Chinese specialist grocery and takeaway delivery service HungryPanda is launching onto AliExpress in the UK, offering a range of household products, snacks, cupboard staples and drinks on the site for delivery within an hour.
HungryPanda’s range will be available on the ecommerce giant’s UK website for delivery by the app’s own couriers to customers in Greater London this month.
The offering is set to expand to other UK cities later this year “to meet the rising demand for local convenience and rapid delivery” AliExpress – the 50th most visited website in the world according to Similarweb – said.
The move is “raising the bar for convenience in the UK” AliExpress added.
It comes as AliExpress is working to grow the number of UK-based businesses on its platform. It has introduced a “streamlined onboarding process, 1:1 operational support and a discounted commission fee” to attract local sellers.
Products on the site marked ‘Local+’ are delivered from local warehouses, typically within three days at the earliest.
Over the past year, locally delivered orders have increased sharply, with items like bicycles, consumer electronics, portable power stations, and power tools among the top sellers, the Chinese ecommerce giant said.
“Local businesses and suppliers can connect with millions of shoppers on AliExpress and consumers can get faster shipping on a wider range of products,” said Bonnie Zhao, general manager at AliExpress UK. “This move reflects our commitment to provide upgraded service to consumers and our mission to support local businesses.”
Zhao said the website had seen “remarkable growth in the UK”. During last year’s Black Friday to Cyber Monday shopping weekend, AliExpress became the UK’s most popular shopping site, according to Similarweb data, with visits increasing by over 140%.
AliExpress rival Temu has similarly been recruiting UK-based suppliers to shorten delivery times, launching its ‘local’ initiative last year. Several food and drink products from household brands are now available from these Temu “fast delivery stores” located across the UK.
“Building on its global ecommerce expertise, AliExpress is expanding its UK presence to strengthen local supply chains and fast-track delivery, and position itself as a comprehensive hub for both international and domestic shopping,” the company said.
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