Share of the convenience store operators going online in China 2015-2023
According to a survey among convenience store operators in China, around 89.3 percent of surveyed convenience store operators had businesses set up online and offline in 2022. In comparison, approximately eight percent were operating offline only.
From offline to online
Convenience store operators in China have embraced the rapid digital transformation trend in the country by various means. Apart from digital membership and online payment, the majority of convenience stores offered online-to-offline retail services in cooperation with the leading on-demand delivery service providers.
From online to offline
While most Western retailers are devoted to moving their business online, Chinese e-commerce conglomerates such as Alibaba and JD.com have shown ambitions to expand in brick-and-mortar stores. By spring 2022, Alibaba opened 273 Freshippo stores in China, with most of them located in first and second-tier cities. Apart from traditional convenience stores, Freshippo offers innovative services such as sit-down catering and self-check-out systems.
