Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Auchan Selling Vietnamese Business

    Auchan Selling Vietnamese Business

    The French supermarket group’s CEO Edgar Bonte told that the group had decided to sell its 18 stores in Vietnam which currently generate sales of US$50.4 million.

    In March, Auchan Retail said its Italian and Vietnamese businesses had faced tough conditions.

    The group has since sold the Italian operation – which closed 23 stores last year – to Conrad.

    Entering Vietnam in 2015, Auchan had planned to invest US$500 million to open 300 stores.

    The stores are often located in apartment buildings, targeting local residents. Auchan Vietnam is in talks with a local retail group to acquire the business.

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  • Harley-Davidson India Announces Winners Of Internship

    Harley-Davidson India Announces Winners Of Internship

    Harley-Davidson India has announced the selection of four final applicants for the #FindYourFreedom internship program that offers interns a glimpse into the Harley-Davidson way of life and is intended to help build the next generation of riders in India. The hunt for the finalists for the summer internship program began on March 31, 2019, via social media campaigns and received a total of 2,207 entries which were shortlisted to 100 before the final 12 made it to an in-person selection round. After three rounds of tasks, intense discussions, and interviews, four applicants have been selected.

    “Harley-Davidson has been operating for a decade in India and in line with our ‘More Roads to Harley-Davidson’ plan, we launched the #FindYourFreedom internship program for the first time in India this year. The response from across the country was phenomenal and I was delighted to meet all the finalists. It was a close competition amongst the 12 finalists and everyone in the room displayed intense passion and energy for the brand. We are looking forward to welcoming the winners as they start first-hand their experience in the Harley-Davidson way of life,” said Sajeev Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India.

    The four finalists are Shashank Nawani (25) from Delhi, Ashish Rawat (23) from Dehra Dun, Roy Chacko (51) from Hyderabad and Prateek Darolia (31) from Chennai. The winners were announced after jury rounds with a panel of experts from the automotive industry. Amongst other things, the internship will comprise activities like riding with H.O.G. communities, on-ground experience at dealerships, custom bike building, flat track riding, attending Harley-Davidson University courses and more. The internship commences from May 15, 2019.

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  • Amazon’s Alexa Guard Arrived to Guard your Home

    Amazon’s Alexa Guard Arrived to Guard your Home

    Even though music streaming remains the primary use case for Amazon and Google’s insanely popular smart speakers, it goes without saying Alexa and Google Assistant can do many other cool, innovative, and practical things simply by listening to your voice. The Echo lineup arguably maintains its superiority in the living room, hiding plenty of neat smart home tricks up its sleeve, the latest of which is specifically designed to keep an eye on things while you’re away.

    Formally unveiled way back in September and made available by invitation only a couple of months after that, the very ingenious Alexa Guard feature is now rolling out more widely in the US at last. All you have to do to activate this functionality is remember to say “Alexa, I’m leaving” every single time you exit the premises of your house and want your digital assistant to keep its virtual ear to the ground.

    After setting Guard to “away mode” with the aforementioned magic phrase, your Echo device will stay alert and send notifications to your phone if it detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking. Obviously, you shouldn’t panic as soon as you get a “smart alert”, and instead try to determine if the danger detected by Alexa is actual cause for concern by listening to a 10-second audio recording from your house or even “drop in” on your Echo remotely to check exactly what its microphone is picking up.

    By no means a replacement for a real security system, Alexa Guard can enhance the capabilities of popular setups from Ring and ADT, while also working in tandem with connected smart lights to discourage burglary attempts. Most importantly, the feature naturally doesn’t cost a thing. The latest version of the mobile Alexa app lets you enable it from the “Settings” menu, where you’ll find a Guard-dedicated subsection containing simple step-by-step setup instructions.

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  • CES 2019 Gadgets that will define the online casinos of tomorrow

    CES 2019 Gadgets that will define the online casinos of tomorrow

    Consumer Electronics Show or CES serves as the best time of the year when manufacturers and developers all over the world get to showcase their greatest and latest technologies. And none of them disappointed this time around as well, especially with regard to the developments in the augmented in virtual reality technologies, and their application in the gaming industry of tomorrow.

    Right from the latest VR headsets to the system peripherals that are going to completely transform the way we interact with our surroundings in virtual reality, there were all kinds of impressive offerings in the CES 2019. You could very well see how the future of online slots and various other online casino games is going to unfold in the times to come. Let’s take you through some of the best AR and VR tech products that were showcased in this year’s edition of CES.

    Oculus Quest

    Nothing denying the fact that Oculus Rift is an excellent option for virtual reality enthusiasts, but we all know that it needs continuous tethering to a PC to be able to enjoy it. Oculus Quest does away with that requirement. It’s an all-in-one gaming headset which is absolutely wireless, enabling players to enjoy the VR games to the fullest, even while being on the move.

