Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • The AirAsia Mega Sale is now on with international flights from $95

    The AirAsia Mega Sale is now on with international flights from $95

    Asian low-cost carrier AirAsia is at it again with another mammoth sale to dozens of Asian destinations during the Australian winter – so you can escape the cold and looking forward to warmer climes, naturally.

    Prices start from $95 one-way, which is for Darwin to Bali. Followed closely behind are $99 tickets which will get you from Perth to either Bali or Kuala Lumpur one-way.

    To give you an idea of how competitive these fares are, not 10 days ago Jetstar was offering $99 one-way flights to Bali from Darwin and $129 fares to Bali from Perth.

    Other hot fares in AirAsia’s Mega Sale include: Gold Coast to Auckland from $119, Perth to Jakarta from $124, Sydney to Kuala Lumpur from $149, Sydney to Penang from $174 and Melbourne to Singapore from $184. All these prices are for one-way economy tickets.

    Other cities on sale are Seoul, Siem Reap, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Hanoi and Krabi.

    These sale flights are for travel between 1 September all the way to 5 June 2018 – so you have plenty of time to save up the dosh for a big holiday blow-out. Just remember that black-out dates may apply during public and school holiday periods.

    Flights are available departing from Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Most flights include a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.

    AirAsia charges a $10 processing fee per flight per person on credit and debit card purchases. You can avoid this by paying with PayPal.

    As a low-cost carrier, this price does not include extras such as checked baggage, on-board meals and in-flight entertainment. These can be purchased during the booking process for an additional fee.

    We found these fares on I Want That Flight which you can tap into by clicking on the search buttons below.

    This AirAsia mega sale ends 19 March 2017.

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  • Indonesia’s Furniture Industry Needs Innovation to Maintain Pace with Competitors

    Indonesia’s Furniture Industry Needs Innovation to Maintain Pace with Competitors

    President Joko Widodo has revealed that global competition in the furniture and handicraft industry is increasingly rapidly. Moreover, changes in mode of creative industries are on the rise, as well as providing an alternative for its own market.

    The President also claimed to have become more satisfied with the changes that occur in the furniture and handicraft industry in Indonesia to move the industry forward. However, he added that this time, the toughest competitors in the international furniture industry for Indonesia are Vietnam and Malaysia.

    “If we do not follow, then we will be left behind. The furniture and handicraft products’ design are good enough. What needs to be done now is on how to market the products so we can compete internationally,” he said at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) in Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Saturday (3/11).

    He stressed that if the domestic furniture industry is not able to adjust to global challenges that exist today, then Indonesia’s furniture industry will be undermined by other countries’ furniture products.

    “The designs of existing products from rattan, wood, bamboo, and metal have been changed. These are the changes that need to be done, because the world changes rapidly,” President Joko Widodo added.

    “Our toughest competitors are now Vietnam and Malaysia. I think with good designs like these we can improve,” he continued.

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  • Volkswagen and Tata agree to explore cooperation in India

    Volkswagen and Tata agree to explore cooperation in India

    Volkswagen has signed an agreement with Tata Motors to explore cooperation in India, company sources close to the matter said, as the German carmaker tries once again to conquer emerging markets.

    After months of talks, the carmakers have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen exchanges about technology, components and platforms, and analyze overlaps that could come from cooperation, one of three company sources said.

    VW, already the biggest carmaker by sales in China, is embracing electric cars and looking for new markets as it battles to recover from its diesel emissions scandal.

    A previous VW attempt to expand in emerging markets through an alliance with Suzuki Motor Corp. (7269.T) collapsed in 2015 after a fierce dispute.

    Winning emerging market share is an obvious goal for global automakers, but has yet to prove significantly profitable, except perhaps for budget-car champion Renault.

    “Covering entry-level segments will be crucial for major carmakers’ long-term growth plans,” said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, head of the Center of Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

    “A successful budget car can be a feeder to the rest of the brand,” said Dudenhoeffer, a former sales director of PSA Group’s Germany operations.

    VW’s efforts to make inroads in low-cost markets include China, the world’s biggest auto market, where it has scrapped a pre-dieselgate program and redrawn the plans for a budget car, company sources said. VW has pared costs for its MQB mass-market platform, sources told Reuters at the Geneva auto show.

    The vehicles will likely be introduced in 2019-2020 and may cost in the area of 8,000 euros to 10,000 euros ($8,500 to $10,500), sources said. VW had repeatedly failed in previous years to hit cost targets for a budget car priced between 6,000-8,000 euros.

    An announcement on budget models for China could be made at the Shanghai auto show next month, they said.

