Heyin Network's Bei Nianjun: How to Open a New Era in the Retail World in the Omnichannel Era?

From October 9 to 11, the 5th China FMCG Conference and the 1st China FMCG Distributor Conference were successfully held at Shenzhen Dengxilu International Hotel. Over three days, more than 1,500 FMCG industry professionals from across the country participated in this grand event, with over 80 speakers delivering精彩 content. On October 9, as a co-organizer of the conference, Bei Nianjun, founder and CEO of Shanghai Heyin Network Technology Co., Ltd. and founder of the MPP Alliance, delivered a keynote speech titled "Omnichannel: A New Era" to over 1,500 industry professionals, sharing that in the new era of retail, omnichannel perspectives and capabilities will become the core success factors for new retail. "New Distribution" has compiled the essence of Mr. Bei's speech for our readers.

Two Keywords for Omnichannel: "Heartbeat" and "Instant Gratification" In 2018, Heyin Network proposed the concept of "Omnichannel New Retail" at a New Distribution conference. At that time, the market's understanding of omnichannel was still vague, but today, the industry has seen many encouraging changes. Many platforms and brands have developed their own overall omnichannel operation frameworks and strategies. What exactly is the concept of omnichannel? Why can it resonate so strongly with platforms, brands, and third-party institutions? Today, I think we can summarize omnichannel with two words: "Heartbeat" and "Instant Gratification." How to explain these two words? From a brand's perspective, isn't "Heartbeat" what the marketing department does? Isn't "Instant Gratification" what the sales department does? This seems nothing new. But today, "Heartbeat" and "Instant Gratification" have changed in new retail.

First, let's look at "Heartbeat." In the early days of the FMCG industry, brands used advertising, exposure, and heavy offline investment to reach as many consumers as possible. In the e-commerce era, some platforms began to define precise audiences, shifting from intensive to targeted advertising. Entering the omnichannel era, the integration of time, space, and scenario makes consumers more three-dimensional. For example, in the past, a consumer might be defined as a "fashionable mom," but now it goes further: she could be a fashionable mom on her morning commute, a fashionable mom during afternoon tea, or a fashionable mom working late at night. "Heartbeat" has entered a scenario-driven environment, where consumers become more three-dimensional, and all advertising becomes more precise. Therefore, the definition of "Heartbeat" is continuously evolving in the new retail environment.

Now let's look at "Instant Gratification." In the past, this relied on offline channels, including hypermarkets, mom-and-pop stores, etc. But not all channels can meet consumers' needs for "Instant Gratification," right? Not necessarily.

We also see that on the channel and supply side, many new models have emerged. For example, the highly discussed front-warehouse models of platforms like Meituan and Ele.me.

Consumers' increasing demand for "Instant Gratification" and higher requirements for fulfillment efficiency have forced the optimization of channels and supply.

In the present, "Heartbeat" and "Instant Gratification" need to be connected with a semicolon, indicating a linkage. It is a linked, systematic operation model, not just doing well in either "Heartbeat" or "Instant Gratification."

The Omnichannel Era: New Audiences, New Mindsets, New Scenarios, New Supply, New Stickiness, New Value In the post-e-commerce era, new e-commerce models are still emerging, such as instant e-commerce, interest-based e-commerce, and vertical e-commerce. Many brands have found new growth engines in these models. What consumer needs do these models satisfy?

Instant e-commerce, represented by Meituan and Ele.me, has core keywords of supply and scenario.

First, it provides consumers with more supply, allowing them to get the products they need within 30 minutes, or even 15 minutes.

Second, it creates a large number of scenarios, prompting consumers to think about what products they want to consume in different scenarios.

Interest-based e-commerce, represented by Douyin and Xiaohongshu, has core keywords of mindset and audience.

First, mindset: using quality content to cultivate consumer mindsets. All mindsets are the key to true "Heartbeat."

Second, audience: The operations on Xiaohongshu and Douyin are very precise, with detailed audience tagging to ensure every precise touch truly resonates with their target consumers.

