Tallink Grupp has recently launched the Global Blue Fast Refund service onboard its Tallinn-Helsinki route shuttle vessels for shoppers from non-EU countries, becoming the first company in Estonia to offer this service and the first shipping company in the world to offer this service onboard.

The Global Blue Fast Refund service enables to trigger a credit card or digital wallet refund to travellers even before they leave the store. Global Blue refunds the travellers onto credit cards within 2 days after purchase or instantly onto their Alipay account. This service is available for Chinese shoppers having an Alipay app with both an Alipay balance account (similar to a debit card) and a Huabei account (similar to a credit card).  The shopper just needs to validate the Tax Free forms at customs and simply return them to Global Blue using the postage-paid envelope.

According to Head of Business Development and e-Commerce at Tallink Duty Free, Sven-Erik Veimer, bringing the Fast Refund service onboard was a logical step to take as the company’s Asian passenger numbers continue to grow year-on-year.

„We are always on the look-out for solutions and systems that would make our customers’ lives easier. For our non-EU passengers the focus has been on bringing the various payment solutions they are used to onboard, which we did last year when we rolled out AliPay and WeChat Pay across our fleet and now also making the tax refund process easier for them,“ Veimer said.

„Working together with our partners at Global Blue we have managed to bring the Fast Refund service onboard for the first time globally, so our passengers can be the first to enjoy the benefits of this service while shopping on the sea,“ Veimer added.

Kati Aru, Country Manager for Global Blue Estonia commented:  “Digital wallet is the preferred Chinese payment option. By providing Tallink with the  Fast Refund service onboard, we help them to meet Chinese shoppers’ needs and offer them a seamless journey.“

The service is currently available for non-EU passengers on Tallink Grupp’s vessels STAR and MEGASTAR