Retailers take online route to keep e-commerce firms at bay

Every retailer in China wants a piece of the growing cross-border e-commerce pie. Department stores are no exception, and they see the sector as a promising avenue of transformation in the era of online shopping.

Guangzhou Grandbuy, the largest department-store chain in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong province, opened cross-border e-commerce experience sections in three stores on May 15 that adopt the online-to-offline mode, which is "experience in store, purchase online".

People can browse a display of bonded goods in the experience section with help from shopping guides and place orders on gbhui.com, Grandbuy's e-commerce platform, in the store or at home.