On October 29, 2021, the "Platinum VIP Special Thanksgiving Party" was held as scheduled by China Grand Nangang Store in the Shopping Center (hereinafter referred to as the China Grand). In just a dozen hours, the total sales volume reached RMB 145 million, representing an increase of 3% year-on-year as well as a hard-won and unexpected victory for the China Grand.

The COVID-19 epidemic has inflicted heavy losses to the global retail industry. Cuts in Suppliers’ production, changes in consumption habits, and the fierce competitions have forced physical businesses to usher evolution under condition of endurance and to blaze new trails. Be it online or offline businesses, the underlying logic for innovations is consistent, that is to keep up with changes in the market and consumer demand, and adapt measures to local condition. As to the China Grand Nangang Store, Platinum Sale embodied the transformation in the values, operational efficiency, innovative thinking and strategic vision of the China Grand Group.

Improve efficiency, upfront business planning, seize opportunities and take initiatives

The Platinum Sale was postponed from the middle of the month to the end of the month due to the Harbin pandemic. The China Grand was facing great challenges, such as the underestimated number of customers, the intensified competition in the retail industry, and the year-on-year decrease of 140,000 pieces of goods. In view of the epidemic situation, the China Grand Nangang Store adjusted its plan and resolutely seized the opportunity of the iconic event of "Platinum Sale" to attract customers and drive growth. As proved in the time of COVID-19 outbreak, customer loyalty is the foundation of future survival. As the trump card of the China Grand, the membership system has uplifted us to make wiser judgments, build up confidence and resist risks.

To seize the opportunities and take initiatives, China Grand needs to improve efficiency and early business layout. As early as late July, all employees and suppliers of China Grand Nangang Store had started to prepare for the “Platinum Sale” ahead of schedule. Leveraging on more than ten years of accurate survey data on member loyalty and populations, the Nangang Store boldly adjusted its marketing plan to reduce the costs of performances, venues, and labor in the mall. It upgraded the creativity of the themes and exhibitions while reducing expenses and costs. At the same time, more materials and labors will be invested to achieve a more refined shopping experience than in previous years, and to accurately meet the shopping needs of customers. The highlight of this year’s "Platinum Sale" is the refined shopping experience through recommending suitable products to consumers more accurately and friendly and providing them with a smooth purchase process and value-added services.

Although great efforts have been made to reduce costs, the China Grand Nangang Store has inherited  the conventions to create original IP. It set the theme of "Smiles-collecting Cute Monsters" for this year's "Platinum Sale". Five amusing characters from Monster Planet are dispatched to create fancy, cute, and colorful internet-famous spaces across the city.

 Nangang Store made innovations to bridge the online and offline marketing channels

Like all physical businesses, China Grand Nangang Store has experienced tremendous difficulties this year, such as repeated epidemics and temporary power cuts. Therefore, Nangang Store has accelerated its digitalization, drawn on experiences through continuous practice, and continued to optimize novel channels, such as online cloud malls, WeChat private domains, live-broadcast, so as to switch its "main battlefield" to the online channel in time.

Under the influence of the epidemic, China Grand launched a series of online events to allow customers to safely shop at home. The new products for autumn and winter are launched simultaneously while the online cloud mall also provide 24 hours customer sevice to echo our consumer needs  are served all day. With so many online coupons and discounts, customers can enjoy exclusive online services as exquisite as offline shopping. The WeChat community is established to give out coupons, provide new product and event information, directly obtain customer feedback, and continue to optimize content and services.

China Grand has also reinforced her / its efforts in promoting live broadcasts. Not only has the official account  integrated various resources to lead the live broadcast, but also all brand counters have opened up 30-day non-stop live broadcasts in October. Customers can enter the live broadcast room anytime to choose preferential and high-quality products in the Mall without leaving home, and enjoy the constant and sincere care brought by the China Grand Shopping Center.

 HomePark joint efforts to make new breakthroughs in performance

HomePark, located on the B1 floor of the Nangang Store, achieved a total sale of RMB 5.254 million, completing 103% of the budget and representing a year-on-year increase of 4%. Instead of only focusing on local food festivals, the China Grand launched its novel “Myriad Food Market” on the food festival, in order to build up an inclusive, cooperative, and promising platform to attract internet-famous food through business promotion and resource integration. This event brought together more than 100 best-selling items from 11 specialty food brands in the city, presenting customers with a rich, tolerant, vibrant, and interesting place to explore. Additionally, HomePark issued virtual coupons on the cloud mall for the first time, a new way of offline application. It also kicked off the “One-yuan” sale and “200-yuan” voucher campaign for appliances and home furnishing products. All these contributed to a total sale of RMB 1.71 million for HomePark’s home appliances and furnishing products, an 146.1% higher than the budget and a year-on-year increase of 33%. 

This is a white war in the retail industry! Keeping up with the trend of the times and the ever-changing market structure, China Grand dared to break the conventions and stick to its original creed. On hearing the victory, tears burst out... that is a sense of relief and joy.