Alibaba's unattended supermarket pops up in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province during the fourth Light of Internet Expo. [Photo by Xiang Wenjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

A particular highlight, and with its own outdoor retail space, is e-commerce innovator Alibaba's take on the future of offline shopping. Its T-Mall-branded unattended supermarket allows shoppers to grab what they like off the shelves after scanning a QR code on entry, with payment being deducted automatically via Alipay once the shopper leaves.

With no cashiers or waiting in line, it is like picking food and groceries from your own cupboard at home.