    VW views the budget car project as essential to protect its market-leading position in China against aspiring local manufacturers.

    “They’re offering relatively high quality at very aggressive prices,” VW brand chief Herbert Diess told Reuters in Geneva. “This is a concern for us.”

    VW is also working on a budget car for Latin America and has revamped its MQB architecture in a way that allows for greater savings on the models, sources said in Geneva.

    “We will continue to work on the budget car and we will offer good solutions here in the foreseeable future,” Chief Executive Matthias Mueller told Reuters in Geneva, without elaborating.

    In India, the owner of British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover is restructuring its car business to cut its platforms to two from six to boost production efficiencies and adjust more quickly to market trends.

    “We confirm that we are in talks with VW for a potential alliance but an announcement will be made at an appropriate time,” a spokesman for Tata said.

    With a very low vehicle penetration rate, India, the world’s second most populous country, is a big attraction for Western carmakers as they search for growth.

    A spokesman for VW said it was discussing ways to expand its product portfolio with tailor-made solutions in India with both its car brands and potential partners.

    Light vehicle sales in India are expected to more than double to 7.1 million cars by 2025 from 3.4 million last year, according to IHS Markit.

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  • AirAsia offers three million promo seats

    AirAsia offers three million promo seats

    AirAsia will be giving away up to three million promotional seats in its first major promotion of the year.

    The promotion is available on airasia.com from March 13 to 19 for travel period from Sept 1, 2017 to June 5, 2018.

    Fares will be as low as RM0 to destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Miri, Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta and many more.

    Those travelling on AirAsia X will be able to enjoy its award-winning Premium Flatbed from Kuala Lumpur to Wuhan, Chongqing, Perth, Sydney and many more destinations from RM699.

    AirAsia BIG members will enjoy priority access to the promotion and can make bookings via airasia.com or mobile app or redeem flights via airasiabig.com and the newly released AirAsia BIG mobile app from March 12.

    Other partners will also be able to access the promotion 24 hours earlier.

    Other guests can book flights from March 13 to March 19 for travel between Sept 1 and June 5, 2018.

    “We like to start the year with a bang and what better way to make a spring splash than with free seats for our valued guests,” said AirAsia Group chief commercial officer Siegtraund Teh in a statement.

    “As always, AirAsia BIG members get perks and we’ll be allowing them to book flights 24 hours before we open the sale to the public,” she said.

    AirAsia is also trying to connect travellers to new and exciting destinations with recent launches to Luang Prabang, Laos; Bhubaneswar, India; and Honolulu, USA.

    For wanderlusts who wish to travel immediately, AirAsia has a special promotion for bookings during the same period for travel period from March 14 to Aug 31.

    AirAsia is Asia’s leading and largest low-cost carrier by passengers carried, with a network of more than 120 destinations to all Asean countries, other parts of Asia, Australia and New Zealand and the Middle East.

    AirAsia was named World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for the eighth year in a row and AirAsia X won the World’s Best Low-Cost Premium Cabin and Premium Seat for the fourth straight year at 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

    AirAsia was also awarded World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline for the fourth consecutive year at the 2016 World Travel Awards, where it also beat a field of full-service carriers to become the first ever low-cost carrier to win World’s Leading Inflight Service.

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  • Eyewear brand MUJOSH opens first Canadian store at West Edmonton Mall

    Eyewear brand MUJOSH opens first Canadian store at West Edmonton Mall

    Hong Kong-based upscale eyewear brand MUJOSH has added its first Canadian store to its portfolio of over 700 boutiques across Asia and the South Pacific. The store’s opening is in line with a recent trend of international and local expansion of eyewear brands into Canada.
    MUJOSH opened in West Edmonton Mall at the end of February and the company is planning further expansion in Canada and the Philippines, into 2017. The brand hopes to open 1,000 new outlets.
    “This successful debut in Canada marks a milestone for MUJOSH on its way to expand globally,” the company said in a press statement.
    The eyewear fashion brand was founded in 2010 and has stores in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, in addition to Canada. West Edmonton Mall averages 90,000 to 200,000 shoppers daily and 32 million consumers annually.
    The deal to acquire the West Edmonton retail space was negotiated by Ben Lebrecque of Quebec-based Oakmont Real Estate Services.  Over the past year, Canadian retail saw several new eyewear brands enter the market or expand across the country. In the fall of 2016, New York eyewear Warby Parker opened its second Toronto store. Australian brand Bailey Nelson recently opened at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby and the Bentall Centre and Gastown in downtown Vancouver. Montreal-based BonLook will continue to expand across Canada with 20 new stores.
    Two American eyewear retailers will soon announce the opening of their first Canadian freestanding stores, according to Retail Insider.
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  • Guerlain and Shilla open new Changi T1 ‘exclusive outpost’

    Guerlain and Shilla open new Changi T1 ‘exclusive outpost’

    Between March 1 to April 12, Changi Airport and its exclusive perfume and cosmetics retailer The Shilla Duty Free have teamed up to create ‘an exclusive Outpost’ within the Terminal 1 Cosmetics & Perfumes central store to mark the launch of the brand’s new fragrance – Mon Guerlain.

