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Exploring China’s Omnichannel Playbook for Global Retail Strategy
The Scala Consulting team has facilitated a tailored learning expedition for a European multinational company. The goal is to understand how leading players in China have redefined omnichannel retail and consumer engagement — and to identify best practices that could inform ADEO’s global innovation roadmap.
Objective
To expose the European MNC’s leadership team to China’s cutting-edge O2O (online-to-offline) retail strategies, supply chain innovations, and consumer experience models — and explore the potential for cross-border learning and collaboration.
Our Approach
Scala designed a curated multi-city agenda focused on retail transformation, digital commerce, and operational excellence:
- Retail & Consumer Experience
- Sephora: Explored digital integration in retail, flagship store innovation, and data-driven personalization in urban retail environments.
- O2O & Supply Chain Innovation
- Hema: Studied Alibaba’s O2O grocery retail model and its real-time logistics integration.
- B&Q China: Visited the Chinese counterpart of the European MNC’s core brand to benchmark retail localization strategies.
- Tech & Digital Ecosystem
- NetEase: Examined how platform-driven consumer brands are built in China through private labels, digital traffic, and tech-driven branding.
- China Accelerator: Engaged with local startups and digital enablers to explore emerging technologies in logistics and retail.
Results
The program enabled European company’s team to derive actionable insights and strategic takeaways for European adaptation:
- O2O Best Practices: Participants gained a nuanced understanding of how Chinese retailers integrate digital platforms with in-store experience, from click-to-door fulfillment to in-store QR-based journeys.
- Cross-Market Learning: Seeing firsthand how local champions operate helped validate strategic parallels and uncover fresh approaches that could be piloted back in Europe.
- Future Collaboration Potential: The visit opened exploratory dialogues with Chinese innovators and service providers in areas such as retail tech, last-mile fulfillment, and co-branded campaigns.
