Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Ezbuy Announces Dollar Deals With Huge Savings – For Two Days Only

    Ezbuy Announces Dollar Deals With Huge Savings – For Two Days Only

    ezbuy.sg, Singapore’s first and largest global shopping platform, today announced their ezbuy Dollar Deals,offering a variety of the lowest prices, on some of the most popular product categories. Happening for two days only from 29th to 30th April 2018, the ezbuy Dollar Deals will offer heavily discounted prices for customers looking to jump start their shopping spree, with deals going on sale at $1, $3, and $5respectively.

    Customers can look forward to huge savings from over 2,000 products across numerous categories, including men and women’s fashion, accessories, home and living, beauty, food and more. Explore ezbuy’s shopping platform for your favourite products including mobile accessories, jewellery pieces, Bluetooth speakers, patterned tees, dresses, handbags and many more. Products under the ezbuy Dollar Deals will also be at nett prices, with no shipping and agent fee for the entire campaign period.

    To date, ezbuy has not only expanded their suite of product offerings, they have also more sellers on board from China as well as on their various marketplaces including Singapore, Korea, Taiwan and USA. This means that customers now have greater access to their favourite brands and products from these countries with the ease of purchasing them from ezbuy.

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  • China smartphone sales fall sharply in Q1

    China smartphone sales fall sharply in Q1

    Chinese smartphone shipments suffered a steep decline in the first quarter, according to estimates from two separate research firms. Canalys estimates that shipments had their biggest ever decline during the quarter, falling more than 21% year-on-year to 91 million units – the lowest sales since the fourth quarter of 2013.

    Eight of the top 10 smartphone vendors recorded annual declines in shipments, with Gionee, Meizu and Samsung’s sales shrinking to less than half of their sales figures from the same quarter a year ago, the company said.

    Market leader Huawei recorded a modest growth rate of 2% to 24 million units, while second placed Oppo saw a decline of 10% to 18 million units and third ranked Vivo saw shipments decline 10% to 15 million units.

    But Xiaomi managed to buck the trend with a shipment growth of 37% to 12 million units, overtaking Apple to take fourth place. Canalys Research analyst Mo Jia said the results show that the Chinese smartphone market is increasingly becoming a four-horse race..

    “The level of competition has forced every vendor to imitate the others’ product portfolios and go-to-market strategies,” he said.

    “But the costs of marketing and channel management in a country as big as China are huge, and only vendors that have reached a certain size can cope. While Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi must contend with a shrinking Chinese market, they can take comfort from the fact that it will continue to consolidate, and that their size will help them last longer than other smaller players.”

    Counterpoint: Chinesee smartphone market faced its steepest ever decline during the quarter

    Meanwhile Counterpoint estimates that the Chinese smartphone market fell 8% year-on-year and 21% sequentially, with the top five brands capturing a record 82% of the market.

    The company predicts that Xiaomi recorded 51% growth and increased its market share to 13.1%, but still placed Apple ahead with a market share of 14.3%.

    The research firm’s top three rankings mirror that of Canalys, with Huawei on top with a market share of 21.6%, followed by Oppo at 17.6% and Vivo at 15.5%.

    Looking ahead, Canalys has predicted that the Chinese smartphone market will return to growth in the second quarter.

    “The inventory issues that Oppo and Vivo suffered in Q4 and Q1 are now behind them. New smartphones will definitely entice people to upgrade, but vendors are more careful of avoiding oversupply in the channel,” Jia said.

    “China’s smartphone market may see a short period of stagnancy as vendors refocus on research and development, relying on new use cases to excite refreshes rather than spending heavily on the channel and marketing.”

  • Nokia Q1 profit slumps 59%

    Nokia Q1 profit slumps 59%

    Nokia has reported a sharp 59% decline in net profit for the first quarter of 2018 to €86 million ($104.1 million) due to the ongoing weakness in the telecoms equipment market.

    Revenue for the quarter fell 9% year-on-year to €4.93 billion, with networks revenue down 12% to €4.32 billion.

