E-shopping month eyes boosting spending

A month-long live e-commerce shopping gala kicked off on Saturday in the capital's Fengtai district, aiming to invigorate the consumer market by seamlessly integrating online shopping with cultural, tourism and entertainment experiences.

The event was officially launched at an international flower exhibition in Lize financial business district. The initiative is designed to create a comprehensive consumption scenario where visitors can enjoy flower viewing, shopping and leisure activities simultaneously.

A livestreamer (center) promotes tea sales during an expo in Beijing last week. CHINA DAILY

Breaking away from traditional formalities, the opening ceremony featured a vibrant flash mob dance amid a sea of flowers, successfully engaging younger consumers. During the event, five local enterprises were officially awarded as the city's fourth batch of characteristic livestreaming e-commerce bases.

Additionally, the Iceland Lab in Mentougou district, which serves as the first Asia-Pacific store of UK-based Iceland Group, was also recognized as a new e-commerce base. The lab joined the opening ceremony via a real-time video link as an official online branch venue. Meanwhile, renowned traditional Beijing dining brands — including Quanjude and Jubaoyuan — hosted simultaneous livestreaming sessions to offer exclusive discounts, bridging the gap between online and offline shoppers.

Yu Wen, president of the Beijing Time-honored Brands Association, said Beijing is continuously optimizing its business environment and cultivating livestreaming bases to help traditional brands embrace the digital economy. Through cross-border livestreaming and localized product adaptation, many historical brands are successfully expanding into international markets, bringing Chinese craftsmanship to the global stage.

He said the shopping month operated on an "8+N" framework, comprising eight major themed activities and numerous special regional promotions. These include a livestreaming market, forums on helping traditional brands go global, new product launches, origin-tracing livestreams and compliance training for e-commerce operators.

At the flower exhibition, a two-day immersive market became a popular attraction. It features eight distinct zones showcasing time-honored brands, intangible cultural heritage products, new consumption brands, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional specialties, foreign trade goods and AI digital technology. Shoppers interacted with cutting-edge innovations like JD's robotic dog and its companion robot, experiencing a futuristic retail environment while enjoying promotional gifts and interactive games.

Major e-commerce platforms — including JD, Meituan, Douyin, Kuaishou and Taobao — have partnered with the event to offer extensive discounts, coupons and interest-free installments, aligning with the upcoming "618" mid-year shopping festival. Over 200 offline brands, such as Caibai Jewelry and Panjiayuan antique market, are also participating with simultaneous online and offline promotions.

Various districts across Beijing are rolling out tailored activities to boost local sales. Fengtai is linking retail brands with flower exhibition tickets, sporting events and car sales; Shunyi is offering vouchers for local food brands; Miyun is combining rural homestay experiences with agricultural shopping; and Pinggu is promoting its famous local peaches through origin-tracing livestreams directly to consumers' tables. Other districts — including Changping, Fangshan, Shijingshan and Daxing — are also launching new products and offering substantial discounts on goods such as cosmetics, wines and home appliances.

Running through June, the shopping month leverages livestreaming as a core engine to create a more engaging and accessible retail landscape, sustaining the city's robust consumption momentum during the mid-year shopping season.

（CHINA DAILY）