Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • 7-Eleven delivers in 2 hours in Japan

    7-Eleven delivers in 2 hours in Japan

    A two-hour delivery service for smartphone orders is about to be launched by 7-Eleven Japan, the country’s biggest convenience-store chain.

    “Net Konbini” (using the commonly shortened form of “convenience store” in Japanese) plans to cover 7-Eleven’s entire Japanese network of around 20,000 stores, following a soft launch at 25 stores in Hokkaido in October. It plans to expand the network to 1000 stores in Hokkaido by August next year.

    Users will be able to place orders 24 hours a day, nominating a delivery address and store. A range of 2800 products will be available including Japanese convenience-store staples such as rice balls and bento lunch boxes.

    “Using 20,000 stores to immediately deliver any of 2800 products is a service only 7-Eleven can provide,” says company president Kazuki Furuya.

    Delivery trucks en route through 7-Eleven outlet areas will pick up orders and drop off purchases to customers, in a tie-up between 7-Eleven and a subsidiary of logistics company Seino Holdings finalised last year.

  • Amorepacific teams with magazine for their pop-up store

    Amorepacific teams with magazine for their pop-up store

    Amorepacific has partnered with Marie Claire magazine to open its first global beauty pop-up, in New York City.

    Open for 10 more days, the shop features products from such Amorepacific brands as Amorepacific, Annick Goutal, Iope, Laneige, Mamonde and Sulwhasoo.

    Special activities at the store include the opportunity to meet beauty experts, on-site treatments and product sampling.

    Discounts and exclusive gifts are also being offered.

    Meanwhile, Amorepacific has kicked off plans to go global with Etude House, Hera, Laneige, and Mamonde.

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  • China said to restart review of Qualcomm-NXP deal

    China said to restart review of Qualcomm-NXP deal

    Chinese regulators have reportedly restarted their review into chipmaker Qualcomm’s planned $44 billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductor, after suspending the review due to the growing trade tensions between China and the US.

    Officials at China’s Ministry of Commerce have been asked to hasten the review into the acquisition, as well as Qualcomm’s proposed remedies to protect Chinese companies to soften the deal.

    According to the report, Chinese companies have expressed concerns that the combined entity would allow Qualcomm to extend its patent licensing business into areas including mobile payments and autonomous driving, which could threaten the viability of companies operating in this area.

    China is the last remaining required global regulator to approve the acquisition. Regulators have been stalling the takeover for some time amid growing trade tensions with the US.

    The decision to expedite the approval process may be related to the decision by US president Donald Trump to intervene to work out a solution to allow ZTE to get back in business.

    The Chinese vendor was forced to cease major operations last week in the wake on a ban on the company importing components from US providers.

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  • 5GAA, Audi, Ford, Qualcomm demo C-V2X direct comms

    5GAA, Audi, Ford, Qualcomm demo C-V2X direct comms

    The 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), Audi, Ford and Qualcomm have announcedwhat they claim is the world’s first demonstration for cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) direct communications technology operating across vehicles from different manufacturers.

    Using the C-V2X chipset from Qualcomm in Audi and Ford vehicles, demonstrations showcased various scenarios of how C-V2X communications can alert nearby vehicles to potential hazards when the driver’s view may be obstructed. A case in point is to use vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications to alert surrounding vehicles when cars were turning left or braking.

    Additional use cases were featured, including a vulnerable road user (VRU) demo showcasing what can be possible with future vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communications, 5GAA said in a statement.

    Use cases for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication were also demonstrated, which showcased how direct communications can work closely with traffic signal controllers to ensure reduction in carbon emissions and optimization of traffic efficiency in cluttered intersections and dense environments.

    5GAA said the demos showcased the benefits of using C-V2X real-time direct communications on the 5.9-GHz Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) spectrum for V2V collision avoidance and improved road safety, independent of the cellular operator network involvement, credentials or coverage.

    In addition, initial field test results of the demos showed C-V2X direct communications had more than twice the range of 802.11p radio technology.

    The 5GAA, Audi, Ford and Qualcomm are scheduled to showcase another live C-V2X interoperability demo at the upcoming Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS-A) World Meeting in Detroit from June 4-7.

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  • NetLink NBN Trust beats IPO earnings forecast

    NetLink NBN Trust beats IPO earnings forecast

    Singapore’s NetLink NBN Trust, the network company for Singapore’s next-generation national broadband network (NG-NBN), has beat its post-tax profit targets for the financial period between June 19 and March 31 by 10.8%.

