The official website of the Ministry of Commerce yesterday announced the list of the first batch of national pilot cities for retail innovation and upgrading. Thirty-eight cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Nanjing and Hangzhou were on the list, and Shenyang and Dalian in Liaoning were selected.

According to the "Implementation Plan of Retail Industry Innovation and Improvement Project" issued by the Ministry of Commerce and other departments last year, the pilot construction period is two years (counting from the determination of the pilot time). From 2025 to 2029, a number of pilot cities will be determined every year, and cases and experiences will be promoted in a timely manner to explore the formation of a long-term mechanism.

According to the list, Dalian's suggested pilot focuses on "one store, one policy" scene transformation, quality supply and diversified innovation. Promote scene-based transformation, including: giving full play to the main role of operation, focusing on strengthening functional positioning, optimizing internal and external environment, adding humanized service facilities, and enhancing style features. On the premise of ensuring the quality and safety of houses, promoting department stores and shopping malls to carry out "one store, one policy" transformation, seeking efficiency from operation, etc. Promote quality supply, including encouraging traditional consumer goods such as automobiles, home appliances, home improvement kitchens and bathrooms to "trade-in", and cultivating new consumption growth points such as smart homes, digital products, smart wearables, big health, beauty cosmetics, pets, etc. Promote diversified innovation, including encouraging department stores to appropriately increase the proportion of catering, entertainment, parent-child and other formats, explore in-depth joint ventures, self-procurement and self-operation, and shift from selling goods to selling service experiences, solutions, lifestyles, etc.