Dear Merchant Partners,
As we welcome the annual Tmall renewal period, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your support and partnership over the past year. Looking ahead, Tmall hopes to continue working with you to build a high-quality shopping destination beloved by consumers worldwide.
Please read and fully understand the details of the 2026 Tmall merchant renewal as follows:
1. Renewal Period
The renewal window is expected to open at 12:00 on November 20, 2025, and close at 18:00 on December 30, 2025.
If you fail to complete the renewal by 18:00 on December 30, 2025, you will not be able to continue using Tmall services in 2026. Your Tmall Merchant Service Agreement will automatically terminate at 24:00 on December 31, 2025, and your store will enter a regulatory status (meaning normal transactions will be suspended). Beginning January 2026, Tmall will assist you with the exit process.
2. Merchants Required to Renew
Merchants whose contract signing time is before or at 10:00 on November 20, 2025 fall within the renewal scope.
Merchants whose contracts were signed after 10:00 on November 20, 2025 have contract validity until December 31, 2026, and do not need to participate in this renewal.
You may check your Tmall service period via Merchant Center → Store → Store Information → Basic Information.
3. Renewal Entry and Process
The renewal entry for the 2026 application is located at:Merchant Center → Renewal Service Zone, Complete “Agreement Signing” to finish the renewal.
Friendly Reminders:
Your renewal agreement may fail to sign if any of the following situations occur (subject to the actual prompts on the product page):
1.“Annual Inspection Information” is pending update
2.Performance assessment not meeting standards
3.Outstanding category software service fees or basic software service fees
4.Flagship stores, specialty stores, or authorized stores missing brand/category authorization
5.The store is undergoing exit procedures
6.The business entity change is in process
7.The store is in the process of transferring to a Taobao Enterprise Store
Additional Note:
There is no qualification review in the renewal process. Please make sure to update expiring qualifications during daily operations to avoid operational risks.
Qualification update path: Merchant Center → Store → Store Information → Qualification Management.
For requirements, refer to the Tmall Operating Merchant Qualification Standards.
4. Renewal Fee Requirements
1. Security Deposit Requirements
If the current deposit is insufficient or the insurance premium is about to expire, merchants must replenish the deposit or pay the next-year premium within the renewal period.
Check via: Merchant Center → Finance → Fund Management → Security Deposit Account Details.
For details, refer to:
Tmall Store Security Deposit Rules
Tmall Merchant Security Deposit Insurance Regulations
2. Annual Fee / Service Rate Requirements
Merchants in categories such as “Vehicles (Dealerships)”, “New Cars/Used Cars”, “Real Estate/Rental/New Homes/Second-hand Homes/Commission Services” must complete payment of the 2026 Tmall Software Service Fee (“annual fee”) within the renewal window to avoid renewal failure.
Merchants in other categories do not need to pay an annual fee.
For details, refer to:
Tmall Basic Software Service Fee Rules
Tmall Category Software Service Fee Rules
5. Merchant Assessment Standards
The 2026 Tmall Merchant Assessment Standards are expected to be released in December 2025. Please stay tuned.
Friendly reminder: Operational assessments occur continuously throughout the year. Please check your assessment dashboard regularly to avoid falling below standards, which may affect your ability to continue operating.
6. Eligibility for Transferring a Tmall Store to a Taobao Enterprise Store
For merchants who do not complete renewal but maintain trustworthy operations (see Tmall Store to Taobao Enterprise Store FAQ), Tmall will offer technical support to transfer the store to a Taobao Enterprise Store (except for special categories). This ensures continued business operations on Alibaba’s retail platforms, serving hundreds of millions of consumers.
The transfer entry is expected to open from November 20, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