    The operator reported a net profit for the period of S$50 million ($37.4 million). This compares to a projection of S$45.1 million included in the prospectus for its S$2.3 billion IPO, which was completed in July last year.

    NetLink NBN Trust attributed the higher than expected profit to lower operation and maintenance costs, staff costs and other operating expenses

    NetLink NBN Trust reported revenue of S$228.6 million, 1.8% lower than forecast, due mainly to lower installation-related revenue. But this was partly offset by higher than expected recurring residential and non-residential connection revenue.

    For the fourth quarter, the operator reported a 6.4% lower than expected profit after tax of S$15.3 million and 4.4% lower than forecast revenue of S$80.7 million.

    “Our better-than-forecast earnings reflects the resilience of our business model,” NetLink NBN Trust CEO Tong Yew Heng said.

    “The growth in the number of connections for residential, non-residential and segment fiber for the relevant financial period was higher than the forecast.”

    As the network company for the NG-NBN, NetLink NBN Trust designs, owns, builds and operates the passive fiber network infrastructure for the network. As of the end of March, the network spanned around 76,000km of fiber cables, 16,200km of ducts and 62,000 manholes.

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  • MyRepublic targets service industry with Cisco Meraki

    MyRepublic targets service industry with Cisco Meraki

    Singapore-based ISP MyRepublic has launched a new complete networking solution for the services industry in collaboration with Cisco Meraki.

    The new MyRepublic Connected Business solution is designed to meet the end to-end needs of companies in the retail, food and beverage and hospitality sectors.

    MyRepublic will assume the role of both consultant and solutions provider to help design and deliver a network that meets a company’s specific requirements.

    MyRepublic Connected Business can provide solutions including high-performance wireless networking, secure firewall services, as well as traffic and use analytics to provide insight into the network.

    The platform provides central management and connection of wireless access points, security cameras, VoIP phones, network switches and other devices connected to the network.

    “MyRepublic understands many of the challenges facing businesses in the retail, hospitality and F&B sectors,” MyRepublic CEO Malcolm Rodrigues said.

    “Our customers want and need solutions that are not just innovative, but streamlined and hassle-free. MyRepublic Connected Business is exactly that, and we are excited to work with a well-established partner like Cisco Meraki to resolve these challenges.”

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  • AirAsia eyes new flights from Philippines

    AirAsia eyes new flights from Philippines

    Southeast Asian budget airline AirAsia is looking to add several more flights to its operations this year, including a route from Manila to Osaka during the last quarter of 2018.

    This development comes just weeks after Philippines AirAsia opened its Manila-Bangkok route which has been fully booked since it was offered to the public.

    According to Capt. Dexter Comendador, Philippines AirAsia chief, they were looking to open flight routes from Cebu, Clark and Manila to a host of Asian cities this 2018, including Hangzhou and Shenzhen in China, Taipei in Taiwan and Osaka, Japan.

    Comendador said that they were also hoping to add Narita, Japan to this list this year.

    Comendador and AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said that one issue they needed to deal with in expanding their routes was the capacity of airports to accommodate new flights.

    “Partly, the airport has been an issue in getting slots, etcetera, so we just been told that we can apply for Manila to Busan,” Fernandes told reporters during the company’s celebration of servicing its 500 millionth passenger.

    Comendador said that difficulties in getting slots for their flights were one reason why the Manila-Bangkok route was opened only last month instead of the original target of first quarter of 2018.

    In big tourist markets such as China, another issue that AirAsia is facing is the limited airway given to flights coming from the Philippines as there is only one gateway for Filipino planes.

    “It’s the design of the airway. Probably, China designed it that way to monitor the flights going into China,” he said during an interview with Philstar.com, adding that this can delay a significant number of flights from the country by several minutes to two hours.

    He said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to shut down Boracay for six months affected Philippines AirAsia’s thrust for this year.

    With Boracay’s closure, Comendador said that AirAsia prioritized helping their passengers to try to find ways to help them to go to other destinations in the country such as Bohol and General Santos City.

    He said that Bohol should serve as a template for other regions and provinces in the country in developing their tourism industry.

    The Philippines AirAsia’s CEO said that Bohol had been able to prepare the needed infrastructure needed for tourism even before the opening of its airport later this year.

    Bohol also marketed itself as a province and not just in terms of its individual tourist attractions, Comendador said.

