Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Sales edge up for L’Occitane International

    Sales edge up for L’Occitane International

    Group net sales grew by 1.3 per cent for cosmetics and wellbeing products retailer L’Occitane International for the six months ended September 30

    This figure was at constant exchange rates, being 0.9 per cent at reported rates – both an improvement from the first quarter. The company says this was mainly because of the contribution of stores opened last year and this year, marketplaces, wholesale and distribution.

    L’Occitane’s emerging brands also showed encouraging growth.

    Japan’s growth rate of 15.9 per cent was a result of the strengthening yen, while local currency growth in China accelerated slightly to 5.4 per cent despite severe weather creating a challenging retail environment.

    Overall growth was hindered by sluggish retail sales in some markets, including Hong Kong.

    The group’s net sales at reported rates were €551.7 million (US$600.7 million), up 0.9 per cent over the same period last year. At constant exchange rates, sales growth was 1.3 per cent. Both are an improvement from the first quarter.

    For the six months, sell-out sales accounted for 72.6 per cent of net sales, amounting to €400.5 million, growth of 0.6 per cent. This was mainly contributed by non-comparable stores and other sales, including new and renovated stores, marketplaces, and cafe and spa businesses.

    Altogether these posted 13.7 per cent growth at constant exchange rates.

    Compared to the same period last year, the group’s eCommerce channels grew by 6.8 per cent to reach 10.1 per cent of total retail sales. Same-store sales fell 2.5 per cent through uncertainties brought by the weak global economy, threats of terrorist attacks in France and other European countries, economic uncertainties in the UK, the depressed retail market in Hong Kong as well as severe weather in some markets.

    Sell-in sales of €151.1 million accounted for 27.4 per cent of the group’s total sales, an increase of 3.2 per cent over the same period last year. This was primarily driven by the dynamic growth in wholesale and distribution channels of emerging brands, in particular Au Bresil, Erborian and Melvita.

    China was among the countries with highest sales growth in local currencies – 5.4 per cent, despite severe weather in the second quarter. This was mainly because of new stores, marketplaces and B2B.

    With the stronger yen, sales growth in Japan was 15.9 per cent.

    During the six months, the group maintained its selective global retail expansion by adding 32 stores, compared with 57 in the same period last year.

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  • Can This British Retailer Conquer China?

    Can This British Retailer Conquer China?

    New Look, a fast-fashion retailer bearing a striking similarity to Forever 21, is aiming to boldly go where many chains have gone before but few have succeeded.

    The British retailer’s chief executive officer, Anders Kristiansen, has made no secret of his intentions in China, announcing plans in June to open 50 more stores there by March, which would bring its total number of locations in the Asian nation to 150. That’s 10 times the number of stores it had in China in 2015. But a Reuters report last Thursday revealed that New Look’s owner, South African billionaire Christo Wiese, has a more ambitious expansion in mind—500 stores within three years.

    New Look currently has more than 850 stores around the world, two-thirds of which are in the U.K. Despite a challenging first quarter that saw revenues fall 4.2% to 354.2 million pounds ($431.9 million), Kristiansen insisted the retailer would stay the course in China, where there had been a “strong local reaction to our affordable, fast-fashion offer.”

    According to Reuters, Wiese plans to conquer the Chinese market using a local-for-local manufacturing model, meaning most of the clothing it will sell in China will be made there to ensure locally relevant products are delivered to stores quickly. It’s a sourcing strategy that Zara owner Inditex has down to a tee and many other companies, including Under Armour, are trying to replicate around the world.

    “South Korea and Japan drive a lot of the trends that the Chinese customer seeks, so our ability to be able to identify those trends, source them locally and get them into our stores quickly is key,” Sven Gaede, managing director of New Look’s international business, told Reuters, adding that 85 percent of what the retailer already sells in China is made there.

    Local sourcing aside, some experts are skeptical about the retailer’s bullish growth plans. Franklin Yao, managing partner at strategy consultants Smith Street, described them as “virtually impossible,” noting that New Look is unlikely to find 500 empty retail stores, given the fact that H&M and Uniqlo also want to open hundreds more locations in China in the coming years.

