CHINA/INTERNATIONAL. Our new column showcases the critical role of WeChat for Chinese and international travel retailers and brands targeting the Chinese consumer. This week travel retailers go into overdrive around the 11.11 Singles’ Day celebrations.
The Shilla Duty Free
South Korean travel retailer The Shilla Duty Free is running two lucky draws (Kanebo Cream Foundation x3, winner to be announced on 12 November; cash coupons for the star sign month of Scorpio, winner to be announced on 16 November); and promoting its exclusive La Mer skincare set (serum, face cream, eye cream, lip balm, and silk eye mask) on its WeChat OA.
In addition, The Shilla Duty Free is also offering direct shipping from Hong Kong to customers who are currently unable to travel abroad. New eligible customers are entitled to extra bonus points and a more favourable minimum spend of US$1,000 for their first direct shipping purchase.
Lotte Duty Free
Fellow Korean travel retailer Lotte Duty Free took to WeChat to announce the opening of Sogong 1St Avenue, which it describes as the world’s first online duty free luxury store.
The Korean number one travel retailer (and world number two) is also running a lucky draw as part of the 11.11 celebrations. Prizes include a shopping voucher worth CNY1,111 (US$174)); a Givenchy cushion foundation; Marc Jacobs 30ml perfume (x2); and six CNY111 (US$17.40) shopping vouchers.
Lotte Duty Free is also promoting various beauty products for the autumn/winter season, including duty free-exclusive lip care, skincare and face mask sets from Fresh; hand creams from Atelier Cologne, Dior, L’Occitane and Diptyque; and body lotions from Chanel, L’Occitane, Sabon and Fresh.
It is also running a promotional article on Kanebo’s latest Cream Foundation, with six lucky draw prizes of CNY666 (US$174).
Shinsegae Duty Free
Another South Korean travel retailer, Shinsegae Duty Free, is promoting outdoors & home appliances on its WeChat OA account, including a mini drone from Parrot, a sports camera from Guerilla, Bose wireless speakers, and B&O bluetooth headsets. It is also running a sale on handbags for Chloé and Valentino with direct shipping options, and a promotion on gift sets from Fresh.
Times DF
Times DF (licence holder Shenzhen Duty Free with support from DFS Group) announced two milestones for its business operations in Mission Hills, Haikou on its WeChat OA.
Both relate to the recently opened Premium Wines & Spirits Gallery, with Times DF highlighting its long-term strategic partnership with Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail culminating in the grand opening of the French drinks house’s pioneering boutique on 1 November.
The retailer also salutes the inauguration of Diageo’s immersive global flagship store in Mission Hills on 30 October.
Times DF also joins in the 11.11 spirit and offers a range of additional discounts. Customers can enjoy buy 1 get -20% off and buy 3 get -30% off incentives on a wide range of beauty products and accessories, including Shiseido lip gloss, Clarins face mask, L’Occitane serum, and a Daniel Wellington necklace.
The retailer is also running a promotion offering up to -50% off on liquor bestsellers, including -10% for Hennessy VSOP 1.5l; -20% off + 6x loyalty points for Martell Chanteloup 0.7l; -15% off + 6x loyalty points for Rémy Martin XO 0.7l; and -30% off for Camus Borderies X.O. 0.7l.
Customers can earn and redeem loyalty points under a more favourable scheme, with up to 1 point earned per 1 CNY spend.
Starting from midnight on 9 November, shoppers can log into the Times DF X DFS Offshore Duty Free Mall mini program and get cash coupons for beauty & fragrance (CNY200 off a CNY2,000/US$312 spend), boutique specials (CNY100 off a CNY2,000 spend), and liquor (CNY100 off a CNY1,500/US$234 spend) as well as a CNY200 coupon that doesn’t require minimum spend (offered in partnership with Alipay).
GDF Plaza
Global Premium Duty Free (GDF) Plaza, the fast-growing Hainan Development Holdings-controlled offshore duty free retailer, is hosting a series of promotions on almost all duty free categories on its WeChat OA this week.
Flash sales on five bestsellers (Byredo Rose of No Man’s Land, Tom Ford Oud Wood, La Mer treatment toner, SK-II Genoptics Aura Essence, and The History of Whoo skincare set) are being offered from 9-11 November. Customers can scan the QR code at the customer service desk in GDF Plaza’s offline store in Haikou for e-coupons specially designed for the flash sale.
The retailer is also offering up to -35% off on select items, and up to -70% off on perfume & cosmetics bestsellers.
Customers visiting GDF Plaza on 11.11 can participate in a lucky draw for those making a single purchase over CNY3,500 (US$546), and also gain extra loyalty points and a free perfume & cosmetics gift via various promotions.
GDF Plaza has also launched several customer engagement activities that encourage shoppers to share their best-rated products with others or share GDF’s WeChat OA story in their Friends Circle to enter a generous lucky draw.
Sunrise Duty Free
Sunrise Duty Free is running a promotion on almost all product ranges on its WeChat OA as part of the 11.11 shopping festival.
In addition, it is also featuring promotional articles on classic offerings and Christmas limited editions from Bobbi Brown, La Prairie, IPSA, Elixir, Sulwhasoo, Dewar’s, Darphin, and Burberry.
Special sale products at Sunrise Duty Free Shanghai include YSL Pure Shots serum; SK-II Skinpower gift sets; Shiseido Ultimune face & eye serums; Shiseido Vital Perfection lotion; Estée Lauder Futurist Aqua Brilliance Foundation; Tom Ford pallets and lipsticks; and Jo Malone, Kenzo and Atelier Cologne perfumes, with discounts as high as -35%. Other special sale items include Furla handbags, Ferragamo ballerinas, and Lego.
Sunrise Duty Free Beijing highlights special promotions on ten beauty, perfume and liquor bestsellers, including a Re-Nutriv skincare set from Estée Lauder; Tom Ford lipstick; Atelier Cologne perfume; and Chivas Regal 18 Years Old.
Apart from enjoying enhanced discounts for more items purchased, customers are also encouraged to interact with Sunrise Duty Free on its WeChat OA to enter a lucky draw.