    Once you set up Oculus Quest with the help of the oculus mobile app, it can start tracking your movements without the need of any external cameras. It instead uses the camera situated on the headset’s front, implying that you’ll be able to play anywhere you like as long as the place has room for the two controllers and the headset. It’s not without a reason that Time.com has called Oculus Quest the Virtual Reality’s best bet yet.  Furthermore, you can operate Oculus Quest both from the sitting and standing positions. Although it lacks the power of Vive or Rift, the PC-powered headsets, the Quest still supports some of the highly popular VR games, including The Climb and Moss.

    Vivo Pro Eye

    This one’s a premium VR headset which is a version better than the earlier one, after integrating the Tobii eye-tracking technology. With Vivo Pro Eye headset you can enjoy an even more immersive VR experience, and get to navigate menus and execute all kinds of functions using nothing but your gaze. The headset is already being used in popular apps such as Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby VR. It’s also expected to make it easier for businesses to use eye-tracking technology with minimum resources.

    3D Rudder for Playstation VR

    With PlayStation VR you can explore your virtual environment in 360° and PlayStation has done an excellent job in making this experience very realistic. However, people felt that something was slightly off as they were unable to use their feet in this environment. The 3D Rudder for PlayStation VR is meant to fix this problem, and allow the players to apply pressure, spin or tilt using their feet, and move around freely inside their favourite VR environments.

     

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  • SES Networks restores connectivity to PNG

    SES Networks restores connectivity to PNG

    SES Networks announced it worked with PNG DataCo to restore mobile and broadband services in Papua New Guinea following an outage caused by a major 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

    The earthquake near the town of Bulolo caused damage to critical terrestrial and subsea transmission nodes between Port Moresby and Madang.

    SES Networks’ contingency teams worked with DataCo to deliver an extra 1.5Gbps of bandwidth to ease network congestion on the operator’s damaged link. This additional bandwidth was made available within hours of receiving a request.

    “Together with DataCo, we are glad that connectivity has been restored swiftly to enable communications and critical disaster recovery services in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake,” SES Networks VP of global fixed data sales Imran Malik Khan said.

    “We recognize the importance of communications services in the event of natural disasters to facilitate quicker information transfer between families and communities, as well as to coordinate recovery and search-and-rescue operations. Our thoughts are with the affected communities, and we offer our well wishes.”

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  • New Apple Music subscribers can get free four-month Plans

    New Apple Music subscribers can get free four-month Plans

    While Spotify has managed to maintain its solid lead in the thriving music streaming industry thanks to frequent deals bundling the service with other popular apps or even free hardware, the steady growth of Apple Music has come largely in the absence of discounts and free trials.

    If you didn’t feel comfortable buying certain headphones or getting certain unlimited wireless plans just to receive gratis access to a library of over 50 million songs for anywhere between 3 and 6 months, Groupon is now offering a sweet and straightforward 4-month deal with absolutely no strings attached. The only condition you need to meet to qualify for this extended trial is to be a new Apple Music subscriber.

    Meanwhile, existing users get nothing, unlike those who subscribed in the past but ditched the platform in the meantime for some reason, which is eligible for a free month of premium music streaming.

    Arguably the best thing about this promotion is that you can choose either an individual subscription or a family plan for your free four-month Apple Music trial, the latter of which naturally offers the best value, supporting up to six members on six separate accounts, each with their own playlists, settings, and preferences. Just remember to cancel your subscription if you don’t want to extend it beyond the promotional period and pay $9.99 a month for an individual plan or $14.99 a month for your entire family.

    You can do that whenever you want, but first and foremost, it might be a good idea to hurry and claim the Groupon deal before it expires. By the time of this writing, more than 25,000 people have apparently already redeemed free family subscriptions, with an additional 10,000+ new users signing up for individual plans at no charge.

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  • Vodafone M-Pesa applies for license extension

    Vodafone M-Pesa applies for license extension

    Mobile payments company Vodafone M-Pesa has applied for an extension on its prepaid payment instrument license while it explores merging with an associate or third party company.

    Vodafone M-Pesa, which is wholly owned by India’s Vodafone Idea, is seeking an additional extension of its license from the Reserve Bank of India.

    The company will be required to pursue a merger due to regulations preventing one entity from having a payments banking business and prepaid payments business under separate entities.

    Due to the merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, the combined Vodafone Idea currently has a 100% stake in Vodafone M-Pesa as well as a 49% shareholding in the Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Limited.

    The company has already negotiated multiple extensions to its prepaid payment instruments, but only on a temporary basis as the company pursues a solution to gain compliance with the regulations.