    Located next to the transit departure hall this new presentation is designed to give visitors and customers ’a rare glimpse’ of the brand’s DNA and heritage, utilising a an olfactory journey of Mon Guerlain with a Fragrance Organ display.

    This is designed to provide ‘compelling insights’ into the story behind the Mon Guerlain fragrance and how it was created. The Mon Guerlain creation was first imagined by Thierry Wasser, the famous fifth Guerlain perfumer and it was turned into reality ‘for the extraordinary, sincere and authentic woman’, says Guerlain.

    ‘RECOGNISING THE AMBIGUITY OF MALE AND FEMALE SCENTS…’

    It adds that the fragrance begins with the base notes of Tahitensis Vanilla, along with subtle notes of Carla Lavender, Sambac Jasmine and Santalum Album Sandalwood.

    The company said: “The result is an exceptional fragrance that reconciles the divide and ambiguity of masculine and feminine scents. Mon Guerlain comes beautifully encased in a quadrilobe bottle, an iconic design that owes its name to its unique stopper, formed from a solid piece to attain the shape that resembles four lobes.

    “Angelina Jolie is the muse who inspired the birth of Mon Guerlain and her love for tattoos is widely celebrated through the new fragrance. Perfume is likened to having an invisible tattoo on the skin, and drawing on this unique concept, a Guerlain Tattoo Atelier has been specially created at the Outpost to complement and deliver a unique experience to travellers.

    TATTOO ARTISTS ON HAND…

    “A tattoo artist will be present at selected timings to create beautiful gold tattoo art that expresses the spirit and DNA of Mon Guerlain. Travellers can choose from six preset Guerlain flash tattoos, or even enjoy a customised hand-drawn gold tattoo adapted from preset designs.”

    Guerlain says travellers ‘are also in for a riveting treat’ as the Fragrance Organ display includes a grand showcase of the limited edition Mon Guerlain Bee Bottles, an exclusive exhibit at this Outpost, which is also available for sale.

    An emblematic symbol of the Guerlain House, the Bee bottle pays tribute to the beauty, elegance and charm of Her Majesty Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. Embodying extreme precision and refinement, each Bee bottle is painstakingly dressed in baudruche and embellished with silk cords by the skilful hands of Guerlain’s nimble-fingered craftsmen.

    Commenting on the initiative Guerlain’s Regional Director Travel Retail Asia Caroline Teichteil said: “Guerlain is thrilled to present its first-ever Outpost at Singapore Changi Airport. Mon Guerlain is a fragrance that embodies modern femininity and we believe that this collection will greatly resonate with the stylish globe-trotter and become a must-have essential in their beauty kit.”

    PERSONALISED SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

    Teo Chew Hoon, Changi Airport Group’s Senior Vice President of Airside Concessions added: “The innovative and interactive concept of the Guerlain outpost will further elevate the retail experience at Changi. Whether it is exploring the exclusive exhibition of the Mon Guerlain Bee Bottles, or visiting the Guerlain Tattoo Atelier, travellers can expect a personalised shopping experience filled with surprises.

    Raelene Johnson, Head of Global Merchandise Division, The Shilla Duty Free added: “The Shilla Duty Free has always been committed to working closely with Changi Airport and our brand partners to present exciting experiences for our global shoppers.

    “The Mon Guerlain Outpost offers activities that give travellers an immersive, multi-sensory experience. We are also thrilled to educate shoppers about the artisanal craft behind Guerlain’s fragrance-making as they discover the intricacies of the perfumery world through the eyes its perfumer,”

    SIZES AND ADDED INCENTIVES…

    The new fragrance is available as a 50ml Mon Guerlain EDP Fragrance (S$133.00) or 100ml (S$189.00) and Tier 1 Customers will receive a miniature Mon Guerlain EDP fragrance (5ml) with every purchase of the 50ml Mon Guerlain EDP fragrance.

