Switzerland-based global factory store giant Foxtown Sunday opened an outlet in east China's Shandong province, the first such discount mall in the region as a sign of exploring the north China market.

The Foxtown Luneng Taishan Store, covering 17,000 square meters in downtown area of Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, was the sixth outlet Foxtown has established on the Chinese mainland since its first presence in the country in late 2003. The previous five Foxtown outlets were set up in China's rich and fashionable cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen.

With nearly 300 million yuan of investment, the new one is Foxtown's largest outlet in China.

Grace Su, marketing manager of Foxtown's China headquarters in Shanghai, said it is time to look for opportunities in Shandong and even in northern provinces like Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang.

The company's market analysis showed quite a number of wealthy Chinese in northern regions flew to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Europe for luxury purchases.

Factory store malls, offering fat discounts of big brand dress,jewels, and cosmetics, are relatively new in China, Su said.

Source: Xinhua