Hema Fresh (or Freshippo) has opened its first-ever “Global GO” cross-border shopping location, inside its Premier store in Shanghai’s Changning District. The launch came a month after Hema announced at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) of its intention to introduce cross-border shopping.
Located near the entrance of the Premier store, the Global GO corner covers baby milk formula, health supplements, skincare, as well as beauty products. Not only are the imported goods competitively priced, but there are also introductory labels for customers who may be unfamiliar with the ingredients and benefits of the products or cannot read foreign languages.
After 3 years of exploration of a “new mode of cross-border retail”, Global GO grew 78% this year and has already introduced over 200 international brands to China. With the support of the district authorities, “Global GO” has now landed in Changning.
Guo Ting, the manager in charge of customs matters at Hema, observes that customers have a high appetite for imported goods but have concerns because they are “unable to read foreign languages, how and where to buy them and also feel the price is high for online only” so they need to see and try them in person before purchasing. Guo concludes that this is why Hema is expanding its Global GO business and opening offline locations too.
Indeed, according to Hema’s announcement at CIIE, multiple locations are in the pipeline. Customers will be able to try out products at offline locations and order online for next-day delivery. With the opportunity to try offline before buying, the move will not only attract those interested in imported goods but also bring footfall to the Premier store.
