Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • First two Aldi stores open in WA Westfield

    First two Aldi stores open in WA Westfield

    Scentre Group has announced the opening of two Aldi stores at its Whitford City and Stirling shopping centres, representing the supermarket’s first foray into Westfield shopping centres in WA.

    The new Aldi stores are expected to open next year.

    Scentre’s Stirling shopping centre, currently Innaloo, will undergo an $830 million redevelopment, which will start in the later part of the year. It will be renamed Westfield Stirling and will double in size, adding about 368 retailers once completed.

    “Once open, we look forward to offering shoppers at Westfield Whitford City and Westfield Stirling a supermarket experience that is like no other in Australia,” said Caroline MacPhail, Aldi managing director, Western Australia.

    “Since opening our first stores in Western Australia in 2016, we have grown to operate 41 stores and have further plans for expansion, including the opening of our first Westfield Aldi stores in Western Australia,” MacPhail said.

    Scentre Group currently has 18 Aldi supermarkets in its Westfield living centre platform across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, with the expansion into Westfield Whitford City and Westfield Stirling in WA bringing the total number to 20.

    “We’re dedicated to curating a retail mix for each of our living centres that caters to the needs and wants of the local community,” said Chris Barton, Scentre Group regional manager, Western Australia.

    “The addition of Aldi supermarkets at Westfield Stirling and Whitford City will allow us to bring our customers more choice and even better access to affordable, quality groceries.”

    The Aldi store in Westfield Whitford City is expected to open in early 2020.

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  • AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    Malaysia’s High Court has dismissed applications made by AirAsia and AirAsia X seeking a judicial review of the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (MAVCOM) decision not to mediate a dispute between the carriers and Malaysia Airports (MAHB).

    Both carriers acknowledged that their application was dismissed “with no costs,” and they will review the decision with their legal counsel.

    The judicial review application was made in mid-May, with the airlines arguing that MAVCOM “has a statutory duty to decide on the dispute once mediation between parties has failed, or is deemed to have failed”.

    The dispute was first sparked in December, when MAHB filed a MYR36.4 million lawsuit against the airlines the month before for failing to remit higher passenger services charges since 1 January 2018.

    That was followed by a MYR480 million counter-claim by AirAsiaand AirAsia X against MAHB relating to economic losses and poor service levels at the KLIA2 terminal it operates from at Kuala Lumpur International airport.

    A subsequent mediation offer made by the airlines to MAHB was rejected by the airport operator.

    AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes has repeatedly complained about high charges and poor infrastructure at the KLIA2 terminal. The airline has resisted a regulatory ruling that it should pay the same passenger charges as airlines using the main terminal at KLIA, arguing that the terminal is a low-cost facility and should be charged as such.

    MAHB maintains that KLIA2 is not a low-cost terminal and provides more capacity at the airport.

  • Vietnam Airlines Unlocks New Perspectives into Customer Experience Insights with Qualtrics

    Vietnam Airlines Unlocks New Perspectives into Customer Experience Insights with Qualtrics

    Qualtrics, the leader in experience management, today announced Vietnam Airlines, a leading airline in South East Asia and national flag carrier of Vietnam, is using Qualtrics CustomerXM™ as part of the company’s efforts to create a more robust and tailored customer experience for its 22 million annual passengers.

    With Qualtrics CustomerXMTM – a comprehensive experience management platform – Vietnam Airlines is able to capture and respond to customer feedback in real-time. The national carrier of Vietnam has also increased the volume of customer engagement captured and research scope.

    “Qualtrics initiatives have enabled Vietnam Airlines to reduce the time needed to collect and respond to customer feedback from months to weeks. The speed at which we are now able to operate, along with the ability to garner new insights from our passengers, are key differentiators for us. Powered by the speed and accuracy of the Qualtrics CustomerXMTM platform, Vietnam Airlines is able to capture customer insights, which serve as very important input for creating breakthrough customer experiences – characterized by Vietnam’s rich culture and identity – helping cement our position as one of the leading carrier in the region,” said Ngo Hong Minh, Director of Passenger Service Department, Vietnam Airlines.