    The vendor said sales and profitability for the quarter were primarily impacted by lower net sales in North America, but there were signs of improvement in terms of orders, suggesting that sales and profitability will improve over the rest of the year.

    Based on the orders received during the quarter, the company expects demand for 5G to accelerate further, particularly in North America where the first 5G fixed wireless access deployments are expected in the second half of the year.

    Licensing revenue for the quarter meanwhile grew 65% year-on-year, and the company expects further smartphone licensing opportunities in China, as well as brand licensing and in the automotive sector.

    “We see strong momentum building for the full year despite a slow start in networks. I have considerable confidence that Nokia is well-positioned to out-perform a strengthening networks market and meet our full-year 2018 guidance,” Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri said.

    These targets include an earnings per share of €0.23 to €0.27, with an operating margin of between 9% and 11%.

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  • Sofina Beaute continues its growth

    Sofina Beaute continues its growth

    Japanese brand Sofina Beaute has arrived in Singapore as part of its rollout in Asean countries.

    Under the wing of cosmetics group Kao Corporation, the brand’s offshore expansion has already included Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China.

    Its Singapore counters will offer skin-analysis technology with consultants available for beauty advice.

  • Skechers Singapore Expands Foothold With New Partnerships

    Skechers Singapore Expands Foothold With New Partnerships

    Leading sports brand, SKECHERS, announces today a slew of new collaborations and exciting releases. Skechers has entered into a new franchise partnership with Trendz 360, a leading distributor and retailer of sports and lifestyle footwear. Together, the two companies are introducing a new Skechers concept store at Suntec City, designed with greater emphasis on visual merchandising and shoppers’ experience. This is the second and largest franchise partner store; with the first store located at Velocity, #01-46, which was opened in December 2017.

    Furthermore, Skechers launches its Spring/Summer 2018 collection in the stylish, sleek DLT-A range of athletic footwear, and with it, the appointment of popular host and TV personality, Left Profile Artiste Lee Teng, as Skechers Singapore Brand Ambassador.

    Skechers And Trendz 360 Enter Into Synergistic Franchise Partnership

    2017 saw excellent business performance for Skechers, with the brand achieving a 24% increase in net sales and 33% rise in pairs of shoes sold for Southeast-Asia. This year, Skechers continues to look to expand its presence in Singapore and the region, and thus has partnered Trendz 360 in a franchise agreement. A leading distributor and retailer of sports and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories, Trendz 360 has an excellent portfolio of active lifestyle brands, and proves to be a great fit for Skechers.

    “Skechers has always been looking for a partner to further grow our business in Singapore, and we found the right match in Trendz 360. With its rich experience in the footwear segment and other retail businesses, we have great confidence that they will able to value-add and further enhance Skechers’ market share here in Singapore,” says Vincent Leung, President of Skechers Southeast Asia.

    The two companies will be working together to expand Skechers’ business presence in Singapore, through distribution and retail channels managed by Trendz 360.

    Mr Andy Chaw, Chief Executive Officer of Trendz 360, said, “The Skechers brand has evolved to become a lifestyle and performance wear powerhouse both regionally and internationally. As a new addition to our lifestyle footwear portfolio, we are confident that there will be great synergy from this partnership with Trendz 360’s business ethos of curating leading sports and lifestyle brands for the active consumer.”

    New Skechers Store Adopts Visual-Oriented Design, Greater Focus on Apparel

    Skechers Singapore’s new concept store at Suntec City West Wing, #01-375, is now officially open to the public. Encompassing over 1,900 sqf, the retail space is specially designed using the new Visual Merchandising concept adopted by Skechers since Q4’2017.

    The store utilises visual images and clear displays to better emphasise and portray the footwear, inviting visitors in with its modern, neat look.

    There are dedicated areas for different categories, including Lifestyle, Performance, the kids’ series, as well as the well-loved Skechers YOU and D’Lites collections. To better segment and highlight each segment, different fixtures are also used to highlight specific parts of the store, such as perforated panels for the Lifestyle section and black, vertical bars to create an industrial look for the Performance section.

