Digitalization fuels smart city initiatives, proving convenient for shopping, entertainment
Shanghai's latest blueprint for the 14th Five-Year Plan calls for the promotion of digital transformation of the whole city, encouraging further synergy between digital applications in the fields of economic development, social life and urban management.
A total of 20 major tasks in three areas were put forward, including developing new business formats, fostering of digital economies and building a new ecosystem for technology and innovation.
Peng Yihao, deputy director at the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission, told a recent press briefing that Shanghai has fully leveraged digital technologies to upgrade urban management and regulatory methods.
All of the initiatives are taken to benefit business owners and fuel more efficient government service.
Cainiao Network's cloud computing and data technology was recently put into use at the Fengxian District's digital industry management platform.
It offers an overview of the district's key industry metrics, the bestselling items, the operational status of logistics and dispatch centers as well as the rising trends for niche segment such as pet food.
Online retailers are rushing to offer pre-cooked dishes for nianyefan, the home-gathering meal to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Online shopping has become an integral part of daily life, and delivery services have a key role in ensuring supplies of daily necessities at important occasions like the upcoming Chinese New Year.
Digital platforms, caterers and food vendors are fostering partnerships for on-demand delivery.
And Shanghai is at the forefront of this national trend.
Nianyefan (Chinese New Year's Eve dinner) dishes are considered the most important part of ushering the Lunar New Year and local food retailers are making the most of digital technology to meet demand.
Local supply chains and food vendors and gearing up for those who want to dine at home – but without too much fuss.
Alibaba's fresh food and grocery chain Freshippo has also started to take orders for pre-cooked new year dishes.
Alibaba's fresh food and grocery chain Freshippo has also started to take orders for pre-cooked new year dishes.
A recent survey by Freshippo found more than 80 percent consumers want their new year dishes to be nice-looking.
And they want a balance between convenience and flavor.
Shanghai resident Crystal Li took the chance to taste a hodge-podge stew after she found a nearby Freshippo outlet selling ready-to-heat meals in late December.
"It's easy to prepare the hot dish of seafood, fish balls and vegetables that are suitable for the whole family," she said.
Zhang Qian, director of purchasing at Freshippo's ready-to-cook, ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat merchandise unit, said it has seen strong demand for local specialty dishes and tastes with the younger generation starting to make preparations for a New Year's Eve banquet for the whole family.
Many companies offer products to meet the demand of "taste on your doorstep."
Meituan has seen a quadrupling in sales for pre-cooked meals in 2021 from a year ago.
It hopes to boost sales of dishes offered by famous regional food vendors and restaurants.
Meituan is working more closely with renowned restaurants in Shanghai such as Sunya Cantonese Restaurant and Xiqu Laodafang.
Ready-to-heat hotpot dishes and mixed vegetable plates are among its bestselling items.
Yuyuan Inc is the latest iconic local retailer to team up with delivery platforms.
Alibaba's lifestyle services unit Ele.me is already offering delivery for gift packages of several of Yuyuan brands' packaged food and beauty offerings.
They include Songhelou's noodles, Lubolang's pre-cooked dishes, steamed bums and gift packages with special designs to welcome the Year of Tiger.
Shanghai-based Dada Group has partnered with physical retailers to fuel digital transformation and boost omni-channel sales.
Local tech players are also at the forefront of empowering businesses with digital-enabled solutions.
Shanghai-based Dada Group, whose majority shareholder is e-commerce giant JD, has set up a digital omni-channel platform targeting small and medium-sized retailers, helping them cash in on digitalization trend and cut costs with virtual storefronts.
The system has been deployed in over 5,000 physical stores in the nation.
Instead of just offering a delivery service for retailers, Dada also provides an integrated solution for warehouse management and grocery sorting.
Over 150,000 offline retailers ranging from sellers of home electronics to beauty and personal care products, to vendors of food and liquor have connected to Dada's platform so far.
Shanghai is also home to top audio and video streaming sites which have prospered thanks to the younger generation's embrace of a variety of iconic digital content with rich traditional Chinese cultural elements.
Growing up in the digital era, young Chinese favor the fresh viewing experience provided by the mix of unexpected cultural elements.
It's the third year for Shanghai-based Bilibili to host its New Year's Eve gala featuring animation, games, music, films and TV content.
More than 309 million viewers watched through livestreaming at the peak on New Year's Eve.
It has offered two virtual theme settings "Fantasy Space" and "Magical Space" to offer special visual effects.
Bilibili content creators, top performers, musicians and e-sports players were invited to the stage and the site has taken its content ecosystem and hot topics into consideration to cater to user tastes.
Having attracted over 267 million monthly active users and 2.7 million monthly active content creators, it has continued to post over 100 percent increase in advertising income for six consecutive quarters.
Helping brands build their equity and awareness in the digital realm has been its latest focus as consumers are turning to short-form video contents and vlogs for product information and lifestyle ideas, according to Carly Lee, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Bilibili.
Shanghai-headquartered audio streaming site Himalaya's content has expanded to include audio books, children's books, talk shows, psychology training courses in more than 90 sub-categories, covering traditional Chinese cultural stories, hit sci-fi works and non-fiction content.
Paid subscribers who joined its membership program in its latest promotional campaign last month more than doubled from a year ago with 23 percent being new members.