     

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  • India’s DoT approves Airtel-Telenor India merger

    India’s DoT approves Airtel-Telenor India merger

    India’s Department of Telecom (DoT) has approved the planned merger between Telenor India and Bharti Airtel, which will create an operator with a subscriber base of around 334 million.

    The department has signed off on the merger after being directed to by the Supreme Court.

    The DoT had petitioned the court seeking to compel the operators to submit a security deposit of around 17 billion rupees ($251.6 million) before approving the merger. This deposit would cover unpaid spectrum fees from Telenor and a one-time spectrum charge on Airtel for the spectrum that the operator will acquire through the merger without an auction.

    But the court has dismissed the petition and instructed the department to approve the merger.

    With the acquisition, Airtel will acquire an additional 43.4 MHz of spectrum in the 1800-MHz band, spread across seven of India’s 22 telecoms circles.

    The company will also absorb Telenor’s subscriber base in these circles, which will leave the incumbent operator with nearly twice as many subscribers as new entrant Reliance Jio Infocomm.

    As a condition of approval, Airtel has been instructed to reduce its market share based on adjusted growth revenue in the Bihar telecoms circle to the limit of 50% within one year of completing the merger.

    Norway-based Telenor is meanwhile fulfilling its goal of exiting the Indian market due to the intense competition and the high cost of spectrum.

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  • Porsche SE execs, board are safe to travel to U.S.

    Porsche SE execs, board are safe to travel to U.S.

    Top managers and supervisory board members at Porsche SE, Volkswagen Group’s majority shareholder, can still travel to the United States without risk or fear of prosecution, the company’s head of legal affairs said.

    “Porsche SE is convinced that no board member can be accused of offenses, and that the members of the management and supervisory boards can still travel to the United States without restrictions and risk,” Manfred Doess, the holding firm’s legal chief, said on Tuesday at Porsche SE’s annual shareholder meeting.

    U.S. authorities earlier this month issued an arrest warrant against VW Group’s former CEO, Martin Winterkorn, after indicting him on four felony charges in the automaker’s diesel-emissions scandal.

    Porsche SE CEO Hans Dieter Poetsch, VW’s former finance chief who is being investigated by prosecutors in Brunswick, Germany, for suspected market manipulation related to the scandal, told shareholders that he regularly travels to the U.S.

    Doess said Porsche SE has no knowledge of an international arrest warrant against Wolfgang Porsche, the firm’s chairman and a member of VW’s supervisory board.

  • BMW is Recalling some of their cars

    BMW is Recalling some of their cars

    BMW started the company in the opinion of their own cars. This is the second necessary measure from the German automaker. Last year was recalled about 36,000 of the cars, including the BMW 1 Series, 3 Series, Z4.

    The reason have a problem with the electrical part of the machine during the movement of the car. As a result, there is a risk not only stop the machine but also the fire.

    The case was investigated by the British authorities. It identified 19 cases of failures of electronics.

    BMW say that the current problem cars were not covered by initial opinion. Therefore, to increase the security of the owners made an additional request of car.

    At the moment, BMW is conducting additional testing 417 machines. This level of sampling on statistics helps to understand the essence of the problem and corresponds to the code of business ethics prevailing in the automotive industry.

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  • Omnichannel Retail is Coming to Hong Kong

    Omnichannel Retail is Coming to Hong Kong

    The future of retail is about to be delivered to Hong Kong’s commercial developers, and it’s coming via the Internet, according to a report released today by property consultancy JLL.

    The company’s report on the city’s shopping scene, “Reimagining Retail – Bricks, Mortar and the Evolution of E-Commerce in Hong Kong,” forecasts that the value of Internet retail sales in the Asian financial hub will reach US$3.7 billion by 2021, nearly double the US$1.8 billion transacted in 2016.

    However, although government statistics forecast that e-commerce in Hong Kong will have grown at an average of more than 16 percent per year from 2016 through 2021, the burgeoning online sector will become a component in retailer strategies, rather than a replacement for in-store sales, according to the company’s analysts.

    Ecommerce Growth May Not Lead to Lower Rents

    “As the US and mainland China markets have seen an increasing number of vacant shops, together with the continuous growth in online sales, some of our clients start to worry that the demand for brick and mortar stores will diminish once Hong Kong’s online retail takes off,” said Denis Ma, Head of Research at JLL in a press conference held in Hong Kong.

    According to the report, some 90 percent of the city’s landlords believe online sales will grow over the next five years. However, despite a spate of cut-rate lease deals in a number of the city’s top retail locations, that may not translate into lower rents at Hong Kong’s malls.