    Furthermore, the new store features the largest collection of fitness and active apparel yet, reflecting Skechers’ increasing focus on the apparel segment. In the future, Skechers will place more emphasis in apparel, and is likewise targeting to increase apparel representation in Skechers stores.

    Skechers Singapore Brand Ambassador, Lee Teng

    Skechers is pleased to welcome Left Profile artiste Lee Teng, well-known host and TV personality, as its new Singapore brand ambassador. Embodying the qualities that a Skechers Brand Ambassador should possess – Trendy, Active and Sporty, he is well-equipped to reflect the brand and its range of products, bolstered by his influence both on TV and on social media.

    Lee Teng is also a successful entrepreneur and the undisputed icon of streetwear fashion, which is fully in line with Skechers’ young, trendy brand image. His keen sense of fashion and business has led to successful collaborations with Taiwanese stars like Jay Chou and Show Luo on their streetwear brands.

    Joining other stars in the Skechers brand ambassador family including Camila Cabello, Wu Zun and Zico, Lee Teng will front the brand’s campaigns in Singapore, including the D’Lites and DLT-A collections.

    On 19 April 2018, Lee Teng will grace the official opening of the Skechers concept store at Suntec City, happening along with the launch of Skechers’ Spring/Summer 2018 DLT-A collection.

    Delight in the Timeless Attitude of the Skechers S/S’2018 DLT-A Collection

    The Spring/Summer 2018 collection of Skechers’ DLT-A series is out now. The sneaker comes with air-cooled memory foam technology and includes a super lightweight shock-absorbing athletic midsole signature to the D’Lites series. It has a knitted upper and futuristic wavy line designs on the outsole, scoring points for its sporty style and comfort.

    This new release will comprise the following designs and colours:

    Model 88888164

    Lace-Up in Black, White, Pink

    Model 88888157 Lace-Up in

    White, Tan, Black, Coral

    Model 66666085

    Velcro Slip-On in

    Pink, Black/Red

    Model 88888156

    Regular Slip-On in

    Black, White/Black, Pink, Aqua Blue

    The unisex sneakers come in US size 5 – 12, retailing at $129. They are now available at Skechers concept stores in Tampines 1, Jurong Point, NEX, Parkway Parade, Causeway Point, VivoCity, Jem, Bugis Junction, Ngee Ann City, ION Orchard, Junction 8, Compass One, Northpoint City (South Wing) and Suntec City.

    Check Ya Brain with DLT-A – Exciting Roadshows at Suntec City, NEX

    To celebrate the launch of DLT-A, Skechers will be holding roadshows at Suntec City (16 – 23 Apr) and NEX (3 – 6 May). Aside from checking out the new collection, visitors will be able to try out revolutionary technology at the ‘Check Ya Brain with DLT-A’ booth.

    Users will be invited to put on an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset, which depicts the electrical activity of the brain. Next, interact with the various designs and colours of DLT-A shoes on display, and each user’s unique brainwaves at the moment will be projected!

    The roadshows will also showcase Skechers’ new lifestyle apparel additions, branching out from its previous focus on performance apparel.

    The lifestyle apparel saw great response when it was first launched in Korea and Hong Kong, and after it was recently featured on the hit boy group survival show Idol Producer, all relevant apparel flew off the shelves.

  • Cafe Decoral now operating under 7-Eleven

    Cafe Decoral now operating under 7-Eleven

    Convenience Shopping, a fully owned subsidiary of 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings (SEMH), has agreed to acquire a 60 per cent stake in Cafe Decoral, a ready-to-eat food supplier, for RM600,000.

    A Bursa Malaysia filing says the deal should be completed within the next few months. The move will enable SEMH to venture directly into the production of ready-to-eat fresh food for 7-Eleven stores.