    Vietnam Airlines deployed a number of dynamic data collection tools on Qualtrics CustomerXMTM to derive new perspectives of its entire customer experience. These include dynamic and custom data collection tools that can focus on priority areas in the customer journey, real-time website feedback, QR code feedback capabilities for higher response rates in regions such as China and Singapore where this method of engagement is preferred, and an offline app for “mystery shoppers” to use.

    Customer responses are presented back to Vietnam Airlines in role-based dashboards that can be accessed from any device in real-time. Stakeholders collaborate to create unique pages and apply filters to pinpoint specific moments – like reservations, check-in, and online booking – across the carrier’s 30+ branch offices and representative offices in more than 20 countries and territories.

    “Combining experience data captured by Qualtrics CustomerXMTM with operational data has inspired a number of changes to the customer experience we create at Vietnam Airlines – from the food and drink we serve through to conversations at check-in. Since going live on the Qualtrics platform in late 2017 we’re proud to have maintained  our Skytrax 4-Star status which now extends to fourth year running, and achieved a record profit of VND 2.8 trillion in 2018,” added Minh.

    “Airlines across the globe are looking for ways to compete in increasingly competitive markets on more than price alone. Customer experience is therefore a significant and invaluable differentiator. Vietnam Airlines’ investments and accolades in creating breakthrough customer experiences is testament to the carrier’s tireless devotion and commitment to improving quality across products and services. Qualtrics is proud to support Vietnam Airlines through this exciting and unprecedented period of growth by helping it optimise its customer experience at the moments that matter most,” said Foo Mao Gen, Head of Southeast Asia, Qualtrics.

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  • GM To Spend $20 Million More On Equipment Upgrade At Arlington Plant

    GM To Spend $20 Million More On Equipment Upgrade At Arlington Plant

    General Motors Co said on Tuesday it would invest an additional $20 million to upgrade equipment at the automaker’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas, ahead of the launch of full-size sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

    The investment will not add to the plant’s production capacity, a GM spokesman said. The No.1 U.S. automaker has not revealed when the company is going to launch its next-generation full-size SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL and the Cadillac Escalade.

    GM has long been dominated the U.S. full-size SUV segment, which fetches higher margins, but rival Ford Motor Co has been pushing to capture market share. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said earlier this year it would start building a full-size Jeep SUV in late 2020.The latest equipment upgrade at Arlington plant is expected to be ready next year, the company said.

    GM has invested more than $1.4 billion in the Arlington Assembly plant since 2015.

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  • Amazon offering free international shipping on Prime Day

    Amazon offering free international shipping on Prime Day

    Amazon’s massive annual sale, Prime Day, will kick off on Monday, July 15th and run for 48 hours until 5pm AEST on Wednesday, July 17th.

    For the duration of the event, Prime members will also enjoy free expedited international shipping, with no minimum order threshold, on all Prime eligible products through the global store.

    “We all love a bargain, and last year’s Prime Day confirmed this, being our biggest day since the launch of amazon.com.au,” Amazon Australia country manager Rocco Braeuniger said.

    “We are excited to announce that this year will be even bigger, with Prime members down under not only being the first in the world to have access to Prime Day but also having the longest Prime Day event worldwide.”

    Prime Day deals will be split across all categories, including TVs, smart home, kitchen, pantry food and drinks, toys, fashion, video games, books, as well as everyday essentials.

    According to Amazon, small and medium-sized businesses surpassed US$1.5 billion in sales globally during last year’s Prime Day, with Brisbane-based Astivita noting it was the company’s “biggest single day of online sales ever.”

    “It was mainly down to one product, a monitor,” Astivita chief executive Joseph Mizlkovsky said.

    “We are excited to be taking part again this year and we will be discounting that same product at an even lower price, alongside a number of bathroom products.

    “We hope that customers will snap up the change to shop our products at brilliant discounts, making this Prime Day even bigger than last year for us.”

