Longbank Yang Liping: Wallpaper is a high-end wall decoration artwork

Background Introduction:

Lacantouch Long Beach Space • As a symbol of high-end wallpaper, the wallpaper has consistently been dedicated to presenting artworks on walls. By blending Eastern and Western color aesthetics and design inspirations, it conveys the luxury concept of interior spaces, showcasing a superior quality of life. Our pursuit is to design, innovate, and refine to create a luxurious lifestyle aesthetic.

Interview Guest: Yang Liping, Marketing Director, Changdi Space Vision Co., Ltd.

Reporter: Zhang Ping

Longbank Yang Liping: Wallpaper is a wall decoration artwork that keeps pace with international trends.

[Reporter]: Hello, Ms. Yang. Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us at SouFun. We know today marks the third anniversary of Long Beach Home. Could you briefly introduce us to the flagship store? Many netizens might not be familiar with it.

[Yang Liping]: Three years ago, we started out as a concept store focused on customizing fabric. After nearly 20 years in the soft furnishing industry, we've evolved into a multi-faceted home decor provider, integrating concepts like fabric, wallpaper, and soft furnishings. For our third anniversary, we aim to present a fresh perspective and more diverse services. I’ve always emphasized to many friends that our services are concept-driven, not just retail. Many customers and friends come here to meet their needs through our tailored furnishings and soft furnishings. This is what makes our location so special.

[Reporter]: Changdi Home is a flagship store in Shanghai. Do you have other branches?

[Yang Liping]: I’m very pleased to share that over the past three years, Changdi Home Furnishings has gained significant traction in terms of popularity. Many domestic and international designers, developers, and homeowners have appreciated our work. We’re planning to open a larger 1,200-square-meter store near Hang Lung Plaza early next year. This expansion will bring in more product resources, allowing us to provide even broader and more comprehensive services to cater to the unique needs of any customer group.

[Reporter]: Let’s move on to wallpaper. What’s the current state of the wallpaper scene?

[Yang Liping]: Absolutely. If we’re talking about wallpaper, we’ve been collaborating with numerous domestic and international designers, as well as developers and homeowners on many projects. For the average person, wallpaper might just seem like a decorative element, but in the industry, we treat it as wall art. It’s the strongest visual element in interior spaces. It’s not just about sticking wallpaper on the wall; it’s about creating a masterpiece.

We’ve been continuously introducing unique and exquisite designs from foreign designers that aren’t easily found in the market. Our goal is to provide designers with products that allow them to craft better interior layouts, particularly in terms of wall art.

[Reporter]: Earlier, you mentioned that you’re representing many high-end foreign wallpaper brands. Does Long Beach Wallpaper have its own brand?

[Yang Liping]: Yes, Long Beach Wallpaper is a distinct brand apart from Long Beach Home. Starting this year, we’ve also been developing the concept of Long Beach Wallpaper Stores nationwide. The idea behind Long Beach Wallpaper is to fully grasp the essence of wallpaper. Whether it’s for home renovation, tooling, commercial spaces, or offices, any space can find the wall art that suits their style at Long Beach Wallpaper.

[Reporter]: In other words, this store only sells Long Beach Wallpaper. Is this a series of products?

[Yang Liping]: Exactly. As I mentioned earlier, given our extensive experience in the wallpaper and fabric industries over the years, we’ve developed the ability to create a range of wallpaper products that we believe will better meet our customers’ needs with the help of foreign aesthetic designers or master artists. Besides the wallpapers of imported brands, we also have a series of wallpapers developed by Long Beach Wallpaper to cater to more customers. These products are diverse and comprehensive.

[Reporter]: Is it primarily a high-end route?

[Yang Liping]: Yes. Since Long Beach isn’t a manufacturer with its own production equipment or a wallpaper manufacturer, we focus on selling a concept of wall art rather than just a piece of wallpaper. We aim to promote this concept in the market to guide more customers. Hence, our target audience remains the high-end customer base. Of course, if a customer prefers a lower price point, we’ll offer them a cost-effective option within the overall plan. For instance, in some major regions, you can opt for mid-to-high-priced products, while in smaller areas, you can choose lower-priced options. I believe our product resources can meet the needs of different customer levels.

[Reporter]: It’s November now. Other wallpaper companies might already be planning to release new product series next year. Do you have any plans in this regard?

