ASCHHEIM, Germany, December 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

• Chinese travelers are able to use Alipay at the 124 stores operated by Venue Retail Group in Sweden and Norway 

Wirecard, the global innovation leader in digital financial technology, has announced a cooperation with Cimple Marketing to offer Alipay at stores operated by Venue Retail Group - one of the leading fashion and accessories enterprises in Sweden. Venue Retail Group currently operates 124 stores in Sweden and Norway, offering its customers a wide range of fashion products through their four different concept brands Accent, Morris, Rizzo and NK Shoes & Accessories. By giving Chinese guests the opportunity to use their domestic payment method, the stores operated by Venue Retail Group will become an attractive shopping destination for Chinese visitors.

Nearly 12.4 million Chinese travelers visited Europe in 2017, which makes them the biggest traveling nation worldwide. This number is expected to reach 20.8 million by 2022, showing a growth of 68%. Luxury goods such as designer handbags, shoes and apparel are the most in-demand products with Chinese tourists. During their trip, Chinese guests spend an average of over EUR 3,000 per person on shopping. Based on the experience of other Wirecard customers, offering Alipay as a new payment method can lead to an increase of more than 350% in the total transactions by Chinese tourists within one year. Thanks to Wirecard's cooperation with Cimple, a specialist in marketing to the Chinese market, Venue Retail Group is able to engage a continuously growing and promising target group.

Jonas Stille, Sales Director at Venue Retail Group, said, "China is one of Sweden's fastest-growing sources of tourists. More Chinese visitors are turning from traditional sightseeing to in-depth traveling, seeking to experience the local lifestyle - including shopping. We are pleased to work with Wirecard and Cimple to offer the new payment method."

Thomas Wecke, Co-Founder of Cimple Marketing, added, "Our aim is to help retailers in Sweden to improve their understanding for Chinese target groups and to bring the world's largest traveling nation to Swedish shopping destinations. Together with Wirecard, our partner for digital payment technology, we are glad to strengthen the connection between European retailers and Chinese travelers."

Michael Brinkmann, Executive Vice President Partner Management at Wirecard, commented, "Chinese travelers are a huge target group with an enormous sales potential for European merchants. By offering Alipay as a fully digital payment method, European retailers are able to significantly increase both customer satisfaction and, consequently, their sales figures as well. With this new partnership, Wirecard shows its global reach with local competence."

About Wirecard:  

Wirecard (GER: WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both business customers and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on the areas payment & risk, retail & transaction banking, loyalty & couponing, data analytics & conversion rate enhancement in all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets, holds issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX and TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on http://www.wirecard.com , follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup.

About Cimple Marketing:  

Cimple Marketing is the first full-range service partner in the Nordics to exclusively provide marketing and payment services towards Chinese consumers. Together with our partners, we provide companies in all sectors the opportunity to reach the world's most lucrative consumer group, Chinese consumers.

About Venue Retail:  

With around 124 stores in Sweden and Norway, the Venue Retail Group is a leading supplier of travel accessories, footwear and accessories. The company is managed by our own and external brands according to our four concepts: Accent, Morris, Rizzo and NK Shoes & Accessories.

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG
Jana Tilz
Tel.:  +49(0)89-4424-1363
Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com

Cimple Marketing media contact:

Cimple Marketing
Thomas Wecke
Tel.: +46(0)8-22-39-04 
Email: thomas@cimple-marketing.com

SOURCE Wirecard AG