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  • Tata Group Launching first fast-fashion chain

    Tata Group Launching first fast-fashion chain

    Zara’s Indian partner Tata Group is launching its own fashionable apparel chain in the territory with prices well below Zara levels.

    Tata’s retail offshoot Trent Ltd has launched an “extreme-fast-fashion” model that brings new styles from the runway to the store within two weeks, similar to Zara’s own timeline.

    Trent is seeking to launch 40 locations the flagship Westside chain per year as well as hundreds of mass-market Zudio stores for budget items. The chain is targeting fashion-conscious Indian consumers without the means to afford Zara items, with a view to becoming as ubiquitous in Asia as Zara is in Western markets.

    The firm has a strong focus on fashion-savvy staff, and spends 65 per cent more on personnel per square foot than its local competitors.

    “The middle class is growing, incomes have grown, Indians are traveling more and they have more money to spend,” said chairman Noel Tata. “Now that we’ve built this capability and this model that’s working so well, it’s time to grow faster … The value proposition we offer is much stronger than the international brands.”

    Less than a quarter of Indian households earnt US$8500 or more last year.

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  • Adairs Profit Down

    Adairs Profit Down

    Adairs shares have lost more than 30 percent after the homewares and manchester retailer issued another earnings downgrade, citing supply chain challenges. The company announced on Friday it had observed “an adverse change” in trading momentum since the end of May, with sales growth completely flat over the first three weeks of June.

    Adairs chief executive Mark Ronan said the performance marked a material reduction from the 9.0 percent like-for-like sales growth recorded up until May 27.

    The company said it was, therefore, revising its FY19 earnings guidance of $46 million to $50 million – itself flagged as a downgrade at February’s half-year results – to between $42.5 million and $44 million.

    Its FY19 sales guidance has also been narrowed from between $340 million and $355 million to between $340 million and $345 million.

    Shares in Adairs closed 31.32 percent, or 57 cents, lower on Friday at a near two-year low of $1.25.

    Ronan admitted the update was disappointing but insisted the company was still healthy and growing.

    “We have specific issues to address to improve our supply chain capacity, productivity, and efficiency,” Ronan said.

    Ronan said he expected full-year like-for-like sales growth to be between 7.0 percent and 8.0 percent, which he said was in line with the company’s long-term targets.

    He said online sales had grown 40 percent in the second half to date and will represent 17 percent of total sales for the year.

    In February, the company reported a first-half profit increase of 6.83 percent to $14.89 million, following a period of significant online growth.

    But the company moderated its full-year earnings guidance as it braced for the impact of a depreciating Australian dollar “and a potentially more challenging consumer environment”.

    Adairs shares have fallen 33.51 percent so far in 2019.

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  • AirAsia announces five new domestic routes to Lombok, Labuan Bajo, Kertajati

    AirAsia announces five new domestic routes to Lombok, Labuan Bajo, Kertajati

    Low-cost carrier AirAsia launched five new domestic routes on Monday as it stated its “commitment to continue to support tourism and the economy by providing affordable flights”.

    Among the new services that will be operational on Aug. 1 are Jakarta-Lombok (11 times a week), Bali-Lombok (seven times a week), Yogyakarta’s Kulon Progo-Lombok (three times a week), Bali-Labuan Bajo (seven times a week) and Surabaya-West Java’s Kertajati (three times a week).

    Special promos are available for bookings made through airasia.com or the airline’s mobile app until June 30 for trips between Aug. 1 to Oct. 26, including for the Jakarta-Lombok (starting from Rp 635,000 [US$44.88]); Bali-Lombok (Rp 243,000) and Surabaya-Kertajati (Rp 626,000) routes. A free 15-kilogram baggage allowance is available for all the carrier’s domestic flights.

    “Since AirAsia’s newest hub in Lombok was inaugurated in early May and with the addition of our 25th Airbus A320 fleet, we are now ready to connect more and more of the country’s best destinations to support tourism and the local economy,” said AirAsia Indonesia managing director Dendy Kurniawan in a statement.

