Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Lower AirAsia passenger service charge starts today

    Lower AirAsia passenger service charge starts today

    AirAsia’s reduced passenger service charge (PSC) of RM50 starts today at KLIA2 and other international airports in Malaysia.

    This follows Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s announcement last month that the Cabinet has decided to reduce the PSC for passengers traveling outside of Asean from RM73 to RM50 effective Oct 1.

    AirAsia Group president (airlines) Bo Lingam said as the airports belong to the government, the Cabinet has every power to implement changes to the PSC.

    Bo thanked the government for supporting its cause towards a fair PSC and making air travel affordable. “This will hugely benefit not only air travelers but also the tourism industry and economy as a whole, ” he said.

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  • Thai Cafe Ama​zon opens first China outlet

    Thai Cafe Ama​zon opens first China outlet

    Thai coffee chain Cafe Amazon has launched its first outlet in China.

    The new cafe has opened at a Sinopec-branded petrol station in the Guangxi provincial capital of Nanning.

    Cafe Amazon is owned by Thai petrol firm PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR), which is aiming to expand the chain globally. The Chinese operator is OR subsidiary PTT OR China (Shanghai), which will roll out the chain at other Sinopec petrol stations nationally.

    China is the 10th market in which the brand has launched.

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  • Shopmatic acquires CombineSell to consolidate its leadership position in the e-commerce space

    Shopmatic acquires CombineSell to consolidate its leadership position in the e-commerce space

    International e-commerce company, Shopmatic has acquired 100% of CombineSell, a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that automates & simplifies multichannel e-commerce selling by aggregating popular online marketplaces into just a single platform.

    The acquisition follows Shopmatic’s strategy of consolidating its position in a fragmented e-commerce enabling software sector. The Singapore-based e-commerce enabler had previously acquired a 50.1% stake in retail management and POS solution provider Octopus, to unlock the omnichannel growth strategy for its merchants. Now, Shopmatic has brought Singapore’s top-ranking multichannel e-commerce

    CombineSell leverages innovative technology to enable merchants to sell on multichannel e-commerce platforms, and drive campaigns for business growth. With this acquisition, Shopmatic’s merchants will now be able to leverage the power of selling on multiple channels while managing their online business through a single dashboard. CombineSell has 30+ ecommerce channel integrations available – including those with Lazada, Shopee, Qoo10, Amazon, eBay, Carousell, Redmart, Xero, etc, from a single, centralised platform and has generated over $150M of GMV in the last 12 months. CombineSell was co-founded by June Yong, Amanda Ho & Gerald Lam and has over 30+ people based across Singapore & Malaysia.

    Commenting on the acquisition, Anurag Avula, Co-Founder & CEO, Shopmatic, said, “In our continued bid to drive digital success for our merchants, we have been growing our suite of services on the platform, and are very happy with the acquisition of CombineSell.  This gives us a significant advantage in enabling the overall growth & success of all merchants on our platform. In just a single click, merchants will now have access to selling across numerous channels in various countries across South East Asia. The acquisition of CombineSell further consolidates our position as clear market leaders in digitizing SMBs & Individual Entrepreneurs in APAC.”

    Loh June Yong, Founder & CEO, CombineSell added, “At CombineSell, we understand that growing an online business can be rife with challenges. To the same end, we have been making it easier for sellers on our platform to grow and manage their business across multiple marketplaces. Shopmatic has cemented its position as a powerhouse e-commerce platform for small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. Following the latest development, we are excited to join forces with Shopmatic and together enable the online success of businesses, in the emerging markets.”

    SEEDS Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore, has been an early investor of Shopmatic. On the acquisition, Geoffrey Yeo, General Manager, SEEDS Capital, said, “Having invested in Shopmatic earlier on, both SEEDS Capital and Enterprise Singapore have been working closely with Shopmatic on its expansion plans in Asia, especially to markets such as India and Southeast Asia where the e-commerce needs are growing rapidly. SEEDS Capital is pleased to have connected Shopmatic with CombineSell, which led to this win-win collaboration for both companies. The acquisition will allow Shopmatic to grow its e-commerce capabilities, and further augment the integration of its e-commerce channels to better serve its customers.”

