Alibaba returns to e-commerce roots as competition heats up

SHANGHAI — Alibaba Group Holding is shifting its focus back to e-commerce in a push to revive earnings, tapping content creators and cheap prices to compete in an increasingly crowded market.

Live video streams from all over China were playing on Alibaba’s Taobao e-commerce app on a recent weeknight, with one channel featuring a man grilling squid at a street stall in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing. The feeds were part of a new Taobao platform launched in July that allows creators to sell products and earn tips through livestreams and other content.