China’s first ‘Audio Library’ in a shopping mall opened

In the age of digitalization, shopping malls have evolved from a place for consumption to the “Third Space” in people’s everyday lives. Shopping malls provide a comfortable and relaxing environment with humanitarian touches by truly connecting with customers. CityOn.Xi’an has recently collaborated with the nationwide famous audio sharing platform Himalaya to build China’s first ‘Audio Library’ in a shopping mall, enabling customers to enjoy a literary cultural experience while shopping.

As a well-known audio sharing platform in China, Himalaya currently has 480,000,000 mobile users and its market value grew 1,000 times since its establishment five years ago. As a typical unicorn company, the Xi’an Municipal People’s Government signed a strategic agreement with Himalaya in 2018, in which the ‘Audio Library’ created by CityOn.Xi’an and Himalaya has brought the consumption culture in Xi’an to the next level.

CityOn.Xi’an creates a real-life library setting through its infrastructure development. Customers just need to scan the QR code upon entrance of the audio library, and they can gain access to Himalaya’s different free audio book channels created exclusively for CityOn.Xi’an customers. The wide variety of selection includes literature, education, food and beverage, travel, fiction, etc. allowing customers to enjoy extraordinary audio entertainment as they shop or dine.

In addition, the best-seller reads that are popular among young customers that would normally require payment such as ‘Ma Dong’s Career Plan B’ or ‘Kevin Tsoi’s 201st EQ Lesson’ are free to listen for customers in CityOn.Xi’an. To provide a better interactive experience, CityOn and Himalaya exclusively created ‘audio card’, where customers at CityOn.Xi’an can design and customize their own audio greeting cards to send blessings to their loved ones just through a scan of the QR code.

CityOn.Xi’an’s extensive collaboration extends beyond offline to online, where customers are offered a brand-new way to receive messages from the mall. CityOn.Xi’an utilizes Himalaya’s platform to create an exclusive radio channel for CityOn.Xian, enabling customers to receive messages, member benefits, brand details, and customer service information immediately. Customers can either use offline QR code scan or manual search on Himalaya APP to gain first hand information on the happenings of CityOn.Xi’an.

The breakthrough approach completely transforms communication between a shopping mall and customers, where message delivery is now easier and livelier.

CityOn.Xi’an’s General Manager Xu Jing Dong said, “CityOn.Xi’an has always been at the forefront of new retail and has achieved numerous firsts in the nation. For example, CityOn.Xi’an innovatively implemented APP technology in a wide variety of services, such as launching the world’s first offline experience store for DiDi, China’s first SF Express delivery customer service store, and the first to have a smart electric bike stop, motorcycle charging facility, and Ponycar flagship store in China’s north-west region.

These O2O collaborations have brought CityOn.Xi’an and customers closer together, successfully converting online traffic to offline footfall and achieved record-breaking performance in customer traffic and sales.

‘Audio Library’ represents CityOn.Xi’an’s mission of being customer-centric and innovative, striving to be the commercial landmark of Xi’an and the whole of China’s north-west region. The collaboration truly reflects CityOn.Xi’an’s commitment and effort in bringing outstanding retail experience to customers through partnerships with different third parties, and to set the benchmark of customer service in the industry.