Zhipu AI Sells Core AI Product on Tmall, a Retail First

Zhipu AI has established a flagship store on the Tmall e-commerce platform. The store offers subscriptions for GLM Coding Plan tokens. This marks the first instance of a listed large model company making its core artificial intelligence product available on a mainstream online retail outlet, simplifying the process of acquiring tokens to a degree comparable with purchasing mobile phone credit, according to Pandaily.

Credit: Cloudinary

The storefront, registered under Beijing based Zhipu Huazhang Technology, commenced operations in early Sept. It provides four distinct GLM Coding Plan token packages. These packages begin with a monthly personal tier costing SGD 21.24, which includes 10,000 weekly credits. A Max tier is available for SGD 194.04, providing 140,000 credits. A team plan is also offered, priced at SGD 107.64 per seat. Users have the option to select monthly, quarterly, or annual billing arrangements, consistent with the pricing structure on the company's official website.

And these plans operate using the GLM 5.3 model, which was released early in the previous month. This model supports over 20 coding agents, including ZCode, Claude Code, and Codex. Late in the preceding month, Zhipu converted its Coding Plan to a credit based system linked to token consumption. The company stated that this new allowance calculation method provides greater transparency and predictability for its users.

This retail push by Zhipu AI follows a swift normalisation of the product. The Coding Plan, initially introduced in Sept. of the previous year, faced rationing from early in the current year. This restriction occurred after a notable surge in demand following the release of the GLM 4.7 model, leading to a situation where devs experienced difficulties in securing sufficient quotas. Subscriptions for the Coding Plan returned to open sale at the end of July, coinciding with the implementation of the new credit system, transitioning from a scarce resource to a readily available commodity on Tmall within approximately seven months.

But this commercial expansion occurs amidst significant company growth. Zhipu, which listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Jan. as the first publicly traded large model company globally, reported first half revenue of approximately SGD 171.72 million. This figure represents an increase of 399.7 per cent year on year. Platform and API income contributed to 86.5 per cent of the total revenue, a substantial rise from 15.2 per cent recorded a year earlier.

The company's move reflects a broader industry shift within China. Daily token calls across the country surpassed 140 trillion in March earlier this year, an increase of over a thousandfold from early in the year before last. Furthermore, telecom operators in the region have already begun offering retail token plans. Tokens are now positioned alongside items such as smart speakers and artificial intelligence phones within Tmall's developing consumer goods section for AI related products. This placement indicates their emergence as a consumer commodity, making them eligible for widespread market promotions, including events like Double Eleven.

• Zhipu AI has established a flagship store on Tmall for GLM Coding Plan token subscriptions.

• This marks the first instance of a listed large model company selling its core AI product on a mainstream e-commerce platform.

• Subscription packages range from SGD 21.24 to SGD 194.04, with monthly, quarterly, and annual billing options available.

• The Coding Plan, previously rationed, is now openly available following a shift to a credit based consumption system.

• Zhipu reported first half revenue of approximately SGD 171.72 million, representing a 399.7 per cent increase year on year.

Source: Pandaily