    Tier 2 Customers will receive a miniature Mon Guerlain EDP fragrance (5ml) and body lotion (30ml) with every purchase of the 100ml and Tier 3 will be given a miniature Mon Guerlain EDP fragrance (5ml), body lotion (30ml) and mini candle with a minimum spend of S$430 (including a Mon Guerlain EDP fragrance of any size).

    Last, but not least, ISHOPCHANGI.COM customers will receive a Mon Guerlain EDP miniature and an exclusive Guerlain bracelet with any purchase of the Mon Guerlain EDP fragrances (50ml or 100ml).

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  • Maria Grazia Chiuri collection for Dior pop-up

    Maria Grazia Chiuri collection for Dior pop-up

    Singapore is among seven international cities where Dior is launching pop-up stores to unveil its spring/summer ready-to-wear collection, the first designed by its new creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.

    Dior pop up4

    Dior pop up3

    Dior pop up2

    Dior pop up

    The pop-ups revisit the Dior heritage in a contemporary spirit with a message, says the French luxury group.
    Los Angeles and Paris are first with the stores, with the roll-out continuing in Japan, Dubai, Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai.

    Singapore’s Dior pop-up opens at Ion Orchard on Thursday and will be open until March 22.

  • Hong Kong retail sales continue to fall

    Hong Kong retail sales continue to fall

    Hong Kong retail sales fell again in January – by a modest 0.9 per cent.

    However, a spokesman from the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) warned the figures may be have been affected by the earlier timing of Lunar New Year which fell at the end of January. he cautioned reading too much into the data until the combined January-February figures this year can be compared with last.

    In volume terms – taking into account the effect of inflation – sales fell by 1.4 per cent.

    “Looking ahead, the near-term outlook for the retail sales business will continue to depend on the performance of inbound tourism and on whether local consumer sentiment would be affected by the various uncertainties in the external environment,” he said.

    The value of total retail sales in January 2017 was provisionally estimated at HK$43.1 billion. The decline of 0.9 per cent was substantially lower than December’s 2.9 per cent decline – but January’s data could have been buoyed by spending on gifts and inbound tourist spending over the holiday period.

    “Local consumer spending normally attains a seasonal high before the festival. As the Lunar New Year fell on January 28 this year but on February 8 last year, the year-on-year comparison of the figures for January 2017 with those for January 2016 might have been affected by this factor to a certain extent.”

    Broken down into broad type of retail outlet in descending order of impact on the overall figure, sales of jewellery, watches and clocks and valuable gifts decreased by 3.9 per cent. This was followed by sales of apparel down 5.2 per cent, electrical goods and photographic equipment down 24.4 per cent, miscellaneous consumer durable goods  down 17.8 per cent, furniture  down 9.4 per cent and books, newspapers, stationery and gifts down 0.6 per cent.

    Categories to show an increase were supermarket sales up 5.4 per cent, department store sales up 2.8 per cent, food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco up 9.9 per cent, medicines and cosmetics up 2.8 per cent, ‘other consumer goods’ up 12.1per cent, footwear and accessories up 4 per cent, Chinese drugs and herbs up 1.5 per cent and eyewear up 3.4 per cent.

    After seasonal adjustment, the C&SD estimated the total value of retail sales decreased by 3.3 per cent in the three months ending January 2017, compared with the preceding three-months.

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  • Jollibee US moving into Florida

    Jollibee US moving into Florida

    Jollibee US will open its first fast-food restaurant in Florida on March 18, to be followed by more outlets in the city.

    A former A&W Restaurants and Kentucky Fried Chicken building covering nearly 3500 sqft (325 sqm) in Jacksonville has been renovated by the Philippines-based chain. It is next to The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro in Keman Village shopping centre.

    Starting as an ice cream parlor in the Philippines in 1975, Jollibee expanded into the US in 1998, opening in Daly City, near San Francisco, to cater to Filipino and Filipino-American families. The Jacksonville metro area also has a Filipino community of about 17,200 people, according to the US Census Bureau.

    Jollibee says the Jacksonville move is the forerunner of further expansion in the US, where it already has 35 locations, nearly half of them in California. The group has 1111 stores worldwide.

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  • Jimmy Choo Asia sales soar

    Jimmy Choo Asia sales soar

    Jimmy Choo Asia sales soared 19.2 per cent last year, according to its annual results.

    The solid performance reflects considerable investment in the Asian market – and was enough to mitigate a worrying 3.9 per cent in wholesale sales in the US.

    “While other luxury players such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton have struggled due to the demand for luxury goods falling in (Asia), Jimmy Choo’s strong British heritage has struck a chord with consumers,” observes Fiona Paton, a retail analyst with GlobalData Retail.

