A Strategic Alliance for Digital Evolution
In a landmark development for China's retail sector, Pagoda, the prominent fruit retail chain, has forged a strategic alliance with Hanshow Technology. This collaboration is set to infuse Pagoda's store operations with Hanshow's cutting-edge electronic shelf labels and comprehensive in-store marketing solutions, setting a new benchmark in retail digitization. Vice President Yongjian Xu of Pagoda Group emphasizes that building digital frameworks is critical for operational efficiency and brand prominence, allowing Pagoda to swiftly meet market demands.
As digital waves transform global markets, the fresh produce retail sector confronts challenges and opportunities. Elevated consumer expectations for convenience and quality are driving a shift towards digitization as a crucial strategy for industry survival and growth. From procurement to sales, digital technologies are reshaping every aspect of the fresh produce retail experience.
Pagoda’s Pioneering Digital Journey
Pagoda, occupying the forefront of the fruit retail chain domain, now boasts over 6000 outlets across more than 170 cities in China. From the inception of its journey, Pagoda has placed great emphasis on technological investment, foreseen by its avant-garde launch of "Pagoda Online" back in 2008. After years of relentless pursuit of digital transformation, Pagoda has spurred the development of 'Five Integrations': harmonizing online and offline realms, unifying store and warehouse operations, integrating instant and next-day delivery services, aligning in-store immediate sales with farm pre-sales, and consolidating product category management with customer service.
At their recent strategy event, Pagoda revealed its innovative sixth-generation store design. Executive Vice President Yue Jiao asserts that this reinvention will enhance consumers' connection with Pagoda, showcasing a commitment to premium fruits and superior service. The initiative includes an ambitious plan to revamp all 6000 stores by late June.
Enriching Customer Experiences with Hanshow
The partnership between Pagoda and Hanshow began in earnest in 2019, focusing on enhancing the digital footprint of offline stores. Starting from proof-of-concept to executing small-scale store applications, the collaboration has evolved into large-scale deployment phases. Hanshow has emerged as an indispensable ally in Pagoda's quest for digital transformation, recognized for its exceptional product standards, agile service response, sustainable solution approaches, and expert technical support. By deploying electronic price tags and marketing displays in-store, Pagoda is dedicated to dual achievements: optimizing operational efficiency and enriching the customer shopping journey, refining internal processes, and cultivating a retail environment that is more accessible, engaging, and compelling.
On April 26th, a significant milestone was reached with the opening of Pagoda's experience stores in China, which featured Hanshow’s sleek Polaris Pro series electronic shelf labels (ESLs). Innovative design and technological advancements have resulted in a 37% reduction in label thickness, offering a lighter, streamlined appearance with improved battery longevity. With enhanced screen ratios allowing for greater informational display and cutting-edge multi-color e-paper technology, these labels transcend traditional tri-color limitations, empowering the store end with limitless potential. Designed for both ambient and refrigerated settings, these labels ensure versatile installation and seamless integration into Pagoda’s refreshed store aesthetic. Coupled with Hanshow's Lumina series 15.6-inch vibrant HD displays, the dynamic visual presentation of fruits captivates customers with detailed insights into the origin, grade, specifications, shelf life, and optimal storage conditions, fostering comprehensive fruit literacy and an intricate consumption experience.
A Blueprint for High-Quality Development
For franchisees, who are pivotal to Pagoda's retail network, adopting these digital tools simplifies daily operations, such as real-time price synchronization and one-click promotion generation. This approach not only lowers the barriers to operation and workforce requirements for franchise owners but also augments store image and competitiveness. Looking forward, generative AI marketing strategies could enable a unique identity for each store. Headquarters, on the other hand, can precisely monitor the sales and inventory of each franchisee, ensuring that marketing strategies are uniformly executed and timely across the board, culminating in effective and efficient synergy between headquarters and franchise dealers.
Looking to the future, Pagoda and Hanshow are poised to further deepen their strategic partnership, centering on technological innovation and service excellence to broaden application scenarios, share industry insights, and jointly craft a blueprint for high-quality development, establishing a new benchmark for digital upscaling in the fruit retail industry.
