Actively embrace new technologies and create new scenes and formats-traditional shopping malls accelerate digital transformation
Shopping malls are an important channel to prosper the market and ensure employment. The "Measures on Restoring and Expanding Consumption" released a few days ago proposed "accelerating the digital transformation of traditional consumption" and "developing new retail formats such as instant retail and smart stores". At present, the consumption is escalating, which puts forward higher requirements for shopping malls. Keeping up with the pace of demand, many shopping malls around the country actively embrace digital technologies such as the Internet and big data, accelerate the construction of smart shopping malls, create new scenes and new formats, and bring new experiences to consumers.
In line with the transformation and upgrading of physical retail and the digital development trend, in January this year, the Ministry of Commerce announced the first batch of 12 national demonstration smart business districts and 16 national demonstration smart stores, which provided an experience template for the construction of smart stores. What are the new practices in building smart stores in various places? What are the new expectations of consumers? The reporter made a visit.
New technology brings new experience of smart consumption.
At the beginning of the lights, the Sanlitun business district in Chaoyang District, Beijing is full of tourists. Stepping into it, all kinds of "wisdom" elements frequently interact with the crowd, and digital light and shadow become more and more eye-catching in the night.
The reporter saw at the scene that at the peak of eating, robots in many restaurants in the shopping mall were busy, prompting the progress of queuing and guiding consumers to eat, which made the waiting consumers less boring.
There is no need to queue up for payment at the exit of the parking lot. Consumers can park intelligently through small programs, inquire about free parking time and parking fees, and also realize functions such as self-help shopping points, points redemption and parking service.
There are many similar new consumption experiences in Sanlitun business circle. In a cosmetics store on the north side of Taikooli South Square, some customers are trying on their makeup in front of the AR (augmented reality) "magic mirror". They can choose various brands of cosmetics independently, and they can also match eye shadow, eyeliner and lip gloss at will. The "magic mirror" can show the contrast before and after makeup, show the makeup effect more clearly, and provide reference for customers to choose and buy suitable cosmetics.
Shopping malls and business districts are important contents of urban commercial system, and they are also carriers to promote circulation innovation and cultivate emerging consumption. Many physical stores adapt to the new changes in consumption upgrading demand, accelerate the use of modern information technology, build smart stores, and innovate consumption scenarios.
The "Technical Guide for the Construction of Smart Stores (Trial)" issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Commerce puts forward that a smart store refers to the use of modern information technology (Internet, Internet of Things, 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc.) to display, promote, settle accounts, manage, serve, passenger flow, facilities and other scenes of the store, as well as the back-office support of procurement, logistics, supply chain, etc., so as to realize omni-channel and full-scene system perception. Promote online and offline integration, restructure and optimize distribution channels, and meet customers’ convenience consumption, quality consumption and service consumption needs with better products, higher efficiency and better experience.
Entering Suning Yijia flagship store in nanjing xinjiekou, Jiangsu Province, in the audio-visual experience area, audio-visual products of several brands of home appliances are displayed and competed on the same stage, which not only facilitates consumers’ choice, but also brings an immersive shopping experience. In addition, the store also introduced home products and home improvement services, combined with digital scenes such as live broadcast in the store and online 3D collocation, to provide consumers with a complete set of family scene solutions.
The new experience of smart shopping malls has effectively stimulated consumption. According to the data, from July 28th to August 18th, the passenger flow of nanjing xinjiekou Suning Yijia flagship store increased by 56% year-on-year, and the order volume of 3C one-stop smart home appliances increased by 70% year-on-year. Green smart home appliances became the first choice for consumers to shop, the sales of intelligent sweeping robots increased by 165%, the sales of intelligent washing and drying machines increased by 118% year-on-year and the sales of energy-saving refrigerators increased by 73% year-on-year.
Precision of digital boost service
Shopping malls carry out digital transformation and promote intelligent operation; Shopping centers try to integrate online and offline and embrace the cloud business model; The art museum explores immersive scenes and creates new experiences … Visiting the front line of the market, the construction of smart business districts and smart stores promotes the continuous innovation of consumption scenes, presenting some new trends and new features.
The scene of shopping malls and stores is accelerating digitalization.
"It’ s like being in a science fiction world to experience the naked-eye 3D screen of the mall with children." In JD.COM MALL in Xi ‘an, Shaanxi, the consumer Li Li said. This 40,000-square-meter shopping center is full of trends and technological elements from overall design to interactive experience, and has become a well-known punching place in the local consumer market. A giant naked-eye 3D screen is built on the outer wall of the shopping mall, and the realistic 3D effect makes people feel immersive. The store is equipped with holographic projection, VR equipment, intelligent robot, virtual live broadcast room, circuit transparent computer room and other scientific and technological devices and facilities, which is refreshing.