    AirAsia’s current domestic routes are Jakarta-Bali, Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Jakarta-Surabaya, Bali-Yogyakarta, Bali-Surabaya, Bali-Surakarta, Yogyakarta-Medan and Bandung-Bali.

  • VinFast Starts Production Of Two Cars Designed By Pininfarina At Its New Plant

    VinFast Starts Production Of Two Cars Designed By Pininfarina At Its New Plant

    The first two cars designed by Pininfarina for the Vietnamese brand VinFast will be manufactured in the new plant which was inaugurated by VinFast Production and Trading LLC at Dinh Vu Industrial Zone, Cat Hai, Hai Phong. It is built on an area exceeding 500,000 square meters out of the 335 hectares of the entire complex, meeting the requirements of Industry 4.0 automation and data exchange system. The designed capacity of the first and second phases are to grow from 250,000 vehicles per year to 500,000 vehicles per year, respectively, with the production speed reaching 38 vehicles per hour.

    The Vietnamese brand will produce the new Pininfarina-designed LUX A2.0 sedan and LUX SA2.0 SUV, both of which made their debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. After unveiling 20 concept designs submitted by world-famous design houses including Pininfarina, Vinfast asked customers to vote which they thought were in line with world trends and fitting with Vietnamese tastes and demand. Nearly 62,000 participants voted in the contest. The Sedan and SUV designs that collected the most votes were the two that Pininfarina will develop.

    VinFast has in fact already received 10,000 preorders, a year prior to the launching of its final products and that’s quite a record it’s set. After the inauguration of the factory, VinFast will organize the delivery and release of the first cars. Specifically, delivery of VinFast Fadil cars to customers started on June 17, while Pininfarina-designed Lux A2.0 sedan and Lux SA2.0 SUV will be delivered at the end of July 2019.

  • Apple is warning consumers not to fall for a popular iTunes gift card scam

    Apple is warning consumers not to fall for a popular iTunes gift card scam

    There are so many illegitimate ways to separate people from their hard-earned money. One such scam has random people receiving calls from someone claiming to be with the IRS and demanding immediate payment for back taxes owed. The victims are told that they can satisfy their debt by buying the appropriate dollar amount of iTunes gift cards and reading the card numbers to the scammers over the phone with a return call. It might surprise you how many people fall for such a ruse.

    Apple is doing its part to prevent this scam from continuing by having Apple Store employees make a specific statement to customers buying iTunes gift card. When the cards are being purchased, the employee ringing up the sale tells the consumer that iTunes gift cards cannot be used outside of the App Store or iTunes, and can not be used to pay taxes. And to make sure that this is actually getting through to the consumer, Apple asks them to “accept” the warning on the mobile point-of-sale equipment carried by the Apple Store rep.

    To go one step further, Apple has added a warning to the packaging that houses the gift card. Printed in red to catch the eyes of a consumer, the text reads, “Card cannot be used for payments outside of U.S. App Store or iTunes Store, including taxes.

    All of Apple’s warnings will probably lower the success rate of this scam, but there will always be those who will fall for it. It is similar to the phishing technique used by scammers to get unsuspecting consumers to turn over important information like a social security number, passwords, PIN numbers and more. One person we know was caught in the early days of phishing and turned over information pertaining to his eBay account. Within minutes the account was hijacked by the scammer who started selling expensive cameras and other high-end tech gear. The account was stolen because it had a high positive feedback rating which lured prospective buyers and gave them the confidence to buy products that the seller didn’t really have.

    Also, if you get a call from your carrier saying that your service has been suspended for one reason or another, be skeptical. Call back the company using a phone number found on Google. If you do speak with someone, do not give out any important account information. It seems like common sense, but those who did give away passwords, PINs and other verification information soon discovered that someone had changed their account address and ordered some expensive new phones.

