Global Blue has acquired a shareholding in European WeChat payment specialist EuroPass and signed an exclusive contract to introduce retailers to the Europass mobile payment solution to deliver tax refunds directly to Chinese shoppers.

 

This will allow Chinese travellers to use their mobile apps to pay for transactions in Europe, where Global Blue says that Chinese shoppers accounted for 21% of total tax free sales, while accounting for the biggest – and growing – share of the tax free spend in the UK.

 

WECHAT HAS +938M USERS – 90% WHO ARE CHINESE

Global Blue adds that with over 938m active users, 90% of whom are Chinese, WeChat is one of the largest standalone messaging apps by monthly active users which also offers users the option of paying for goods and services.

 

Global Blue’s participating ‘merchants’ will now have the capability to accept both WeChat Pay and AliPay in their stores.

 

In addition to this, Global Blue has also launched IC2 which is its new generation of in-store ‘tax free solutions’ which aims to create ‘a seamless tax free shopping experience’ both for travellers and merchants.

 

This new system is said to feature several enhancements across all in-store solutions, including a new user interface, self-service account management and an offline issuing mode, coupled with its latest innovation, Mobile Customer Care.

 

At the same time, Global Blue’s new IC2 FUSION is said to offer a POS-integrated PCI compliant in-store solution, enabling payment and tax free Shopping using a single credit card swipe.

 

 

 

NEW AID TO HELP TRAVELLERS ON THE MOVE

Meanwhile, Mobile Customer Care is described as ‘an innovative new mobile-based service’ designed to help travellers complete the final stages of the Tax Free Shopping refund process.

 

Tomas Mostany, Senior Vice President, Product Tax Free Shopping at Global Blue, commented: “Global Blue is committed to developing the very best technology and this latest generation of issuing solutions will considerably improve the way our partners deliver the Tax Free experience to their customers.

 

“It is the first step towards offering a personalised and seamless experience to each and every traveller. IC2 provides the perfect tools for retailers looking to improve the efficiency of Tax Free issuing and are being delivered at no additional effort or cost to their businesses.

“We are now in a position to offer a best-in-class solution to all our affiliated retailers, regardless of their size, location or in-store technology.”

 

Last, but not least, Global Blue has also launched its new ‘Traveller’ website which aims to inspire Globe Shoppers and raise awareness of tax free shopping.

 

The company said: “The new site features unique content, along with advertising options for retailers to promote their brand to the website’s 14.8m international traveller audience.