Vertical e-commerce, represented by private domain, has core keywords of stickiness and value. In the private domain, consumers can feel meticulous care and can engage in deep interaction with the entire brand system at any time. They can also continuously access high-value products and even discover new business models that provide new value. In summary, the omnichannel era can be encapsulated in six keywords: New Audiences, New Mindsets, New Scenarios, New Supply, New Stickiness, New Value.

Omnichannel Operations: Transformation, Integration, Innovation In the omnichannel era, brands need to achieve integrated operations of new audiences, new mindsets, new scenarios, new supply, new stickiness, and new value.

"Six New Integrated Operations" have three key points.

Transformation. Shifting from independent operation models to integrated operation models involves more refined organizational systems and management, requiring a transformation in the mindset and model of brand owners.

Integration. Integrated operation models require the integration of a large number of resources and operations, and even the integration of some models and systems.

Innovation. In this process, a spirit of exploration and innovation is needed. Only through continuous innovation can companies stand out and possess the core competitiveness of this era.

Heyin Network is honored to have co-created omnichannel new retail with many brands in the omnichannel era. In this process, we have formed a systematic end-to-end solution for omnichannel new retail. First, the construction of the marketing system.

First, omnichannel marketing. From all online new retail platforms to offline, including social, complete integrated integration.

Second, precise reach. This covers both online advertising and offline consumers, as well as new intelligent shopping guides, to achieve more precise reach with consumers within this system.

Third, private domain operations. In the future, the biggest assets of a brand, besides data assets, are consumer assets. Consumer assets will be the guarantee of the growth engine in the future.

Fourth, content matrix. Daily contact and communication with consumers through various content, seamlessly integrating all brand information with consumers.

Second, the construction of the market system.

First, channel resonance. The omnichannel system is a linked operation of online and offline, not a single channel. It requires more channels to participate and jointly do well in omnichannel. Second, regional linkage. Omnichannel not only requires national operations but also needs to form more flexible and agile operational linkage models with regions. Third, supply upgrade. In addition to existing channels, more attention should be paid to intermediate warehouses, and even future small stores, to complete a three-dimensional transformation. Fourth, digital intelligence empowerment. With complete data support, the entire system can form a clear map from operations to final decision-making.

The completeness and systematization of omnichannel operations will be the biggest challenge in the omnichannel era. Heyin Network is honored to work with brands around "Six New Integrated Operations," actively exploring in omnichannel operations practice and achieving gratifying results.

Finally, borrowing a line from Chairman Mao's poem: "Contradictions vast as the sea, now swept away, opening a new era." This contradiction refers to the fact that in the past era of incremental growth, brand growth was not complex, but in the stock era, stronger integration and stronger thinking are needed to combine all capabilities comprehensively to "sweep away and open a new era," ushering in a new era of the retail world.

Company Profile: Shanghai Heyin Network Technology Co., Ltd. (MPS Media), abbreviated as "Heyin Network." Since its establishment in 2016, it has been deeply involved in the field of retail digital transformation and is a leader in omnichannel new retail brand marketing and omni-channel operation management. "Heyin Network" takes O2O omnichannel new retail as its entry point, deploying multiple new models and scenarios such as DTC, B2B2C, community group buying, social seeding, precise advertising, and private domain communities, serving multiple links including marketing, sales, and operations, and forming a closed loop of marketing → sales conversion. As of 2023, "Heyin Network" has become one of the top three service providers in the fields of omni-channel new retail/BC integration/O2O marketing, recognized by the five major new retail platforms, and has won multiple industry honors including "Meituan Best Service Provider," "Duodian Best Partner," "JD Daojia Excellent Service Provider," and "Tiger Roar Marketing Award." As the only new retail service partner (Omni-Partner), it participated in the compilation of the "2023 Kantar O2O White Paper." Currently, "Heyin Network" is the preferred omnichannel new retail partner (Omni-Partner) for over 40 international FMCG brands on new retail platforms, including Mondelez, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo Foods, Ferrero, Coca-Cola, L'Oréal, Haitian, and Tsingtao Beer.

PS: For those interested in the on-site speech content, please follow the recent posts on the "New Distribution" WeChat official account. We will compile and publish all speakers' speeches for our readers. Click Read the original text to see more about the 5th China FMCG Conference and the 1st China FMCG Distributor Conference...