The second episode of the Digital Academy focused on the future of retail in China.
Beryl Hsu, editor-in-chief of AD China, and Wayne Xiang, managing director of Unite Home and founder Likuai Lifestyle Stores provided insights into a market of the future and illuminated future retail from a consumer and retail perspective.
Under the title Home & Art of Living in the East, Beryl opened to the doors to private flats and houses in China. Using contemporary furnishing examples, the expert showed mainly from an aesthetic point of view, how Western consumer brands can be combined with a Chinese way of life.
Beryl said: “Consumers no longer only pay attention to functionality – the emotional value and the story behind furniture become more and more important. It’s about expressing oneself through design: Many different styles are mixed and influences from East and West meet.
“Vintage furniture or antiques are very popular in China. Furniture must be movable and flexible. Plants and beautifully designed balconies bring nature into our homes. At the same time, smart homes and invisible technologies are an important trend.”
A more practice-oriented side of the future of retail was highlighted by entrepreneur Wayne Xiang in Next Generation of Retail in China: Through which channels will retail take place in the future? Wayne showed internationally relevant changes in Chinese retail trends and took both online and stationary retail into consideration.
He commented: “In two to three years, around 30% of all sales will be made via social media. Social networks in China no longer reflect only daily life, but promote retail products. These can be bought and paid for directly. The technologies behind it are developing rapidly in China. Social media is the retail channel of the future. Anyone can set up their own virtual shop.”
The third episode of the Digital Academy will take place on 6 September 2023 at 10am and will be dedicated to the topic of female leadership in design – Women Leaders in Design: A Conversation with ByDesign.
