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Alibaba accelerates offline retail push through partnership with Bailian

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Through a strategic partnership, the Chinese e-commerce giant will leverage tech such as big data to modernise the offline retail space

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has announced a strategic partnership with major Chinese retail chain Bailian Group, marking another significant step in its O2O strategy.

Bailian is a major China retail conglomerates with more than 4,700 outlets across 25 provinces, 200 cities and autonomous regions in China.

This collaboration will see both companies pool their resources and leverage tech to modernise and connect offline retail stores and operations, as well as deliver more effective customer experiences.

These will include overhauling channel store operations to enable real time service solutions at physical stores; conducting joint R&D in AI, IoT and big data; implementing geolocation, facial recognition and big-data driven sales to improve customer service; and using customer insights and supplier channels to improve merchandise selection and reduce cost.

Additionally, Alibaba will introduce its online payment service Alipay to Balian’s stores; while Bailian payment tools Safepass and Balian OK card will be integrated with Alipay.

Also Read: How Alibaba uses big data to combat fake cigarettes and pesticide

Bailian will also co-develop a new logistics system with Alibaba to improve efficiency of delivery for both consumers and merchants.

“New retail reimagines the relationship between consumers, merchandise and retail space by leveraging mobile Internet and big data. It will upend the traditional manufacturing and supply chain, the connection between merchant and consumer, as well as the overall consumer experience,” said Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba Group, in a joint press statement with Bailian.

Alibaba has been making aggressive pushes into the brick-and-mortar retail world, as its sales growth continues to slow. Two years ago, it bought a 20 per cent stake in Chinese retail giant Suning; and earlier this year, it bought over Chinese mall operator Intime for US$2.6 billion.

Image Credit: Alibaba

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