    That being said, Chinese consumers are notoriously fickle and several big-name brands have failed to gain a foothold there, including Gap, Marks & Spencer and Walmart. In an effort to test the waters before committing to a brick-and-mortar presence, most international retailers first launch on the likes of JD.com or Alibaba’s Tmall and Taobao.

    But New Look appears to be covering all its bases in China: After opening its first locations in Shanghai and Beijing in February 2014, it launched an online store on Tmall seven months later and debuted on JD.com earlier this year.

  • Manhattan Trumps Hong Kong as World’s Most Expensive Retail Market`

    Manhattan Trumps Hong Kong as World’s Most Expensive Retail Market`

    CBRE’s semiannual Global Prime Retail Rents Report found that prime retail rents grew 3.7 percent globally in the second quarter of 2016 from a year earlier, buoyed by consumer confidence in the U.S. and limited supply in Europe’s top retail markets. Regionally, prime rents grew the most in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (up 6.2 percent), followed by the Americas (up 3.9 percent) and Asia (2.1 percent). The report covers more than 90 markets across the globe.

    Prime rents are the highest achievable rents for a retail storefront in a market’s best location with the best quality and specifications of space.

    The perennial top markets for global retail showed substantial divergence in the past year. Prime retail rents on New York’s Fifth Avenue between 56th and 58th streets increased by 14.3 percent in the past year to $4,000 per square foot per year as of this year’s second quarter. Meanwhile, prime rents on Hong Kong’s Russell Street declined by 33 percent to $1,856 per square foot per year amid a slowdown in tourist arrivals from the Chinese mainland and more prudent spending by locals.

    “The cooling off of China’s economy has manifest itself in sharply lower rents in Hong Kong, which has allowed a new crop of retailers to enter the coveted city,” said Anthony Buono, Chairman of CBRE’s Global Retail Executive Committee. “At the same time, prime retail rents in New York can remain stable, but in the near term we will see more landlord concessions to accomplish rate stability. London, however has such scant supply of available prime space that its strong rent growth is likely to continue.”

    In Manhattan, many international and domestic retailers alike are willing to make substantial investments to establish a presence for their brand on the world stage of Fifth Avenue’s priciest blocks. Others are content to gravitate to nearby submarkets that are less expensive but still highly coveted as retail showcases, such as Times Square, Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn.

    “New York’s high streets have gone through a dramatic evolution in recent years, with rates rising strongly amid a rather ebullient market running from 2013 to late 2015,” said Andrew S. Goldberg, a Vice Chairman of Retail Services in CBRE’s New York City office. “Over the past year, the market has cooled a bit, with increasing availability and more concessions, but it remains resilient. Manhattan, and Fifth Avenue, in particular, is a global showcase where the world’s top brands want to be.”

    Top-10-Global-High-Streets-By-Prime-Retail-Rent-Level.png

    In terms of growth or prime retail rents in the past year, Europe is the story. Half of the 10 fastest growing prime retail rents in the past year came in European markets, led by London with a 53.8 percent increase. The few spaces that come available on London’s high streets are pursued by numerous aspiring lessees, resulting in steep rents.

    Other European markets among the top 10 for prime rent growth are Rome (28.9 percent increase); Milan, Italy (20 percent); Sofia, Bulgaria (12.5 percent); and Warsaw, Poland (11.1 percent). Asia Pacific landed two markets in the top 10: Auckland, New Zealand (23.7 percent) and Sydney, Australia (14 percent). The Middle East had one: Dubai (12.5 percent). And the Americas had two: New York (14.3 percent) and Seattle (11.1 percent).

    Other notable U.S. markets reflected as gainers in the report include Chicago (9.4 percent increase); Washington, D.C. (8.7 percent); Denver (7.7 percent); and San Francisco (3.8 percent). The only major U.S. market to register a decline in its prime retail rent was Miami, which posted a 7.1 percent loss on tempered tourism from Latin America due to challenged economies there.

  • Samsung to roll out Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge 4G+ in Singapore, US

    Samsung to roll out Blue Coral Galaxy S7 edge 4G+ in Singapore, US

    We’re taking a break from the Note 7 fiasco. Samsung seems to be refocusing its energies in other products and services because really, the damage has been done already. We know the company is already doing a lot of security and extra measures like considering maybe tapping LG for the next flagship’s battery, offering cash discounts, and launching only one flagship annually.

