World’s First Duty-Free Online Store Offers B2B Concierge Service

As the self-proclaimed world’s first duty free-authorized online marketplace, DutyFreeZone.com sells products without the import fees, a feat once reserved for the globe-trotter.

Now, DutyFreeZone is looking to pay even greater attention to its jet-setting crowd with a new concierge service, and the effort will play an important role in the site’s B2B business.

According to the company, which announced the new concierge service Wednesday (Feb. 17), DutyFreeZone now offers online personal assistance for various tasks including travel booking and planning, hotel reservations, and traffic avoidance. One major part of the new product is offering financial services, for both the traditional consumer and company customers.

In addition to bill pay services, DutyFreeZone will now act as an e-commerce platform for B2B suppliers, importers and wholesalers across the globe.

According to DutyFreeZone Vice President of Operations Angel David, the new concierge service takes the company’s e-commerce services for the B2B market to a new level. “Our concierge service is going to revolutionize the e-commerce industry and generate online business and in-store traffic for small-to-medium store owners,” he said, adding that sellers can upload their products for free on the site, and DutyFreeZone will select which products to display based on its marketing technology.

In addition to offering online wholesale services for suppliers, the company will allow retailers to upload products for the traditional consumer to purchase online at a discounted price.

While DutyFreeZone did not elaborate on its B2B offerings, the new concierge service could boost cross-border transactions, especially since the company says that while import taxes apply for products that cost more than $200, DutyFreeZone will often absorb those fees.

It is unclear, however, how much – if any – of those fees the website will take on for B2B transactions, especially considering the often high value of purchases in the space.