    A share-sale agreement has been signed with Cafe Decoral founders Ng Kin Chen and Ng Lee Chin and Public Yong Tow Foo, a manufacturer and dealer of food products. Following the acquisition, Ng Lee Chin and Ng Kin Chen will hold 27.56 per cent and 10 per cent stakes respectively, down from 48.78 per cent and 29.27 per cent earlier.

    Furthermore, Public Yong Tow Foo’s ownership of 19.51 per cent will be fully liquidated while another shareholder, Ng Ming Kiat, will continue to own a 2.44 per cent stake.

    Pursuant to the acquisition, a three-storey shop house of Cafe Decoral in Selangor will be acquired for RM250,000. The value of the property is marked at RM108,543 as of the end of this month.

    Since 1984 Cafe Decoral has been supplying fast food such as fried fish balls, fried rice, fried mee hoon and sandwiches to about 300 7-Eleven stores in the Klang Valley in Malaysia.

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  • Paragon flagship for Tod’s Singapore

    Paragon flagship for Tod’s Singapore

    Italian luxury leathergoods specialist Tod’s has opened a new-concept flagship boutique at Paragon shopping mall on Orchard Road.

    While known for its classic Gommino driving shoes, Tod’s introduces more accessories at its new flagship, featuring a limited-edition Wave backpack.

    Covering 190sqm, the boutique has high-gloss ceilings, freestanding handbag rails, marbled flooring and features a concept exhibition space.

    Centre stage this season is the Surf collection, a range of shoes and accessories inspired by the sun, sea, sand and laidback style of Malibu, California. Exclusive to the store, the Wave backpack is available in metallic gold or silver, with contrasting multicoloured or rich-gold studs.

  • Sulbing dessert about to open new shops in Canada

    Sulbing dessert about to open new shops in Canada

    Korean dessert chain Sulbing will expand into Canada via franchising.

    The chain has signed a deal with a Canadian firm to open the first store in Vancouver by the first half of this year, followed by more stores in major Canadian cities.

    The chain is also planning expansion into Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines.

    Founded in 2013, Sulbing started franchising in China in 2015, followed by Japan and Thailand.

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  • Aguilas ink pact with Cebu Pacific

    Aguilas ink pact with Cebu Pacific

    THE Davao FC Aguilas travel a lot. With the 2018 season of the Philippine Football League already under way, the Aguilas having a national carrier as one of their sponsors is a blessing indeed.

    General Manager Michael Shaw said the team is very grateful after Cebu Pacific came forward to help as their main sponsor in their coming home-and-away games.

    “In terms of the PFL format, the matches are home and away and definitely signing a sponsorship agreement with Cebu Pacific helps,” said Shaw after a signing an agreement with Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Distribution at the Cebu Pacific’s head office (8007 Domestic Rd in Pasay City).

    The Aguilas currently have a 2-2-2 win-draw-loss record and they are close to making it to the AFC Cup Group Stage.

    They have games set in Bacolod, Tagum City, Cebu City, Marikina City, Iloilo City and Binan City.

    “It’s a privilege to partner with a team that represents Davao. We’ve always been associated with Cebu. And it’s important that we spread our wings and sponsor teams that are from other parts of the country,” said Iyog.

    The team’s players include Phil and James Younghusband, goalie Nick O’Donnell, Ronilo Bayan Jr., Matthew Hartmann, Simone Rota, Brad McDonaldo and Jason de Jong.

    They also have James Younghusband, Angel Guirado.Harry Sawyer, Phil Youghusband, Takashi Odawara, Jorrel Aristorenas, Josh Grommen, Omar Khan and James Hall, among others.

    Ceres of Cebu currently leads the standings with three straight wins.

  • Customers can use Zippay to pay for Tigerair flights

    Customers can use Zippay to pay for Tigerair flights

    Jetsetters on a budget can now pay for their flights in installments using buy now, pay later schemes. Low-cost carrier Tigerair is the latest airline to join forces with a scheme allowing customers to book their flights, go on holiday and pay off their airfares at a later date.

