CHINA. Beauty giant Coty and digital services provider Ant Group have struck a partnership to launch Alipay+ into the global travel retail channel.
Used by over 80 million businesses serving more than 1 billion customers globally, Alipay+ is a suite of global cross-border and mobile payment and marketing solutions, operated by Ant Group. Coty is the first beauty company to launch Alipay+ at a global level in travel retail.
Coty will expand its digital operations by launching comprehensive and diversified brand campaigns and payment platforms through the partnership with Ant Group and Alipay+. It will also boost the development of digital services in travel retail and develop more in-depth omnichannel cooperation across marketing, activations and digital payment solutions.
Alipay+ will help Coty capture digital-first customers and make it more convenient for brands to serve hundreds of millions of digital users.
The partnership enables Coty to offer one-stop payment integration, allowing for more bespoke customer experiences.
The launch will start in China travel retail before it extends to the wider Asia Pacific region, with a global travel retail roll-out planned soon.
As reported, Coty’s travel retail business has bounced back in the last year, driven by brick & mortar sales in Hainan and duty free business in China achieving triple-digit growth.
Digitalisation is a core focus for Coty, which is looking to enhance the online and offline customer journey with a customer-centric approach.
Since 2021, Coty and Alipay+ have partnered for numerous travel retail projects in Hainan including the Lancaster Timeless Royal Beauty VIP event, annual Fragrance Awards and the Coty ‘Around the World’ animation in GDF Plaza.
Coty Global Travel Retail Executive Vice President Caroline Andreotti commented: “The cooperation with Ant Group in digitalisation will help us serve our customers better. In the future, Coty and Ant Group will continue to work together to explore more possibilities in digital channels to improve consumer experience.
“We will also aim to deliver better services and products to more consumers around the world on their travel journey, and let them enjoy a better, more convenient and sustainable future.”
Skincare – a new frontier for Coty
In Asia, the skincare category has grown exponentially in recent years and presents huge growth potential for Coty, the company said.
In line with this, Coty Travel Retail has launched a revamped Asia-focused line-up for sun care brand Lancaster, with the aim of becoming a stronger global player in the category. The refreshed line features new formulas designed to address the specific skincare needs of Asian customers and new merchandising. China, South Korea, Thailand and India are the key markets for this new line-up and Coty’s skincare push.
Lancaster currently has four brick & mortar stores in Hainan. It also has an official WeChat Mini Program.
Coty said it is committed to showcasing its powerful portfolio of fragrance, makeup and skincare brands in travel retail’s most prestigious locations. Coty Travel Retail Asia Pacific’s brands include Gucci Beauty, Burberry Beauty, Chloé, Tiffany, Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein, in addition to Lancaster.
Footnote (1): Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
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