CHINA. Sunrise Duty Free last month unveiled one of travel retail’s most innovative and ambitious e-commerce initiatives to date during its magnificent 15th anniversary celebrations in Shanghai.
The retailer, which runs the duty free concessions at Shanghai Pudong Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, launched the “˜Virtual Mall’ at a glittering gala dinner for business partners on 15 September at The Peninsula Hotel (*The Moodie Report was the sole media representative and we’ll report more fully on those celebrations in our special Cannes Print Edition, out later this month).
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Sunrise Duty Free Chairman Fred Kiang introduces the new Virtual Mall concept and welcomes guests to the retailer’s 15th anniversary celebrations |
Guests at Sunrise Duty Free’s anniversary celebrations were among the first to test the Virtual Mall. It allows consumers who are travelling internationally to browse Sunrise’s extensive duty free portfolio (all major categories are included) with pre-order and pick-up services available at both international departures and arrivals.
This carefully planned concept is to be introduced on a phased basis, starting with Sunrise members.
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Guests at the Gala Dinner were able to test drive the Virtual Mall |
Sunrise said the concept combines virtual and physical experiences that allow brands to better connect with their shoppers. The artistic Virtual Mall and its environmentally friendly design were created by a team of information technologists and artists with “extraordinary imagination of brands’ stories and cultures in mind, it said.
The retailer added: “At a time when brands are finding it difficult to represent themselves in the city centre”¦ when airport retail space is limited, shop maintenance and renovation are difficult and travellers have limited time to shop before boarding”¦ the Sunrise Virtual Mall represents an enjoyable internet-age platform.
“We hope the Sunrise Virtual Mall will continue to deliver new technology and innovation to lead the industry in retail development.”
Supplier reaction to the Virtual Mall was overwhelmingly positive. One senior beauty house executive told The Moodie Report: “This has been very well thought through indeed; the functionality is superb and the presentation classy. It’s a major step forward for China’s travel retail industry.”
NOTE: We’ll bring you a major report on Sunrise Virtual Mall and the retailer’s extraordinary 15th anniversary celebrations in The Moodie Report Print Edition for October, published to coincide with TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes later this month.
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Famous French actress Sophie Marceau was a special guest at the magnificent Gala Dinner |
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(Above and below) Famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou on the exquisite outdoor set he created especially for the evening |
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Song to the Moon: Sophie Marceau (above) and Martin Moodie (below) sign goodwill messages to Sunrise Duty Free, their signatures reflected in a moon above |
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Martin Moodie and Jacqlyne Li of Bally stop for a photo shoot with a hostess on the Zhang Yimou-directed red carpet experience |
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Advance Australia fair: Craig Sargeant (left) and Doug Bagley, the two Australian heads of Mars and Diageo’s travel retail divisions |
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Fred Kiang toasts Sunrise Duty Free’s business partners |
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Martin Moodie, Alex and Olivier Bottrie |