    On Android, Google has added a feature that will tell you if an incoming call appears to be from a spammer. The Call Screen feature allows Google Assistant to answer a suspect call and find out who is calling while you read a real-time transcription of the conversation on your phone. You can connect to the call at any time. The upcoming iOS 13 update will allow users to toggle on a feature that will send calls from people you don’t know, straight to voice mail. The feature, called “Silence unknown callers,” will allow calls from those in your contacts list to ring through. Google could add something similar in the Android Q update. Earlier this year, some Android users spotted some new options under the Blocked numbers page in the Phone app. These allowed Android users to block calls from people not in the user’s contacts list, block calls from people who do not disclose their phone number, block calls from unidentified callers, and block calls from pay phones. If you are too young to know what a pay phone is, ask your parents.

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  • Lagardère Travel Retail partners with AirAsia’s OurShop to develop e-marketplace in APAC

    Lagardère Travel Retail partners with AirAsia’s OurShop to develop e-marketplace in APAC

    Lagardère Travel Retail and AirAsia’s e-marketplace OurShop have created a new partnership in Australia to allow travelers to pre-order and collect duty free items from arrival and departure points.

    As reported, OurShop, launched in July last year, is AirAsia’s online marketplace offering a wide selection of products from duty-free, high street and local retailers from across the world. The initiative was introduced to the industry via an exclusive interview by The Moodie Davitt Report with AirAsia CEO & Co-Founder Tony Fernandes.

    Introduced at the recently opened Aelia Duty Free at Avalon Airport in Victoria, the partners said the move allows “greater flexibility and freedom for travelers, alongside the ability to shop for international and local brands all year round”.

    “This is a new and exciting partnership developed with AirAsia, and we’re delighted to bring this to the Pacific region,” said Lagardère Travel Retail Pacific Region CEO Przemek Lesniak. “We believe it highlights endless benefits for our customers who choose to travel with AirAsia as it opens up a new world of accurate marketing, products and convenience within the travel retail sector.”

    Customers who purchase products on ourshop.com will also earn AirAsia BIG Points, which can be used to redeem free flights on AirAsia, creating a cycle of value.

    Lagardère Travel Retail Partnership Director for Pacific Josh Thompson said the collaboration represents “a win-win” for AirAsia, Avalon Airport and Lagardère Travel Retail, and most importantly their customers. “Customer satisfaction is a key driver for our business and as part of that, this exciting online shopping experience ensures our customers can access convenience shopping, while increasing their own benefits from AirAsia,” he said.

    OurShop Head of Acquisition Hassan Choudhury said: “What used to be a 20-minute shopping experience as travellers rush to their boarding gates is now 365 days of shopping indulgence at the tip of their fingers. I want to thank Lagardère Travel Retail and Aelia Duty Free for partnering with us to deliver this unique online shopping experience and we look forward to sharing incredible success together.”

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  • Sa Sa launched on HKTVmall

    Sa Sa launched on HKTVmall

    SaSa has launched a flagship store on online shopping platform HKTVmall. The SaSa flagship offers more than 1200 SKUs, consisting of trendy skin care, make-up, fragrances and personal care products. The group intends to leverage the platform’s big data analytics to formulate more effective and precise sales and product strategies, as well as offer a series of in-store marketing promotions to customers.

    “As online shopping has become increasingly popular nowadays, customers embrace smart living and enjoy online shopping anytime at their fingertips,” said Sa Sa International chairman and CEO Dr Simon Kwok. “We expect that over 4000 SKUs will be offered on the platform in the short term, and we will continue to keep up with the latest trends in the consumer market trend, exploring collaboration opportunities with other third-party platforms while providing with the customers diversified trendy products, ultimately creating a more intimate shopping experience and giving new impetus to our business growth.”

    “SaSa brought a new retail model to the industry with cosmetic products being sold on open shelves as early as 40 years ago,” said HKTV chairman Ricky Wong. “HKTVmall is developing another new retailing model aiming to build a digital ecosystem encompassing business operations, trading, retailing, financial services and all aspects of daily lives, providing a ‘one-stop shop’ platform to the customers.”

