NEW YORK (AP) — Office Depot and Alibaba.com are creating a co-branded online store to expand the reach of both companies with small and medium size businesses.
The two companies announced the agreement Monday as part of a broader array of services they are providing to small businesses. Over time, the companies intend to help U.S. small businesses sell their products to buyers around the world through Alibaba.com, the wholesale trade site of the Chinese online retail titan the Alibaba Group.
It marks Alibaba.com’s first U.S. partnership with a major retailer. The lion’s share of Alibaba Group’s business has been providing retailers and brands in the U.S. and around the globe access to the 700 million Chinese customers through its two major marketplaces Taobao and Tmall.
Office Depot still has 1,350 physical stores. But its new CEO Gerry Smith has been pushing the company to go beyond selling office products to become more of a one-stop shop for businesses. That goal will be furthered under this deal.
