bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Yujie Xue

After more than 10 years in jail for insider trading and bribery, Huang Guangyu, founder of Chinese electronics retail chain Gome Retail Holdings and formerly the country’s richest man, announced ambitious expansion plans in a bid to regain lost ground in a market that has drastically changed since his incarceration.
In his first public appearance since rejoining the company, Huang expressed confidence during a Gome global investor call on Wednesday night about 
During Gome’s global investor call on Wednesday night, in his first public appearance since rejoining the company, Huang expressed confidence in his company’s ability to take on the country’s e-commerce giants Pinduoduo, JD.com, and Alibaba Group Holding, the owner of the South China Morning Post.
“We’re open in both mindset and strategy. No one can kill the other. As long as the business direction and strategy are right, constraints from others will be temporary,” Huang said. “We see [Pinduoduo and JD.com] as mature sales platforms; we can go to them to sell and attract traffic, and they can also cooperate with us.”
The electronics giant revealed plans to expand its offline stores to more than 6,000 locations from its current 3,400 over the next 18 months. The company is also looking to use entertainment and social networking to bolster its app, Zhenkuaile, and increase the number of monthly active users from 40 million to 100 million in the same period.

Huang said he wants Gome’s consumers to participate in and share in-app entertainment and to think of the shopping experience as having fun.
“It will become the reason for consumers to store [our] app on their mobile phones,” Huang said.
To achieve its ambitious plans, Gome faces a steep climb. Its retail revenue for 2020 fell by 26 per cent and losses ballooned 142 per cent to 7.2 billion yuan over 2019, making it the retailer’s fourth consecutive year of losses, according to Gome’s annual results published on March 31.
Before his arrest in 2008, Huang was one of China’s most influential entrepreneurs.
While his wife, Du Juan, held the reins of his bricks-and-mortar electronics empire until his early release on good behaviour last year, China’s retail market underwent dramatic changes as online shopping disrupted the traditional offline model. E-commerce now makes up nearly half of all retail sales in China, and it’s a popular means of buying even large home appliances.
Pinduoduo invests US$200 million in electronics retailer Gome
“Twelve years ago, Huang was the one who knew Chinese business best,” said Ding Daoshi, director of Beijing-based internet consultancy Sootoo. “Now, more than 10 years later, facing the intricacies of competition in the retail industry today, does he have the large resources and financial capabilities to get Gome back to the same position in just 18 months?”
China’s electric appliances market is now dominated by Suning.com, which made up 23.3 per cent of the market in the third quarter of 2020, according to a report from the state-owned China Household Electric Appliances Research Institute. Suning, which also started as an offline retailer, was followed by JD.com with 15.4 per cent and Tmall with 9.7 per cent. Gome was down to 5.6 per cent.
Things are worse for Gome in the online market for consumer electronics, where it has just 1.5 per cent share and is again eclipsed by Suning, JD.com and Tmall.
“I think Gome has almost no possibility of a comeback in the current e-commerce or new retail environment,” said Cao Lei, director of the Hangzhou-based China E-Commerce Research Centre. “Because whether from his strategic planning or business layout, it is still a traditional retail enterprise.”

“Considering that even Suning is suffering from competition with online retail giants like Taobao and JD.com, the market left for Gome will be even smaller,” Cao added.
One bright spot for Gome is partnerships it struck last year with JD.com and Pinduoduo, which Sootoo’s Ding said could give the company a chance at a comeback.
In April of last year, Pinduoduo announced that it was investing US$200 million in Gome to help with the company’s digitalisation. The following month, Gome announced “strategic cooperation” with JD.com, which bought US$100 million worth of convertible bonds from the electronics retailer.
“Gome has the absolute advantage of its offline stores across the country and logistics from first- to lower-tier cities,” Ding said. “The relationship between Gome and JD.com and Pinduoduo is not competition, but more like cooperation by complementing each other’s resources. Their future rivals will be other online retailers, led by Alibaba.”


Once China’s richest man, Gome founder Huang Guangyu hopes e-commerce can revive floundering electronics empire

Gome’s founder announced ambitious expansion plans in bricks-and-mortar shops and entertainment offerings in its app. Photo: Reuters

Pinduoduo has rapidly become one of China’s top e-commerce platforms since launching in 2015, and Gome hopes a partnership formed last year can help it get back on track after four years of losses. Photo: Reuters

Suning got its start as a brick-and-mortar retailer, but it has since changed its name to Suning.com and is now China’s largest electronics retailer. Photo: Shutterstock

Tech

Tech Trends

Business

China Business


Gome’s founder announced ambitious expansion plans in bricks-and-mortar shops and entertainment offerings in its app
After being surpassed by Suning.com, JD.com and Alibaba, Gome faces a tough challenge to regain ground lost after its founder was sent to prison for insider trading



Gome’s founder announced ambitious expansion plans in bricks-and-mortar shops and entertainment offerings in its app, but the Chinese retailer faces a tough challenge to regain ground lost after Huang was sent to prison for insider trading.


Once China’s richest man, Gome founder Huang Guangyu hopes e-commerce can revive floundering electronics empire

Gome’s founder announced ambitious expansion plans in bricks-and-mortar shops and entertainment offerings in its app After being surpassed by Suning.com, JD.com and Alibaba, Gome faces a tough challenge to regain ground lost after its founder was sent to prison for insider trading

Gome’s founder announced ambitious expansion plans in bricks-and-mortar shops and entertainment offerings in its app

After being surpassed by Suning.com, JD.com and Alibaba, Gome faces a tough challenge to regain ground lost after its founder was sent to prison for insider trading