At a Merchant Conference held on the morning of March 19, it was announced that Taobao will invest heavily to support emerging original brands, help new merchants from outside the platform join the "100 Million Yuan Club," and launch an originality protection platform. This initiative aims to combat copycat products across platforms, clear up industry irregularities for apparel merchants, and foster a healthy ecosystem.

Taobao Fashion disclosed that over the past year, it has maintained rapid growth momentum, with 88VIP user penetration reaching 73%. User repurchase rates remained above 70%, and core merchant retention rates were as high as 99%.

Particularly notable were IFASHION merchants, known for their design and style, which achieved double-digit GMV growth for three consecutive years. Driven by the "Super Fashion Launch" event, live streaming by merchants on their store pages saw a growth rate exceeding 20%.

A representative from Taobao Fashion announced that the platform will continue to invest hundreds of billions in traffic exposure and tens of billions in red packet subsidies targeted at high-quality original merchants. Through audience management, enhanced efficiency of store live streams, and full-chain business tools, the initiative aims to help merchants achieve sustainable growth and brand-building operations.

In 2026, Taobao will further increase its investment, dedicating hundreds of millions in funds specifically for new merchants and releasing tens of millions in targeted traffic. This support is designed to accelerate merchants' journey from initial setup to scaled operations.

Data shows that last year, over 6,000 new merchants joined Taobao from external platforms, covering more than 10 niche segments including influencers, designers, and live stream hosts. With platform support, the emergence of top-performing merchants accelerated, with over 10 merchants surpassing 100 million yuan in sales in their first year, and a 10% rate of merchants breaking the 10 million yuan threshold.

Furthermore, low barriers to copying designs and high costs associated with protecting rights have long been persistent challenges for original apparel merchants. Recently, Taobao launched an originality protection platform, pioneering a cross-platform rights protection mechanism. This system will pursue copycat infringement across the entire internet, reducing the维权周期 and associated costs by 50%, thereby safeguarding the core competitiveness of original merchants.