Specialized B2B search platform Accio from Alibaba-AI search tool with 1 million SME users in 5 months

Alibaba's response to B2B hurdles: ACCIO convinces over 1 million SMEs

Alibabas Ki-based B2B search engine Accio, started in November 2024, marks a turning point in the digitization of global trade. As a highly developed AI search engine, which goes far beyond traditional search functions, Accio has won over one million users from small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) within just five months. A central element of this success is the "Accio Inspiration" feature, which increased the conversion rate from the search for the offer request from suppliers by impressive around 30 %. Accio uses alibabas well-founded AI technologies, including the Qwen Large Language Models, and offers a growing global range with support for seven languages. The platform is strategically geared to democratize and simplify the global trade for SME by using artificial intelligence, which makes it a key player in the next era of B2B e-commerce. This report analyzes the start, the technological basis, the core functions, the user acceptance, global distribution and the development dynamics of Accio.

The "Accio Inspiration" function within the Accio procurement platform supported by AI serves to discover profitable product ideas and increase the conversion rates at suppliers, reports retail news Germany. With the help of real-time market analyzes and a variety of data sources, this function enables the identification of promising products and supports buyers in seamlessly approaching the product request for the offer request.

Alibabas Accio-redesign of B2B e-commerce through artificial intelligence

The landscape of Business-to-Business (B2B) E-Commerce is in constant change, driven by the need to overcome traditional complexities. These challenges include information overflowing, language barriers and time -consuming research processes, which in particular put small and medium -sized companies (SMEs) in front of major hurdles. Artificial intelligence (AI) proves to be a transformative force that has the potential to address these inefficiencies and to fundamentally optimize global trade, the volume of which is forecast for over $ 33 trillion in 2024.

In this dynamic environment, the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group started a strategic initiative with Accio: a AI-supported B2B search engine that aims to redefine the way in which companies get products worldwide. The first success reports are remarkable: within just five months after the start, Accio was able to win over a million SME users. Particularly noteworthy is the "Accio Inspiration" feature, which is attributed to an increase in the conversion rates of suppliers by around 30 %.

These impressive numbers indicate that Accios introduced at a strategically favorable time. The market shows a rapidly growing interest in AI solutions, and there is a recognized need for more efficient tools for B2B trading. A survey by Alibaba.com Under shopping dishes showed that 64 % of SMEs are planning to integrate AI into their procurement strategies by 2025. The quick user acceptance of accio underlines this market maturity and the demand for innovative solutions.

In addition, Accio is not to be understood as an isolated product, but as an integral part of the comprehensive e-commerce and AI infrastructure of Alibaba. The platform benefits from Alibaba's decades of experience in retail, extensive data records and established supplier networks. This synergy gives Accio an inherent advantage over newcomers who would first have to build a comparable database and market knowledge.

This report aims to provide a detailed analysis of Accio. It illuminates the exact start time, the technological nature of the platform-especially whether it is a classic or a search-and gives a comprehensive overview of the global distribution and development of accio.

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Accios Genesis: Introduction and Technological Basics

Official start date: the clarification of accios debut

The AI-based B2B search engine Accio was officially introduced by the Alibaba Group on November 13, 2024. This introduction was communicated as a significant step by the Chinese e-commerce giant in order to enable small and medium-sized companies in Europe and America in particular more efficient procurement of goods. Other sources confirm the start in November 2024 and underline the fast acceptance of the platform in the market.

Definition of Accio: More than a classic search engine

Accio is fundamentally designed as a AI-controlled search engine and is fundamentally different from traditional, key word-based search algorithms. It is referred to as the world's first AI search tool in the B2B sector. In contrast to conventional search engines, which primarily rely on keyword agreements, Accio is designed to process search queries in natural language and to understand the underlying intention of the user.

The technological basis of Accio is deeply rooted in Alibaba's proprietary AI infrastructure. A core of the Qwen Large Language Model (LLM), a voice model developed by Alibaba and also available as an open source. This LLM enables progressive skills in the field of natural language processing (NLP), which means that users can formulate searches in whole sentences or even as vague ideas, such as: "I want to build a ski area in a desert, how can you help me?".

In addition, Accio Machine-Learning algorithms and Reasoning models use extensive, industry-specific data from the Internet and over 200 million trading parameters. The platform uses “AI instructions and AI semantic reasoning functions” to interpret complex inquiries. Another feature is the support for multimodal inputs, which means that Accio can not only process text, but also images, videos, 3D models and various file formats to generate search results.

