British retailer Burberry has tied up with China's tech giant Tencent to launch a social media-anchored luxury concept store dubbed "social retail store" that opened on Friday in Shenzhen, China.
Tencent's WeChat, China's equivalent of WhatsApp, has over a billion users in China.
The partnership comes as tensions rise between the UK and China, with China's UK ambassador Liu Xiaoming describing their relations to have been "seriously poisoned."
The virtual store aims to position Burberry as an innovator among Chinese shoppers, who account for around 40 percent of its sales.
Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti noted that China was the obvious place to go in innovating around social and retail with China being home to the most digitally savvy luxury customers.
According to China Market Research Group founder Shaun Rein, Burberry is ahead of the curve in understanding social media and e-commerce as tools in selling to Chinese consumers.
He noted that many luxury brands focus only on the in-store experience, which does not work for the Chinese who want to shop online.


Hims & Hers Halts Compounded Semaglutide Pill After FDA Warning
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports
TrumpRx Website Launches to Offer Discounted Prescription Drugs for Cash-Paying Americans
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Bellwether Sexual Assault Lawsuit
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says AI Investment Boom Is Just Beginning as NVDA Shares Surge
Ford and Geely Explore Strategic Manufacturing Partnership in Europe
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs
Trump Backs Nexstar–Tegna Merger Amid Shifting U.S. Media Landscape
Weight-Loss Drug Ads Take Over the Super Bowl as Pharma Embraces Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains
Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million 