    “We don’t see the growth in online retail to be a significant factor in influencing rents in the short term. Factors like the number of tourists coming to Hong Kong and unemployment rate are more relevant to the rental level,” said Eric Cheng, Local Director of Retail at JLL.

    Some of Hong Kong’s busiest shopping districts have witnessed sharp rent cuts during the past few months. In March, fashion brand Twist leased a two-storey shop at 24-26 East Point Road in prime shopping district Causeway Bay for 56 percent less than the HK$1.1 million monthly rent that the previous tenant had been paying.

    On Russell Street in the same district, which formerly ranked as the most expensive retail strip in the world, Swatch Group last month secured a 33 percent cut in it’s HK$1 milliion per month rent when it renewed a lease originally signed in 2015.

    HK Retail Goes Omnichannel

    While online retail may not mean an end to traditional shopping, landlords will have to be ready to accommodate retailers that are selling to consumers who use smartphones and desktops for their shopping as much as they rely on strolls through the mall.

    “The future of the retail market of Hong Kong lies in its evolution into omni-channel retailing,” Ma said at a media briefing on the report. “From our perspective, the growing popularity of mobile payments and wider adoption of big data analytics will move us in this direction, as well as enhancing the overall shopping experience of consumers. This certainly requires retailers and landlords, such as mall operators, to invest more heavily in technology.”

    Ma predicts that online retailers will look into establishing brick and mortar stores while existing physical retailers will open up online platforms in the future. “As the rental market is expected to bottom out within this year, our advice to retailers looking to move into bricks and mortar is that they should act fast. Because in a few months’ time, there will be fewer vacant shops available,” said Ma.

    Last year, Chinese phone maker Xiaomi opened two physical showrooms in Hong Kong after the tech unicorns sales had grown 40 percent in the city as of October last year. The Chinese firm originally adopted an online-only strategy by selling its products directly to customers online before it started opening brick and mortar stores in mainland China in 2015.

    Small Living Space Drives People to Malls

    Hong Kong’s Internet retail grew at a compound annual growth rate of 15 percent from 2011 to 2016, and is expected to grow by 16.1 percent in the next five years, data from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council shows. While the growth rate seems steady, the online retail market in the city remains underdeveloped. Online shopping will account for just 6.1 percent of the city’s total retail sales in 2021, well below the 17.3 percent average in Asia.

    The relatively slow expansion of the Hong Kong’s online retail industry is attributed in part to the city’s famously tight living quarters. With 80 percent of the existing private homes below 70 square metres (753 square feet) in area, people tend to spend their leisure time outside of their homes, often in malls, according to Ma.

    A high density of retail shops, poorly designed online platforms and an ageing population also hindered the development of online retail in the city, Ma added.

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  • Bacardi launches Exceptional Cask Series in Asia DF

    Bacardi launches Exceptional Cask Series in Asia DF

    Bacardi Global Travel Retail announces the launch of the Exceptional Cask Series – a collection of ‘extremely rare, superlative’, aged single malt bottlings – hand-picked from the distilleries for Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla and Glen Deveron.

    Bottled in small quantities, the new series comprises a limited number of extraordinary Single Cask, Double-Cask and Small Batch releases chosen by Dewar’s Master Blender and Malt Master, Stephanie MacLeod.

    Only a handful of expressions will be released by each distillery. “Proudly showing the age of the whisky, all bottlings are numbered and will be available in very limited numbers due to the nature of single cask, double cask and small-batch whiskies,” says Bacardi.

    Now available in select airport retailers in global travel retail, the initial series launch includes the Aultmore 1986 (31 years old) – Single Cask which was originally created especially for the DFS Master of Spirits 2018, and is now available with select retailers in Asia Pacific.

    MATURATION 

    “The sherry cask maturation develops Aultmore 1986 with aromas of dried fruits and Christmas cake, a rich dark amber, almost mahogany colour,” says Bacardi.

    “Often shrouded in fog, Aultmore distillery has developed a secretive air since it was founded in 1897. The mysterious Foggie Moss conceals the age-old water source, while the wild, wet undergrowth purifies it to the profit of Aultmore’s refined character creating a smooth, clean taste.”

    In addition to the Aultmore 1986, Bacardi will be launching the Craigellachie 1992 (24 years old) Small Batch; Craigellachie 1999 (17 years old) Small Batch with Palo Cortado Finish; Aberfeldy 1984 (33 years old) Single Cask and Aberfeldy 1999 (18 years old) Small Batch Port Finish.

