Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1544088
Tobacco Asia 37 www.nicotineusp.com sales@nicotineusp.com NICOTINE IN ITS PUREST FORM "The key to a successful spring lies in a strong start." – Chinese traditional saying cial interaction; wedding banquets increasingly de-emphasize cigarette consumption, with pre- mium products being replaced by mid-to-low-end alternatives, even giving rise to "smoke-free wed- dings." Concurrently, downturns in sectors such as real estate and finance have precipitated a sharp decline in corporate group purchase demand, fur- ther constricting the consumption space for pre- mium cigarettes. Moreover, influenced by the broader con- sumption environment, retail terminals have grown cautious—even pessimistic—in their mar- ket outlook. Compounding this, intensifying to- bacco control pressures, increasingly detailed and stringent regulations, and excessive attention gen- erated by unsubstantiated rumors (such as click- bait narratives suggesting that "Chinese people are collectively quitting smoking") have fueled anxiety among retailers, frequently evident in comments beneath sensational online videos. This panic, am- plified by misinformation and speculation, has to some extent undermined confidence in positive market development. Successful implementation of the 'Steady Start' approach Shenyang, a second-tier city, provides an instruc- tive case study. During the New Year and Spring Festival sales periods in 2024 and 2025, the city's approach consistently prioritized stability. Aban- doning traditional methods focused on pushing sales volumes, upgrading product mix, and forcing inventory accumulation, they instead implement- ed marketing reforms promoted by the State To- bacco Monopoly Administration (STMA). These reforms permitted retailers to select their own or- dering strategies, enabling reasonable adjustment and scientific allocation of supply. Their efforts centered on three key innovations: First, proactive planning with stability as the priority. They deliberately avoided pursuing year-on-year growth, rigid volume or structure targets, or actions that might disrupt market pric- ing mechanisms. Supply was released steadily and predictably. Second, strategic discipline emphasizing restraint. This involved 3 specific restraints: re- fraining from flooding the market with large, ir- regular supply volumes; resisting pressure to chase impressive short-term performance metrics; and avoiding requirements for retailers to order fully or meet arbitrary purchase targets. Third, digital empowerment enabling dy- namic adjustment. Leveraging digital tools and information systems, they scientifically established retail customer supply limits and per-order thresh-