Abercrombie expanding in a big way in China

Abercrombie & Fitch is setting its sights on Chinese teens in a new partnership with China's online giant.



The retailer will start selling its namesake brand and Abercrombie kids line on Alibaba Group's Tmall website, starting on July 26. Tmall, which is China's largest consumer website for brands and retailers, has carried Abercrombie's Hollister brand since 2014.



Launching Abercrombie on Tmall will greatly expand the teen brand's distribution in a vast country where it currently operates only 10 physical stores (all in mainland China) .and a local site at abercrombie.cn.



"Alibaba Group places a strong emphasis on consumer engagement, which aligns with our focus on creating a unique online brand experience for our customers, as well as facilitating a seamless and frictionless shopping experience," said Fran Horowitz, CEO, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. "Building on our Hollister brand's successful partnership with the leader in China's online retail space, we are excited to bring our A&F brand experience to the broader Chinese market, beyond the reach of our physical stores through Tmall."