Shoppers in Southeast Asia will soon have access to millions of South Korean products through a new tie-up between Lazada and Gmarket.

The partnership, launched on Monday, brings a dedicated Gmarket storefront to LazMall, Lazada’s online shopping hub. Buyers in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam can now order from 20 million South Korean products, including well-known beauty and personal-care brands such as Sulwhasoo, d’Alba, Mediheal, COSRX, Skinfood, and Laneige.

Orders will be delivered using Lazada’s logistics network, while after-sales support will be handled jointly by both companies, Lazada said.

This move follows the creation of Grand Opus Holdings, a 50-50 joint venture between Alibaba International and Shinsegae Group, Gmarket’s parent company. The joint venture oversees both Gmarket and AliExpress Korea. South Korea’s competition regulator conditionally approved the deal earlier this month, though data-sharing concerns remain.

“Our partnership with Gmarket will play an instrumental role in expanding the diversity and depth of our brand assortment, reinforcing our long-term strategy to drive sustainable growth through trusted global and local brands,” a Lazada spokesperson said.

Lazada has been pushing to grow through global brand partnerships as Southeast Asia’s e-commerce sector expands. The region’s gross merchandise value reached US$128.4 billion in 2024, a 12% increase from the previous year, according to Momentum Works. Brand-led sales make up less than 30% of total sales on e-commerce platforms in the region, compared with more than 50% in China, pointing to room for growth.

During its “9.9” mega sale in September, LazMall saw almost 30% year-on-year growth in average order value, the company said.

Alibaba has also been tightening links between Lazada and its domestic platform, Tmall. This connection allows Chinese merchants to sell directly to 160 million active users of Lazada, expanding their reach while giving shoppers in Southeast Asia access to more products.

Alibaba’s International Digital Commerce unit, which includes AliExpress, Lazada, Trendyol, Daraz, and Alibaba.com, reported revenue of 34.7 billion yuan (US$4.9 billion) in the quarter ending June, up 19% from a year earlier. Adjusted losses before interest, taxes, and amortisation dropped by 98% to 59 million yuan.

Lazada recorded its first month of positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation in July. This was attributed to AI integration, more efficient logistics, and better operations, the South China Morning Post reported.

Tmall sellers tap Southeast Asian market

Alibaba is also stepping up its cross-border strategy by allowing merchants on its premium Tmall site to sell directly to Southeast Asian customers through Lazada.

“This is the first time that Tmall has established a direct connection to Lazada’s platform to facilitate the seamless onboarding of sellers,” a Lazada representative said on Tuesday, noting the programme began last month.

Sellers won’t need to set up new storefronts or manage local logistics. They can send their goods to a warehouse in China, and Lazada will handle everything else, from cross-border shipping and customs clearance to sales and customer service in local languages.

Lazada will use AI tools to localise store listings for shoppers in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. This includes translating product information and reviews, converting prices, and adjusting for local taxes and margins.

Global brands such as Harman International and Spalding have already joined the invite-only programme, Lazada said.

The initiative reflects Alibaba’s push to bring more products into Southeast Asia’s digital economy, which is expected to surpass US$330 billion this year, according to the US International Trade Administration.

(Photo by Duc Van)

See also: Alibaba launches AI agent to speed up online sourcing for merchants

Want to experience the full spectrum of enterprise technology innovation? Join TechEx in Amsterdam, California, and London. Covering AI, Big Data, Cyber Security, IoT, Digital Transformation, Intelligent Automation, Edge Computing, and Data Centres, TechEx brings together global leaders to share real-world use cases and in-depth insights. Click here for more information.

TechHQ is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.