route depends on the company’s legal structure, product, supply chain and long-term China strategy.

Factor	Domestic Tmall	Tmall Global
Store-opening entity	Normally an eligible Mainland China entity	Qualifying overseas or Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan entity
Product route	Domestic sale following the applicable import, registration, labelling and product rules	Cross-border e-commerce route for eligible imported products
Inventory	Normally held within a domestic supply chain	Can use bonded, overseas or other approved cross-border fulfilment arrangements
Delivery	Usually supported by domestic inventory	Depends on whether inventory is bonded, overseas or managed through another Tmall Global model
Market commitment	Suited to companies with a developed domestic structure	Can provide a route for brands without a Mainland entity or those evaluating demand
Operating requirements	Chinese-language store operations, local fulfilment, customer service and compliance	Chinese-language operations, cross-border logistics, customs coordination, customer service and returns

Tmall Global may be appropriate when a brand:

• does not have a Mainland Chinese entity;
• wants to sell qualifying imported products through a cross-border route;
• needs to validate product demand before building a larger domestic structure;
• can support cross-border inventory, delivery and returns; and
• has sufficient budget for localisation, operation and customer acquisition.

Domestic Tmall may be more appropriate when a brand:

• already has a qualifying Mainland entity or an established domestic commercial partner;
• has completed the necessary domestic product and import preparations;
• wants to use local inventory and fulfilment;
• requires a broader domestic product or distribution structure; or
• is making a longer-term operational commitment to China.

Tmall Global should not automatically be treated as a temporary version of domestic Tmall. Some brands remain on the cross-border platform because it fits their imported positioning and supply chain. Others use it to validate demand before developing domestic distribution. The decision should be based on unit economics and operational suitability rather than a fixed sequence.

Which Tmall Global Business Model Should You Choose?

Tmall Global supports several ways for overseas brands to reach Chinese consumers. Alibaba identifies three principal parts of its cross-border model: the third-party Tmall Global platform, Tmall Overseas Fulfilment and Tmall Direct Import.

Model	How it works	When it may be suitable
Tmall Global store	The merchant operates a branded store, either internally or through a service provider	Brands that want direct control over pricing, positioning, customer experience and long-term store development
Tmall Overseas Fulfilment (TOF)	Tmall Global helps select products; the merchant supplies Alibaba’s overseas warehouses, while Tmall Global operates the retail route and delivery to consumers	Brands that want to test selected products without immediately building a complete standalone store operation
Tmall Direct Import (TDI)	Products are sold through Tmall Global’s self-operated direct-import retail model under separately negotiated commercial terms	Brands prioritising wholesale-style access and lower direct operating responsibility over ownership of a standalone flagship store

The choice changes the brand’s responsibilities and level of control. A merchant-operated flagship gives the brand more control, but it also requires a complete operating team, marketing budget, catalogue, customer service and supply-chain process. TOF and TDI place more of the retail or fulfilment role with Tmall Global, but product selection and commercial terms remain subject to its approval.

Companies should confirm which models are currently open to their category before building a financial plan.

Which Type of Tmall Store Should You Open?

For an international brand seeking direct control, a flagship store is usually the clearest structure. It is normally opened by the trademark owner or an entity holding the required level of authorisation from that owner.

Other authorised or multi-brand structures may be available, but each has different rules governing trademark ownership, exclusivity, supply-chain evidence and the permitted number of brands. The exact English labels used for these formats are not always consistent across Tmall materials and service-provider translations.

The practical question is therefore not simply which store name sounds most suitable. The brand should establish:

• who owns the relevant trademark;
• which entity will sign the platform agreement;
• whether the applicant is the brand owner, an exclusive licensee or a distributor;
• how many levels exist in the authorisation chain;
• who owns the inventory and receives sales proceeds; and
• whether the store and its data can be transferred if the operating relationship ends.

These decisions should be documented before a Tmall Partner or distributor submits the application.

What Documents Are Required to Open a Tmall Store?