    Jimmy Choo CEO Pierre Denis says the brand “remains underpenetrated” in Asia and the company will continue to pursue new distribution opportunities there.

    For the year to December, Jimmy Choo’s global revenue grew at 1.6 per cent in constant currency and by 14.5 per cent in reported currency – up from £317.9 million in 2015 to £364 million last year.

    “On the surface these are an impressive set of results for Jimmy Choo with retail revenues climbing to £243.9 million and operating profits soaring 42.6 per cent,” says Paton.

    “However, the retailer’s reported high revenues were largely a result of currency changes during the year, which caused both sales values gains and changes to shopping patterns, as tourists favoured buying luxury items in the UK.”

    A foray into menswear boosted sales and broadened brand appeal during the year.

    “The move into men’s accessories and footwear comes as men show more interest in style and fashion, while its range of luxury trainers has helped leverage the lucrative athleisure trend,” says Paton.

    “The retailer reported both developments have been successful, especially men’s footwear and accessories which is now its fastest-growing category representing 9 per cent of all sales.”

    But she said Jimmy Choo’s greatest concern moving forward had to the the American market.

    “The fall in footfall to department stores’ luxury concessions caused total wholesale revenue to decline 3.9 per cent. Globally, the retailer opened 10 new format stores, but in the US the retailer relocated its New York flagship from Madison Avenue to SoHo and closed one of its new format stores. Jimmy Choo will need to develop more innovative marketing to ensure the brand still has the appeal it once did in a tougher US market.”

    With global like-for-like sales down 0.8 per cent, Jimmy Choo will be banking on Asian sales to continue to drive growth. Paton says the brand also needs to do more to boost its brand appeal.

    “Competitors like Burberry have invested in personalised marketing campaigns and teamed up with high-profile stars such as Sienna Miller to create feature-film style content. Jimmy Choo should look to create more creative campaigns and hire a well-known brand ambassador to gain more relevance and excitement.”

    Last year, the brand opened 16 new company-owned stores, taking its network to 150 worldwide, accounting for 45 per cent of revenues. Online sales account for  a further 6 per cent.

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  • DFS To Host Sixth Edition of the Prestigious Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore

    DFS To Host Sixth Edition of the Prestigious Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore

    This March, DFS Group (DFS), the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, in partnership with Changi Airport Group, will host its sixth annual Masters of Wines and Spirits in Singapore. The most celebrated event of its kind in the industry, Masters of Wines and Spirits showcases DFS’ global travel retail leadership, innovation and unique ability to assemble bespoke collections of wines, spirits and their leading producers, as well as the expertise of its own in-house specialists.

    “We are thrilled to return to Singapore for our sixth Masters of Wines and Spirits this March and deliver another exceptional collection of the world’s finest and rarest wines and spirits,” said Philippe Schaus, DFS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s exclusive collection has been globally sourced and carefully curated by our expert merchants at DFS to inspire and excite both novice and seasoned collectors. At the core of this portfolio lies an unwavering passion for the intricate composition of a bottle and for the unforgettable moments each offering is sure to create.”

    More than 60 of the finest Cognacs, wines and whiskies from over 50 legendary houses will be unveiled during the Masters of Wines and Spirits private event, to be held at selected shophouse venues along Singapore’s historic Tras Street on Saturday, March 25, 2017. As well as being the first to view the collection, VIP guests will be given the opportunity to interact with brand ambassadors while delving into the creation of each bottle in a master class format which will take them around the world in a virtual experience.

    “The collection captures the heritage and craftsmanship of our selected brands, and is a true reflection of DFS’ long-standing relationships with these exceptional houses. Masters of Wines and Spirits provides access to prominent producers and their in-depth knowledge, and of course their limited edition products, many of which are extremely rare or one-of-a-kind exclusives to DFS that represent the ultimate expressions in Cognacs, wines and whiskies,” added Brooke Supernaw, Senior Vice President Spirits, Wines and Tobacco, DFS Group.

    Master Class Event

    The Masters of Wines and Spirits event will feature four exceptional master classes to inspire and enrich the experience for guests. In honor of his 50th year in the whisky industry, Richard Paterson, Master Blender of The Dalmore will host a bespoke tasting showcasing The Dalmore’s rich heritage and artistry. Frederic Dezauzier, Global Brand Ambassador of CAMUS, will introduce guests to the smallest and rarest cru in the Cognac region: Borderies, providing a unique tasting experience featuring a selection of CAMUS Borderies Single-Cru Cognacs, including a Borderies Vintage and an exclusive Borderies blend that has never been released. Then, travel through time with Thibault Pontallier, Château Margaux Asia Ambassador, who will conduct a vertical tasting across decades of Château Margaux, including the 1990 vintage of Château Margaux.

