Core Viewpoint - The traditional tobacco and liquor retail industry is facing a systemic crisis, driven by internal operational rigidity and external market pressures, leading to significant profit erosion and operational challenges for retailers like Wang Cheng [6][10][18]. Group 1: Industry Challenges - Wang Cheng's tobacco shop, once thriving, is now struggling due to a collapse in the pricing system for high-end cigarettes, with sales volumes dropping significantly and profits dwindling [7][8]. - The traditional profit model of "cigarettes cover costs, liquor generates profit" has been disrupted, as cigarette sales no longer cover operational expenses, and liquor sales are embroiled in price wars [9][10]. - Retailers are resorting to "abandoning orders" and "downgrading" their tobacco licenses as a form of silent resistance against the pressures from upstream tobacco companies [9][10]. Group 2: Internal and External Factors - Internal issues stem from a rigid tiered system that ties tobacco licenses to sales volumes, forcing retailers to stock unsellable products alongside popular ones, which becomes unsustainable in a cooling market [12][15]. - External pressures include the rise of e-commerce platforms that disrupt traditional sales channels, leading to a loss of core customers and diminishing profit margins for high-end liquor sales [16][18]. Group 3: Transformation Strategies - Retailers are exploring two main transformation strategies: integrating with online platforms for digital operations and enhancing community service through in-person interactions [20][21]. - While online platforms can generate some new orders, they often fail to address the core business decline, as the demand for high-margin products does not align with the instant retail model [22][23]. - Community-focused strategies emphasize building trust and personalized relationships with customers, which can create a competitive edge that online platforms cannot replicate [24][25]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The traditional tobacco and liquor retail sector is at a critical juncture, where merely adopting new channels will not suffice; a deep transformation of the business model is essential for survival [26].