    Shopmatic continues to create industry disruptions with features, offers and pricing, focused on enabling the success of sellers on its platform. With over 250,000 merchants on its platform, Shopmatic has been setting the trend for enabling sellers to be successful digitally.

    Shopmatic’s customer-first approach has unlocked tremendous growth figures. Following the launch of its disruptive transaction pricing model, Shopmatic clocked a 174% QoQ revenue growth and a 160% hike in transactions on its platforms within the April-June quarter. Empowered by a fervent response from small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs on its platform, Shopmatic is geared up to bring half a million merchants online in the current financial year.

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  • Huawei’s global flagship opens in Shenzhen

    Huawei’s global flagship opens in Shenzhen

    Huawei’s global flagship store has opened in Shenzhen’s MixC World as the brand’s first direct-sale store globally.

    The 1300sqm store, which has been in preparation since 2017, allows customers to explore Huawei’s latest and most comprehensive product range, as well as experience a fast 5G connection, relax and meet up with friends.

    “Shenzhen is an international technology and innovation centre, we believe that Huawei Global Flagship Store will become the new connecting hub between Huawei and customers,” said Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu. “MixC World is a gathering place where fashion, technology and liberal art meet together and Huawei’s global flagship store will become Huawei’s city living room connecting the consumers.”

    The three-storey building combines traditional Chinese and Western architectural philosophies, with a facade that adopts a large area of high transmission glass with rounded corners and a unique semi-open staircase connecting the square and the surrounding environment.

    Free courses are offered by the Huawei community covering topics such as photography, videography, sports and health care. Technical enthusiasts and app developers can learn how to build the Huawei global ecosystem from technical experts.

    “We no longer call it a retail store, we call it community plaza, an open community for everyone,” said Huawei Consumer Business Group CMO Herman Zhu. “Consumers can come and create, learn about the most advanced technology and trends, or just connect again with one another.”

    Huawei’s global flagship uses a large number of environmentally friendly and recyclable materials. The felt used for ceilings and walls is made of recyclable plastic parts; the table uses nanoboard, which can be used for more than ten years; the floor is made of marble with natural ingredients and zero resin.

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  • Shoppers Stop reveals new store concept in Delhi

    Shoppers Stop reveals new store concept in Delhi

    Indian department store chain Shoppers Stop has opened a new 33,000sqft outlet in Delhi.

    The store was designed by the Dubai office of Schwitzke & Partners to reflect the latest international trends in retail strategy. This includes aspects such as merchandise presentation, customer movement and navigation, and department adjacency.

    Having expanded operations to more than 80 locations across India, Shoppers Stop was looking to evolve its stores’ aesthetic and presentation to upgrade customers’ shopping experience.

    The design features specific materials and elements to highlight each division in order to boost recognition. Another objective was to design the brand areas to be unobtrusive, so all brands have sufficient space to express themselves.

    The departments implement new merchandise presentation solutions, which includes fixture designs to accentuate individual products. Customer touchpoints were also given a m

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  • Honestbee wins creditor reprieve

    Honestbee wins creditor reprieve

    Struggling grocery retailer and delivery startup Honestbee has been granted a four-month debt moratorium by the Singapore High Court.

    While two months shorter than the protection period the company sought from the court, it allows the business to restructure free from creditor pressure.

    Reports by Singapore business media show Honestbee owed around US$236 million in current liabilities as at the end of June. On top of that it has debt of around $210 million owed to some 1800 convertible noteholders which it is trying to exchange for equity.

    While Honestbee’s debt is a major impediment to the ongoing business, as much as 80 percent of the liability is to investor Brian Koo and entities controlled by himself or family interests.

    Koo stepped down as chairman of Honestbee in mid-September but is believed to support the debt restructuring scheme.

    Following the court decision, Honestbee CEO Lay Ann Ong issued a statement about the company’s immediate future: “A successful recapitalization and restructuring of the business will set a strong path of recovery for the company. This is necessary to ensure that we have the right structure in place moving forward so that we can better serve our customers across Asia.”

