Experience design firm Eight Inc. has designed a new retail experience for Guazi, a consumer-to-consumer platform for buying and selling used cars. The experience is set to establish a physical retail presence for the platform—a subsidiary of Chehaoduo Group—across China as it enters its next phase of growth. Eight Inc. has also designed a new Beijing HQ for Chehaoduo Group that will allow it to impress officials and investors while providing an energizing, balanced working environment for its growing team of employees.

With its new store format, Guazi aims to transform the second-hand vehicle transaction, offering sellers and buyers the transparent, seamless experience they have long craved. Flexible, scalable and low-cost, it establishes a physical presence for Guazi that will allow it to engage new customers beyond its app, while offering valuable add-on services. 

From initial vehicle evaluation to trading areas, the services are delivered in the open, offering sellers complete transparency. For buyers, Guazi’s stores offer a one-stop shop for services ranging from financing and registration to maintenance and cleaning. Subtle internal and external branding meanwhile establishes a distinct tone, evoking the sense of adventure that is central to the Guazi brand.

In designing Chehaoduo’s new Beijing HQ, Eight Inc. has also provided the fast-moving start-up with a fun, energizing space to match its ambitions. The balanced environment brings together architecture, interiors and landscaping to offer a range of flexible spaces and furniture. This flexibility gives employees options to focus and work in different modes—from individual to collaborative, from private to open. Prominent wellness and recreational zones also emphasize to staff the importance of downtime.

The materials Eight Inc. has used throughout the HQ reflect the personality of Guazi and Maodou, its sister company: honest and technical through raw materials, but softened through greenery and abundant natural light. A number of event and exhibition spaces will also allow Chehaoduo to showcase its ambitions to visiting officials and investors. 

"Our collaboration with Chehaoduo Group has been one of the most rigorous and rewarding projects to date for us.” said Alan Lin, Managing Director at Eight Inc. “We were fortunate to be entrusted to develop their Guazi, Maodou and Guazi Yangche brand identities and extend them across all aspects of the business, from the retail experience to the workplace. The determination of Mark and his team was a great inspiration that allowed us to assist in a large-scale rollout of new locations within a short timeframe." 

Eight Inc. is a global creative collective that specializes in designing innovative, integrated human experiences. Its 200+ business creatives and strategic designers collaborate across 11 studios, 7 time zones, and 3 continents. The firm celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Founded in 2015, Chehaoduo is one of the biggest automotive consumer service platforms in China, and one of its fastest-growing startups. Its success has been based on challenging customers’ expectations of long and arduous transactions—by promising guaranteed sales and transparency, set against a tone of adventure.

For more information, see https://eightinc.com/ and https://www.guazi.com/