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  • Honda Confirms Closure of UK Car Plant

    Honda Confirms Closure of UK Car Plant

    Honda has confirmed its western England car factory, which employs 3,500 people, will close in 2021. The Japanese carmaker announced Monday that the Swindon plant will shut in two years, “at the end of the current model’s production life cycle.” Honda makes its popular Civic model at the factory, 70 miles (115 kms) west of London.

    Reports of the closure first emerged in February, heightening concerns about the impact of Brexit-related uncertainty on the U.K. economy. Honda said the closure is not Brexit-driven but “is part of Honda’s broader global strategy in response to changes to the automotive industry.”

    The British government and union consultants, but “no viable alternatives to the proposed closure of the Swindon plant have been identified.”

  • Singapore retail sales lags last Month

    Singapore retail sales lags last Month

    Singapore retail sales slid by 1.5 percent in March, after excluding motor vehicle sales from the data. According to Statistics Singapore, most retail categories recorded lower sales for the month compared with the same period last year. Sales of optical goods and books fell by 6.4 percent and of computers and telecommunications equipment by 4.9 percent.

    Food retailers, watch and jewelry retailers, and department stores reported sales declines of between 4.6 percent and 5.7 percent.

    In contrast, sales of medical goods and toiletries rose by 2.8 percent, due in part to higher demand for cosmetics. Supermarkets and hypermarkets registered sales growth of 0.9 percent.

    Month on month, Singapore retail sales were essentially stable.

    The total market for March was estimated at $3.8 billion, with online sales comprising about 5.3 per cent.

    Year-on-year sales of food and beverage services in Singapore rose by 0.7 percent in March.

    On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales of food and beverage services increased 1.3 percent month on month.

    Total sales value for the sector was $868 million, compared to $863 million in March last year.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Announces Service Camp For Fleet And Taxi Owners

    Maruti Suzuki Announces Service Camp For Fleet And Taxi Owners

    Maruti Suzuki has announced a service camp for Fleet and Taxi owners. The camp has been kick-started across all dealer workshops. The company says that Taxi and Fleet operators have higher running and hence their vehicles demand more frequent attention. The campaign then is targeted towards their categorical requirements. The company has advised fleet and taxi owners to visit their nearest authorized service center to avail complimentary car health check and other exciting benefits.

    A complimentary detailed vehicle health check including AC, Brakes, Clutch, Suspension, Battery will be offered. Additionally, seeing the summer vacations coming up in the month of June and July, this campaign ensures that taxi owners are ready to serve the customers during this vacation period. The company had opened the camp last year too and it saw the participation of over 48,000 participants.

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  • Batelco completes structural separation

    Batelco completes structural separation

    Bahrain’s Batelco has completed its structural separation into wholesale and retail entities as part of the government’s fourth National Telecommunication Plan.

    Following the separation process, Batelco’s new infrastructure company NBNetco will work with the government to deploy a single national broadband and fiber backhaul infrastructure that will aim to provide all residents of the kingdom with high-speed internet access.

    Meanwhile retail entity Batelco Bahrain will take over the company’s retail and enterprise operations.

    Batelco has appointed Mohamed Bubashait as the CEO of NBNetco, and Mikkel Vinter as the new CEO of Batelco Bahrain.

    Both companies will continue to be owned by Batelco, but will be operated independently.

    The separation process has also involved the restructuring of executive management teams of the separated entities, as well as the separation of operational systems and human resources functions.

    Batelco chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa commented that the company expects that the separation will create new horizons for Batelco and opportunities to invest in digital technology.

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  • WhatsApp vulnerability allowed government-grade spyware to be installed

    WhatsApp vulnerability allowed government-grade spyware to be installed

    WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging apps out there, has once again been the subject of hacking, but this time the method used involves government-grade spyware. Although we have no information that would confirm who’s behind the attack, the spyware used is usually sold to governments.

    The vulnerability discovered by WhatsApp just a few weeks ago would allow a caller to install spyware on the device being called, regardless of whether or not the could be answered.

    The spyware installed was made by Israel-based NSO Group Pegasus, and is usually licensed to governments that want to hack targets of investigations and gain access to multiple aspects of their devices.

    It’s unclear how many Android and iOS devices were affected by the vulnerability, but as you can imagine, anyone with access to the spyware could hack any WhatsApp user. On the bright side, WhatsApp said that it took less than 10 days after it discovered the security issue to patch it. The company also believes that only a relatively small number of users were targeted by the attack.

    This attack has all the hallmarks of a private company known to work with governments to deliver spyware that reportedly takes over the functions of mobile phone operating systems. We have briefed a number of human rights organizations to share the information we can, and to work with them to notify civil society.

