Actively embrace new technologies and create new scenarios and formats

Traditional shopping malls accelerate digital transformation (consumer windows, improve supply system, promote consumption growth)

Shopping malls are an important channel for prospering markets and ensuring employment. The "Measures on Resuming and Expanding Consumption" released recently proposed to "accelerate the digital transformation of traditional consumption" and "develop new retail formats such as instant retail and smart stores". At present, consumption is constantly escalating, which puts forward higher requirements for shopping malls. To keep pace with demand, many shopping malls around the world actively embrace digital technologies such as the Internet and big data, accelerate the construction of smart shopping malls, create new scenarios and formats, and bring new experiences to consumers.

In line with the transformation and upgrading of physical retail and the development trend of digitalization, in January this year, the Ministry of Commerce announced the first batch of 1 national demonstration smart business districts and 12 national demonstration smart stores, providing an experience template for the construction of smart stores. What are the new practices for building smart stores in various places? What are consumers' new expectations? The reporter made a visit.

New technologies bring new experiences of smart consumption

At the beginning of the lantern, the Sanlitun business district in Chaoyang District, Beijing was full of tourists. Step into it, a variety of "smart" elements interact with the crowd frequently, and the digital light and shadow become more dazzling in the night.

The reporter saw at the scene that at the peak of dining, the robots in many catering stores in the mall were busy, prompting the queue progress and guiding consumers to eat, so that the waiting consumers were less boring.

There is no need to queue up at the exit of the parking lot to pay, consumers can smart parking through the mini program, query the free parking time, parking fees, etc., and can also realize shopping self-service points, points exchange, valet parking and other functions.

There are many similar new consumer experiences in Sanlitun business district. At a cosmetics store on the north side of Taikoo Li South Plaza, some customers are trying on makeup in front of the AR (augmented reality) "magic mirror" in the makeup area, and they can choose from various brands of cosmetics, as well as combine eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, etc. "Magic Mirror" can display the before and after makeup comparison chart, show the makeup effect more clearly, and provide a reference for customers to choose and buy the right cosmetics.

Shopping malls and business districts are important contents of the city's commercial system, as well as carriers to promote circulation innovation and cultivate emerging consumption. Many physical stores adapt to the new changes in consumption upgrading needs, accelerate the use of modern information technology, build smart stores, and innovate consumption scenarios.

The "Technical Guide for Smart Store Construction (Trial)" issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Commerce states that smart stores refer to the use of modern information technology (Internet, Internet of Things, 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc.) to support store commodity display, promotion, settlement, management, service, passenger flow, facilities and other scenarios, as well as middle and back office support such as procurement, logistics, and supply chain, to achieve omni-channel and full-scenario system perception, data analysis, intelligent decision-making, timely processing and other functions, promote online and offline integration, and restructure and optimize distribution channels. A store that meets customers' needs for convenience, quality and service with better products, higher efficiency and better experience.

Walking into the flagship store of Suning Yijia in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, in the audio and video experience area, multiple brands of home movie and audio products are displayed and compete on the same stage, which not only facilitates consumers' choice, but also brings an immersive shopping experience. In addition, the store also introduces home products and home decoration services, combined with digital scenarios such as store live broadcast and online 3D collocation, to provide consumers with a full set of home scene solutions.

The new experience of smart shopping malls has strongly stimulated consumption. Data show that from July 7 to August 28, the customer flow of Nanjing Xinjiekou Suning Yijia flagship store increased by 8% year-on-year, the number of orders for 18C one-stop intelligent trade-in of home appliances increased by 56% year-on-year, green smart home appliances became consumers' first choice for shopping, sales of intelligent sweeping robots increased by 3% year-on-year, sales of intelligent washing and drying machines increased by 165% year-on-year, and sales of energy-saving refrigerators increased by 118% year-on-year.

Digitalization drives service precision

Shopping malls carry out digital transformation and promote intelligent operations; Shopping malls try to integrate online and offline and embrace the cloud business model; The museum explores immersive scenes to create new experiences... Visiting the front line of the market, the construction of smart business districts and smart stores promotes continuous innovation in consumption scenarios, presenting some new trends and new characteristics.

The digitalization of the mall store scene accelerates.

"Bringing kids to experience the naked-eye 3D screen of the mall feels like being in a sci-fi world." In Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Jingdong Mall immersive integrated consumer commercial body, consumer Li Li said. This 4,3-square-meter shopping mall is full of trends and technology elements from the overall design to the interactive experience, and has become a well-known check-in place in the local consumer market. The exterior wall of the mall creates a giant glasses-free 3D screen, and the realistic <>D effect makes people feel immersive. The store is equipped with technological devices and facilities such as holographic projection, VR equipment, intelligent robots, virtual live broadcast room, and circuit transparent computer room, which is refreshing.

