Shopping festival to boost spending at Putuo malls and venues
Shopping promotion events at the Global Harbor in Putuo.
Residents looking to reinvigorate their wardrobe, or simply stock up on household essentials are invited to Shanghai's annual shopping frenzy in Putuo District, which will kick off next week.
The district is set to launch a wide array of promotional activities during this year's 4th Double Five Shopping Festival across its shopping, tourism and entertainment venues.
As the highly anticipated festival in Shanghai draws near, the excitement is building among locals and tourists alike.
The annual shopping festival runs through June and aims to expand and improve the city's consumption, and accelerate the development of Shanghai as an international commercial center.
After being held for three consecutive years, the shopping festival has become a major event in Shanghai, promoting consumption and successfully creating a number of iconic events, such as the Global New Product Launch Season and the Shanghai Night Festival.
To attract new customers, in particular the two major customer groups of foreign visitors and younger Gen-Z shoppers, this year's festival will introduce an art season and a global cuisine festival. A series of events that appeal to young consumers, such as a nightlife festival, a digital life festival, and a coffee culture week are on the agenda.
This year's promotional events in Putuo will be themed around "new, service, automobiles, and green consumption."
Putuo has created two mascot figures for the annual shopping frenzy, named Puxiaohai and Puxiaogou, literally means "Hi Putuo" and "Shop in Putuo." They will further promote the shopping brand of Putuo along with popular malls across the downtown district.
To boost the influence of its automobile market, the district will continue hosting its annual auto sales promotional events. Many new products will be launched, along with imported items and new eateries.
Renowned shopping complexes in Putuo such as Global Harbor, known as the largest shopping mall in Shanghai's downtown, and Bailian Zhonghuan, will launch activities to drive nightlife and brand economies.
Putuo is determined to promote the district's shopping dynamics, charm and quest to become one of the city's top shopping destinations.
Retailers and merchants have been encouraged to use innovative models to promote products and attract shoppers, the district's commerce commission said.
China's Ministry of Commerce has designated this year as "the year to boost consumption." Under the priority of revitalizing and expanding consumption, Shanghai has deployed citywide promotional activities throughout the entire year.
Since the beginning of the year, Shanghai's consumer market has shown a stable and warming trend.
According to data from the Consumer Market Big Data Laboratory, the total offline consumption in the city reached 261.7 billion yuan (US$38.09 billion) in March, a year-on-year increase of 6.9 percent and up 10.8 percent from the previous month.
Shopping promotion events at the Global Harbor in Putuo.
The online consumption in March amounted to 136.1 billion yuan, a growth of 17.4 percent year on year, among which the online retail sales of physical goods rose 6.7 percent to 113 billion yuan.
As a highlight, the Putuo session of the Shanghai Auto Carnival will be held between April 28 and May 5, which features many 4S stores.
A large swathe of 4S stores in Taopu and Changzheng towns as well as the city's automobile association will take part in the sales campaign. Multiple new cars will debut during the opening ceremony, with promotional events planned both online and offline.
Nearly 40 leading domestic and foreign automotive companies, including NETA, Tesla, NIO, SAIC Datong, Volvo, SMART, Audi, BYD, Xpeng and SAIC-Volkswagen will take part in the event.
High-end brands like Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes Benz and Lexus, economy brands Toyota, BUICK and Chevrolet, and new-energy brands BYD will unveil their latest models at the event.
Dealers will provide discounts and promotions at this year's festival, such as cash subsidies and preferential financial policies, along with lucky draws and souvenirs.
Consumers who have purchased a car or paid the deposit can take part in the lucky draw to share a total of 500,000 yuan in awards. They will be invited to smash one of 500 "golden eggs." The awards include gold bars and jewellery, DeLonghi coffee machines, fresh food gift packages from Metro hypermarket and stainless vacuum cups.
Customers also invited to visit 10 of the 40 automobile brands or reserve test drives to receive a gift such as a toothpaste, mug, tissue box or shopping bag.
To promote the Suzhou Creek waterfront in Putuo, the district's culture and tourism bureau has introduced several micro-tourism routes along the creek to boost the culture and tourism consumptions during the festival.
The walking routes traverse the most popular riverside attractions in Putuo, such as the M50 art park, Changfeng Park, Suning Art Museum and the Lego center. The routes are designed to boost Putuo's distinction as the "Half Marathon Suzhou Creek."
Putuo has developed a continuous path along the 21-kilometer section of the creek in the district. The downtown section in Putuo along the creek was once home to China's earliest industries.
The waterfront section known as Baocheng Bay was home to a fifth of China's earliest textile factories, dating back to the 1920s. After 1949, the Shanghai No. 1, 6 and 7 cotton factories were based on the waterfront, along with a military warehouse for quilts and uniforms. The site was dubbed the "cradle of China's textile industry."
Putuo has also introduced several walking routes for people to explore the district's history and culture. The routes themed "Suzhou Creek Cultures," "Red Stories (about the history of the Communist Party of China)" and "Reading architecture" enable people to explore the city's cultural heritage.
Several exhibitions and activities will be held at the Suzhou River Industrial Civilization Exhibition Hall, Gu Zhenghong Memorial Hall, Huxi Workers' Half-Day School Exhibition Hall, and Yuan Dynasty Water Gate Site Museum on May 18, the International Museum Day, .