Accio's architecture is from scratch as a "AI-Native". This means that AI not only represents an additional function, but also forms the foundation of the platform. This approach enables ACCIO that go out and often complex requirements of B2B procurement-which go far beyond simple product searches and include aspects such as supplier qualification, certifications and logistics-more effectively to address them than traditional search paradigms.

Alibaba's strategy to provide the QWen LLM as an open source and at the same time optimize accio with proprietary merchant data indicates a differentiated approach. On the one hand, the open source component promotes the wider AI development and the commitment of the community. On the other hand, the use of specialized, internal data records ensures a competitive advantage and a high relevance of the search results in the B2B context. This combination of openness and specialization makes accios technological core difficult to replicate for competitors without comparably deep insights into merchant data.

The dynamic development of accio is underlined by the rapid integration of further AI models. As early as February 2025, just a few months after the start, the integration of Deepseek was announced. Innovations by Chatgpt and Manus Ai also flow into the platform. This agile development philosophy, which enables to continuously adapt new AI progress, is crucial in the rapidly developing AI field to protect a technological lead.

Accio is therefore not only positioned as a search engine, but as a comprehensive platform that offers intelligent procurement solutions. It aims to simplify the complex processes of traditional B2B trade and, in addition to the search function, also acts as a kind of "AI-based B2B-Wikipedia" and as a "end-to-end e-commerce platform".

Core skills and performance indicators

Accio is characterized by a number of AI-controlled functionalities that aim to transform the B2B procurement process for SMEs. These tools go far beyond simple searches and offer support from finding ideas to order processing.

The "Accio Inspiration" feature: a catalyst for conversion

One of the outstanding functions of Accio is "Accio Inspiration". This tool was developed to help users concretize vague business ideas and convert them into practical steps. It supports the identification of potential suppliers, the cost calculation and clarification of shipping details. By analyzing real-time market data-including B2B e-commerce knowledge, social media trends and various web analyzes-"Accio Inspiration" proactively identifies promising product options. Users can enter their ideas in natural language, whereupon Accio generates action -oriented plans.

The effectiveness of this feature is underpinned by a significant performance indicator: since its introduction, "Accio Inspiration" has led to an increase in conversion rates in suppliers - measured by searching to the offer request - of approximately 30 %. This statement specifically refers to the improvement of the conversion on the side of the suppliers, which underlines the effectiveness of the feature when generating qualified inquiries.

The practical suitability of "Accio Inspiration" was particularly evident during the high season of global e-commerce in November and December. Accio actively used over 50,000 SMEs to collect inspiration for storage as part of Black Friday and Christmas, which confirms the usefulness of the feature in real business scenarios.

Further AI-controlled core functionalities

In addition to "Accio Inspiration", the platform offers a number of other intelligent tools that optimize the procurement process. The following table gives an overview of the most important functions:

Accio function overview

Accio function overview - Image: Xpert.digital

Accio offers a comprehensive series of AI-based tools to optimize the procurement process. With Accio Inspiration, ideas can be concretized and product opportunities are proactively identified by using real-time market data and NLP for evaluating vague inquiries. In this way, ideas are converted into implementable plans and supplier engagement is increased until the offer request. Business Research automates the market analysis and creates structured business plans, cost estimates and supplier recommendations based on gross goals, which drastically reduces market research time and enables data -based strategic planning. Deep Search facilitates precise procurement for complex specifications such as technology, certificates or budget, by using industry terminology and supplier verification. This leads to reliable, curated shortlists for niche or specialized needs. With Accio Page, product encyclopedia pages in Wiki-style can be created that are based on verified data, AI summary and compare and provide fast, trustworthy product information. The ACCIO Agent acts as a AI assistant for various tasks such as inquiries, payments, logistics, marketing and risk and includes an intelligent reception for automated order processing, which rationalizes processes, ensures 24/7 reaction willingness and reduces manual post-barrel effort. Super Comparison offers a AI-supported tool for a detailed comparison of several products or suppliers based on critical criteria, which enables sound and faster purchase decisions possible. Accio thus facilitates companies and enables data -based, strategically well thought -out processes.

