SWITZERLAND. Lagardère Travel Retail Switzerland has partnered with Inflyter to digitalise the purchasing process at its Geneva Airport duty free stores.
The enhanced Inflyter digital duty free platform will help “optimise commercial revenue potential in what remains a very challenging environment,” said the retailer.
Travellers can buy duty free items online before they travel and collect their shopping at the airport. The enhanced platform offers a new design and improved functionality including in-app payments which help deliver “a faster and more convenient shopping experience”. These improvements make the purchase process fully digital, said Lagardère Travel Retail, which supports “a safer journey through the airport and the return of travellers’ trust and confidence”.
The partnership between Lagardère Travel Retail Switzerland started in 2019 with the implementation of the first Inflyter platform, which offered Click and Collect services with in-store payment and collection.
For the official launch of the enhanced platform earlier this month, a big communications campaign was introduced to promote the Inflyter service at all strategic touchpoints of the passenger journey at the airport, with customers picking up their order from an exclusive and priority Inflyter collection point at the Aelia Duty Free store.
The programme has already boosted the average basket value (higher than in-store), said Lagardère Travel Retail. It added that the move “strengthens Lagardère Travel Retail’s desire to create new digital sales channels and secure revenue from passengers who may not usually buy or have less time at the airport, and who prefer to shop online on their way to the airport or before leaving home.”
Lagardère Travel Retail Switzerland CEO Pascal Le Droff said: “Even before the pandemic, we have been actively exploring how we could improve the digital experience we offer to our duty free shoppers, secure new revenue sources and serve new customers. Despite very challenging conditions, our partnership with Inflyter demonstrates how digital offerings can complement our existing airport operations and we are excited about its future potential.”
Wassim Saadé, Founder and CEO of Inflyter, said: “It’s great to have additional validation of the demand for mobile and digital duty free shopping experiences by passengers, and we are pleased that the Inflyter proposition can support Lagardère Travel Retail Switzerland, retailers and airports in their desire to recover and maximise revenues from those passengers that are travelling but also contribute to offering a convenient and safer shopping experience.”
Geneva Airport Commercial Director Pierre Germain added: “We are proud to be part of this digital and transformational initiative with Lagardère Travel Retail Switzerland and Inflyter. It empowers our passengers by giving them the choice over how they want to shop duty free and sets new service standards for the shopping experience. Just as important is that it supports our retail partners in exploring new sales channels and revenue opportunities, something that is critical for our industry right now.”
