The Chinese payment method will be integrated into Swarovski Crystal Worlds’ till systems with the help of Wirecard’s Alipay Barcode Payment technology. Within the framework of this collaboration, Wirecard will provide acceptance and assume responsibility for fully settling transactions. The integrated technology can be expanded flexibly to be included at further points of sale within other stores - including those abroad.

Thanks to this cooperation, Swarovski Crystal Worlds will be able to capitalise even further on the Chinese tourism boom at Wattens (in the Tyrol region of Austria) and at Swarovski Crystal Worlds stores in Innsbruck and Vienna. More than eight million Chinese tourists travel to Europe each year, spending an average of over EUR 3,000 per trip on shopping. Brand awareness is the decisive factor in what Chinese tourists buy. Crystal jewellery and watches are also among their most sought-after items. In this context Swarovski can establish itself as an attractive supplier for Chinese consumers. In accepting Alipay payments, Swarovski stands to benefit from the trust of a young, online-savvy and financially strong target group. Retailers offering Alipay via Wirecard report the average transaction volume for individual purchases is approximately EUR 750. The largest single transaction paid for using Alipay via Wirecard to date amounted to around EUR 40,000.

Rita Liu, Head of Alipay EMEA: “Among Chinese tourists, Swarovski is one of the best-known European brands. Accepting Alipay will definitely offer Chinese customers an even better shopping experience as the Discovery platform leads users to nearby Swarovski stores and the payment process is as convenient abroad as it is in China.”

Stefan Isser, Managing Director at D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH, explains: “With Wirecard’s help, we have successfully managed to take a significant step forward in equipping our stores with an advanced, convenient payment method, thereby offering our Chinese customers the best-possible service. We really appreciate this.”

Michael Santner, Managing Director of Wirecard CEE: “Our objective is to support merchants by offering their customers flexible payment options and improving their portfolios across the board. We are delighted to have gained Swarovski Crystal Worlds, a major jewellery retailer headquartered in Austria, as a client.”

Here is how Alipay Barcode Payment works in retail: customers making cashless payments with their Alipay app simply need to show retailers the barcode on their smartphone displays. Retailers then scan this with their scanner and immediately launch the payment process. Behind the scenes, Wirecard initiates the payment. The customer confirms the purchase by entering the appropriate password and subsequently receives the payment receipt. Merchants also benefit because the Alipay app affords them the opportunity of notifying their Chinese customers of special offers via push notifications shortly before they arrive in Europe.