[Yang Liping]: Yes. Why do I continually emphasize wall decoration art? After working in this industry for a long time, I’ve realized that in interior soft furnishings, boutique interiors share the same concept as global fashion trends. In other words, there are always the most popular colors each year, and annually, there are some of the best and most distinctive wallpaper designs. We’ve been bringing some of the latest foreign trends to the country and introducing these excellent products. Currently, all new products are still under development. Generally speaking, after the Lunar New Year, during the spring product releases, I believe friends visiting our Long Beach Home exhibition hall will be pleasantly surprised by a series of new products.

[Reporter]: You mentioned earlier that wallpaper follows trends. What are the changes in wallpaper design trends? Which types are more popular now or in the future?

[Yang Liping]: That’s a great question. Why do we think of wallpaper as wall art? Nowadays, the concept of wallpaper isn’t just about colored paper or printed patterns. It’s more about the demand for different materials and varied wallpaper textures. Additionally, it incorporates many special and glamorous decorative elements attached to the surface of the wallpaper. For example, we have a series of handcrafted wallpapers adorned with pearls, Swarovski crystals, even gold or bronze. People want clothing that’s stylish, and the same goes for interior decor—luxury is key. The future trend will undoubtedly see more wall art pieces and ornate decorations on wallpapers. This is an exciting new product category.

[Reporter]: Previously, I met many consumers who felt that the wallpaper industry’s pricing was quite opaque. For instance, the same product might have a markup of 20%, while others could reach 50-60%, or even triple or quadruple the cost. Could you explain the current pricing system in the wallpaper industry?

[Yang Liping]: Indeed, this is true. Many consumers lack a deeper understanding of the value of wallpaper materials when selecting them. Therefore, most consumers typically go directly to building materials cities or streets to pick what they like. Like our Long Beach Home store located in Xintiandi, we ensure that our customers receive the best service and the most reasonable prices.

Of course, there are also many domestic wallpaper manufacturers. We’ve seen a lot of imitation products in the wallpaper sector. These imitations are essentially fakes. Many times, consumers are misled by the concepts of authenticity and falsity. I strongly recommend that consumers find the most suitable store and supplier. This is the biggest guarantee for consumers. For example, in our showroom, we don’t arbitrarily price products. Instead, we set the most reasonable prices based on the needs of different categories. Relatively speaking, many customers recognize us positively, meaning that we don’t just sell wallpaper but also offer future construction and installation services. Thus, if you seek a perfect service, you’ll need to invest accordingly. Naturally, the price won’t be too low. This also depends on your budget. If some customers go to building materials streets, there’s a high chance of encountering chaotic pricing. They might be misled by unscrupulous businesses. What should be priced at 50 bucks per square meter might end up costing 200. Since you’re a consumer without sufficient knowledge of this product, I believe comparing a few reputable companies and finding a trustworthy supplier in the market is the best assurance for you.

[Reporter]: Earlier, you mentioned the rampant plagiarism and imitation in the wallpaper industry, which seems to be a bottleneck for the industry. I’d like to know what Long Beach Wallpaper does in terms of design and innovation capabilities.

[Yang Liping]: We’ve invested a great deal of energy, time, and manpower into product development and innovation. By offering more diverse products, materials, and designs of wall decoration art, we aim to cater to a wider range of customer groups. At the same time, this approach helps us avoid being copied. If your product line is too narrow or limited to a specific number of items, once someone imitates your product, it can significantly impact and harm your business. Therefore, we continuously develop new products. This is why we frequently travel abroad to find novel items not yet available in the domestic market. These products are unique, from their design concepts to their manufacturing processes. Not all of them can be immediately introduced to the market or accepted by consumers. Many require market promotion first. I believe that many consumers now have strong purchasing power economically. I still advise them to spend wisely and compare a few options. While comparing products, service is also a relative priority when considering prices.

[Reporter]: Moving on to online marketing. With online marketing becoming a competitive tool for many home businesses, how do we view this aspect? Will we use this method to boost our sales or consumption?

[Yang Liping]: We’ve always considered this issue. However, the products we operate, including our services, are positioned at the high-end level, at the top of the pyramid. Therefore, many very special products or those with relatively high prices might not align well with the brand’s positioning and the level of match. Of course, we do have mid-priced product lines, and we’re actually exploring how to apply them effectively. As mentioned earlier, Long Beach Wallpaper also has its own stores. Online platforms will be part of the future development of Long Beach Wallpaper Stores. We’re looking for experts in network platform management to collaborate with us, brainstorm, plan, and determine how to apply it more appropriately. Then, we’ll truly activate the online market.

[Reporter]: Today, I’ve enjoyed speaking with you, Ms. Yang. Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us at SouFun. Thank you.