Insight Report 5 minutes PremiumChina Tech Briefings: Ling Shou Tong—Alibaba Leverages Independent Convenience Stores to Gain a Competitive Advantage in New Retail Coresight Research July 11, 2018 Executive Summary Ling Shou Tong is a partnership program between Internet giant Alibaba, the owner of Tmall, and independent, family-run convenience stores (c-stores) in China. It aims to modernize c-stores by enabling them to incorporate technology for analytics and operational improvement. Participating c-store managers process their inventory orders through a dedicated Ling Shou Tong app. They also receive purchase recommendations and are able to offer additional services such as mobile pop-ups to shoppers. The stores that perform well can rebrand themselves as “Tmall Corner Stores.” Ling Shou Tong is an integral part of Alibaba’s “New Retail” strategy, which aims to integrate online and offline retailing through digitalization. Through the program, Alibaba leverages a vast network of c-stores in China to expand its offline reach, enhance its knowledge of local markets and strengthen its distribution business, last-mile delivery capabilities and brand recognition. This report is for paying subscribers only. Already a paying subscriber? Please log in to see the entire report.If you wish to learn more about our subscription plans and become a paying subscriber, click here. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in: A Must-Read Guide to Shoptalk 2023: How To Maximize Your Time and Create Opportunities Across Five Retail ThemesShoptalk 2023 Day Two: AI Takes Center StageThe Future of Pricing: How AI Is Transforming Price Planning in RetailNRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Wrap-Up—Leveraging Tech To Evolve the Retail Experience and Improve Efficiency