Logistics solution provider Borderfree, a division of Pitney Bowes, has expanded its partnership with payment service provider Ant Financial to bring American fashion, sports apparel and lifestyle accessories brands to online shoppers in China in advance of the holiday season.
Borderfree’s program with Ant Financial’s Alipay provides the payment, logistics services and marketing support to help global brands and retailers connect with Chinese consumers. The partnership, which launched in 2014, will now enable Alipay’s registered users to purchase products online directly from retailers such as Aéropostale, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, using localized payments.
“We are very focused on increasing our brand awareness in China as well as growing our international e-Commerce business,” said Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta, LLC. “The importance of an easy user experience, enabling customers to check out using their preferred method, Alipay ePass, is key in driving conversion. Through Borderfree, we are now able to offer this service to our clients in China, allowing them to purchase with confidence.”
Advertisement
With the partnership, Chinese consumers can shop for the merchandise at the same retail prices offered to U.S. consumers while receiving Alipay shipping, customs clearance and door-to-door delivery anywhere in China. These consumers can track packages directly from their Alipay account.
The partnership takes advantage of a growing market for online shopping and a desire to shop for U.S. goods. EMarketer forecasts that China will account for more than 40% of the world’s retail e-Commerce sales this year. Additionally, the 2015 Pitney Bowes Global Online Shopping Study identifies the U.S. as the top e-shopping destination for global consumers to buy products from outside their own country, including shoppers in China.
“The e-Commerce sector in China continues to be a major driver of economic growth, as Internet penetration and smartphone ownership continue to increase,” said Lila Snyder, President of Global E-Commerce at Pitney Bowes. “By gaining deeper insight on what local shoppers in China want to buy and how they like to shop, U.S. retailers can make international purchases not just possible but probable for overall global e-Commerce success.”
