Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. set up a virtual runway this week for fashion brands to highlight new products on the online marketplace and to demonstrate interactive technologies that make it easier for web shoppers to buy goods while watching the fashion show.

During the promotion on Tmall.com, Alibaba worked with 5,000 brands, including Burberry and Gap, to sell more than a million new products online, according to Tmall. Online shoppers purchased more than 1 billion yuan ($161 million) worth of products in the first day of the promotion, up 70% from a year ago. About 70% of the marketplace’s sales come from new products, Tmall says.   

Alibaba adopted several new technologies on its web pages that were designed to enhance user engagement. On the homepage, videos showed live models wearing different brands’ products, and computer users could move their mouse over a model and the video would change to a product listing page featuring all relevant products, such as shoes and tops worn by the model.

Motion sensing technology in smartphones also was put to use. After mobile users open Tmall’s app, they can move the phone to the left or right to choose the model they want to watch. If a shopper likes the products, she can click the model and be directed to a product listing page for purchases. About 100 brands, including Gap, used this technology to promote their in-season products, Tmall said.