Zhong Guo Jin Rong Xin Xi Wang·2025-08-10 09:37Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Hema's membership store model, Hema X, is officially declared a failure after nearly five years of trial, leading the company to shift focus towards Hema Fresh and Hema NB formats, targeting lower-tier markets instead of the middle-class consumer segment [1][2][4][5] - Hema X membership stores, which aimed to compete with Costco and Sam's Club, are closing down, with the last store in Shanghai set to cease operations on August 31, 2023. The initial expansion phase from 2021 to 2022 saw the opening of 10 stores and nearly 3 million members, but the model failed to deliver sufficient differentiation and value to customers [2][3][4] - Analysts suggest that Hema X faced a positioning dilemma, trying to be both a premium supermarket and a warehouse discount store, which led to a lack of clear target audience and ineffective supply chain management, resulting in high costs and low customer loyalty [4][6] Group 2 - Hema is now focusing on expanding its Hema Fresh and Hema NB formats, with plans to open nearly 100 new stores in over 50 cities within the fiscal year, aiming for a total of over 500 Hema Fresh stores [1][6] - The new strategy emphasizes smaller store formats and high-density locations, aligning with the "instant retail" model that combines offline presence with efficient logistics, particularly in lower-tier cities and communities [5][6] - Hema's goal is to achieve a total merchandise transaction volume of 100 billion yuan over the next three years, with a projected 2025 fiscal year merchandise transaction volume of 75 billion yuan, indicating a shift towards profitability and operational efficiency [6]