The precise document list depends on the platform, store type, country of incorporation, brand and product category. A Tmall Global application will typically require documents covering the following areas:

Company Documents

• certificate of incorporation or equivalent business-registration document;
• tax-registration information or recent evidence of tax status where requested;
• identity documents for the legal representative, authorised representative and store contact;
• proof of the applicant’s overseas corporate bank account; and
• signed authorisations and Chinese translations where required.

Brand Documents

• trademark-registration evidence;
• proof that the applicant owns the trademark or holds the required authorisation;
• a complete authorisation chain where the applicant is not the owner; and
• evidence of genuine overseas retail or commercial activity where required by the relevant admission standard.

Tmall Global may accept qualifying overseas trademark documentation, depending on the store and category. This should not be confused with trademark protection in China. Registering the English and Chinese brand names in China remains an important defensive step because China generally operates a first-to-file trademark system.

Product and Category Documents

• product descriptions and SKU information;
• manufacturing, ingredient, testing, safety or category certificates where applicable;
• evidence that the products are eligible for the proposed import route;
• brand-authorised purchase or supply-chain evidence; and
• any category-specific documents requested by Tmall.

A generic checklist cannot replace a category review. Cosmetics, food, supplements, mother-and-baby products, medical devices, electronics and other regulated categories can have materially different requirements.

How Do You Set Up a Tmall Store?

Tmall store setup should be treated as a market-entry project rather than a registration form. Here is Tmall Global’s official guidance on opening a store.

1. Assess the Product and Market

Start by examining demand, competitors, retail prices, reviews, promotions, product positioning and likely acquisition costs. A product can be eligible for Tmall without being commercially viable on the platform.

The assessment should test whether the retail price can absorb platform charges, import costs, logistics, returns, advertising and store-management expenses while preserving an acceptable margin.

2. Choose the Platform and Commercial Model

Decide between domestic Tmall and Tmall Global, then choose the store, fulfilment or direct-import model. This decision determines the entity, documentation, inventory and operating structure required later.

3. Confirm Product and Category Eligibility

Verify that the category is open, the product qualifies for the proposed route and all platform or regulatory documents can be obtained. For cross-border retail imports, the product classification should be checked against China’s applicable cross-border e-commerce retail import list and its accompanying notes.

4. Confirm the Trademark and Authorisation Structure

Check who owns the trademark and whether the applicant has the necessary authority to operate the store. Any gap between the brand owner, applicant, distributor and product supplier should be resolved before submission.

5. Design the Supply Chain

Choose between overseas dispatch, an overseas warehouse, bonded warehousing or domestic inventory, depending on the selected route. Define customs responsibilities, forecasting, stock replenishment, delivery tracking and the process for Chinese consumer returns.

6. Submit the Application

Provide the company, brand, store and category information requested through Tmall’s merchant-entry system. Tmall then conducts its brand assessment and qualification review.

7. Sign the Agreement and Pay the Applicable Fees

After approval, the merchant activates its account, signs the platform agreement, pays the required deposit and annual fee, and completes any remaining payment or logistics configuration.

8. Build and Localise the Store

The store must be designed for Chinese consumers rather than directly copying an overseas website. The work normally includes:

• Chinese brand and product messaging;
• product titles and search terminology;
• product-detail pages and technical information;
• visual design and store navigation;
• compliant product and advertising claims;
• pricing, promotions and vouchers; and
• customer-service scripts and frequently asked questions.

9. Prepare Operations Before Launch

Inventory, order management, customer service, returns, reporting and campaign approval processes should be tested before paid traffic begins. A store that cannot respond quickly, keep products in stock or resolve complaints will struggle even if its advertising performs well.

10. Launch, Measure and Optimise

The initial launch should establish a performance baseline rather than rely on a single major promotion. Monitor traffic quality, conversion, customer questions, returns, margin and stock performance, then adjust the assortment, content, pricing and media plan.

How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Tmall?

There is no single total price for opening and operating a Tmall store. Platform fees vary by route and category, while the larger commercial budget depends on inventory, logistics, content, advertising and management.

