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The Life-or-Death Game of Traditional Tobacco and Alcohol Stores
Wang Hua, who runs a tobacco and alcohol store in Qingdao, says business is so bad that he plans to close this year. With daily revenue of only 453 yuan and costs of 300 yuan, he needs to sell about 1,000 yuan more to break even. The industry is suffering from declining profits, increased competition, and changing consumer habits, leading many stores to close or transform.
晴山Convenience Stores Face Increasingly Difficult Times: Struggling to Find a Second Growth Curve
Performance is dismal, so companies can only stay 'low-key.' 'Opening and closing stores simultaneously has become the norm in the industry, and people are no longer shy about closing stores,' said Mr. Wang, a Beijing convenience store chain operator. 'In 2022, the industry was still aggressively competing for lower-tier markets, with foreign brands like Lawson and 7-Eleven, as well as many local brands, accelerating store openings. But in 2023, everyone's actions have been relatively low-key. On one hand, performance is poor, so they can't be high-profile; on the other hand, operators are more focused on cost reduction and efficiency, saving expenses. Under the norm of opening and closing stores simultaneously, everyone can only stay 'low-key.'
晴山“Don't Mention New Consumption to Me Anymore”
Li Yang, an investor in consumer direct investment at a fund of funds, is frequently asked whether he still invests in new consumption. He responds with resignation, saying there is nothing left to discuss about new consumption. The article traces the rise and fall of new consumption brands from 2019 to 2021, highlighting the capital frenzy, subsequent downturn, and the challenges faced by entrepreneurs like Wang Yang, who struggled with financing and strategic pivots. It concludes that while the sector has cooled, consumerism remains a fundamental need, and the path for investors and entrepreneurs is now more difficult.
晴山Loss-Making Third-Tier Convenience Store Franchisees: Hard to Transfer, Closing Means Losses
Wang Qiang, who franchised a Japanese convenience store brand in Qingdao, Shandong, decided to exit after seven months due to intense competition from discount snack stores and lower-than-promised margins. He faces difficulties transferring his store and will lose at least 100,000 yuan. Zhang Li, chairman of Jianfu Convenience Store, highlights key challenges for franchising and predicts an inevitable consolidation period in the industry.
晴山“Convenience store business has never been as difficult as this year”
Convenience store owners in China are facing unprecedented difficulties this year, with sales plummeting and competition intensifying. The decline in low-priced cigarettes, changing consumer habits, and an oversupply of stores are key factors. Despite the challenges, new stores continue to open, and the industry is expected to consolidate in the coming years.
晴山Snack Industry Chaos: Low-Quality Low Prices, Vicious Competition, and Lack of Innovation
As snack stores proliferate, industry chaos is brewing beneath the surface. "With the economic downturn, everyone is jumping into the emerging business model of snack bulk collection stores, but industry insiders should proceed with caution, because once the label of low quality and low price is formed, it will be difficult to reverse consumer perception," said Chen Hai, an industry insider focused on leisure snacks, to Ling Shou. Several leading brands in this emerging model, such as Snacks Busy, Zhang Yiming, Snacks Youxuan, and Snacks Youming, have attracted significant capital in recent years, but as the spotlight intensifies, the strengths and weaknesses of these enterprises are gradually becoming apparent.
晴山Three Years of the Pandemic: The Life-and-Death Struggle of Beijing's Convenience Stores
A Beijing convenience store insider says they are 'barely coping and surviving,' contrasting with growth in lower-tier cities. The pandemic and broader economic pressures have hit Beijing's convenience stores hard, with supply chain disruptions and declining foot traffic from white-collar exodus.
晴山Hard Discount Supermarkets: Not Necessarily a Sure Win
The hard discount retail format is clearly in a window of opportunity given the current economic environment. A community hard discount supermarket chain named 'Discount Cow' has reportedly opened over 50 stores as of mid-July, with plans to exceed 1,000 stores in the next three years. However, the industry has grown accustomed to such ambitious expansion claims, and the article questions whether the model can sustain its competitive pricing and operational efficiency.
晴山Discount Retail's Small Players Begin to Exit: Boom Boom Mart Prepares for Bankruptcy
The emerging discount store sector is experiencing its first major industry reshuffle. Boom Boom Mart, a discount store brand that went viral during the pandemic, is preparing to apply for bankruptcy after just two years of operation, reflecting the broader crisis facing small players in the industry.
晴山Entering Beijing Doesn't Necessarily Mean 'Yue' for Every Household
Jiajiayue faces significant challenges in the Beijing market. Its second store in Beijing opened in Panjiayuan, but residents have noted higher prices compared to nearby supermarkets, and the company's aggressive expansion has led to goodwill impairment and losses.
晴山Tightening Wallets, Discount Stores Blooming Everywhere
Amid economic downturn and pandemic impacts, discount stores are expanding rapidly across China, from snack discount stores in high-traffic commercial areas to community-based living discount supermarkets, with major retail chains also entering the fray.
晴山Consumer Spending Hit Hard: A Panorama of Store Closures and Contractions in Physical Retail
The pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to consumer spending, forcing many physical retailers to close stores or shrink operations. From restaurants to new consumer brands and supermarkets, businesses are struggling to survive, with closures and losses becoming widespread.
晴山The 'Tongue Hero' in the Pre-Made Food Trend
To survive and thrive in the competitive pre-made food market, 'Tongue Hero' still has a long way to go. A consumer's first experience with the brand's products, such as the overly salty Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup and the complicated cooking process, highlights the challenges the company faces in meeting customer expectations.
晴山Near-Expiry Food Goes Viral: Opportunity or Trap?
From a long-term perspective, near-expiry food is a short-demand industry that is unsustainable, and the market is prone to rapid saturation, leading to fierce competition. In the eyes of some aspiring entrepreneurs, near-expiry food has become a "new business opportunity" amid the consumption wave, especially with multiple brands securing financing in the first half of this year.
晴山