    The company will release further details shortly on its recapitalization progress and plans to sell of some parts of the business.

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  • Aeon Stores Hong Kong fined over TV sale

    Aeon Stores Hong Kong fined over TV sale

    Aeon Stores Hong Kong has been convicted and fined HKD1200 (US$153) at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts for contravening the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (PERO) as a result of not informing a customer about its statutory obligation when selling a television set.

    A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said the department had received a complaint earlier about Aeon Stores failing to provide him with a free statutory removal service after the sale of a television set. EPD enforcement officers carried out investigations at the store and discovered that when selling television sets, staff of Aeon Stores made a false claim that customers must contact a recycler on their own to recycle their old television sets. In addition, staff of Aeon Stores did not inform customers of the sellers’ obligation to arrange a statutory removal service as well as the relevant terms. After collecting evidence, the EPD prosecuted Aeon Stores for contravening the relevant requirements under the PERO.

    The spokesman emphasised that according to the PERO, which came into effect on August 1 last year, when distributing regulated electrical equipment (REE), sellers must have a removal service plan endorsed by the EPD and proactively inform consumers in writing of the sellers’ obligation to provide a free statutory removal service as well as the relevant removal terms. Moreover, sellers must arrange a free removal service for consumers to dispose of waste equipment of the same type and provide a recycling label as well as a receipt containing the prescribed wording when distributing REE.

    The spokesman reminded all the relevant sellers that they must not make false statements to consumers or deliberately conceal the terms of their statutory removal service with a view to avoiding the relevant legal liabilities. Otherwise, they may contravene the PERO.

    First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of HKD5000 to HKD100,000 ($637–$12,755). A maximum fine of HKD10,000 to HKD200,000 ($1275–$25,500) may be imposed on a subsequent conviction.

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  • Dunhill opens two new stores in South Korea

    Dunhill opens two new stores in South Korea

    British luxury menswear house Dunhill has opened two new retail locations in South Korea.

    The new stores are situated within Lotte department stores in the Seoul district of Jamsil and Southern city of Busan, continuing the brand’s expansion strategy in Asia and paving the way for a third store opening in spring next year.

    The stores’ designs are purposed to create clean and contemporary spaces through an interplay of bronzed brass and walnut wood together with glass and metal details – recognizable codes of the house.

    “The opening of two new stores in South Korea is an incredibly exciting, strategic milestone for Dunhill as we endeavor to re-introduce our new vision for the house within this important market,” said the firm’s CEO Andrew Maag. “We are proud to partner with Lotte, whose exceptional reputation within the region will be key in once again establishing our position as the leading luxury British menswear brand.”

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  • Shiseido Philippines JV launched

    Shiseido Philippines JV launched

    Beauty-products retailer Shiseido has commenced operations in the Philippines through the newly-established Shiseido Philippines Corporation, a joint venture in partnership with Luxasia Partners.

    Shiseido is Japan’s largest beauty company with a presence in over 120 countries, including the Philippines, which is Southeast Asia’s third-largest cosmetics market representing close to US$3 billion in annual sales.

    This expansion opens new distribution channels in the Philippines and enables Shiseido to expand its current brand and product range in the market. In addition to trusted Shiseido and Shiseido Men skincare products, Shiseido Philippines will officially launch other key brands from its Prestige, Fragrance and Cosmetics & Personal Care portfolios – such as Nars and Laura Mercier; a line-up of fragrances such as Dolce & Gabbana, Issey Miyake, and Narciso Rodriguez; and Senka facial cleansers, which have already established a strong following in Asian markets.

    “We are proud of what we have accomplished with the brand to date and are extremely delighted to move our business forward with the launch of the Shiseido Philippines in partnership with Luxasia,” said Shiseido Philippines MD Koji Nakata. “We remain committed to our customers and I look forward to engaging with our customers in the Philippines as we bring them limitless beauty with our expanded line-up of high-quality cosmetics and skincare products.”