Tmall Global currently describes the following standard fee structure:

Tmall Global charge	Current published position
Security deposit	Normally RMB 50,000 unless a category or special rule specifies otherwise
Annual technical-service fee	RMB 30,000 or RMB 60,000 according to the primary category
Technical-service commission	Generally 2%–5% of sales, depending on the leaf category

Tmall states that a store operating across categories pays the highest applicable annual-fee tier rather than adding the tiers together. Its current merchant information also states that the annual fee is not refunded and that a new store is not charged the annual fee for its first month.

These figures apply to Tmall Global’s current published merchant framework. They should not be presented as universal domestic-Tmall fees, and the current category schedule must be checked immediately before application.

Brands should budget separately for:

• product and market assessment;
• legal, trademark and document preparation;
• store application and project management;
• Chinese localisation, photography and product-detail content;
• Tmall Partner or internal operating staff;
• customer service;
• warehousing, customs, delivery and returns;
• platform advertising;
• creators, livestreaming and off-platform content;
• discounts and participation in major sales campaigns; and
• software, reporting and data analysis.

The deposit and annual fee are therefore not a reliable measure of the investment required to compete. A financial model should calculate contribution margin after platform fees, discounts, refunds, media and fulfilment rather than focusing only on gross merchandise value.

How Long Does Tmall Store Setup Take?

Tmall Global’s public joining process estimates approximately seven working days for its brand assessment and qualification review after a complete submission. It also describes the account-activation and deposit stage as taking approximately one day.

The complete market-entry project usually takes longer because the platform estimate does not include all pre-application and launch work. The practical timeline depends on:

• whether the correct company and trademark documents already exist;
• whether documents need translation, notarisation or further authorisation;
• category-specific product evidence;
• the selected logistics and customs model;
• store design and catalogue size;
• inventory production and movement;
• customer-service preparation; and
• whether Tmall asks for additional evidence during review.

A straightforward application with prepared documents may move quickly. A regulated product, incomplete authorisation chain or new supply-chain structure can extend the project substantially. The project plan should therefore separate deadlines controlled by the brand or its service provider from review times controlled by Tmall, customs or another authority.

What Compliance Requirements Apply to Tmall Sellers?

Platform approval is not a substitute for legal or product compliance. The applicable requirements depend on whether the goods enter through domestic trade or cross-border e-commerce.

Product Eligibility and Import Route

Cross-border retail imports must follow the relevant Chinese customs and e-commerce framework. Products should be checked against the applicable cross-border e-commerce retail import list, including any conditions in its notes. China’s Ministry of Commerce and other authorities updated that list in 2022 by adding 29 product categories and adjusting other tariff classifications and notes.

Eligibility under a cross-border route does not mean that every product requirement disappears. The brand still needs to confirm the product classification, platform category, documentation, consumer-use limitations and customs treatment.

Domestic Tmall generally requires the goods to meet the applicable domestic import, registration, certification, labelling, product-quality and tax requirements before sale.

Product Content and Advertising Claims

Chinese product pages, livestreams, banners and advertisements must comply with Chinese advertising law, consumer-protection requirements and category-specific restrictions. Absolute claims, unverified performance statements and claims involving health, medical or other regulated benefits require particular care.

The same review should cover influencer scripts, livestream talking points, store vouchers and promotional price claims. For more detail, read AppInChina’s complete guide to Chinese advertising law.

Intellectual Property

Registering the brand in China should be considered before a public launch. The store agreement should also define who owns Chinese product copy, images, livestream assets, customer-service materials and advertising accounts.

Consumer Service and Returns

The operating model must support the platform’s current delivery, tracking, after-sales and return rules. Cross-border returns can be commercially and operationally difficult, so the return location, responsible party and inventory treatment should be agreed before launch.

Platform Rules

Tmall maintains separate rules for merchant admission, product publication, quality control, marketing, fulfilment and merchant conduct. These rules can change independently of national law. Store operators should monitor platform notices and assign responsibility for implementing changes.

Do Foreign Brands Need a Tmall Partner?

A Tmall Partner, commonly called a TP, is not universally mandatory. A qualified brand may manage its Tmall Global store internally if it has the necessary language, platform, retail, creative, customer-service and logistics capabilities.