    This time, Samsung has just announced that it’s releasing a Blue Coral version of the Galaxy S7 edge 4G+. The phone will be available soon in a new color variant, giving people another alternative to the problematic Note 7. You see, the S7 edge has always been another option within the premium flagship category even before the Note 7 was launched. The smartphone was introduced in four color options namely Pink Gold, Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum, and Black Onyx and now, it’s getting the stunning Blue Coral.

    The Blue Coral Samsung Galaxy S7 edge 4G+ will roll out starting November 5 with 32GB onboard storage. Don’t be surprised but the listed retail price is a staggering $1,098.

    Samsung announced this color option together with the 2016 version of the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 with S Pen 4G. The two should be available from most retailers and mobile carriers in Singapore initially and then in the United States very soon.

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  • Can’t do without your mobile device? You’re not alone

    Can’t do without your mobile device? You’re not alone

     

    Market research agency Nielsen on Monday says that some 54% of Singaporeans cannot imagine life without their mobile devices and 48% feel anxious without them.

    In addition, Nielsen found that 73% of Singaporeans enjoyed the freedom of being connected anywhere, anytime, while 66% strongly or somewhat agreed that their mobile device had bettered their lives.

    The findings were from a poll of more than 30,000 online respondents in 63 countries, in Nielsen’s latest Mobile Shopping, Banking and Payment Survey. This included 493 respondents from Singapore.

    Nielsen says the proliferation of technology and need for connectivity in their lives has revolutionised the world of retail, and changed the way consumers shop and buy online, as well as perform banking transactions.

    “Mobile devices… are shaping and defining the consumer’s approach to retail and banking, empowering them to demand a more custom tailored experience according to their taste and preferences,” says Joan Koh, managing director, Nielsen Singapore and Malaysia.

    “The need for connectivity and value of convenience has never been greater among Singaporeans,” she adds.

    Some 62% of Singaporeans have used their mobile devices to look up product information when shopping and 54% have used their mobile devices to compare prices.

    Close to half, or 49% of consumers, have used their mobile device to research on a product or service within the last six months.

    In addition, some 32% have used their mobile devices to purchase a product or service, and 31% have booked movie tickets, flight tickets or hotel stays through them.

    “The adoption of mobile devices has disrupted the path to purchase of traditional retail channels,” says Koh. “Businesses need to continue to leverage on digital and social media platforms to supplement traditional formats such as television and print media to drive consumer engagement.”

    Growth in access to cashless payments is estimated to lead to US$10 trillion in additional consumer spending over the next decade, according to estimates from The Demand Institute, which is jointly operated by Nielsen and The Conference Board.

    Nielsen says consumers are also adopting digital tools to monitor their spending and manage their finances.

    “We are seeing an uptrend in the adoption of mobile-banking activities,” says Anil Antony, executive director of consumer insights at Nielsen Singapore. “This is further girded by the fact that retail banks are increasingly going digital with their processes and driving automation.”

    Some 41% of Singaporeans say they had checked a bank account balance or a recent transaction in the past six months, while 37% have paid a bill using their mobile device.

    In addition, 36% of respondents have transferred money between bank accounts, and 26% have transferred money using their mobile device directly to another person.

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  • High street rents go, well, sky-high

    High street rents go, well, sky-high

    Current retail thinking that the high and the low ends are driving the industry has gotten a boost from CBRE Group.

    High street rents are off the charts worldwide, according to company’s just-released Global Retail Rents report. Rents in prime shopping locations during the second quarter were up 30% in Rome, 24%, 20% in Milan, and 14% in Sydney and New York.

    New York’s Fifth Avenue remained the prime of “The Prime,” with an average per-sq.-ft. rent of $4,000. Next in CBRE’s tally came Hong Kong’s Russell Street at $1,856, London’s New Bond Street at $1,684, and Paris’s Avenue des Champs-Elysees at $1,366.

    Interestingly, rents on Russell Street posted the biggest decline from second quarter 2015, plummeting 33%. The reason, according to CBRE: Fewer tourists from Mainland China and economizing locals.