    The fourth Master Class will be a Whisky Panel by The Whiskey House, entitled Innovations of Today Shaping the Heritage of Tomorrow. The theme of heritage in the world of whiskies will be discussed with Brian Kinsman, Malt Master at Glenfiddich, David Charles Stewart, Malt Master at The Balvenie, Mike Miyamoto, Global Brand Ambassador for Hibiki, and Brendan McCarron, Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks at Glenmorangie. This will be moderated by DFS’ own Director of Spirits, Frederik Vanden Bulcke.

    The Collection

    Twenty-seven Cognacs and whiskies include the LOUIS XIII Le Mathusalem, which showcases the world’s first 6L crystal decanter for cognac, CAMUS Rarissimes 65 YO, an exclusive blend for DFS that is composed from the finest eaux-de-vie, Martell Grand Champagne 1920, a very rare first time release since The House of Martell was founded in 1715.

    Making its official debut outside Japan for the first time is the Hibiki 35 YO Arita-Yako and Kutani-Yaki limited editions, a blend of carefully selected malt whiskies aged from 35 to 54 years, and grain whiskies aged over 35 years. From the world of Scotch Single Malts, the Bruichladdich Special Release showcases some of the brand’s oldest and finest whiskies, Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1972, a sublime and precious 44-year old malt (hand-picked for DFS’ Masters of Wines and Spirits), Glenmorangie Pride 1974, Glenmorangie’s rarest, oldest and deepest whisky, carefully selected from the oldest whisky stocks, The Dalmore 50 YO, a commemorative bottling uniquely finished in Champagne casks, and The Macallan Fine & Rare Treasury Collection, a rare collection of  30 vintages in a bespoke cabinet created exclusively for DFS.

    Over 25 prestige wines and Champagnes are showcased in this year’s collection. Amongst these are outstanding bottles from the Champagne and Bordeaux region such as the Pyramid of Château Margaux 1990 Vintage, a collection of four bottles from the year’s vintage earning the coveted 100 points score from Robert Parker. Recently released from the Château cellar in 2016, the Château Lafite Rothschild 1982 Vintage Imperiale is a unique wine offering with an extraordinary nose of caramelized herbs, smoke and cedar, available in a 6L format. Château Mouton Rothschild 18 Vintages includes extraordinary vintages from 1994 to 2012. Only three series were produced exclusively for Masters of Wines and Spirits, and they are specially packed in individual one bottle cases. Dom Pérignon Malle P2 offers the full history of the Sécond Plénitude of Dom Pérignon – the ultimate collection of the ultimate Champagne. With two bottles from each of the 10 vintages, the buyer will also receive an invitation to a private tour of Hautvillers in Champagne, where Maison Dom Pérignon is located.

    Available for the first time for sale by a retailer, Masi 5 Vintages of Amarone Costasera is a presentation case of five vintages of Costasera Amarone Classico, Masi’s flagship wine, along with a beautifully designed timepiece made with 100-year old wood once used for maturing Costasera wine. Penfolds 2012 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon Imperial brings an opportunity for oenophiles and aviation enthusiasts to own 10 limited edition bottles released to commemorate Boeing’s 100th year.

    Following the Masters of Wines and Spirits gala event on March 25, the Masters of Wines and Spirits curated collection will be available for travelers and shoppers at DFS, Singapore Changi Airport’s Wines and Spirits Duplexes at Terminals 2 and 3.

    DFS Masters of Wines and Spirits is part of the DFS Masters Series, a signature program of exhibitions that also includes the highly-anticipated Masters of Time set to take place in Macau this December. The Masters Series is a showcase of the pinnacle of DFS’ leadership and innovation in curating and creating exceptional experiences across its five pillars of luxury: Wines and Spirits, Beauty and Fragrances, Watches and Jewelry, Fashion and Accessories, and Food and Gifts.

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  • Lazada & Starmobile Reign Victorious at the iEMA 2016 Awards

    Lazada & Starmobile Reign Victorious at the iEMA 2016 Awards

    E-commerce heavyweight Lazada, smartphone brand Starmobile alongside 24 e-commerce merchants in Southeast Asia were honoured at the inaugural iPrice E-Commerce Merchant Awards (iEMA) 2016 at the eTail Asia Conference in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Voted and nominated by tens of thousands of consumers across Southeast Asia, the awards were organized by iPrice Group in partnership with eTail Asia, Trusted Company and UseInsider, with the aim to celebrate and honor the efforts of Southeast Asia’s top e-commerce merchants in the booming industry.

