Netizens Buzz Over Zhang Linghe and Esther Yu’s Viral Favorites; Taobao 618 Sparks Celebrity Store “Treasure Hunt” Trend Among Malaysians

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Taobao Malaysia announced on June 4 that its 618 Mid‑Year Shopping Festival will dispense 700,000 RM12 shipping vouchers each day at 12 p.m., with air‑freight delivery to major Malaysian cities in as little as five days, as the platform pushes a “treasure‑hunt” style shopping experience built around celebrity‑endorsed stores.

Taobao’s General Manager for overseas operations, Ye Tian, said the company is leveraging the momentum of the 618 festival to deepen its foothold in Malaysia, a market he described as “one of Taobao Overseas’ key markets.” He noted that Taobao now serves more than 200 markets worldwide and that the app topped download charts in 16 overseas territories last April.

“Thanks to the efforts made in recent years to improve the localized experience in various markets, Taobao’s overseas market business has achieved a milestone of doubling in size,” Ye said, adding that the growth reflects “the global demand for purchasing China’s most innovative and distinctive products through Taobao.”

Ye outlined a multi‑pronged plan for 2026 that includes expanding differentiated merchant and product offerings, investing in localized services, stepping up marketing spend and accelerating the rollout of artificial‑intelligence applications. “We hope to encourage more users to discover the unique merchants and products available on Taobao and experience the appeal of cross‑border shopping on the platform,” he said.

The 618 campaign, which runs from 21 May to 21 June, is positioned by Taobao Malaysia as the most value‑driven shopping window of the year for local consumers. During the festival, the platform will release a limited pool of RM12 shipping vouchers – totalling roughly 700,000 vouchers each day – that can be redeemed at noon.

Combined with the five‑day air‑freight service, the offer is designed to reduce the friction of cross‑border purchases and turn casual browsing into confirmed orders.

A distinctive feature of the festival is the promotion of celebrity‑centric “stores” that act as entry points for shoppers. The campaign highlights products endorsed by Chinese actors Zhang Linghe and Esther Yu, whose fan bases have spilled over into Malaysia through social media. Items such as sunglasses and other accessories linked to Zhang Linghe, and pyjamas, dresses and shapewear associated with Esther Yu, are presented as “treasure‑hunt” finds that encourage users to explore adjacent categories.

The narrative extends to lifestyle brands like LYCOCELLE, a premium home‑care line tied to actor Cheng Yi, illustrating the breadth of merchandise that can be discovered through a single celebrity‑driven search.

Taobao’s platform optimisation, according to the release, fuels this browsing‑led journey. Users typically start with a familiar star, click through to the endorsed product, and then encounter a cascade of related items ranging from fashion to home goods. The “treasure‑hunt” terminology underscores the element of surprise and discovery that the company believes differentiates its offering from other regional marketplaces.

The logistics upgrade is a cornerstone of the initiative. By guaranteeing air‑freight delivery to key Malaysian cities within five days, Taobao aims to narrow the traditional gap between Chinese‑origin goods and Malaysian consumers’ expectations for speed. The company’s logistics network, integrated with local partners, will handle the end‑to‑end process from order placement to doorstep delivery, while the daily voucher release is intended to stimulate repeat visits to the app throughout the month‑long festival.

Taobao Malaysia’s promotional push also includes a social‑media outreach plan. The firm urges shoppers to follow its official channels on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for real‑time updates on flash sales, surprise discounts and new voucher releases.

The release notes that the 618 festival has become a “widely recognised” event among Malaysian shoppers, who often compile wish lists in the weeks leading up to the sale and then act on the discounts and vouchers once the festival opens.

The announcement comes as part of Taobao’s broader strategy to cement its position within the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group’s cross‑border portfolio. Taobao Malaysia, a subsidiary of the group, provides Malaysian users with access to billions of products on Taobao and Tmall, complemented by localized payment, logistics and customer‑service solutions.

The company’s statement underscores that the platform’s growth in Malaysia is driven not only by price competitiveness but also by the appeal of unique, trend‑setting merchandise that may be unavailable on domestic e‑commerce sites.

Industry observers have noted that the combination of celebrity‑driven product curation and ultra‑fast shipping could reshape the competitive dynamics of Southeast Asian e‑commerce, where rivals such as Shopee and Lazada have traditionally dominated. While the release does not contain comparative data, the emphasis on AI‑enabled personalization and localized merchant support suggests Taobao is seeking to differentiate its value proposition beyond sheer volume.

The 618 festival will conclude on 21 June, after which Taobao Malaysia plans to evaluate the impact of the voucher programme and logistics enhancements. Ye Tian indicated that the company will use the insights gained to refine future campaigns and continue expanding AI‑driven features, though specific metrics were not disclosed.

The final phase of the promotion will see the remaining vouchers exhausted and the five‑day air‑freight service maintained for post‑festival orders, ensuring that shoppers who miss the daily redemption window can still benefit from the accelerated delivery promise.

The rollout of the 618 campaign marks a concerted effort by Taobao to translate its global download success into sustained market share in Malaysia, leveraging celebrity influence, rapid logistics and daily incentives to turn browsing into purchase. As the festival progresses, Malaysian consumers will have the opportunity to test the platform’s new features and assess whether the “treasure‑hunt” model reshapes their cross‑border shopping habits.

Related: Taobao Malaysia · Kuala Lumpur