Business Research

This feature automates market analysis by collecting and organizing data on consumer demand, price trends and competitive landscapes. Users can enter goals, such as the introduction of a product in a new market, and then receive real-time insights, structured business plans, cost estimates and supplier recommendations. This significantly reduces the time required for market research and strategic planning.

Deep Searchd

IESE function improves the product search by adapting to complex specifications, be it technical requirements, certifications or budget limits. It refines search results using industry -specific terminology and checks the reliability of suppliers. The tool generates AI curated supplier shortlists within minutes and helps SME to master the complexity of global procurement more efficiently.

Accio page

This is a dynamic interface that prepares product information in a familiar, user-friendly wiki style. It provides objective product details, AI generated summaries from verified industry knowledge and comparisons with similar articles.

Accio agent

This tool simplifies the tracking process for inquiries, payments and after-sales support and acts as a professional procurement agent. It can include AI agents for product operation, intelligent reception, marketing support and risk advice. The intelligent reception agent, for example, processes customer inquiries, accesses logistics information, confirms details and designs orders, which enables unmanned operation.

Super Comparison

This function enables an immediate and comprehensive comparison of selected products based on various criteria such as price, minimum order quantity (MOQ), shipping costs, delivery time, supplier ratings and payment methods.

Wider effects on efficiency and other conversion metrics

Accio aims to significantly increase the efficiency in the entire procurement process. It is reported that the platform can reduce the time for research after product inspirations from weeks to seconds and enables product ideas to be converted into action capable "in minutes instead of months".

In addition to the already mentioned increase of the supplier conversion through "Accio Inspiration", further positive effects on conversion rates are reported:

• An increase in the payment conversion rate by 52 %.
• An improvement in the answer conversion rate by 26 %.
• Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, noted that the AI ​​tools from Alibaba (implicitly also accio for sellers) "currently exceed 60 % -70 % of small and medium-sized companies in terms of conversion rates, customer interaction and product management".

These figures make it clear that Accios influences pure ideas and has a positive effect on different phases of the B2B transaction process. The combination of the features, from "Accio Inspiration" to "Deep Search" to "Accio Agent", is designed to optimize the entire B2B procurement funnel. The increase in the supplier conversion by ~ 30 % is a key figure for the early funnel area (early funnel), while the 52 % higher payment conversion affects a late funnel phase (late funnel). This indicates a strategic orientation that improves efficiency and conversion at several points of contact of the B2B customer trip and thus achieves a more comprehensive overall effect than isolated functions.

An essential aspect of accios promise of values ​​lies in the "democratization of expertise". The AI ​​tools equip SMEs with skills-such as detailed market research, complex procurement and automated tracking-were reserved for larger companies with dedicated teams or expensive special software. Functions such as "Business Research" provide structured real -time reports on demand, price trends and competition, tasks that often require specialized analysts. "Deep Search" imitates the procedure of "procurement experts" and "helps to buy experienced professionals". Accio is described as a combination of "1 consultant + 1 procurement manager + 1 procurement specialist + 1 financial analyst". The aim is to "enable everyone to convert product ideas into plans capable in minutes". This implies that Accio not only saves time, but also compensates for competitive conditions by providing SMEs of highly developed, AI-based specialist knowledge and thus empowering them to compete more effectively in global markets.

The high user satisfaction, expressed by a net promoter score (NPS) of over 50, and the active use of the platform, especially during peak times such as the holidays, Alibaba provide a rich data stream. This data is invaluable for the continuous refinement of the algorithms and functions of accio. The quick user acquisition and the positive feedback create a positive feedback loop: more users generate more data, which in turn improve the AI, which makes the platform more attractive and leads to further user growth. Alibaba's declared goal of "consistently refining our toolkit" is significantly supported by this active user base and its feedback, which should lead to a progressive improvement in performance and relevance of the functions over time.

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Global acceptance, reach and development perspectives

Since its introduction, Accio has shown a remarkable dynamic in terms of user acceptance and global expansion. This development is underpinned by concrete milestones and strategic orientations.

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User acquisition and growth milestones

Accio recorded an extraordinarily fast onboarding of small and medium -sized companies (SME):

• After the start in November 2024, the platform reached over 500,000 SME users by the beginning of January 2025, i.e. within about two months.
• By the beginning of March 2025, within just five months after the launch, the number of users exceeded the mark of one million SME.
• The user is described as globally and includes buyers, trading agents and cross -border retailers.

