The Printemps group has partnered with Wirecard to offer a new payment solution to customers using the mobile app Alipay. As a result, Printemps Haussmann has become the first department store in France to accept this payment solution, which has more than 450 million Chinese users already.

In this way, Printemps is pushing forward with its goal of offering customers an even more unique and exclusive shopping experience with this payment method, which offers significant benefits for Chinese clientele who regularly enjoy shopping in Paris. Among other things, the Alipay solution allows them to make luxury purchases in a quick, easy and completely secure way, as transactions are carried out using the QR code generated by their smartphones. So there's no need to carry large amounts of cash around.

Additionally, with Alipay, Printemps provides its Chinese clientele with a familiar payment set-up. Alipay has over 450 million active user, and has been completely integrated into everyday Chinese life, regardless of age, income, or maturity. As a bonus, it is interconnected and highly compatible with Chinese social networks.

Printemps can also better respond to customers' specific expectations by making use of this solution's features, particularly the ability to communicate targeted and geolocalised offers to the app's users.

Thanks to its collaboration with Wirecard, Printemps can integrate Alipay payments directly into its central management system, allowing the offer to be enrolled in over time. The system will be rolled out at all 18 Printemps stores by the end of the year. In addition, Wirecard is taking charge of the entire payment process with Wirecard's Connected POS technology.

"Chinese tourists are an important target clientele for Printemps, which is why we are developing various unique offers and services to ensure the best response. Today we are especially proud to be offering them the exclusive opportunity to make purchases at Printemps through the Alipay application. We were able to embark on this adventure thanks to the professionalism and experience of Wirecard, which has guided and advised us throughout this process and is a strong and reliable partner for the future," said Annalisa Loustau, Chief Marketing Officer for the Printemps group.

Rita Liu, Director of Alipay Europe, continued: "For our customers, this roll out is synonymous with greater added value, as they can now pay with the same method they use at home. Paris is one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. Through our marketing platform, Global Lifestyle Platform, we can provide them with relevant information, such as promotions, notifications and commentary, even before they arrive in Paris. We are confident that the new Alipay offers rolled out with Printemps, in terms of payment methods and marketing, will be quickly adopted."

Christian Reindl, Executive Vice President of Sales Consumer Goods at Wirecard, added: "We are pleased to partner with Printemps, one of the world's most renowned players in the luxury goods market, who has now become the first French department store to offer its customers the Alipay mobile payment solution. We believe the increasing number of Chinese tourists travelling to Europe presents an opportunity for significant growth, particularly in the luxury goods sector, and we are also planning many other collaborations in this sector."