Over in the Far East, international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is offering dedicated e-commerce solutions for some of China’s most prestigious baijiu brands. Made from fermented sorghum or other varieties of grain, baijiu is considered China’s national drink and is one of the world’s most popular spirits. Premium baijiu brands are considered luxury goods and a status symbol in China.
“We have set up a warehouse in the western Chinese city of Chengdu, complete with its very own team, and developed a logistics solution designed to meet the specific requirements for high-end spirit brands,” remarks Yongquan Chen, General Manager of Gebrüder Weiss in China. Gebrüder Weiss operates 19 branches in the Greater China region.
The company’s services include storage, packing, delivery throughout China, insurance options, shipment traceability, and professional customer service. As soon as a customer orders these products through any of China’s numerous online retail platforms, the relevant data is sent straight to Gebrüder Weiss for order fulfillment. The goods are then collected from the warehouse, inspected, provided with a code, and packed up before being shipped to the end customer by truck or air freight. Many of these famous spirits are produced in the area around Chengdu, a major metropolis in the province of Sichuan. Chengdu is the most modern and economically important city in Western China and serves as a key transport hub. Gebrüder Weiss has been running its location here since 2006.
Gebrüder Weiss provides its services to baijiu brands, including Quanxing, Fenggu, Jiangkouchun, the Sichuan Liquor Group (Chidu), and Xiaojiaolou. “Gebrüder Weiss’ services have improved our logistics and reduced the amount of damage to our products during transport,” says Wang Xikai, Head of E-Commerce at Quanxing, “This has enhanced our customers’ shopping experience and is helping us to hold our own amid the tough competition in e-commerce.”
Premium spirit brands face a host of challenges when it comes to e-commerce and warehousing. “If the spirits themselves and the packaging are not professionally managed and tracked, this allows fake products to break into the market, which damages the brand’s reputation and undermines customer confidence,” explains Yongquan Chen. Flexibility, quick response times, and reliable customer service are crucial for enabling brands to adapt to changes in consumer structure and consumption patterns.
Traceability guarantees authenticity
Ensuring traceability throughout the process is essential: High-end baijiu products are expensive, and customers absolutely need to be able to trust that they are true originals. “The authenticity of any returned products needs to be verified too,” points out Yongquan Chen. “Our tracking and management system with unique QR codes and corresponding order numbers guarantees this.” The warehousing system assigns each order parcels or gift boxes in the right size. The customer service team is quick and professional in dealing with any after-sales issues, such as overdue orders or changes of address.
