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interface news reporter | tan siyue

interface news editor | lou qiqin

running shoe brand new balance continues to invest resources in offline channels.

in august, this american running shoe brand opened in shanghaitaikoo li qiantanlaunch a new upgradednew balance run hub running concept storethis is also the first store of this concept store in the world, which shows the importance that the brand attaches to the chinese market.New Balancea global running concept store was also opened in the mall.

new balance run hub running concept storetraditionalthe display area is equipped with a hanging rod system to provide consumers with a more complete shoe and clothing matching solution. the store also has an independent interactive area and nb10k number plate display wall, where consumers can learn about the brand's running culture.“the brand hopes to build on the original concept store.continuing the brand's classic running philosophy, the store will be upgraded to a shared space that welcomes every runner and their friends and family, providing services for elite and mass runners.”New Balancetold interface news.

it is worth mentioning that the japanese sports brand asics also opened an experience store in taikoo li qiantan, shanghai, to provide consumers with high-quality running shoes and clothing.

taikoo li qiantan does have the advantage of attracting major sports brands to gather here.

one is the flow of customers to the mall. although taikoo li qiantan in shanghai, which opened in 2021, is not very old, it is already one of swire properties’ core projects. louis VUITTON, celine, fila, nike and many other brands have opened stores in this high-end shopping mall. the superior geographical location near the oriental sports center also makes consumers more willing to consume here: public data shows that in the first week of opening of shanghai qiantan taikoo li, the average daily passenger flow exceeded 100,000, including the taikoo li parking lot.the parking capacity of each parking lot is close to 90%.

the second is the running "gene" of qiantan taikoo li. the mall's official website shows that there is a 400-meter-long running track on the 4th floor of qiantan taikoo li. the track has a certain drop, which increases the fun and challenge of running. when the track was launched, it was equipped with a smart camera, and runners can automatically record running data through facial recognition technology and view feedback on the relevant app.whetherNew Balance, or asics, both organized running activities on the mall track after the opening of the qiantan taikoo li store.

from the perspective of sports brands, they do have a strong demand to open experience stores and concept stores.

market research firm npd group pointed out in a research report: "the scale of the global running market has the potential to continue to expand. in the next few years, the diversification of running shoes will become the focus of brand product design." according to iresearch consulting, china is becoming the world's second largest running market. the number of core runners and mass runners in china is 100 million and 300 million respectively, and the proportion of core runners in the runner population is increasing.

in this context, sports brands naturally have to hold on to the "cash cow" of running. at the same time, running is highly social. runners gather together because of their love for running, and spontaneously form running groups, running clubs and other organizations. the common interests and goals of the members become their social bond. in this process, the running culture that emphasizes a healthy, positive, and optimistic attitude towards life and values ​​has spread, and a new group of runners have been attracted to make new friends and expand their social circles through running.

take xtep, a domestic sports brand that uses running as its specialty, for example. as early as 2012, xtep established the xtep running club, which radiates to the running crowd with the brand as the center. after more than a decade of development, the xtep running club has more than 2.1 million members. 67 running clubs have been established in national running holy places including beijing ao sen and xiamen huandao road.

in addition to community maintenance, brands can also establish a closer emotional connection with consumers through the unique gameplay of the store. as a result, more and more sports brands are considering running experience stores and pop-up stores.when new balance upgraded its first brand concept store in china in 2022, it also announced the launch of the new season's "nb dream plan" for chinese runners; xtep has decided to open xtep group's first comprehensive sports scene concept store in suzhou; german brand adidas directly built a new store in xuhui binjiang, shanghai.runners base,regularheld super star comfort campwaiting for runners to experienceactivity。