    If you have WhatsApp installed on your phone, installing the latest version of the app will render the attack inoperable, even if it was infected with the government-grade spyware.

  • Credit Card spending up in April

    Credit Card spending up in April

    Retail spending on electronic cards rose in April as Kiwis took advantage of the extended holiday period to eat out and take holidays away from home.

    Card spending in April rose 0.6 percent seasonally adjusted after a 0.2 percent decrease in March, according to data from Statistics NZ.

    The increase in credit and debit card spending in April coincided with the timing of Easter and the school holidays.

    “Many employees took three days off to get a 10-day holiday over the Easter and Anzac Day period,” said Sue Chapman, retail statistics manager.

    According to Statistics NZ, retail sales increased despite the reduced trading hours in April.

    In April, spending on eating out and staying away from home (hospitality) rose $6.3 million (0.6 percent) on March, and spending on groceries (consumables) rose $10 million (0.5 percent).

    Apparel sales rose 1.8 percent in April after falling 2.9 percent in March. Fuel was up $17 million (2.8 percent), and durables, up $17 million (1.3 percent), also drove the increase in retail spending.

    Chapman said the increase in fuel spending was due to climbing fuel prices.

    “Fuel prices increased for the fourth consecutive month, after falling late last year,” she said.

    The retail durables industry, which includes furniture, hardware, appliances, and pharmaceutical retailing, bounced back after a 1.7 percent decrease in March.

    Core retail spending, excluding fuel and vehicle spending, saw a 0.5 percent lift following a 0.3 decline in March.

    The total value of electronic card spending, including the two non-retail categories (services and non-retail), saw a 0.4 percent increase in April, following a 0.1 percent fall in March.

    In actual terms, retail spending using electronic cards was $5.3 billion, up to $232 million (4.5 percent) from April 2018.

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  • JD Sports celebrates mums on Mums Day

    JD Sports celebrates mums on Mums Day

    JD Sports marked Mother’s Day with a heart-warming video and a social media contest.

    The retailer launched #JDCelebratesMums campaign across Singapore with an “undisputed message; that jobs can come and go, but a mother is irreplaceable”.

    In the 3-minute video on JD Sports’ Instagram account, Atieqa, a JD senior sales advisor, took her mum to her workplace at JD Ion Orchard, where she shared her daily work routine.

    Under the video’s comment section, there was a contest in which participants should share their most memorable moments with their mum.

    One winner won an S$500 JD gift card.

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  • NEC to deploy CCTV and traffic management system in India

    NEC to deploy CCTV and traffic management system in India

    NEC Corporation Technologies India (NECTI), an IT and network technologies integrator subsidiary of NEC, has been awarded a contract as the master system integrator for installing CCTV surveillance and traffic management systems in India’s Gurugram City.

    Under the project, selected locations in Gurugram will be fitted with a variety of CCTV cameras to perform traffic enforcement and general surveillance across 115 sectors of Gurugram and Manesar. The project was awarded in March 2019 and is expected to be implemented within this year.

    To support the implementation of a comprehensively integrated video surveillance system, NECTI will set up IP-based outdoor security cameras across various identified locations in the city. The video surveillance system from NEC will help in enforcing traffic discipline through the use of AI-based analytics software such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD).

    The system will monitor traffic junctions and other sensitive areas to identify traffic offenders and issue alarms. Subsequent e-challans (electronic fines) can be issued to offenders who are captured flouting traffic rules with the help of these systems.

    In the first phase of the project, approximately 1,200 high definitions (HD) and ultra high definition (UHD) cameras are expected to be deployed in over 200 traffic junctions, sending video feeds to monitoring centers 24 hours a day. The project will utilize the dedicated Optical Fiber Backbone currently being laid out by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) using robust ring network topology.

    Cameras deployed in key selected locations will be equipped with facial recognition technology featuring NeoFace Watch, NEC’s flagship facial recognition software platform, to identify persons of interest and other suspicious elements to support law enforcement efforts.

    Commenting on the occasion, Takayuki Inaba, Managing Director, NEC Technologies India, said, “Gurugram, one of Delhi’s major satellite cities, is host to many leading brands and representatives from across the world and is widely acknowledged as a finance and technology hub. We are honored to be awarded this project and contribute to Gurugram’s smart city ambitions.

    The Gurugram Municipal Development Authority added, “The current population of Gurugram is estimated to be close to 2.5 million and is expected to grow rapidly over the next few years. We need to constantly aim and strive to work towards enhancing public welfare, and NEC’s leading position in the field of public safety is paramount behind our decision to work with them. We are hopeful that the successful implementation of this project will propel Gurugram into an attractive city to live, work and visit.”

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