KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Free fashion shipping, AI-powered virtual fitting rooms and more than 1,400 local return points — Taobao is pulling out the stops for Malaysian shoppers ahead of its annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.

The online shopping platform has unveiled a raft of upgrades designed to make cross-border shopping less of a gamble, particularly when it comes to finding the right outfit, comparing products and returning purchases that don't quite live up to expectations.

Running from October 20 at 8pm until November 13, this year's shopping extravaganza promises access to more than three billion products, spanning fashion, homeware, furniture, collectibles, beauty and lifestyle essentials.