New scenarios are one of the key directions of smart shopping mall construction. 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 the digitalization of all scenarios, chains, users and categories, dig deep into information data analysis, promote value transformation, improve store operations, and enhance consumer experience. Some shopping malls focus on innovative offline application scenarios, promoting intelligent and convenient technologies such as smart shopping guides, smart parking, electronic settlement, self-service cash registers, electronic price tags, smart payment, personalized customization, virtual fitting rooms and other intelligent and convenient technologies and the application of their facilities and equipment.

The shopping mall supply chain accelerates intelligence.

In Raffles City Chongqing, intelligent operation and maintenance systems such as intelligent power control, intelligent environmental monitoring, and energy consumption management monitoring have been put into use, which has greatly reduced the management cost of the mall and improved the management efficiency. "Just the intelligent control of air conditioning and lighting saves about 30% of energy consumption." The relevant person in charge of Raffles City Chongqing said that the mall has also built a passenger flow analysis system and a membership management system to realize digital management and service for hundreds of thousands of members through consumption behavior portraits and classification.

As an important part of the circulation link, 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, increase efficiency and value transformation. At the same time, strengthen logistics support, promote automatic ordering, group cargo selection, intelligent inventory, front warehouse, unmanned warehouse, to promote cost reduction and efficiency increase.

The mall service is more precise.

In Shanghai Yu Garden, open the "Leyou Yu Garden" WeChat mini program to get comprehensive services such as navigation, information, interaction, and marketing with one click. Since the launch of the program, dozens of cultural tourism spots and consumption scenarios have been integrated, covering amusement guides, convenience services and other sections, so that citizens and tourists can better enjoy the "urban micro-tour" tour experience.

The essence of smart shopping mall construction is to improve consumer experience and win consumer recognition by optimizing services. During the survey visits, many shopping malls used marketing tools such as mini programs and apps to provide consumers with digital services such as online card and coupon distribution, omni-channel redemption and event release, intelligent push, and point exchange, so as to improve their service level. Some shopping malls bring more convenience to consumers through online diversion, offline experience, online and offline traffic sharing, and unified instant delivery services.

New supply stimulates new vitality in the market

Smart light poles, virtual fitting mirrors, smart shelves... Come to the Tianhe Road business district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, and you can see smart consumption scenes everywhere. Walking into Beijing Road in Guangzhou, the outdoor ultra-high-definition curved screen naked-eye 3D on the new department store attracts attention, and the cool visual experience creates a full sense of technology.

As one of the traditional commercial districts in Guangzhou, Tianhe Road business district has also faced homogeneous competition. At present, from the retail format before the renovation accounted for 70%, catering accounted for 30%, and the basic blank of culture and art formats were adjusted to retail formats accounting for 57%, catering accounting for 24%, business supporting facilities accounting for 9%, leisure tourism accounting for 8%, and culture and art accounting for 2%. Nowadays, in the shopping center of the business district, tourists can watch new product launches, art exhibitions, musicals, and have a richer experience.

Smart fitness mirror, smart LED touch interactive screen, self-service parking inquiry system, parking space monitoring screen... Dozens of smart public facilities in the Tianhe Road business district have innovated consumption patterns and brought new attractions.

Zhang Jixing, deputy director of the Market Research Department of the Research Institute 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 China's big market, the future of brick-and-mortar stores is still promising. Compared to 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 travel, as well as the immediate needs of consumers to buy, own and use goods face-to-face. Focusing on demand, shopping malls will surely stimulate new vitality.

"Intelligence is the main direction of shopping mall transformation, and innovation is an important driving force for the construction of smart shopping malls." Hong Yong, associate researcher of the E-commerce Research Institute of the Research Institute 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 continued to innovate. In the next step, we should further strengthen the application of a new generation of information technology such as the Internet and big data, improve circulation efficiency and service levels, and provide consumers with more new supplies.

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 consumption recovery and expansion. It is necessary to make full use of modern information technology, continue to optimize smart facilities, smart services, smart scenarios and smart management, and lead the innovation and transformation of the industry. It is necessary to give full play to the role of smart business districts and smart stores as a platform, develop new formats, new models and new scenarios, and meet the quality and diversified consumption needs of residents.

(Reporter Wang Ke and Jia Siyun participated in the writing)