Nov. 6 (NBD) -- China's e-commerce giant Alibaba on Saturday announced a strategic cooperation with the alcohol importer and retailer 1919.cn. Under the agreement, these two parties will conduct cooperation in new retail, new marketing, supply chain, logistics, and other areas.

New retail was repeatedly quoted at the news conference. Except for cooperation in online and offline business operation, logistics and technology support, 1919.cn is to open its supply chain to Alibaba in order to integrate into the platform resources of Alibaba.

Logistics is also the key to this partnership. An employee with 1919.cn told NBD that Alibaba's logistics unit Cainiao will secure the storage and logistics for 1919.cn. And in return, 1919.cn's brick-and-mortar stores can complement the last-mile service for Cainiao. For example, for customers who ordered refrigerated wine, 1919.cn will make sure that the wine is still cold when it is delivered to the customers.

With regard to what Alibaba values most in this partnership, Zhao Lei, Tmall's food general manager, said to NBD that Alibaba eyes the entire alcohol ecosystem and wants to forge direct cooperation with more brands so as to better serve their customers. In the meantime, Alibaba hopes that the Tmall new retail represented by smart stores, together with systematic customized and intelligent solutions, can empower more offline stores.

Zhao Lei, Tmall's food general manager (photo/NBD)

At the news conference, 1919.cn Chairman Yang Lingjiang said to NBD that the company will apply the technology of Aliyun, Alibaba's cloud computing unit, to launch cashier-free stores to sell its products.

Starting this year, unmanned stores have become a frenzied pursuit in China's retail industry. Alibaba's entry into this field and its unstaffed store brand Tao Cafe have drawn great attention. And now such technology will be introduced into the wine & spirits industry. Yang revealed that 1919.cn will open its first cashier-free store in southwest China's Chengdu city and later in Hangzhou and Shanghai.

He believes that for online alcohol retailers, to set up unstaffed stores is to meet market requirements and to offer better customer experience.  

Yang further explained that such unstaffed stores can fulfill customers' orders after the closing hour. Besides, unmanned stores can also enhance 1919.cn's presence in hotels and restaurants without increasing costs.

Unstaffed retail embodies that the technology facilitates service and such technology can be exploited to promote brands, Yang added.

Email: gaohan@nbd.com.cn