The positive recording in the market is also reflected in external recognition and user feedback:

• Accio was recognized on Product Hunt on December 13, 2024 as "Product of the Day".
• The platform has a net promoter score (NPS) of over 50, which indicates high customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend.

The following table summarizes the most important milestones and key figures from Accio:

Accio - important milestones and key figures

Accio - important milestones and key figures - Image: Xpert.digital

Accio achieved important milestones and impressive key figures that show its successful introduction to the market for AI-based B2B search. With the official start on November 13, 2024, Accio began his journey to offer companies tailor -made solutions. Within just two months after this launch, the platform already reached 500,000 SME users, which indicates a quick acceptance and great market interest. On December 13, 2024, Accio was recognized by the Tech Community on Product Hunt as "Product of the Day", an early validation of its functionality and market position.

The quality of the service is also shown in a net promoter score (NPS) of over 50, which was reported in early January 2025 and underlines the high level of customer satisfaction and loyalty. This growth continued and, until the beginning of March 2025, led to 1 million SME users within just five months after the start, which illustrates the ongoing market penetration.

In addition, ACCIO has achieved an impressive increase in the supplier conversion rate by 30 % through its core feature "Accio Inspiration" by optimizing the phase from the search process to the offer request. The platform later influences decisive phases later in the B2B transaction funnel: an increase in the payment conversion rate by 52 % and an improvement in the answer conversion rate by 26 % demonstrate its positive influence on efficiency and commitment between buyers and suppliers.

Geographical presence and language support

Accio was initially introduced with the aim of enabling small companies in Europe and America more efficiently. Although specific data is not in detail on the geographical distribution of the user base, alibaba.com survey results indicate a strong presence and acceptance in western markets. A survey of over 4,000 shopping dishes in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France showed that 64 % are planning to integrate AI into their procurement processes by 2025. This underlines the relevance of these regions for accios strategy.

Language support was gradually expanded to achieve a wider global users:

• At the beginning, Accio supported five languages: English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish.
• The support was expanded to seven languages ​​until March 2025: English, German, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Korean and Japanese.
• It is planned to integrate "additional languages" in the future, which indicates ongoing global expansion.

By default, the official website accio.com shows "English-USD", which should refer to the user interface of the website than to the full AI language skills of the search engine.

Accio accesses a global supplier network that catalogs "millions of suppliers worldwide" and integrates data from platforms such as Alibaba.com, 1688, Europages, WLW and others. In addition, global marketplaces such as Amazon Business, TikTok Shop, Temu, Shein, Etsy Wholesale, EC21 and Indiamart are tracked.

The following table illustrates the language support and the regional focus of Accio:

Accio language support and regional focus

Accio language support and regional focus - Image: Xpert.digital

Accio currently supports several languages ​​with a clear regional focus. English is supported globally, in the USA and in the UK. German is used in Europe, especially in Germany, while French is available in France. Spanish is supported both in Europe, especially in Spain and in America. In addition to Portugal, Portuguese also covers Brazil. Korean is available in South Korea and Japanese is supported in Japan. Future updates should integrate additional languages ​​in order to further expand the global range.

Ongoing development and strategic importance for Alibaba

Alibaba is pursuing a long -term strategy with Accio. The declared goal is to “consistently refine the toolkit in order to enable SME to integrate AI functionalities into their work processes,” said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. He also emphasized that reaching one million users was "only the beginning".

A central aspect of this strategy is the integration of accios skills in Alibaba.com, one of the world's leading B2B e-commerce platforms with around 50 million SME buyers and sellers. This integration poses enormous potential for network effects: More users on accio improve the AI ​​with more data, and a better AI makes Alibaba.com more attractive, which in turn attracts more users. This is not just a functional expansion, but a strategic move to create a self-reinforcing growth and improvement cycle for the entire Alibaba B2B ecosystem and to consolidate its market position.

Accio mission is to "simplify global trade for SMEs" and "to reduce the hurdles for everyone to do this business". The long-term vision is to "democratize AI technology ... and create equal competitive conditions".

The ambitions have been raised: Zhang Kuo predicted that by the end of 2025 the acceptance rate of AI tools should reach 100 % among the sellers on the Alibaba.com platform. This aggressive goal, so shortly after Accios introduction, signals Alibaba's firm belief in the promise of accommodation from Accio and related AI tools. It indicates a concerted effort to fundamentally transform the platform and could also serve as a competitive measure in order to quickly differ from other platforms.