A tour, hiking and other micro-travel routes will also be released for local parents and children on May 19, the China Tourism Day, according to the district's culture and tourism bureau.
Some sports competitions, including paddle boarding, frisbee, rugby and drone flying, will invite amateur athletes to compete on and along the creek through December.
A new fashion store opens at the Global Harbor.
Key shopping events at malls across Putuo:
Bailian Zhonghuan Shopping Mall
Address: 1288 Zhenguang Rd
真光路1288号
The mall will serve as the main site of Putuo's shopping festival this year with an automobile exhibition and sales as the main attraction. A food festival will also be held at the mall through May 5 featuring traditional Chinese cuisines for spring.
Global Harbor
Address: 3300 Zhongshan Rd N.
中山北路3300号
The Global Shopping Festival of the mall will be held between April 28 and May 31. Fashion shows, camping bazaar, car exhibition, livestreaming events and flash mobs will be staged at the mall during the festival. Half discounts will be offered for children's clothes and shoes, along with 200-yuan and 500-yuan coupons for customers spending more than 1,000 or 2,000 yuan.
A flower festival will be held through the end of April with a 6-meter-tall cherry blossom tree at the south plaza and a flower wall at the fourth floor for customers to pose with.
Yuexing Group
Address: 168 Aomen Rd
澳门路168号
A smart home appliances festival will be held at the Yuexing furniture mall from April 28. The group will release its high-end home appliances strategy during the festival, along with smart home appliance exhibitions and promotions. A social party for local white collars will also be held during the festival.
Tian An 1000 Trees
Address: 600 Moganshan Rd
莫干山路600号
The new-energy automobile brands, including IM, Smart and Nio, in the mall will offer discounts during the shopping festival. Customers can also buy a joint ticket for the Suzhou Creek cruise and afternoon tea at four popular restaurants at the mall. One of the stops of the cruise service is near the landmark mall.
189 Shopping Center
Address: 189 Changshou Rd
长寿路189号
Customers can buy a 100-yuan shopping coupon for only 51 yuan through the app of the China Merchants Bank through the end of May. The coupons can be used at many chain restaurants at the shopping complex. A children's painting exhibition about Vincent van Gogh will also be held through May 31.
NGS 118 Plaza
Address: 1685 Jinshajiang Rd
金沙江路1685号
Customers can exchange sports training sessions at the plaza with membership credits. They can also change the credits for coupons for food and drinks.
Printemps Department Store Shaanxi Road branch
Address: 155 Changshou Rd
长寿路155号
Some clothing brands are offering half discounts through the end of April. The store also presents coupons for coffee and body lotions to customers who spend over 388 or 588 yuan at the mall.
The China High-end Electrical Appliance New Ecology Strategy Press Conference will also be held during the March Star Smart Home Appliances Festival in 2023, alongside the Smart Home Appliance Joint Exhibition, "Green Appliances Renewed from Old," brand star alliance activities with Xu Shaoyang visiting the March Star Home, the Starry Night White-collar Friend-making Lifestyle Party, Shanghai's first annual KPOP party, singles dance party, Happy tourism Shanghai Art Festival, big brand live broadcasts, and March Star Shop tours.
Red Star Macalline
Address: 1108-1208 Zhenbei Rd
真北路1108-1208号
A shopping festival for furniture, home appliances and decor will be held at the mall through May 7. The mall will offer a total of a million yuan in subsidies and the biggest discount will reach 1,500 yuan.
Zhonghuan commercial hub in Putuo.
IMAGO Plaza
Address: 189 Wuning Rd
武宁路189号
An outdoor food festival will be held through May 3 to boost the consumption and nightlife economy. Some nanhuo, or southern Chinese delicacies, and beihuo, or northern Chinese food products, will be sold at the outdoor bazaar. An indoor karting race will also be held to attract local parents and children.
Metro
Address: 1425 Zhenbei Rd
真北路1425号
Discounts ranging from 10 to 40 yuan will be offered to customers purchasing frozen beef, barbecue, breads and other popular products at the supermarket.
Changfeng Joy City
Address: 196 Daduhe Rd
大渡河路196号
The mall will celebrate its fifth anniversary from April 27 with a bazaar covering 1,000 square meters. Music, magic shows, a pet show, and social events will be organized at the bazaar. A fashion art installation exhibition from famous illustrator Meng-bali will also be staged.
MTR City Plaza
Address: 818 Zhenbei Rd
真北路818号
The mall will cooperate with the World Pet Association's Shanghai branch to open a pet bazaar and carnival. Some pet performances will be staged at the mall through May 5. Some eateries and cafes such as Starbucks and M Stand, have allowed the admission of pets to its outdoor areas.
Putuo Greenland Being Funny Mall
Address: 2033 Caoyang Rd
曹杨路2033号
The mall will celebrate its second anniversary with a camping festival and children's talent show. Some performances will be staged at some stores at the mall.
X-Tower
Address: 100 Yejiazhai Rd
叶家宅100号
A Suzhou Creek nightlife food market will be launched between Friday and Sunday during the shopping festival. Citizens can sit along the creek and taste barbecue, hotpot and buffet.
Caoyang Mall
Address: 137 Lanxi Rd
兰溪路137号
Customers can take part in a lucky draw after spending at least 55 yuan at the mall. Some food stores will offer discounts, while clothing brands will offer discounts up to 90 percent. Gold jewellery and bedding will also be available on sale.
