Alibaba launches Fliggy Buy shopping channel

Alibaba Group’s travel service platform Fliggy has launched a service called Fliggy Buy offering overseas merchants a new solution to benefit from the growing purchasing power of Chinese outbound travellers.
The Fliggy Buy service offers a new shopping channel for Chinese travellers to browse and buy goods on Fliggy before reaching their destination, picking them up in stores after they arrive. It also advances Alibaba’s “Global Fun” strategy, which promotes international travel for Chinese tourists by working with industry players to give them a richer experience while abroad.
Fliggy Buy
Merchants on Fliggy Buy will include duty-free and tax-free stores, both overseas and within Mainland China; internationally renowned brands; specialty local stores and an increasing range of shopping destinations. Furla Hong Kong and Laox of Japan have already joined this channel, and more merchants are expected to sign up.
“Fliggy is committed to making it easy to conduct travel business in the digital era,” said head of Fliggy Buy, Roman Zhu. “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.”
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. They can ensure the items they want, especially limited editions, are in stock before the trip and make reservations online, as well as seek online customer service. Buying from duty-free and tax-free stores is an added benefit.
Chinese travellers using this service can choose from a range of products, including cosmetics, suitcases, handbags and alcohol offered by popular brands. 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, allowing them more time to explore and experience the destination.
“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 among Chinese outbound tourists,” added Zhu. “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.”
With users visiting 192 countries and regions last year, outbound travel is an important part of Fliggy’s business. Fliggy’s insights show an upward tendency of Chinese travellers spending overseas, as the average spending of these travellers grew 9 per cent year on year, last year.
As a platform operator, Fliggy is dedicated to helping merchants and associations working in the tourist industry worldwide to build direct relationships with Chinese consumers.

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