AUSTRALIA. Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has partnered with its retailers to create BNE Marketplace, saying it has found “opportunity in adversity”.
Launching on Thursday 16 April, BNE Marketplace is an online airport retail store that gives consumers access to discounted products. Importantly, it allows BAC partners the chance to sell products held in stock while physical stores are closed.
It will initially operate as an order online and delivery model with local company Shippit providing logistics support to Australian residences only.
The airport company said: “With airport stores solely reliant on passenger foot traffic, which has fallen -96% since 29 March due to travel restrictions, the BAC team was motivated to find unique ways to support its retail business partners holding millions of dollars of stock.”
Executive General Manager Consumer Martin Ryan said: “If necessity is the mother of invention, COVID-19 is its father. The BAC team has gone from concept to full ecommerce site in just 16 days.
“At launch the site will feature nearly 200 highly sought-after tech items as well as watches and beauty products, with other products being added each week.”
Liquor, perfumes, chocolates and other products will be added to the online store in the coming weeks, with a ‘click and collect’ service being considered, said BAC.
All products sold are duty paid and BAC has applied for a liquor licence in Queensland to allow it to add wines & spirits to the site, the airport company confirmed to The Moodie Davitt Report.
Lotte Duty Free, BNE’s biggest retail partner, is the first retailer to offer products online via the new Marketplace, with a plan for more retailers to come online if the project proves successful.
Shippit Joint-CEO and Co-Founder Rob Hango-Zada said: “We are proud to support this initiative and play some role in enabling airport retailers to continue to flourish in a 100% online world.
“We have been blown away by the number of businesses pivoting their operations in uncertain times to not just survive but thrive during this challenging time.
“The BNE Marketplace has turned the world of airport retailing on its head. Our mission is to revolutionise how businesses ship anything to anyone anywhere in the world and this presents a great opportunity to collaborate with Brisbane Airport on just that.”
Ryan added: “Importantly, this project has kept 25 people in jobs during this challenging time, while supporting the local logistics and freight companies and boosting partner employment through the need for people to ‘pick and pack’ items.”
BNE Marketplace launch deals include:
- Apple iPhone 11 Pro 512GB for A$2,135.00 (saving $214 off domestic market prices)
- Sennheiser HD 4.30 headphones for A$69 (saving $109)
- Apple 16″ MacBook Pro for A$3,448 (saving $351)
- Samsung s20 Ultra 5G for A$1,815 (saving $184)
