Many supermarkets in Shenzhen are providing customers with experience services, such as baking, cooking, flower arrangement and pottery classes, in response to increasing competition from e-commerce platforms that are beginning to tap the market, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Tuesday.

Vanguard, a Chinese supermarket chain, has opened four blt supermarkets based on the idea “Better Life Together” in Shenzhen since 2009. The latest blt supermarket, occupying an area of 3,100 square meters, opened in KK One last year. Currently, a total of 24 blt supermarkets have opened in major cities around China.

Apart from shopping, customers can attend blt VIP classes in the supermarkets on such topics as baking, cooking, flower arrangement and pottery making. Over 100 classes will be hosted around the country this year, according to the report.

Carrefour has launched micro-supermarkets named Easy Carrefour by combining supermarkets with convenience stores in first-tier cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. The number of Easy Carrefour in China will grow to between 35 and 45 within the coming two years.

Rainbow Department Store in Shenzhen has developed its own phone app, which enables customers to buy things online from the store, and the store will offer door-to-door delivery to customers within two hours.

The store also opened restaurants in the shopping area so that customers could take a rest and have some food while shopping in the store, according to the report. (Zhang Yang)

(Edited by Stephanie Yang)