'New retail' supermarket opens in Qingdao

A supermarket with concept of "new retail" was recently unveiled in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, as an increasing number of people shift to quality-oriented purchases and experience-based consumption.

The supermarket, namely "Eartharbor", is the first of its kind in Shandong province. It innovatively combines boutique supermarket, specialty restaurants and IP concept, joining an expanding list of retailers that merge online and offline experiences.

Covering more than 2,000 square meters, it is also coupled with cutting-edge technology in an innovative setting, to provide the brand new shopping experience for consumers.

Customers can order freshly brewed beer in automatic machines at the store and instantly enjoy food and beverage beside goods shelves after their digital purchase is confirmed by staff members of the store.

The store also provides several digital magic mirrors for fun.

Currently, the store offers tens of thousands of premium ingredients from 108 countries around the world and provides 30-minute delivery for consumers living within three kilometers from the store.

The store has been introduced by Pradera Retail Asia, an asset management service provider that runs Mosaic Qingdao shopping mall.

Rhys Evans, head of Asset Management at Pradera Retail Asia said, "We are thrilled with the opening of the first Eartharbor store in Qingdao, which will certainly add value to our consumers' shopping experience."

"Consumers' spending patterns and affinity for O2O platforms have triggered growing needs for quality products and more convenient services. The opening of Eartharbor is a further step toward our aim of building Mosaic Qingdao as a leading one-stop community shopping center," Evans added.

Eartharbor, a supermarket with concept of "new retail" opens in the coastal city of Qingdao, East China's Shandong province on March 13. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An automatic machine that offers freshly brewed beer at the supermarket. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]