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The "2D" craze swept across China's major cities during the summer. Comic exhibitions have increased the attraction of urban cultural tourism, and "2D" offline activities have become an important model for attracting customers to the business district by creating consumption scenarios. "2D" can save old shopping malls?

On one hand, old shopping malls are being revitalized by the two-dimensional world. For example, the Shanghai Bailian ZX Creative Mall, which was converted from the old Hualian Department Store, has become a two-dimensional paradise. Chengdu's old shopping mall Tianfuhong has successfully transformed by introducing "two-dimensional" consumption. On the other hand, "two-dimensional" offline stores have closed down one after another, and the "two-dimensional" group has turned back to online second-hand trading platforms.Group Buying。

How is the operating status of offline stores of "ACG"? What are the consumption habits of the "ACG" group? Is the effect of "ACG" in stimulating consumption overestimated? With these doubts, the researchers went to three shopping malls in Shanghai, including Bailian ZX Chuangquchang, Baimi Xiangxie, and Xuhui Vanke Plaza.

On July 13, 2024, the entrance of the Bailian ZX Creative Center on Nanjing Road in Shanghai welcomed a large number of fans of the second dimension comics, almost all of whom were young people dressed beautifully. Visual China Data Map

Bailian ZX Creative Center: Not only a shopping mall, but also a cultural and tourism destination

On the evening of July 31, the researchers visited the Bailian ZX Creative Center. The mall was bustling with many tourists from other places, many of whom were middle school students who came to check in. Parents stood at the door of the store or sat on the floor in the lobby on the first floor of the mall waiting.

"I just went to one store and I've already spent 700 to 800 yuan." A female middle school student said to her friend on the phone.

The girl's surname is Zhou, she is 15 years old, in the third grade of junior high school, from Qingdao, and she came to Shanghai with her family. "There is no shopping mall like this in Shandong, I have to take several subway stops to find a store." And this time in Shanghai, Bailian ZX Creative Center has also become one of her travel destinations.

When asked about the store's revenue, "Xiao C", a clerk at "Mao Shou Wu" on the 6th floor of the mall, said, "20,000 to 30,000 yuan on weekdays, 30,000 to 40,000 yuan on weekends, and up to 50,000 yuan during the summer vacation." Based on an average of 30 yuan per order, the average daily customer flow during peak hours is 1,500 people.

Unlike traditional shopping malls where customer traffic is concentrated on the lower floors, except for the first floor, the customer traffic on the second to sixth floors of Bailian ZX Creative Mall is evenly distributed. Even though Maoshouwu is on the top floor of the mall, its business is booming. Many store employees said that the scarcity of the goods sold has a greater impact on customer traffic than the location of the store.

The booming business of Bailian ZX Creative Fun Center is not only due to the summer vacation, but also due to the comic exhibition and the release of new anime movies. Researchers learned that the two best-selling IPs in many stores are "Haikyuu!!" and "Blue Prison" because the movie of the same name is currently being released.

Although "Goods" (the transliteration of "two-dimensional" peripherals) can be purchased online, the "two-dimensional" group is still keen on visiting physical stores. Why?

"Because you open the lottery tickets manually offline, it's just like scratching a lottery ticket. The feeling is incomparable to buying online. And they come here not just to buy things, but also to have fun shopping with family and friends." Xiao C said. The researcher asked several other store clerks and almost all of them got the same answer, "To put it bluntly, it's just for fun."

"Spend whatever spare money you have on this"

Is it so easy to make money in the “second dimension”?

"Basically, I would use eight or nine hundred out of one thousand yuan to buy grain, and the rest to buy books, because I'm not interested in other things," said a female middle school student named Zhou from Qingdao.

As for the spending of minors on their hobbies, most of the parents the researchers met at the Bailian ZX Creative Field expressed understanding and support. A parent from Hebei said that although he did not understand, he would still support his child's hobbies, "Our destination tonight is here, and I gave her 1,000 yuan for the activity."

On July 14, 2024, young people took photos of displayed products in the Bailian ZX Creative Center in Shanghai. Visual China data map

In addition to minors, there are also many adults who are already working and earning income in Bailian ZX Creative Center. According to the observation of researchers and the introduction of store staff, customers are both those born in the 1980s and 2010s, and most of them are around 20 years old. The average amount per order for minors is about 30 yuan, while adults with financial resources can spend tens of yuan or thousands of yuan.

27-year-old "Blueberry" is a teacher who "spent 8,000 to 9,000 yuan a month after entering the industry" and said that he "has been very restrained". A friend of "Blueberry" who met at the comic convention, 21-year-old "Meow Sauce", "spends whatever spare money he has on this".

Since most of the staff in the store are from the "2D" group themselves, they also understand the "irrational consumption" behavior of the "2D" group in the eyes of the outside world. "Pay for what you love, and what he loves is his life." said the staff at Toramaru-ya on the 4th floor.

So why can we continue to pay for what we love?

"It depends on how often the IP you follow is updated. I will buy it as soon as there is an update." The clerk said that the update frequency of popular comics can be as high as once a week, while the update speed of games is relatively slow. "After getting into it, I will also buy second-hand old figures." Blueberry said. The Baimi Xiangxie Shopping Center, which is only about 700 meters away from the Bailian ZX Creative Center, is a gathering place for second-hand "grain" stores.

How to improve the concentration of "secondary dimension"?

When asked, "What do you think about 'the second dimension saving old shopping malls'?", most of the "second dimension" group agreed with this statement and cited successful cases of "second dimension" revitalizing old shopping malls in different cities, but some respondents expressed a cautious attitude.

"'Two-dimensional' stores need to form a certain cluster. Some 'two-dimensional' offline stores did go bankrupt because they were not opened together." said a clerk at the bilibiliGoods store in Xuhui Vanke Mall.

The Xuhui Vanke Mall, which opened in June 2024, has a "Second Dimension" theme area, which has introduced seven "Second Dimension" chain brands, including bilibiliGoods, Manhun, KaTao, and Keka Collection. When the researcher visited twice on Saturday and weekday evenings, the "Second Dimension" theme area did not have much traffic.

According to the staff of Manhun, due to the short opening time and the limited space structure of the mall, no large-scale "two-dimensional" offline activities have been held. Most of the customers who come to the store are residents of the surrounding communities, usually parents with children. There are not many "two-dimensional" groups that gather to check in.

The bilibiliGoods clerk does not think that Bailian ZX Creative Mall is a typical example of "the second dimension saving the old mall" because the entire mall has been renovated to create a "new mall" with the theme of "the second dimension". He believes that the typical example is New World City, which is also located in the People's Square area. By turning the fourth floor of the shopping mall into a "second dimension" theme floor, it has brought popularity to the entire mall.

The word "concentration" is popular among the "2D" community. It not only refers to the number of "2D" stores in a shopping mall, but also refers to the degree of "2D" concentration in a block.

Many of the interviewed "2D" groups said that the area around People's Square is the place with the highest concentration of "2D" in Shanghai. Bailian ZX, New World City, Baimi Champs Elysées, Dimei Commercial Street, No. 1 Department Store, Jing'an Joy City, etc. are all within walking distance of each other. They often make appointments with friends to spend a whole day shopping in that area.

The concentration of "two-dimensional" in a small area can be achieved through flash mob events and popular IP exhibitions. For example, Jing'an Joy City held 14 flash mob events in July and August alone, and nearly 300 flash mob events every year, creating a carnival for "two-dimensional" enthusiasts to participate in, and becoming another "two-dimensional" check-in destination.

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