- \n
- Global Blue Ventures supports Global Blue\u2019s position as the strategic omnichannel technology and payments partner empowering merchants to improve their performance<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Global Blue Ventures focuses on investment and\/or partnership with third parties that offer best-in-class RetailTech innovations, enabling Global Blue to expand its product offering and bring more value to its retail clients<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Thanks to Global Blue Ventures, Global Blue has already partnered with a number of leading and fast-growing RetailTech companies, including global returns provider, ZigZag Global, and digital receipt provider, Yocuda<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
EYSINS, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE<\/a>)–
\nGlobal Blue, today, announced the launch of Global Blue Ventures, a new entity created to identify, invest in and\/or partner with third parties that offer market-leading retail technology solutions.\n<\/p>\n\nGlobal Blue Ventures was initiated in 2019, and officially launched in April 2021, to advance Global Blue\u2019s ambition to be a strategic omnichannel technology and payments partner empowering merchants to improve their performance.\n<\/p>\n
Extending Global Blue\u2019s value proposal with innovative omnichannel solutions <\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
\nGlobal Blue Ventures concentrates on innovative and promising new businesses, with best-in-class companies selected to support brands on their omnichannel path.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Ventures program will focus on add-on technologies that can easily integrate with retailers\u2019 core systems, allowing them to:\n<\/p>\n
- \n
- \nOptimise and digitalise their processes across the entire omnichannel customer journey: online, in store and at home\n<\/li>\n
- \nCapture customers\u2019 identity and engage with them on a personalised one-to-one basis\n<\/li>\n
- \nCollect and cross-reference data to provide advisory services and actionable insights\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nIt will focus its efforts on three key verticals and market needs:\n<\/p>\n
- \n
- \neCommerce: how to boost conversion rates and improve return efficiency\n<\/li>\n
- \nStore digitalisation: how to digitalise in-store processes and experiences\n<\/li>\n
- \nClienteling 2.0: how to engage digitally one-to-one with consumers\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nRetailTech market experts James Strabo, previously a founding member and Managing Director at Blackhawk Network and Managing Director at Westfield (OneMarket), and Andrew Carroll, Founder of Yocuda and formerly Director of Corporate Development at Westfield (OneMarket) will lead Global Blue Ventures. Their mission will be to pinpoint latest retail market trends, identify the best-in-class technology players for each vertical, test and collect retailers\u2019 feedback and, where appropriate, drive investments in the retail technology partners that can further accelerate Global Blue\u2019s omnichannel market expansion.\n<\/p>\n
Advancing with investment in promising new verticals<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
\nSince its inception, Global Blue Ventures has already enabled Global Blue to join forces with several leading players including:\n<\/p>\n
- \n
- Yocuda: <\/b>in October 2020,Global Blue acquired a minority stake in Yocuda, a leading digital receipt provider. Yocuda allows retailers to send content-rich, personalised digital receipts to consumers, whilst capturing data that allows for customer insight, management and engagement. Its technology can also be linked to a brand loyalty programmes. Yocuda is partnered with leading companies such as Marks & Spencer and Argos.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- ZigZag Global: <\/b>in March 2021, Global Blue announced the acquisition of ZigZag Global, a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology provider. ZigZag replaces the traditional paper-based \u201clabel in the box\u201d returns solution with an online portal that enhances the experience for consumers and streamlines the process for retailers across the world. ZigZag is partnered with leading retailers such as Selfridges and Superdry.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Jacques Stern, CEO of Global Blue:<\/b> \u201cAs a technology and payment partner for retailers, we are looking at extending our solutions on the full omnichannel journey, for both domestic and international shoppers. The network of RetailTech companies that we have started to create through Global Blue Ventures will enable us to co-create integrated solutions that achieve this goal and ensure we continue to meet our clients\u2019 evolving needs.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
James Strabo and Andrew Carroll, Founding Partners of Global Blue Ventures: \u201c<\/b>We are very pleased to be joining Global Blue and look forward to bringing our vision and expertise to help propel the business further into the RetailTech space. We are confident that the network of RetailTech partners we will build will give Global Blue clients access to the best-in-class solutions and will enable them to stay at the forefront of the latest omnichannel trends.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
ABOUT GLOBAL BLUE <\/b><\/p>\n