    Partnering with alternative payments provider Zip, the airline will put the plan in place by the end of this month, giving travellers Zip interest-free payment options on all domestic and international fares, allowing them to pay off their flights in bite-sized instalments.

    Passengers can book multiple flights up to the value of $3000 and then have full flexibility to repay either in weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments.

    Zip customers have up to 60 days to repay before they incur any charges.

    The move follows in the footsteps of rival airline Jetstar, who last year introduced the option to use Afterpay for flights booked at least four weeks in advance for fare reservations ranging anywhere between $200 and $1000.

    Tigerair spokeswoman Vanessa Regan said the move would make it more affordable and convenient for jetsetters wanting to ease the burden of paying for flights.

    “We are pleased to be providing our customers with better flexibility when it comes to booking and paying for travel with Tigerair,’’ she said.

    But consumer group Choice’s spokesman Tom Godfrey has warned customers if they can’t afford a flight in the first instance they could be “flying into a world of financial pain.”

    “Far from taking a relaxing holiday, you could end up staring down a debt collector,’’ he said.

    “We’d urge caution with these buy now, pay later financial products.”

     Zip co-founder Peter Gray said Zip does ID and credit checks for every applicant and there are no establishment fees.

    “You can make as many purchases as you like and you receive a statement on the first of the month with your balance,’’ he said.

    “You have until the end of the month to pay off your balance in full and we’ll waive the monthly fee, or if you choose to take longer, and choose to only pay the minimum, there’s a $6 monthly account fee.

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  • Suntec City retail assets grow

    Suntec City retail assets grow

    Retail data from Suntec City shopping centre shows growth by every measure in the first quarter of this year.

    Suntec City REIT has recorded a modest increase in gross revenue for the first quarter, as rising retail rents made up for declining office income.

    “The Singapore retail market remained stable in the first quarter of this year as the growth in

    Singapore’s economy lifted business sentiments and helped bolster occupier demand,” the trust said in a statement.

    “Suntec City mall continued to show strong operational performance in the first quarter. Footfall and tenant sales per square foot registered 12.7 per cent and 5.2 per cent year-on-year growth respectively.”

    Suntec City REIT says its retail portfolio was 98.4 per cent occupied as at March 31.

    “For the Singapore retail portfolio, the committed occupancy for the entire Suntec City was 98.6 per cent, while the committed occupancy for Marina Bay Link Mall stood at 98.9 per cent.

    In Australia, where the trust owns Melbourne’s for Southgate retail complex, occupancy was 91 per cent.

    The trust recorded gross revenue of $90.7 million, an increase of $2.3 million or 2.6 per cent for the quarter. Suntec Singapore revenue rose by $3.4 million to $21.9 million and retail revenue from Suntec City mall rose by $700,000 to $26 million, up 2.7 per cent. It was partially offset by lower office revenue, down 4 per cent to $42.9 million.

    Suntec Singapore’s revenue comprised $16.8 million from convention facilities and $5.1 million from retail.

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  • UNIQLO Singapore Announces New Store Openings at Downtown East and Great World City

    UNIQLO Singapore Announces New Store Openings at Downtown East and Great World City

    UNIQLO Singapore today announces that it will be opening two new stores at Downtown East and Great World City towards the end of this year. This brings the brand’s total number of physical stores in Singapore to 28, excluding its online store, www.uniqlo.com/sg.

    The launch of these new stores displays the commitment UNIQLO is making to Singapore and its economy. Aiming to meet the needs of the residents in the central and eastern parts of Singapore through offering quality and innovative clothing, UNIQLO demonstrates its LifeWear philosophy in making the brand accessible for all to enjoy.

    Downtown East

    A well-known entertainment hub in the East which caters to families and youths alike, Downtown East will be home to a new UNIQLO store that is estimated to cover approximately 10,200  square feet. The store will be located in Downtown East’s new wing and it will offer affordable essentials for people of all ages to enjoy.

