FC Bayern Munich is working with Alibaba’s Tmall Global and DHL eCommerce to launch an official FC Bayern Munich online flagship store for consumers in China.
Through the new online store (http://fcb.tmall.hk), fans in China can now order a FC Bayern Munich jersey with their favourite player’s name and also purchase a variety of fan merchandise as well as “traditional German and Bavarian products”.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Executive Board Chairman of FC Bayern Munich, said: “Making our fan merchandise accessible is crucial to connect with our fans in China.”
Jörg Wacker, Executive Board Member Internationalization and Strategy of FC Bayern Munich, added: “China continues to be our key focus market and plays an important role in our internationalization strategy. For our market entry in China, Tmall Global is the best platform since many of our fans already use the platform today. Together with our strategic partner DHL, we will ensure a fast delivery. This store is a big first step in expanding our touch points with our Chinese fan base and we will interact with our fans even more during our Audi Summer Tour China in July this year.“
Jeff Zhang, President of China Retail Marketplaces of Alibaba Group, commented: “FC Bayern Munich, as one of the first football clubs launching their exclusive online flagship store on Tmall Global, will greatly reflect the diversity of brands and goods on the platform.”
The six-year partnership between DHL and FC Bayern Munich will see DHL acting as the club’s exclusive logistics partner and full service provider for international e-commerce starting in China in 2015 with a planned roll-out across the Asia-Pacific region. DHL eCommerce will manage many aspects of FC Bayern Munich’s merchandising in China – working with Tmall Global on product listing, order management, fulfillment of orders, local distribution and returns, local customer service and market entry support.
Thomas Kipp, CEO of DHL eCommerce, said: “There couldn’t be a better opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in e-commerce such as fulfillment and end-to-end delivery than launching the online flagship store of the world’s biggest football club, FC Bayern Munich, on the world’s biggest marketplace in China. We also have the added bonus to work even more closely with Tmall Global, China’s leading online retail platform.”
FC Bayern Munich are one of the world’s biggest football clubs with over 255,000 members. They are also one of the most successful, having won five Champions League Titles, three Club World Cup trophies as well as 25 national championships. FC Bayern Munich are planning to return to China for a summer tour in July, when they will play three games: in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.