Pharmacy 4 Less to Expand Online Operations in China

Cross-channel discount chemist, Pharmacy 4 Less has been selling into China since 2015, but as part of a new partnership with JD Worldwide, it’s now looking to expand its e-commerce footprint in the profitable region.

According to Pharmacy 4 Less, the business has been closely monitoring the shifting trends in China’s e-commerce market and is now excited to take advantage of JD’s warehousing and logistics capabilities in China. The discount pharmacy retailer says it’s aiming to provide its Chinese shoppers with faster delivery times and a better overall shopping experience.

“We have been doing business in China since 2015 and we look forward to this exciting new chapter,” said Feras Karem, the managing director and CEO of Pharmacy 4 Less. “Australian discount pharmacy holds such importance to the Chinese customer and we look forward to the opportunities that are ahead with JD.”

According to Karem, Pharmacy 4 Less wants to improve its customers’ shopping experience at every stage of the purchase journey, with fast delivery times being its main focus. “We know there is demand in China for quality Australian products, but our biggest limiting factor to date has been our delivery time,” he said. “Our current business model in Australia means parcels can take anywhere up to three weeks to clear customs and reach consumers.” By working with JD, Pharmacy 4 Less is hoping to see its delivery times drop to mere hours, or the matter of days, through a bonded-warehouse model.

Cross-channel Activewear business, Lorna Jane is another local business looking to increase its e-commerce presence in China, while also eyeing bricks-and-mortar opportunities. The brand, which reportedly experienced high levels of success on Alibaba’s Tmall platform announced in September that it was looking to deepen its reach in the Chinese market.

Presently, Lorna Jane has a showroom in Beijing and a local team of staff, but the business said that its physical store footprint would be expanded to correlate with rising consumer and investor interest in the region.

“The interest has been very strong and has exceeded our expectations,” Lorna Jane’s chief executive, Bill Clarkson said at the time.

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