Health IT

Fitbit makes deal with Alibaba Group to boost business in China market

It plans to sell Fitbit Blaze and Alta devices through Alibaba company Tmall.

Fitbit BlazeActivity tracker company Fitbit is on quest to transform its business to be more relevant to healthcare beyond being a consumer wellness player. But it’s also keen to significantly grow its global presence in emerging markets, particularly China. That’s the heart of a new deal with Alibaba Group‘s business, Tmall.

Fitbit Chief Business Officer Woody Scal, said its partnership with Tmall would give it a way to reach millions of Chinese consumers.

“We’ve always seen great potential in China, and we’re looking forward to launching the fashionable Fitbit Blaze and Alta devices through Tmall,” Scal said in the statement.

Alibaba is one of the largest online retailers in the world.

Tmall started in 2008 as a spin-off of Alibaba for brand stores. Three years ago, Tmall Global launched to serve as a place for international brands to sell imported merchandise. Brands on Tmall Global have to be invited to participate.

China is seen as an enticing market for digital health, particularly in telemedicine. But so far, the main contenders are companies that started there such as Alibaba’s health IT business AliHealth which provides appointment scheduling services for hospitals

Hao Li, GM of 3Cs Business Unit of Alibaba, said the statement: “Across China there is a growing interest in personal health, fitness and overall well-being, and we see very strong demand from our customers in these categories – specifically for Fitbit devices.”

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