    “The Philippines is an important and strategic market for Shiseido in Southeast Asia, and it is an exciting time to be a part of the country’s booming beauty industry,” said Shiseido Asia Pacific president & CEO Jean-Philippe Charrier. “I hope that Shiseido’s entry to the Philippines will enable more Filipinos to have access to a wider range of beauty brands and products – with the uncompromising quality, innovation and spirit of omotenashi, or Japanese hospitality – that only Shiseido can provide.”

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  • Nespresso’s Brazil boss heads up APAC operations

    Nespresso’s Brazil boss heads up APAC operations

    Nespresso has announced Jean-Marc Dragoli, who led the company’s Brazilian operations, as general manager for Oceania.

    Dragoli is now based in Sydney and aims to build on the double-digit growth achieved in his previous role.

    “I know Australians and New Zealanders are true coffee connoisseurs and I am looking forward to working with colleagues across Oceania to offer the highest quality sustainable coffee and service to people at home, in the workplace, at hotels and fine dining establishments,” Dragoli said.

    He is taking over from former general manager Loïc Réthoré and will focus on building good customer experience and driving business innovation and sustainability efforts in Australia.

    Nespresso Oceania is known for its Vertuo coffee system; subscription services and reimagined boutiques, including the new flagship boutique on George Street in Sydney.

    “We are delighted to have Dragoli join us at a hugely exciting time for the business, as we continue to lead the way in sustainable, high-quality coffee in the region. With an excellent management team in place, we know Dragoli will build on this success in the coming months and years,” Nespresso head of APAC, Middle-East & Africa, Roland Tschanz said.

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  • Kathmandu raises $96 million for Rip Curl acquisition

    Kathmandu raises $96 million for Rip Curl acquisition

    Kathmandu has raised nearly $96 million from institutional investors via a fully underwritten 1 for 4 pro rata accelerated entitlement offer to help fund its acquisition of Rip Curl.

    Eligible institutional shareholders took up 88 per cent of their entitlements, and 92 per cent of eligible institutional shareholders took up their entitlements in full, signaling strong investor support for the $368 million acquisition, which Kathmandu said will expand and diversify the business.

    Kathmandu is looking to raise a total of $145 million under the entitlement offer, which allows eligible shareholders to subscribe for one new ordinary share for every four existing shares held as at 5pm on October 3, 2019.

    The retail component of the entitlement offer opens on Friday, October 4, and closes on Monday, October 21, with eligible shareholders able to subscribe at an application price of NZ$2.55 per new share ($2.37 for Australian shareholders).

    This reflects a 14.4 percent discount to the volume-weighted average price of Kathmandu’s shares traded on the NZX for the last five trading days prior to October 1, 2019.

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  • Cosmetics startup La Bouche Rouge makes Hong Kong its trial market

    Cosmetics startup La Bouche Rouge makes Hong Kong its trial market

    French cosmetics startup La Bouche Rouge has chosen Hong Kong as its first Asian market ahead of a regional rollout.

    Founder Nicolas Gerlier introduced the firm’s eco-friendly lipstick line in an interview with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

    The concept of the brand came about when Gerlier realized that up to 1 billion used lipstick tubes are thrown away every year, contributing to plastic pollution.

    “I believe that it is impossible to create a new beauty house today without thinking of the environment, without giving meaning, without becoming part of a socially responsible project,” said Gerlier. The idea developed in his mind “until the day I decided to launch my own model”.

    Gerlier was inspired to develop an eco-friendly brand based on his work under Ezra Petronio at L’Oreal Luxe, who is now the firm’s co-founder and creative director.

    La Bouche Rouge lines include the Metiers d’Art Collection – personalizable artisan-crafted lipstick cases – and products in leather pouches which customers refill by purchasing more lipstick at the outlet or online. There is no need to discard cases.

    “At La Bouche Rouge we talk about being ‘beautifully sustainable’,” said Gerlier. “We believe in creating the desire to consume differently and we are convinced that this is achievable through designing beautiful and easy objects. There should not be any compromise between sexiness and sustainability.”