In practice, an overseas company still needs to cover:

• application and platform communication;
• Chinese product content and store design;
• daily store administration;
• Chinese-language customer service during local shopping hours;
• pricing and promotional planning;
• advertising and content;
• inventory, fulfilment and returns; and
• commercial reporting.

A company with a mature in-house China team may appoint specialists only for selected functions. A company without that infrastructure may use a full-service TP.

The contract should distinguish between an agency, distributor and hybrid relationship. It should also define store-account control, inventory ownership, access to data, approval authority, media markups, performance fees, intellectual-property ownership and the exit process.

For a detailed explanation of service models, costs, selection criteria and contract terms, read AppInChina’s complete guide to Tmall and Taobao Trusted Partners.

How Do You Promote a Tmall Store?

Opening the store creates a sales destination; it does not create demand by itself.

Tmall promotion can include search-led product discovery, recommendation traffic, store and platform campaigns, vouchers, loyalty activity, livestreams and paid placements through Alibaba’s advertising ecosystem. Search traffic is useful for capturing existing demand, while recommendation and content placements can help a brand reach consumers who are not yet searching for it directly.

Store performance also affects advertising efficiency. Weak product pages, uncompetitive pricing, poor reviews, slow customer service or stock shortages can prevent paid traffic from converting.

Off-platform activity on channels such as RedNote, Douyin and WeChat can support awareness and product discovery, but the channel mix should reflect the category and customer journey. For the advertising process, placements and foreign-company access requirements, read AppInChina’s complete guide to Tmall Ads in China.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Foreign Company Sell on Tmall Without a Chinese Business License?

An overseas company can potentially sell through Tmall Global without establishing a Mainland Chinese entity, provided it meets Tmall Global’s company, brand and category requirements. Opening a domestic Tmall store normally requires an eligible Mainland China-registered merchant structure.

What is the Difference Between Tmall and Tmall Global?

Domestic Tmall is the brand-led domestic marketplace and normally operates through a Mainland Chinese merchant and domestic commercial structure. Tmall Global is the cross-border platform for qualifying overseas brands and imported products.

How Much Does it Cost to Open a Tmall Global Store?

Tmall Global currently states that the normal security deposit is RMB 50,000 unless otherwise specified. The annual technical-service fee is RMB 30,000 or RMB 60,000 depending on the primary category, and commission generally ranges from 2% to 5%. These charges exclude localisation, operations, logistics, advertising and other commercial costs.

How Long Does it Take to Open a Tmall Store?

Tmall Global estimates approximately seven working days for its platform review once a complete application has been submitted. The full project can take longer because document preparation, compliance, logistics, store design, catalogue localisation and inventory work happen outside that review period.

Is a Tmall Partner Required?

No. A brand can self-manage if it has the necessary Chinese-language, platform, retail, customer-service and supply-chain capabilities. Brands without this infrastructure frequently appoint a TP or several specialist providers.

Do I Need a Chinese Trademark to use Tmall Global?

The exact trademark documents depend on the store type and current admission rules. Tmall Global may accept qualifying overseas trademark documentation. Separately, registering the English and Chinese brand names in China is strongly advisable for brand protection because China generally follows a first-to-file system.

Can Tmall Global Orders be Shipped from Outside China?

Yes. Depending on the model, products can be dispatched through an approved overseas or cross-border fulfilment route. Other models use bonded inventory or Tmall Global-operated overseas fulfilment. Delivery time and cost depend on the selected structure.

How Can AppInChina Help?

AppInChina helps international brands evaluate and establish an appropriate route for selling through Tmall and Tmall Global.

Support can include:

• China market, category and competitor assessment;
• domestic Tmall versus Tmall Global route selection;
• product and merchant-requirement review;
• Tmall Global business-model assessment;
• Tmall Partner identification and due diligence;
• proposal and contract-scope comparison;
• Chinese localisation and store-content planning;
• advertising and compliance review;
• logistics and operational coordination; and
• ongoing commercial performance analysis.

The objective is not simply to open a store. It is to establish a compliant and commercially workable structure in which the brand understands its costs, retains appropriate control and can measure performance beyond headline GMV.

Contact AppInChina for an initial assessment of your Tmall market-entry options.