Air Asia has signed Plaza Bali Duty & Tax Free as the first official airport partner on the former’s inflight e-marketplace OURSHOP, which soft launches today.

The new shopping and services platform connects the Malaysian low-cost carrier’s 80 million passengers (2018 estimate) across a network of more than 130 destinations in 26 markets to a spate of airport, high street and local specialist retailers.

“Plaza Bali Duty & Tax Free recognises the opportunity OURSHOP offers in the e-commerce landscape and we want to be a part of this game changer,” commented July Fadriani, Head of Business Improvement & Development, Plaza Bali Duty & Tax Free.

“We are delighted to be the first airport partner and believe this will revolutionise airport shopping.”

ONE-MARKET SOLUTION

In what appears to be a brave industry step to embrace seamless omni-channel retailing at multiple touchpoints, OURSHOP takes the potential of a vastly crowded inflight product and services market and fuses it with targeted customer insights and a significant logistical capability via Air Asia’s existing service network to tap a significant new market.

The airline’s customers can shop and benefit from cashless transactions and multiple delivery options, including having purchases delivered onboard, or arrange for collection at the airport, downtown and home delivery. These services will roll out in phases.

Customers can earn and redeem Air Asia Big Loyalty points each time they use OURSHOP, which are transferable on all Air Asia platforms.

In turn, retailers will benefit from enhanced customer insight, data on departure and arrivals destinations, and the chance to interact with an engaged audience.

Armed with this information, they can tailor marketing messages and product selections at multiple consumer touchpoints on the travel journey, from online booking, social media, check-in, boarding gates, onboard WiFi and on arrival.

Air Asia is forthright in claiming that OURSHOP will be the ‘ultimate e-commerce marketplace’ backed by a diverse product portfolio and service offering that in turn drives online sales for retailers and footfall to their respective bricks and mortar stores.

Perhaps most significantly, Air Asia plans to establish OURSHOP as a standalone solution, available to other airlines; the potential architect of a new approach to travel shopping across sectors and regions.

AirAsia Group CEO and AirAsia X Co-Group CEO Tony Fernandes said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be working with forward thinking companies like Plaza Bali Duty & Tax Free who recognise the opportunities ahead.

“OURSHOP is a partner of the entire air travel ecosystem including airports, retailers, as well as the airlines and we look forward to building more relationships.

“What used to be a 20-minute shopping experience as travellers rush to their boarding gates is now 365 days of shopping indulgence.

“AirAsia was the first airline to sell tickets online in this region. We are going back to our e-commerce roots as we know it best. We have taken a mix of models and applied it to our marketplace. OURSHOP is an e-commerce site without the risks of capex and stocking.”