Walmart China, Tencent to build strategic partnership on digital retail

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Walmart China and Tencent jointly announced on Thursday an in-depth strategic partnership on digital retail.

The two giants will enhance retail cooperation featuring digitalization and intelligence. They will focus on shopping experience optimization, targeted marketing, comprehensive payment services and stronger membership.

Walmart China said that digital operations in the stores can be achieved through the integration of digital shopping experience. Payment services will be enhanced and scenarios will be diversified by using the optimized mini-program “Walmart Scan and Pay,” WeChat payment, facial recognition and self-service options.

Walmart supermarket in Wangjing, Beijing. /VCG Photo

Internet tools like applets and social advertisements will be further applied to achieve a more accurate and attractive information push as well as more efficient online and offline marketing.

A digital membership system will be built to channel better communication between employees and customers and facilitate internal exchanges as well.

Tencent headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. /VCG Photo

This March, Walmart started the trial of smart stores through the mini-program “Walmart Scan and Pay,” with which customers can use their mobile phones to scan the product's barcode for self-service payments. This mini-program has been applied in Walmart stores in 28 cities and is expected to cover more than 400 stores in China within this year.

Tencent also formed a partnership with French retailer Carrefour in January to promote the use of WeChat payment, cloud computing and other services.