The new scene is one of the key directions in the construction of smart shopping malls. Across the country, many shopping malls apply new technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and virtual reality to promote online and offline integration, implement digitalization of whole scene, whole chain, all users and all categories, dig deep into information data analysis, promote value transformation, improve store operation and enhance consumer experience. There are also some shopping malls that focus on innovative offline application scenarios, and promote intelligent and convenient technologies such as intelligent shopping guide, intelligent parking, electronic settlement, self-service cashier, electronic price tag, intelligent payment, personalized customization, virtual fitting room and the application of facilities and equipment.
Shopping mall supply chain accelerates intelligence.
In Chongqing Raffles Shopping Center, intelligent operation and maintenance systems such as intelligent power control, intelligent environmental monitoring and energy consumption management monitoring have been put into use, which greatly reduced the management cost of shopping malls and improved the management efficiency. "Just the intelligent regulation of air conditioning and lighting saves about 30% of energy consumption." The relevant person in charge of Chongqing Raffles said that the shopping mall has also set up a passenger flow analysis system and a membership management system, and realized digital management and service for hundreds of thousands of members through the portrait and classification of consumer behavior.
As an important part of circulation, improving efficiency and reducing costs are important considerations for the construction of smart shopping malls. In the process of digital transformation, many shopping malls focus on promoting the reconstruction of retail distribution channels, promoting new models such as collection and distribution, unified warehouse distribution and reverse customization, and using data to help reduce costs and increase efficiency and value transformation. At the same time, strengthen logistics support, promote automatic ordering, goods selection, intelligent inventory, pre-warehouse, unmanned warehouse, and promote cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
Shopping mall service is more accurate.
In Shanghai Yuyuan Garden, you can get comprehensive services such as navigation, information, interaction and marketing with one click by opening the WeChat applet of Leyou Yuyuan Garden. Since the program was launched, it has integrated dozens of cultural travel spots and consumption scenes, covering garden tours, convenience services and other sectors, so that citizens can better enjoy the "city micro-travel" tour experience.
The essence of building a smart shopping mall is to improve the consumer experience and win the recognition of consumers by optimizing services. During the investigation and visit, many shopping malls provide consumers with digital services such as online card issuance, omni-channel redemption and event release, intelligent push and point redemption by using marketing tools such as applets and APP, so as to improve the service level. Some shopping malls bring more convenience to consumers through online diversion, offline experience, online and offline traffic sharing, and unified instant delivery service.
New supply stimulates new vitality of the market.
Smart lampposts, virtual fitting mirrors, smart shelves … When you come to Tianhe Road shopping district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, you can see smart consumption scenes everywhere. Walking into Beijing Road, Guangzhou, the outdoor ultra-high-definition curved screen 3D on Xindaxin Department Store attracts people’s attention, and the cool visual experience creates a full sense of science and technology.
As one of the traditional business districts in Guangzhou, Tianhe Road business district has also faced homogenization competition. Faced with the challenge, the business circle actively iterates and upgrades, and constantly adjusts and optimizes the business format. At present, from the retail format accounting for 70%, catering accounting for 30%, and culture and art before the transformation, it has been adjusted to retail format accounting for 57%, catering accounting for 24%, business support accounting for 9%, leisure tourism accounting for 8%, and culture and art accounting for 2%. Nowadays, in the shopping center of the business district, visitors can watch new product launches, art exhibitions and musicals, and the experience is more abundant.
Smart fitness mirror, smart LED touch interactive screen, self-service parking inquiry system, large screen for monitoring parking space … Dozens of intelligent public facilities in Tianhe Road business district have innovated consumption patterns and brought new attraction.
Zhang Jixing, deputy director of the Market Research Department of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, believes that the development of physical retail is affected by many factors such as rising operating costs, structural adjustment of consumer demand, and rapid development of online retail. But backed by the big market in China, the future of physical stores is still full of hope. Compared with online shopping, shopping malls have unique advantages. With the diversification and personalization of consumer demand, offline shopping can meet the social needs of shopping, entertainment, leisure, eating and traveling, as well as the immediate needs of consumers to choose, own and use goods face to face. Focusing on demand, shopping malls will definitely inspire new vitality.
"Intelligentization is the main direction of shopping mall transformation, and innovation is an important driving force for the construction of smart shopping malls." Hong Yong, an associate researcher at the Institute of Electronic Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce, said that in recent years, the scale of physical retail in China has continued to expand and the format has been continuously innovated. In the next step, we should further strengthen the application of next-generation information technology such as the Internet and big data, improve circulation efficiency and service level, and provide more new supplies to consumers.
The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce said that all demonstration business districts and demonstration stores should grasp the new situation, new tasks and new requirements, further strengthen exploration and innovation, and continue to promote the recovery and expansion of consumption. It is necessary to make full use of modern information technology, continuously optimize smart facilities, smart services, smart scenarios and smart management, and lead the industry to innovate and transform. It is necessary to give play to the platform role of smart business districts and smart stores, develop new formats, new models and new scenarios, and meet the quality and diversified consumption needs of residents. (Reporter Kelly; Jia siyu participated in the writing)