Core Viewpoint - Huang Guangyu, despite facing significant challenges and losses, remains determined to revive Gome and explore new business opportunities, including entering the electric vehicle market and developing a new retail model [5][38]. Group 1: Business Challenges and Losses - Gome has accumulated a net loss of 38.8 billion over the past four years since Huang Guangyu's return [5][24]. - The retail revenue of Gome plummeted from 787.5 billion in 2017 to only 17.92 billion in 2022, and further down to 0.922 billion in 2023 [31][32]. - The "Zhen Kuai Le" app, which aimed to transform Gome into a comprehensive e-commerce platform, failed to gain traction, with average daily active users only reaching 3 million by the end of 2021 [23][24]. Group 2: Strategic Shifts and New Ventures - Huang Guangyu's aggressive strategy included transforming Gome's app to cover all product categories and entering the metaverse and live-streaming sectors [16][19]. - In 2023, Gome shifted focus to the booming unmanned retail sector and launched a new retail model called "instant retail," aiming to open over 10,000 stores in three years [35][36]. - Gome is also venturing into the electric vehicle market, with plans to establish a smart car experience center, aiming to operate at 60% lower costs than traditional dealerships [38][39]. Group 3: Leadership and Management Issues - Huang Guangyu faced difficulties in executing his ambitious plans due to a lack of understanding and support from long-time employees, leading to high turnover and internal conflicts [49][52]. - Despite facing significant challenges, Huang Guangyu has not considered exiting the business, instead opting to fight for Gome's revival [45][46]. - The company has experienced employee unrest, culminating in a collective demand for unpaid wages, highlighting the internal struggles within Gome [54].

Core Insights - Anhui YUEJI Zhenxuan successfully completed a 20 million yuan angel round financing, led by a domestic investment institution focused on new retail, with multiple industry-related capital participating [1] - The funding will be primarily allocated to technology iteration, expansion of unmanned terminal networks, and regional market operations to strengthen its competitiveness in the emerging smart retail sector [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Founded in 2019, Anhui YUEJI Zhenxuan focuses on "smart terminals + data operations" to target the "self-indulgent consumption" trend, offering a new generation of unmanned vending solutions [3] - Key innovations include an AIoT intelligent system for a seamless shopping experience, a dynamic product selection engine based on regional consumption data, and a low-barrier expansion model that allows for rapid deployment of stores [3] - The company has established over 100 pilot stores nationwide, with daily foot traffic in community stores averaging 300-500 visitors, over 70% of whom are young users, and an average transaction value of 45-120 yuan [3] Group 2: Market Strategy - As the penetration rate of unmanned retail in first- and second-tier cities approaches saturation, third- and fourth-tier cities and county markets are emerging as new growth points [6] - The company employs strategies such as precise scene positioning in industrial parks, university towns, and residential areas, a light-asset cooperation model with property and brand partners, and localized supply chain collaboration with regional distributors [6] - The investment firm noted that the company's "technology + localized operation" model can reduce product loss rates and quickly respond to regional demand changes, indicating strong replication potential in lower-tier markets [8] Group 3: Future Plans - Anhui YUEJI Zhenxuan plans to launch a "Hundred Cities, Thousand Stores" initiative in 2025, aiming to deploy 500 smart terminals primarily in the Yangtze River Delta, Central China, and Southwest regions [8] - The company intends to open its technology platform to collaborate with fast-moving consumer goods brands and logistics companies to build a "unmanned retail ecosystem," exploring new profit models such as advertising partnerships and customized products [8] - Future initiatives may include "AI interactive marketing," such as virtual try-on features in beauty cabinets and nutritional advice in health cabinets, to enhance user experience and engagement [9] Group 4: Industry Context - The unmanned retail industry is transitioning from early-stage speculation to rational development, with Anhui YUEJI Zhenxuan's approach of "lightweight, intelligent, and scenario-based" potentially offering a new paradigm for the industry [9] - Balancing cost and experience during the next phase of scaling will be a critical challenge for the company [9]