Fliggy, the travel service platform of Alibaba Group, has launched its Fliggy Buy, which allows Chinese travellers to browse and order overseas goods for pick up in-destination.
Merchants on Fliggy Buy will include duty-free and tax-free stores, both overseas and within mainland China, international brands, specialty local stores and an increasing range of shopping destinations.
“Duty-free and tax-free stores are our focus during the first phase of rollout, as they are the most visited shopping and consumption venues amongst Chinese outbound tourists. Our next step is to enrich the product categories on Fliggy Buy and recruit more overseas merchants to include high-end luxury brands, household electronics sellers, as well as pharmacy and cosmetics stores, assisting them to reach more Chinese consumers,” Roman Zhu, head of Fliggy Buy.
Furla Hong Kong and Laox of Japan are already on the channel, with more merchants are expected to join.
Chinese travellers using this service can choose from products, including cosmetics, suitcases, bags and alcohol. After selecting a pickup store, as well as inputting their personal information and completing payment, consumers can then pick up their goods at their leisure, Fliggy said in a statement.
One major advantage of this is that it allows travellers more time to explore and experience the destination.
Through Fliggy Buy, Chinese customers can access detailed information and buyers’ reviews about products, presented in their own language, prior to an overseas trip. This helps them understand features and compare prices across different merchants before committing to a purchase.
In addition, the channel allows travellers to check if items they want, especially limited edition goods, are in stock before their trip, pre-order online, and seek online customer service.
“The launch of Fliggy Buy represents our latest move to work with merchants targeting the vast numbers of tourists from China to develop innovative solutions, and offer them targeted customer traffic. Our aim is also to embrace the potential of digital technology and provide a holistic travel experience encompassing food, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment,” Zhu said.
Fliggy’s insights show the average overseas spending of Chinese travellers up nine per cent year-on-year in 2018.