    Great World City

    Situated along the fringe of Singapore’s most popular shopping belt, UNIQLO Great World City is estimated to cover approximately 9,000 square feet. The new store presents local shoppers and tourists alike with the opportunity to shop for their favourite quality clothing at a central location without having to worry about busy shopping crowds.

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  • Amazon offering deliveries to parked vehicles

    Amazon offering deliveries to parked vehicles

    Expanding on its Amazon Key, which enables access for in-home deliveries, Amazon has started offering deliveries to vehicles.

    With Amazon Key-in-Car, Prime members with compatible vehicles can have packages delivered to the boots and back seats of their cars when parked at home or in public areas.

    Customers need to have a compatible vehicle from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC or Volvo, reports The Verge.

    Free for Prime members, the service is so far available in 37 US cities following beta tests in California and Washington State for the past six months. Amazon is using multiple layers of verification to secure the in-car deliveries.

    The Amazon Key app also shares notifications with users throughout the four-hour delivery-time window, such as when the delivery is on its way, when the package was delivered and when the car was relocked.

    The service expands on the Amazon Key program, a lock-and-camera service that enables Prime members to receive packages directly inside their homes.

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  • Sesame Street Asia is making its way in Fashion

    Sesame Street Asia is making its way in Fashion

    Sesame Street Asia is expanding its fashion and lifestyle offerings with new apparel and accessory collections.

    Cookie Monster, Elmo and the rest of the gang from the Sesame Street children’s television series have been interpreted by regional fashion labels. These include:

    • Lalabobo. The premium casualwear brand has already introduced a Sesame Street capsule collection in its 200-plus stores in China. The collaboration features pieces for women and children including sweatshirts, sweaters, bomber jackets, jeans, down garments and dresses.
      • B.Duck. The Hong Kong-based retailer launches a Sesame Street collection for adults and children this month, including graphic t-shirts, sweatshirts and pants.
      • Tyakasha. The Shanghai-based fashion label this month introduces a collection of Sesame Street apparel and accessories including lunch boxes, umbrellas and mobile-phone cases via its online shop.
      • Chocoolate. The Hong Kong-based fashion label will debut a line of Sesame Street t-shirts, hoodies and tote bags next month to be sold also in Canada, China, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan.
      “Collaborating with these fashion labels allows our brand to continue expanding and growing as we approach our landmark 50th anniversary,” says Sesame Workshop senior VP Ed Wells, who also head up international media and education.
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  • China Airlines adds new route to U.S.

    China Airlines adds new route to U.S.

    A new route to the United States has been added by China Airlines. The TPE-ONT (Taoyuan to Ontario in California) route that the market has long been waiting for was officially commissioned. China Airlines will operate Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the route with seven flights a week. The new regular service will be the first direct flight from Asia to Ontario CA. It has already achieved average bookings of 70% at launch despite March through to April being the off-peak season. The launch means China Airlines now offers six direct flight destinations in the U.S. with 32 flights a week to choose from.

    To celebrate the launch of the all-new route, China Airlines Chairman Nuan-hsuan Ho hosted a ceremony at Taoyuan Airport on 25 March 2018. The milestone moment was witnessed by Mayor of Taoyuan City Wen-tsan Cheng, VISIT CALIFORNIA – Taiwan Travel Trade Director Milane Tsai, Taoyuan International Airport Corporation President Deng-Ke Shiau, Taoyuan Metro Chairman Kun-Yi Liu and other guests, all of whom gathered to bestow their blessing on the inaugural flight.

    China Airlines Chairman Nuan-Hsuan Ho said that the extensive studies and assessments carried out by China Airlines have now finally paid off. The launch of the Taoyuan – Ontario route will tap into the market for travel between Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau among eastern Los Angeles’ Chinese community. The new route, along with the existing Taoyuan – Los Angeles service, will expand options for travel to and from Asia for metropolitan Los Angeles as a whole, fostering closer Taiwan-U.S. ties as well as strengthening links with the Asia market.

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