    The firm also has a line of vegan products, which do not use beeswax or any other animal-derived material, soon to be made available in Hong Kong.

    Gerlier says Hong Kong was a natural choice when La Bouche Rouge decided to expand beyond Europe and the US. “Hong Kong is a living and dynamic economy, with the whole aura of Asia in its globality,” Gerlier said. “I am convinced that sustainability combined with luxury in makeup is our future and we are very proud to be launching so far from France just a year and a half after our launch.”

    At present, La Bouche Rouge sells at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, its first Asian outlet. The firm plans to develop other points of sale in Hong Kong as well as in Japan and Korea.

    With its strong international connections and large French community, La Bouche Rouge finds Hong Kong a good base for its move into Asia. “Our team here is made up of French people who have lived in Hong Kong for a long time. The cosmopolitan city lets us connect with a lot of different nationalities and customers.”

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  • First MLB Kids Hong Kong standalone store opens

    First MLB Kids Hong Kong standalone store opens

    South Korean Fashion Group brand MLB has moved to expand its overseas retail network in Asia with a new childrenswear store in Hong Kong.

    The first MLB Kids Hong Kong store is located in K11 Musea, adopting a baseball stadium design that features a blend of sporty casual style and metallic elements.

    MLB’s latest collection available in store features premium street elements and functional design. The MLB Kids Hong Kong store offers children’s versions of popular collections such as Monogram, Down Jacket and Big Ball Chunky Shoes, blended the bright colours and trendy textures.

  • KiKi Tea Hong Kong opens more outlets

    KiKi Tea Hong Kong opens more outlets

    KiKi Tea Hong Kong has opened its fourth branch, at Telford Plaza in Kowloon Bay.

    The Taiwanese bubble-tea chain is operated by Hong Kong hospitality group Lai Sun Dining which is opening outlets at a rapid pace in the city. The new boutique-style venue is styled after a minimalist Zen courtyard with rustic interior design and communal oak tables encouraging diner interaction.

    KiKi Tea, an extension of the renowned KiKi brand, stands out from the Taiwanese bubble tea crowd showcasing quality, mostly natural ingredients including premium Taiwanese tea leaves, black sugar and cane sugar, along with authentic Taiwanese tea recipes – highlighting handmade pearls and pressed-to-order House Blend Teapresso.

    The first KiKi Tea Hong Kong pilot store opened at Sun’s Bazaar at Pacific Place and was followed by KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea) flagship outlets at IFC mall in Central and K11 Musea at Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

    To mark the Telford Plaza opening, KiKi Tea has partnered with KitKat to serve a collection of chocolate beverages.

  • Ramen Cubism restaurant grows into Tsim Sha Tsui

    Ramen Cubism restaurant grows into Tsim Sha Tsui

    Japanese ‘celebrity’ ramen champion Hayashi Takao is opening a second branch of Ramen Cubism in Tsim Sha Tsui later this month.

    The new restaurant is sister to the first outlet in Central, which has performed strongly since its Hong Kong debut in January.  Fast-track expansion of the brand has since included a sister brand in Chef Hayashi’s home town of Osaka, Ramen Purism.

    The new 1800sqft, 31-seat venue in Kowloon replicates the brand’s design theme of cosy interior with predominant wood finish, designed to convey a sense of natural, fresh and authentic ingredients sourced from environmentally-friendly places.

    “Tsim Sha Tsui is a logical location for extending the concept to Kowloon, with a vibrant local crowd as well as tourists from all over the world,” said Bird Kingdom Group founder and CEO Eric Ting.

    To celebrate the opening, Chef Hayashi is unveiling his award-winning ramen from Japan – Japan Next Generation Ramen Competition Champion Ramen – Miso Ramen. The dish was so popular in his first restaurant ‘Original Ramen Style Hayashi’ at Tsukamoto Station in Osaka that it regularly attracted queues of more than 100 fans.

    “This unique version of traditional Miso Ramen was perfected over extensive recipe development, experimenting with new techniques to inject an East Asian influence into traditional Japanese ramen,” said Chef Hayashi.