    With the assistance of Trusted Company, each vote was validated and allowed to be casted only once. The voting and nomination period began on 15th November 2016 and ended on 31st January 2017. All merchants in Southeast Asia were automatically enlisted and qualified for the voting session.

    Winners of the inaugural iEMA included Lazada, winning the Popularity Award for the Philippines and Starmobile won the Quality Award for the Philippines.

    “Thank you for your support and trust in making Lazada a customer-first company and one of SEA’s most loved e-commerce brands,” said Sydney Dondon, senior associate of affiliate marketing of Lazada Philippines.

    The Lazada Group was established in 2012 and operates Lazada, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia.

    When asked about their future plans, Sydney explained that shopping experience and empowering stakeholders were key. “We continuously improve the shopping experience by understanding what our customer needs, at every step of the shopping journey.  It’s really down to empowering our stakeholder. We’re adding features on the website and app so that our customers can make more informed purchases. We are beefing up our logistics capabilities to fulfil orders faster wherever they may be. We are also developing tools to make selling more efficient for our merchants,” said Sydney.

    Starmobile, a smartphone brand from the Philippines won the Quality Award for the Philippines. From its humble beginnings in 2011, it was no surprise that Starmobile took home the award for Quality considering them being known for being one of the most innovative smartphone brands locally and their strong fan base on social media.

    Finalists for the Quality Award were Benloi, an online sporting equipment company and Anson’s, an appliance and electronics store in the Philippines.

    The Absolute Winner of iEMA 2016 Awards

    Bukalapak, a C2C e-commerce platform was declared the overall winner of iEMA 2016, garnering the highest number of overall votes in Southeast Asia. The startup began their operations in their garage with the passion to create a marketplace that is reliable and trusted by consumers today. When asked what made them successful Evi Andarini, PR Manager of Bukalapak mentioned that they constantly find ways to be creative and innovative in meeting their customers’ needs.

    In addition to this, the iPrice Special Award for notable achievements in e-commerce was won by BloomThis, a Malaysian startup who utilized their website and social media pages to provide an unparalleled premium flower gifting service.

    The full list of winners:

    The Absolute Winner of iEMA 2016:

    • Bukalapak

    iPrice Special Award

    1. BloomThis (Winner)
    2. Althea (1st Runner Up)
    3. BMS Organics (2nd Runner Up)

    Quality Award                      – Country Winners

    • Malaysia : Livlola
    • Indonesia : Mazaya
    • Philippines : Starmobile
    • Singapore : Tech2Cool
    • Thailand : Advice
    • Vietnam : Alovendor

    Popularity Award              – Country Winners

    • Malaysia : Lazada
    • Indonesia : Bukalapak
    • Philippines : Lazada
    • Singapore : Tech2Cool
    • Thailand : Advice
    • Vietnam : Alovendor

    The Absolute Winner and iPrice Special Award of iEMA 2016 were presented a special trophy while other winners and finalists received a certificate and an e-badge for their e-commerce platforms. In addition to this, products from all winners and finalists of all categories will be given a special highlight on all iPrice websites across Southeast Asia.

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  • Tencent Offers Integrated Solutions to Help eCommerce Companies Win in the China Market

    Tencent Offers Integrated Solutions to Help eCommerce Companies Win in the China Market

    Speaking today at eTail Asia 2017, a leading platform to help online retailers in Asia build a successful ecommerce business, Ann Wang, General Manager of Performance Advertising Solution, Online Media Group, Tencent, shared insights into China’s unique Internet market environment and consumer behaviors. Wang revealed the Tencent platform’s strength and offered three pieces of advice to help ecommerce companies win in China as the country shifts toward a consumption upgrade.

    In China, 90% of Internet users access the Internet via smartphone, and more than 75% shop online via smartphone. The ongoing consumption upgrade is further stimulating the development of China’s ecommerce market, particularly overseas online shopping. According to statistics, the total volume of cross-border online shopping in China reached US$85.7 billion in 2016, while the number of cross-border online shoppers grew 46% in the same year. The growth of ecommerce in the post-1990s and early 2000s is the main force behind the huge rise in overseas online shopping.

    According to Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends 2016, Chinese mobile users spend more than 55% of their online time on Tencent platforms, including QQ, Qzone, WeChat, v.qq.com and Tencent News. With its focus on social interactions and content, Tencent has built a self-sustained ecosystem, powerful data capabilities and holistic scenarios for quality communications among its users.