    Last year, personal care and skin care products ranked third most-popular category, accounting for 17 percent of HKTVmall’s Gross Merchandise Value, and Wong believes the partnership with SaSa will introduce more international brands of beauty products, diversifying the selection of skincare and cosmetics products on HKTVmall.

    At present, the SaSa flagship complements SaSa’s physical stores and its own website, as well as its mobile app. SaSa has also been collaborating with third-party platforms in Mainland China in recent years, including Tmall, Kaola, Xiaohongshu, and JD.

    HKTVmall collaborates with more than 2800 retailers and suppliers, providing more than 270,000 products and service choices. Last year, 680,000 unique customers made purchases via HKTVmall.

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  • Lazada activates official Olympic partner status

    Lazada activates official Olympic partner status

    Southeast Asia e-commerce platform Lazada Group has activated its Olympic Games partnership as part of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) long-term partnership with parent Alibaba Group.

    As an official Olympic partner in Southeast Asia, Lazada will help Olympic stakeholders further the reach of the Olympic Movement and connect with the region’s fans.

    “We believe Lazada’s digital footprint will assist us in spreading the spirit of the Olympic Games far and wide across this important region, particularly with a younger audience,” said Timo Lumme, MD, IOC television & marketing services.

    “As an e-commerce pioneer in the region, Lazada seeks to continuously accelerate progress in Southeast Asia and encourage every individual to pursue and ignite new possibilities,” said Lazada Group CEO Pierre Poignant. “We are honored to be activating Alibaba’s partnership with the IOC under our brand and look forward to bringing more Olympic-related moments to this region over the next nine years.”

    Lazada will use the advertising and promotional opportunities connected with using Olympic marks and imagery, including marks from National Olympic Committees. The editions leading up to 2028 include the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and the Olympic Winter Games 2026 in a city yet to be selected by the IOC.

    Lazada held a series of local-engagement initiatives themed “Every Small Inspiration Matters” during the weekend, starting with internal employee events across the region.

    “As Southeast Asia’s leading eCommerce platform by the scale and by reach, we are capturing and also contributing to the heartbeat of the region,” said Mary Zhou, chief marketing officer at Lazada Group. “Through this partnership, we hope to further extend the heart of the Olympic Games and its meaningful values to Southeast Asia.”

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  • Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza Closing Down

    Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza Closing Down

    The Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza has closed after 31 years.

    The outlet, which has traded since 1988, has been closed due to what the owners describe as “lease issues”.

    Popular invited its customers to share their memories of the Thomson Plaza store in a Facebook photo contest which will end tomorrow. Three winners will get SG$20 worth of Popular vouchers.

    The Popular chain is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, but like all book retailers worldwide, the company is facing challenges from the growth of digital books and consumers moving to other media to read or entertain themselves.

    The top 95 spenders at the Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza have been rewarded with complimentary three-year membership of the company’s loyalty program, valid also at UrbanWrite stores.

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  • Yogurtland Expanding with Indonesian Stores

    Yogurtland Expanding with Indonesian Stores

    American franchise Yogurtland has entered an agreement to expand throughout Indonesia via the formation of Yogurtland Indonesia Global Mandiri.

    The agreement involves the establishment of 10 outlets in the territory within three years, starting off with a location at Central Park Mall this October. Indonesia is home to more than 270 million people and has 173 shopping centres.

    “The Yogurtland family is excited to welcome Frans [Natalio], William [Siawira], and Erwin [Sujono],” said CEO and founder of Yogurtland Phillip Chang. “Their combined experience and track record of excellence will ensure guests in Indonesia will enjoy a wonderful Yogurtland experience.”

    “We are impressed with the value Yogurtland delivers and the company’s commitment to quality,” said new partner Erwin Sujono. “Our team is ready to develop the Yogurtland brand as the best yogurt company in Indonesia.”

    Yogurtland currently has more than 320 locations throughout the US, Australia and Asia.

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