(ECNS) -- China's shopping mall development is in full swing, fueled by integration with the Internet, as e-commerce seems to be losing momentum, experts said at a recent industry forum.
E-commerce transactions in China accounted over 11 percent of total retail sales, maintaining double-digit growth, but growth is showing signs of fatigue, Pei Liang, secretary general of China Chain Store & Franchise Association, said at China Shopping Mall and Fashion Retail Development Forum in Beijing.
As growth in e-commerce slows, retailers in shopping malls have been developing rapidly, making them a top choice for urban consumers, he added.
Pei said a joint study by the association and commercial real estate services firm CBRE found that shopping centers in 17 major Chinese cities received a total of about one trillion visits by consumers in 2015.
Shopping centers not only meet shopping needs but are also places of leisure, experience and social networking, so they lead the consumption trend by displaying diverse lifestyles, according to Pei.
Qu Dejun, president of Wanda Financial Group, owned by China's largest commercial property developer Dalian Wanda, said shopping malls have great room for development by combining the Internet with physical stores to boost consumer experience.
"This will certainly provide a road of innovation for the sector," he said.
Qu added that many newly opened brick-and-mortar stores that emphasize experience proved to be effective.
Wu Jie, general manager of Beijing New Yansha Mall, said shopping centers offer an environment for consumers to do more than shop such as providing a meeting place for friends.
General Manager Liang Yizhe of E∙land Group in China also said growth in young consumers at its Shanghai outlet, a joint venture with Parkson, increased from a 10 percent rise in its opening year to 90 percent to date, while sales volumes also showed remarkable growth.
