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40 Million in Three Days, 100 Million in a Week: Behind the Linchao Phenomenon is a Silent Rise of Cultural Branding
The true luxury of the future lies in exporting culture and values—China's unique cultural narrative. On September 25, Linchao officially opened its Nanjing Deji store, but the real impact began earlier. During its three-day soft opening, limited to VIP members at Deji Plaza, daily revenue consecutively surpassed 10 million, with a cumulative total exceeding 40 million in just three days. After the official launch, enthusiasm only grew; queues formed outside the store every day, with an average wait time of over three hours to enter. This line became a unique sight at Deji Plaza, where some arrived as soon as the mall opened, others waited until evening, and some even brought their own stools. The news caused a huge sensation within Deji Plaza and the industry. Consumers traveled from Shanghai and Hangzhou just to see this brand that emerged from a narrow alley in Lanzhou. Meanwhile, the gold jewelry industry is facing collective anxiety: gold prices have fallen from highs, jewelry consumption has plummeted year-on-year, and top brands have closed nearly 1,000 stores. The growth model of the past two decades—channel expansion and gold price dividends—is failing simultaneously. Yet Linchao's heat remains undiminished. It transcends gold price fluctuations, relying neither on channel-driven innovation nor minor business model tweaks. What is it relying on? This 'abnormal' phenomenon is a business case worth dissecting.
Read the full article at 36KrRelated coverage

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