A Case Study on the Transformation of a Commercial Complex in Nanning, China

Traditional commercial complexes are facing intensified market competition and transformation pressure due to the rapid expansion of e-commerce and changes in consumer behavior. Consumer demand has shifted from simple product purchasing to experience, social interaction, leisure, and family-oriented consumption, which requires commercial complexes to adjust business formats and innovate marketing models. Taking a commercial complex in Nanning as a case study, this paper aims to: (1) examine its marketing strategy adjustment and transformation path under increasing competition; and (2) summarize its transformation experience to provide references for similar commercial complexes. This study adopts a case study method and applies the SCP framework and 4P marketing mix theory to analyze its transformation process. The findings show that: (1) the complex transformed from a traditional department-store model into an experience-oriented shopping center through differentiated positioning, experience-based format upgrading, dining-driven traffic attraction, and precise customer operation; and (2) it focused on local consumers aged 20–40 and family consumers by introducing leading brands, increasing dining formats, developing a children’s themed floor, and optimizing spatial circulation. The case suggests that differentiated positioning, experience-oriented formats, dining and family scenarios, and precise customer operation are key paths for transformation.