Relx Technology, a Chinese vapor company, plans to invest RMB500 million ($72.53 million) in establishing 10,000 stores worldwide over the next three years. Relx opened its first retail store in January 2019. Today, it operates more than 1,400 stores across 300 cities in China.
“Relx is investing heavily in breakthrough technologies to enhance franchisees’ profit margins and increase consumer loyalty during the course of its brick-and-mortar expansion,” said Jiang Long, co-founder and head of sales, in a statement. “As always, our focus will remain on preventing minors from using e-cigarette products and leading the path of innovation for the entire industry by developing advanced retail technology.”
Relx announced its plans during the opening of a flagship store in Shanghai. Located in Shanghai’s central business district, the store occupies 140 square meters and functions as a space to educate existing adult smokers and vapers on Relx vapor products.
All visitors are subject to strict age verification processes when entering the store or making a purchase. Relx’s Project Sunflower facial recognition technology also ensures that minors attempting to enter the store are identified automatically and denied service.
“The flagship store demonstrates Project Sunflower’s central role in Relx’s retail division,” said Jiang. “As a visionary company, Relx is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of blazing the trail in tech-enabled social responsibility.”