Festival time for Shanghai shoppers

Shanghai is launching a shopping festival on September 20 with more than 20,000 retail outlets of over 2,000 companies taking part in the annual event now in its 13th year.

The festival will run until October 20, during which more than 100 promotional activities will be held.

The main stage will be on the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, with four parallel sessions at Florentia Village Outlet Mall in the Pudong New Area, Global Harbor in Putuo District, North Bund Green Land in Hongkou District, and Hongqiao Import Exhibition and Trading Center in Minhang District. Sessions will be linked via 5G live broadcasts.

At the main venue, the first batch of Shanghai's landmark nightlife areas will be released. Meanwhile, the city will award 20 commercial districts with Shanghai characteristics.

As September 20 also marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, its history and development will be showcased at the festival's opening ceremony and businesses there will stay open to 11pm on the day.

Florentia Village will hold a fashion show featuring well-known brands; Global Harbor will issue business guidance policies; North Bund Green Land will hold the 15th Shanghai Wine & Spirits Festival; and the Hongqiao center will launch a new type of bonded logistics center which integrates bonded exhibitions, commodity trading and customs clearance services.

Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Commission of Commerce, highlighted the "first-store economy" concept by emphasizing attracting foreign enterprises to choose Shanghai as the site for their first store in China and to debut their latest products in the city.

Guerlain, the French perfume, cosmetics and skincare house, for example, will launch its customized boutique perfume canning service on September 20 at HKRI Taikoo Hui. 

Meanwhile, renowned brands including Guess, Stuart Weitzman, Versace, and Rimowa will all debut their new products in Shanghai during the shopping festival.