Duty Free Phl, Alipay expand partnership

Duty Free Philippines (DFP) is expanding its mobile payment platform to include benefits and rewards for customers, a move to attract the lucrative Chinese clientele.

The expanded partnership with Alipay, one of China’s biggest online and mobile payments platforms, now includes rebates and extra savings on purchases. These include up to 20 percent discount on selected luxury brands and RMB40 rebates for a minimum spend of RMB800 at Luxe Duty Free in Pasay City and DFP outlets inside Cebu-Mactan International Airport.

“The strategy is in line with the increasing Chinese tourist arrivals and workforce in the Philippines,” said DFP COO Vicente Angala.

The amount of payments made by Chinese customers through Alipay has increased by about 900 percent since the mobile payment was introduced.

The number of Chinese customers who shopped at the said outlets has been consistently growing, with a 64 percent share to the total number of customers during the first half of 2019.

DFP began working with Alipay on November 2018 to reach the Chinese customers.

“We aim to increase our market share by meeting the needs of our customers by making sure that we keep up with innovations and current trends,” said Angala.

Alipay is currently available at Luxe Duty Free and outlets inside Cebu-Mactan International Airport.

Last year, the number of China’s outbound tourists to the Philippines reached 1.25 million, an increase of 29 percent from a year earlier.