German retail conglomerate Otto Group is partnering with AliExpress Russia to launch an online Bonprix store on the platform.

The move is part of Otto Group’s strategy to diversify its online sales channels. Otto Group has operated a catalogue business in Russia since 1990 and changed strategy in 2018 to prioritise e-commerce, but it has struggled operationally as deliveries from the Bonprix site have been beset with logistical issues. With AliExpress taking care of logistics as part of this partnership, a major problem for Otto Group is solved.

For AliExpress, this partnership widens its fashion product range by 26,000 SKUs. The fashion segment has proven a popular and fast-growing sector for its Russian marketplace, accounting for 15 percent of turnover last year, with a year-on-year growth rate of 210 percent.