    According to Wang, Tencent provides more open, connected data, which links ad exposure to brand attitudes, consumer behavior and sales. Tencent’s algorithms also help marketers engage consumers across scenarios, and elevate pertinence by dynamic and contextual messages, allowing them to reach the broadest coverage of Chinese netizens.

    In her speech, Wang offered three valuable tips for marketers, which she believes can help global brands build a successful business in the increasingly dynamic China market:

    • Build a mobile-first ecosystem: Use all the tools available, including online ecommerce platform solutions, payment services and customer management to set up a mobile-oriented business ecosystem.
    • Go with an integrated marketing approach. Wang suggests marketers partner with a fully integrated platform to get the best of both brand advertising and performance advertising. One good example is Tencent’s co-creation of blockbuster IP with a popular cosmetics brand. The brand’s target audience loves to watch super-realism dramas and movies, worships movie stars, and are willing to consume and spend. Partnering with Penguin Pictures’ self-produced series “Revive,” the cosmetics brand made the leading actress its endorser and incorporated the brand appeal where appropriate. At the same time, it encouraged fans to try out its product used by celebs in the series. What’s more, it hosted offline celebrity meet-up sessions, thus winning the hearts of many fans. After only seven episodes, its Tmall store’s daily sales volume increased 400%.
    • Use the power of online marketing to boost traffic in offline stores. When a luxury automotive brand opened new stores in Hangzhou, it launched geo-targeted ads through WeChat Moment. Both the number of customer information acquisitions and store visits increased significantly as a result of the campaign.

    eTail Asia is the region’s premier event for senior eCommerce and Multichannel Directors of leading retailers. Each year, Asia’s biggest names attend to network and get a 360° perspective on the most pressing challenges and opportunities in digital retail. Also speaking at the event this year were representatives from Google, L’Oreal, Adidas, and Philips, to name just a few.

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  • First CEIV Pharma Certification in Singapore for Bolloré Logistics

    First CEIV Pharma Certification in Singapore for Bolloré Logistics

    Bolloré Logistics Singapore was successfully awarded by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as CEIV Pharma-compliant at its platform located in the Airport Logistics Park, and is one of the first transport and logistics companies in Singapore to receive this certification. The aim of Bolloré Logistics is to deploy this action throughout its global network with on-going certifications on other sites in Asia-Pacific, including in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.

    This is a new success for the Bolloré Group, which shows its commitment to achieve the highest international quality standard in the global pharmaceutical supply chain for its customers, by continually improving its processes and infrastructures in compliance with the CEIV Pharma standards.

    With its modern and innovative facilities, the excellence of its quality management system, the expertise of its teams and its multiple certifications, Bolloré Logistics is a major global player in the supply chain of pharmaceutical products. Being certified by IATA CEIV Pharma, Bolloré Logistics Singapore fully conforms to all applicable pharmaceutical standards expected from pharmaceutical manufacturers in terms of facilities, equipment, operations and staff and being capable to provide seamless cool chain transportation.

    This global initiative, already in place on European sites in Paris Roissy CDG (France), Brussels (Belgium), Frankfurt (Germany) and Lisbon (Portugal) is also currently in progress on other sites such as Johannesburg in South Africa or Chicago in the USA. IATA created the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) in 2015. It aims at setting the industrial standard for air cargo supply chain in pharmaceutical handling excellence.

    It addresses the industry’s need for more safety, security, compliance and efficiency, by creating a globally consistent and recognized pharmaceutical product handling certification. CEIV Pharma encompasses – even supersedes – many of the existing pharmaceutical standards and guidelines, such as IATA Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), European Union Good Distribution Practices (EU GDP), World Health Organization Annex 5, and United States Pharmacopeia Standards.

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  • Atradius’ Ku appointed Country Manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan

    Atradius’ Ku appointed Country Manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan

    With immediate effect, Mr. Ku will take on the overall responsibility for the business operations and management of the Hong Kong and Taiwan team. The Hong Kong and Taiwan business showed growth of close to 10% in 2016 and Mr. Ku’s priority will be to further expand our business in the region and to maintain sound and closer relationships with our partners and customers.

    “I’m pleased to announce that Vincent Ku has been promoted to Country Manager Hong Kong and Taiwan. Mr. Ku joined Atradius as a Sales Manager in 2008 and has proven to be a strong addition to the Atradius family. Over the past years he has used his experience in the credit insurance market to continuously contribute to the profitable growth of our business in the Greater China region” says Eric den Boogert, Managing Director for Asia and the Middle East.

    In his previous position as a Regional Sales Manager, Mr. Ku was responsible for new business in China and was instrumental in returning the portfolio to profitability after the GFC.

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