Firms showcase technological prowess

Cutting-edge technologies became the key battleground of this year's June 18 retail promotion gala, with companies showcasing their technological prowess throughout the shopping and delivery process.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd this year unveiled smart recommendations for clothing powered by an intelligent fitting room located in apparel stores such as Lily. Through facial recognition technologies, a "magic mirror" system allows customers to view themselves in the clothes they pick within two seconds, the company said.

By factoring in gender, age, climate and other factors, the feature can swap real life clothes with other recommendations, removing the need to rush between clothing racks and changing rooms. The devices are available in more than 100,000 brick-and-mortar stores across the country.