\nGlobal Blue is a long-standing and trusted partner for retailers across the world. Its omnichannel technology and payments solutions empower its clients to improve their performance in the following areas:\n<\/p>\n
- \n
- \nTax Free Shopping: After pioneering the concept of Tax-Free Shopping more than 40 years ago, Global Blue\u2019s integrated technology solutions at 300,000 points of sale offer 13 million international shoppers a seamless and personalised experience when claiming back the VAT on goods purchased abroad.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \nAdded Value Payment Solutions: Global Blue partners with more than 50 acquirers and Payment Service Providers across the world to provide retailers and hoteliers with a best-in-class FX solution that serves 16 million travellers and online shoppers at more than 130,000 points of interaction.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- \nEcommerce returns: Global Blue offers, through its ZigZag Global brand, an enhanced, fully digital returns experience to more than 12 million domestic shoppers by connecting retailers to a network of more than 450 carrier services and 220 warehouses in 130 countries.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nA unique understanding of shoppers and their shopping history enables Global Blue to provide Advisory Business Intelligence services, helping retailers to identify revenue and costs opportunities, while its Consumer Engagement solutions help retailers to capture growth opportunities.\n<\/p>\n
\nIn the financial year ending 31 March 2020, Global Blue processed 35 million Tax Free Shopping transactions with a total value of \u20ac18.5 billion sales in store, and 31 million Added-Value Payment Solutions transactions with a total value of \u20ac4.4 billion sales in store. Global Blue has almost 1,500 employees and is present in more than 50 countries.\n<\/p>\n
\nGlobal Blue is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker GB.\n<\/p>\n
\nFor more information : globalblue.com\/corporate<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
View source version on businesswire.com: <\/span>https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20210421005512\/en\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\nMEDIA CONTACTS
\n
Domitille Pinta \u2013 VP Group Communication
\n
Mob: 00 33 6 11 07 52 90 \u2013 Mail: dpinta@globalblue.com<\/a><\/p>\nKEYWORDS:<\/b> Europe Switzerland United States North America<\/p>\n
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:<\/b> Hardware Home Goods Retail Other Professional Services Security Data Management Consumer Electronics Technology Finance Professional Services Online Retail Luxury Other Retail Other Technology Software Networks<\/p>\n
- \nEcommerce returns: Global Blue offers, through its ZigZag Global brand, an enhanced, fully digital returns experience to more than 12 million domestic shoppers by connecting retailers to a network of more than 450 carrier services and 220 warehouses in 130 countries.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \nAdded Value Payment Solutions: Global Blue partners with more than 50 acquirers and Payment Service Providers across the world to provide retailers and hoteliers with a best-in-class FX solution that serves 16 million travellers and online shoppers at more than 130,000 points of interaction.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \nTax Free Shopping: After pioneering the concept of Tax-Free Shopping more than 40 years ago, Global Blue\u2019s integrated technology solutions at 300,000 points of sale offer 13 million international shoppers a seamless and personalised experience when claiming back the VAT on goods purchased abroad.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- ZigZag Global: <\/b>in March 2021, Global Blue announced the acquisition of ZigZag Global, a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology provider. ZigZag replaces the traditional paper-based \u201clabel in the box\u201d returns solution with an online portal that enhances the experience for consumers and streamlines the process for retailers across the world. ZigZag is partnered with leading retailers such as Selfridges and Superdry.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Yocuda: <\/b>in October 2020,Global Blue acquired a minority stake in Yocuda, a leading digital receipt provider. Yocuda allows retailers to send content-rich, personalised digital receipts to consumers, whilst capturing data that allows for customer insight, management and engagement. Its technology can also be linked to a brand loyalty programmes. Yocuda is partnered with leading companies such as Marks & Spencer and Argos.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Thanks to Global Blue Ventures, Global Blue has already partnered with a number of leading and fast-growing RetailTech companies, including global returns provider, ZigZag Global, and digital receipt provider, Yocuda<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Global Blue Ventures focuses on investment and\/or partnership with third parties that offer best-in-class RetailTech innovations, enabling Global Blue to expand its product offering and bring more value to its retail clients<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Logo\"](\"https:\/\/mms.businesswire.com\/media\/20210421005512\/en\/873064\/3\/Logo_GB_bleu_filaire.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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