Summary:

Alibaba's foray into the United States market with its curated ecommerce platform, 11 Main, demanded a robust and seamless user experience across multiple services and devices. Lolay, a leading digital product agency, met this challenge head-on, providing comprehensive product, front-end, and back-end development, propelling 11 Main to a successful launch and sustained growth.

Solution:

Lolay's comprehensive product, front-end, and back-end development efforts played a pivotal role in the successful launch and ongoing growth of 11 Main. Their expertise in creating a differentiated platform, prioritizing user experience across devices, and integrating multiple services proved instrumental in establishing 11 Main as a competitive force in the US e-commerce landscape.

Product Development and Design:

• Curated marketplace concept: Lolay helped refine the "Main Street" theme, curating a selection of unique vendors and crafting compelling brand narratives.
• Personalized shopping experience: Recommendation algorithms and targeted promotions were implemented to cater to individual user preferences.
• Storytelling features: Shop owners were empowered to showcase their brand stories and values through rich visuals and engaging content.

Front-End Development:

• Responsive design: Lolay built a flexible front-end architecture ensuring a smooth and consistent experience across all devices.
• Intuitive user interface: Clean interfaces and user-friendly navigation facilitated effortless browsing and checkout processes.
• Visually appealing design: A curated aesthetic aligned with the "Main Street" theme, creating a pleasant and engaging shopping environment.

Back-End Development:

• Microservices architecture: The platform was architected using microservices to ensure flexibility, maintainability, and smooth future integrations.
• API integration: Seamless integration with various third-party services like payment gateways, logistics providers, and inventory management systems.
• Scalable infrastructure: Robust back-end architecture ensured smooth performance and scalability to accommodate future growth.
• Data analytics platform: Implementation of data analytics tools to track user behavior, refine product recommendations, and optimize platform performance.

Impact:

Lolay's comprehensive product, front-end, and back-end development efforts played a pivotal role in the successful launch and ongoing growth of 11 Main. Their expertise in creating a differentiated platform, prioritizing user experience across devices, and integrating multiple services proved instrumental in establishing 11 Main as a competitive force in the US e-commerce landscape.

• Successful launch and exceeding target user growth: Over 2,000 merchants joined and sold hundreds of thousands of products. 11 Main achieved a successful launch, exceeding initial user growth expectations.
• Increased market share and sales: Over 1.3 million orders were processed within the first 10 months of launch after beta. Alibaba was able to enter the United States market rapidly with the 11 Main offering, increasing the number of active daily users. 
• Positive user feedback: The platform received positive feedback and praise from Wall Street Journal, Tech Crunch and other outlets for its curated selection, personalized experience, and user-friendly interface.
• Increased brand awareness: 11 Main ultimately attracted hundreds of new merchants and hundreds of thousands of new shoppers each month. Lolay's design and development work helped establish 11 Main as a distinct and desirable e-commerce destination.
• Strong foundation for future growth: The platform's scalable architecture and agile development process allowed for smooth integration of new features and services, setting the stage for continued success.

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Read more details in the Alibaba Case Study.