Accio is positioned to facilitate SME to participate in the global trading market, the volume of which is estimated at over 30 trillion US dollars, with forecasts of over $ 33 trillion for 2024. This strategy, in which linguistic localization precedes the market entry or accompanies it, enables accio to respond more effectively to the needs of local SMEs and to promote acceptance in different regions.

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Final analysis: Accios development path in the era of AI-driven B2B e-commerce

Alibabas Accio has recently established itself as a transformative force in B2B e-commerce. The platform combines advanced AI technology with the profound industry knowledge and the infrastructure of Alibaba to redesign global trade for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs).

Summary of Accios Current Stand

Accio was officially started on November 13, 2024 and is a fundamentally AI-controlled B2B search engine based on Alibabas Qwen Large Language Model and Natural Language Processing. The platform recorded explosive user growth and reached over one million SME users within five months. Core functions such as "Accio Inspiration" have been shown to increase the conversion rates of suppliers by around 30 % (from the search for the offer request). Other metrics, such as a 52%increase in the payment conversion rate, underline effectiveness. Accio currently supports seven languages ​​and aims at global expansion, with the focus on Europe and America, followed by important Asian markets. The positive recording in the market is confirmed by awards such as "Product of the Day" on Product Hunt and a Net promoter score of over 50.

Strengths of accio

The analysis identifies several core strengths of Accio:

• Strong support and ecosystem from Alibaba: Accio benefits immensely from belonging to the Alibaba Group, including access to extensive data, an established global supplier network and advanced AI research.
• Advanced, functional AI technology: Development as a "AI native" application with specific models for B2B trading enables a deeper level of understanding for complex procurement requirements.
• Providing effects on SME efficiency and supplier conversion: The reported increases in conversion rates and the reduction of the time required for research and planning show the practical use for SMEs.
• Clear focus on the democratization of global trade for SMEs: the mission of facilitating SMEs access to global markets and advanced tools addresses a significant need.

Risks and opportunities: AI-supported tools in B2B e-commerce

Despite the impressive successes, there are also aspects that are relevant for the future development of accio:

• Data protection and security: As with all AI tools that process sensitive business data, the maintenance of the trust of the users will be of great importance. Consideration regarding data protection can affect acceptance.
• Accuracy and excessive dependency on AI: It is crucial that the AI ​​recommendations remain precisely and learn users to combine AI-generated knowledge with their own business understanding. The accuracy of the AI ​​depends on the amount of data, and multilingual support is still under development, which can lead to potential inaccuracies.
• Competition: Although Accio is considered a first mover in the area of ​​AI-based B2B search, the wider B2B e-commerce and AI market is competitive. Google is mentioned as a competitor with broad data access, and other specialized B2B Ki tools also exist. The primary alignment of accio to the Alibaba ecosystem could be a restriction compared to tools that indicate the entire web.
• Learning curve and acceptance: ensuring that SMEs can effectively accept and use the entire range of AI tools remains a challenge, since new platforms always require a certain training period.

The future of AI in B2B e-commerce with accio

Accio represents significant progress towards a more intelligent, more efficient and more accessible global B2B trading environment. The extensive functionality and fast adaptation through the market should set a new benchmark for AI integration on B2B platforms. This could cause competitors to expand their own AI capacities in order not to fall behind, and thus accelerate the AI ​​adaptation in the entire industry.

The positioning of Accio as a AI assistant or "CO pilot", which expands human expertise instead of replacing them, reflects a broader trend in AI application. This model, in which AI supports experts to make better and faster decisions, will probably be established as a dominant paradigm for B2B tools. Accio is an early and prominent example of this model in B2B trading.

The focus on converting "ideas into action capable in minutes" could trigger a new wave of entrepreneurship under SMEs. By democratizing access to highly developed procurement and market analysis, it could also enable the development of new types of small companies or specialized trading agents to use the platform to offer niche service. This could further diversify the B2B landscape.

The future development of ACCIO is expected to include continued expansion of language support, an even deeper integration of AI in all facets of B2B trade and a continuous refinement of the algorithms in order to meet the changing needs of globally acting companies. Accio is not just a tool, but a harbinger of a new era in international trade.

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