Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporters Fan Qiongyan, Guo Ling) news: On August 17, 2023, the Xinjiang Daily “Road of Prosperity—Belt and Road Reporting Project” interview team arrived at Xinjiang Xidamen Bonded Direct Purchase Center in Lushan Street, Urumqi City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Reporters’ eyes were attracted by the fabulous brand bags placed on the shelves facing the front door of the center.

Opened on June 18, 2022, Xinjiang Xidamen Bonded Direct Purchase Center is the first new retail business complex in Xinjiang that focuses on the concept of cross-border e-commerce bonded direct purchase. It is also a commercial complex that adopts multiple models and formats, including offline complexes, online e-commerce platforms, and bonded direct purchase chain stores.

Photo shows the cross-border bonded shopping center at the first floor of the Xinjiang Xidamen Bonded Direct Purchase Center. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Cai Zengle)

“So far this year, we have sold over 10,000 types of imported products from more than 30 countries such as Russia and Italy,” said Li Jun, the general manager of the Xinjiang Silu Xidamen Technology Co., Ltd. In the meantime, he took reporters into the cross-border bonded experience center on one side. Reporters were overwhelmed by a variety of hot beauty brands such as Lancome, Estee Lauder, Givenchy, and Helena.

“Nearly a thousand selected products from around the world are gathered in this shopping center, mainly covering products in three categories, namely beauty makeups, health care products, and household items, with beauty makeups accounting for about 70% of the total number of products,” said Li Jun.

The Center adopts an operating model of a store with a warehouse on the back, and custom fast delivery, with three main characteristics of authenticity, low price, and fast delivery. After purchasing from abroad, the goods will be delivered directly to the warehouse under the supervision of the customs. In this way, the logistics information is fully transparent. And every single product has a tracing code to ensure its authenticity. Imported cross-border bonded goods enjoy no tariffs, with a 20% discount on consumption tax and value-added tax. Overall, the price is generally 15% -30% lower than the market price. The local bonded warehouse directly delivers goods as quickly as possible. The delivery time for consumers in Urumqi is within 24 hours, while for other cities and prefectures, it is around 48 hours.

A row of imported product display cabinets were actually automatic vending machines. Reporters were shocked by the way that one can purchase the imported beauty products in the vending machine without ordering them online and waiting for delivery. “This is a full range imported goods automatic vending machine launched to meet the needs of customers in surrounding railway hubs, office buildings, and some residential areas,” said Li Jun.

Photo taken on August 17, 2023 shows customers shop at the Xidamen Bonded Direct Purchase Center in Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District), Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Cai Zengle)

Reporters felt the enthusiasm of citizens and tourists to buy global products outside the global products haven't entering the global countries pavilions. The Russian pavilion was full of people, and visitors who left the store with bags of candy, chocolate, snacks, fungi, etc. Reporters who didn't have breakfast also spent 12 yuan to buy a bag of imported Russian sweet egg rolls to share with friends.

Li Jun told reporters that the popular goods here mainly come from ports intersecting with Russia and China-Europe (Central Asia) freight trains, with a total of over 500 categories.

The second floor is completely different from the first floor with various imported goods sorted by category. You can find snacks that went viral on the internet at Fahana Imported Food Hall, such as candies, biscuits, and chocolates. You can find shoes produced by German factories in the German shoe store. You can also find all kinds of imported products in the Jinliuding Store.

“A 5kg pack of imported fragrance and anti-mite laundry detergent has a special price of 19.9 yuan, which is very cheap,” said a citizen named Li Li who bought three bottles of the detergent at once.

Photo taken on August 17, 2023 shows the Xidamen Bonded Direct Purchase Center in Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District), Urumqi City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Cai Zengle)

The center not only sells imported goods, but also local products, such as Mulei flour, miscellaneous grain, yellow rice wine, lavender essential oil, dried fruits, dairy products, and long staple cotton products. In the Rural Revitalization Hall, there are various Xinjiang specialty products. The goal of setting up the Rural Revitalization Hall is to take Urumqi as the core, radiate surrounding countries and regions, and focus on building a new channel, selling high-quality products from Xinjiang to the world.

Li Jun said that the company has also strengthened cooperation with well-known domestic and foreign tourism companies, cultural companies, and industrial companies to achieve the goal of resource sharing and interconnection, promote interactive marketing and precision marketing both inside and outside Xinjiang through online and offline channels, and continue to fully showcase the brand image of “Xinjiang is a nice place” to the whole world.

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