Yihao International Hotel

Alibaba’s online travel agency platform, Fliggy, has debuted an e-commerce portal to make the shopping experiences of Chinese tourists a little easier, Sohu reports.

The shopping tab exists on the opening screen of the Fliggy app, just below the customary booking services for transportation, lodging, and tourist sites.

Users can browse and select products, then set a preferred time and location to pick up the goods. They have the option of paying upfront to guarantee their purchase and avoid queues.

The feature could improve the shopping experience for Chinese traveling by sidestepping language barriers.

At launch, the shopping feature is connected with several store locations in Japan’s largest duty-free retailer, Loax, and will also soon be connected with the duty-free store at the Shanghai Port.

In the future, Fliggy plans to expand the product to a wider range of shops and categories, such as high-end luxury brands, home appliances, and convenience stores. The company also plans to run promotions and highlight select products to meet the preferences of Chinese travelers.