Of late, Tmall Global, a B2C marketplace of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has begun the trial operation of its blockchain powered “end-to-end blockchain traceability system” in order to achieve maximum transparency and traceability for the import goods.

It was reported that the traceability system would work as an immigration office to issue “visa” for imported goods. By using a series of cutting-edge technology including blockchain, dynamic laser, and dynamic image recognition, the system enables the end-to-end track-and-trace capability across the entire supply chain. All the procurement and logistics information will be recorded which sequentially enhance the authenticity of imported goods.

The so-called visa is actually a tracing QR code. When purchasing goods, overseas merchants would be required to paste the trace code on the surface of the product, and input detailed information of including the location, purchase time, and procurement officer through a back-end system.

In the process of logistics transshipment, the trace source will also record the whole process of the logistics information.

Customers could simply get all the information of the product they purchased from abroad to China by simply scan the tracing code through their mobile phones.

The tracing QR code uses a special process of production, which would be destroyed once removed and it cannot be recycled. By adopting the blockchain technology, all information recorded by the tracing QR code would be stored safely and cannot be tampered with. While the application of dynamic laser technology and dynamic image recognition technology prevents the trace code from being copied.

According to a customer service staff of Tmall, the traceability system is expected to go online in late March. It would mainly target the luxury fashion goods at the primary stage, and it would gradually cover every category of import products.

In addition, Alibaba’s Tmall platform has also cooperated with Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) last year to offer a unique blockchain ‘ID card’ for every diamond that verified by this corporation. Customers may simply assess to the entire process, from the overseas procurement to the domestic delivery, by simply scanning the QR code through either Alipay, Tmall or Taobao APP.