Amazon opens flagship store on Alibaba’s Tmall

US online retail giant Amazon.com Inc has opened a flagship store on Alibaba’s fast-growing online marketplace, Tmall.com.As a pilot project, the shop offers a limited number of imported goods ranging from food and drinks to shoes, kitchenware and toys from brands such as FLY LONDON, Blue Diamond and Emsa.Amazon will also handle all logistics, including order processing, shipping and delivery, covering more than 1,400 Chinese regions and provinces and setting up more than 5,000 pick up stations across China.The flagship store will officially launch in April.“Amazon’s presence will further broaden the selection of products and elevate the shopping experience for Chinese consumers on Tmall,” said an Alibaba spokesperson.Amazon China’s vice-president Niu Yinghua added: “We hope that Chinese consumers can buy premium international products through our platform.”Amazon has been struggling to gain a foothold in the China market. The company acquired Chinese online retailer Joyo.com in 2004 and rebranded the website as Amazon.cn in 2011.The group also set up a shop on Tmall last year to sell its Kindle e-book reader.Western retailers such as Zara owner Inditex, Burberry and ASOS have also opened shops on Tmall to expand their presence in China.