    “Maturation is my favourite part of the whisky making process,” says Stephanie MacLeod. “Once the whisky is in a bourbon or a sherry cask, you might expect certain outcomes but you’re certain to have a few wonderful surprises along the way.

    “It’s a question of working with the whisky and the different elements at play in maturation to achieve the right outcome. With Aultmore 1986, for example, I needed to consider all these nuances and sampled lots of different casks to discover those that displayed a new and different side to the Aultmore personality, while ensuring it’s drinkable at cask strength at around 50% ABV.”

    ‘INCREDIBLE RECEPTION’

    Gaurav Joshi, Director, Bacardi Global Travel Retail Asia Pacific commented on the launch during this week’s TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition: “We’re extremely proud to offer the Exceptional Cask Series in Asia Pacific and we’re excited at the prospect of success with the range, following the incredible reception for Autlmore 1986 at DFS Master of Spirits in March.

    “Asia Pacific is a region with many types of new and experienced whisky collectors and connoisseurs actively looking for their latest discovery in aged single malt.

    “Offering them that chance in travel retail adds true dynamism and excitement to the channel and reinforces the fact that the quality and experience of airport shopping in the region leads the world.”

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  • Thai Lion Air increases flight frequency from Jakarta to Bangkok

    Thai Lion Air increases flight frequency from Jakarta to Bangkok

    Thai Lion Air, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s largest private airline, Lion Air, increased its Jakarta-Bangkok service from once a day to twice on Monday.

    The additional SL116 flight, which uses a Boeing 737-900ER, will depart from Don Mueang International Airport at 9 a.m. local time and arrive at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the return SL117 flight takes off at 1:10 p.m. and lands in Bangkok at 5 p.m.

    The additional frequency aims to tap into the potential of connecting Asian cities, as passengers from Jakarta will be able connect to other cities from Bangkok, such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Singapore, Yangon, Hanoi, Taipei, Mumbai, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Nanjing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Zhengzhou.

    “This new service is our answer to the high demand for air transportation in Southeast Asia,” said Thai Lion Air CEO and chairman Capt. Darsito Hendro Seputro in a statement.

    Established in 2013, Thai Lion Air boasts 12 domestic networks and operates two regional flights and over 20 international destinations.

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  • Carousell raises 85$ Million in funding

    Carousell raises 85$ Million in funding

    Singapore classifieds marketplace Carousell has raised US$85 million in series-C funding. The round was co-led by Rakuten Ventures and EDBI, with participation from existing investors 500 Startups, Golden Gate Ventures and Sequoia India, as well as new investor DBS.

    A pioneer of mobile classifieds in 2012, Carousell will use the capital injection to accelerate its product innovation to reimagine classifieds. A key component will be investment into talent and deep technology capabilities.

    “In the past six years, we’ve gathered a lot more data, feedback and learnings about the problems and friction people face when buying and selling online. We are laser-focused on solving these problems with technology and catering to local cultural norms and behaviours in Southeast Asia while ultimately serving our core mission of inspiring everyone in the world to start selling,” says co-founder/CEO Siu Rui Quek.

    “The investment will enable us to continue building up our teams with top-tier talent to accelerate our development of highly anticipated features, and more AI and machine learning capabilities.”

    In the two years following its last round of funding, Carousell’s seven-country marketplace has quadrupled in volume globally, featuring more than 144 million listings and 50 million items sold. Carousell began to realise its AI vision last year with the launch of predictive features like Smart Listings, personalised browsing and chatting.

    In the past year, Carousell has also expanded its marketplace offerings in Singapore with high-value categories such as cars, property, jobs, services and finance. In conjunction with the investment, DBS and Carousell will be collaborating to offer financial products and payment services on Carousell’s platforms.

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  • Pezzo Pizza is selling by the slice in Cambodia

    Pezzo Pizza is selling by the slice in Cambodia

    Singaporean pizza chain Pezzo Pizza will officially open its first-ever by-the-slice kiosk in the upcoming Aeon Mall 2 in Phnom Penh on May 30.

    Run by Star Food Enterprise, Pezzo Pizza Cambodia will be offering pizza made with dough prepared using blended flour from Europe. Pezzo Pizza uses American mozzarella cheese from Leprino Food.

    Star Food Enterprise MD Tech Sombo says the store will showcase an open kitchen, and local chefs will devise Khmer toppings. The company also runs Big Apple Donuts & Coffee Cambodia.

    Pezzo Pizza has more than 120 kiosk outlets, mainly in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.