    “The cooling-off of China’s economy has manifested itself in sharply lower rents in Hong Kong, which has allowed a new crop of retailers to enter the coveted city,” said Anthony Buono, chairman of CBRE’s Global Retail Executive Committee. “At the same time, prime retail rents in New York can remain stable, but in the near term we will see more landlord concessions to accomplish rate stability.”

    Rents on New Bond Street are like to keep rising, Buono added, due to a scant supply of prime retail space in London.

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  • Digital coupons to grow 60% by 2021

    Digital coupons to grow 60% by 2021

    The number of coupons issued via mobile and online channels will grow by more than 60% over the next five years, reaching 362 billion in 2021 Juniper’s latest research shows.

    The study, “Mobile & Online Coupons: Loyalty & Beacon Engagement 2016-2021,” found that highly targeted, personalized offers to consumers are driving the growth in digital coupon volumes.

    According to the research, brands will increasingly deploy bots, artificial intelligence applications which can interact with consumers via social media and messaging applications such as Facebook Messenger.

    The research cited Domino’s Pizza and Iceland Air as companies which have already utilized this strategy. Meanwhile, mass adoption of social media has spawned a number of dedicated coupon aggregators operating within that space, including Coupy in India and PennyCat in North America.

    Meanwhile, large-scale deployments of beacons – Bluetooth devices which can send offers to consumers whilst they shop – have been constrained. The research claimed that the key hurdle was the need for consumers to have opted in to online engagement with a brand or retailer, either through having installed a store’s application on their smartphone, or to be following their account on social media.

    The research, however, argued that with some beacons (such as Google’s Eddystone) allowing a wider range of online engagement channels including web browser interaction, retailers will have a far more encompassing product moving forwards.

    “For retailers one of the major tools is knowing their customers. Tracking user movements in store via beacons allows for targeted marketing and offers, this can also aid in providing invaluable data and statistics to a company, this then later applied to drive sales,” said research author Lauren Foye.

  • Xiaomi launches smartphone with ultrasound sensor

    Xiaomi launches smartphone with ultrasound sensor

    Chinese handset maker Xiaomi has launched a new smartphone that uses technology allowing the vendor to push the screen all the way to the top edge of the device.

    The MIX smartphone uses a technology from Elliptic Labs to replace the standard hardware proximity sensor with ultrasound software.

    The technology, named INNER BEAUTY, uses ultrasound instead of infrared to detect when a device is being held up to a user’s face and disable the screen’s touch functionality. It also allows the speaker to be completely invisible, clearing up the top area of the phone.

    According to Xiaomi, the MIX display uses 91.3% of the surface area of the front of the phone, compared to just 67.7% for the iPhone 7 Plus.

    Besides allowing for a larger screen, Elliptic Labs’ BEAUTY ultrasound proximity software has the potential to address common issues with hardware proximity sensors, such as unreliability in extreme weather conditions or in response to dark hair or skin colors.

    Eliptic Labs said OEMs will also be able to reduce costs by removing the hardware sensor in favor of a more cost-effective software solution.

    “We are thrilled to have our ultrasound proximity software featured in the new smartphone from world leader Xiaomi. Elliptic Labs is the only ultrasound proximity feature vendor designed into a tier-1 mobile handset,” Eliptic Labs CEO Laila Danielsen said.

    “This is a significant validation of our Elliptic Labs’ value proposition and we are confident this will pave the way for additional design wins for our innovative ultrasound proximity product in the coming quarters.”

  • Nepal Telecom receives 4G license

    Nepal Telecom receives 4G license

    Nepal Telecom has finally received a 4G operating license, clearing the company to launch services on January 1.

    Regulator the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has resolved to issue the license based on the detail rollout plan the operator submitted recently.   Nepal Telecom submitted the rollout plan after receiving initial approval for its 4G application earlier this month.

    With the decision, Nepal Telecom has become the market’s first operator to be cleared to launch 4G services. The operator will use the 1800-MHz spectrum it has been using for 2G services.

    Nepal Telecom plans to commence its rollout in the Kathmandu Valley area and Pokhara, before progressively expanding to other parts of the country.

    The operator had initially proposed to launch services on December 15, but the regulator has decided to delay the launch so the operator can smoothly complete the required preparatory works.

    Two other operators had applied for 4G licenses. One of these applications – submitted by Smart Telecom – has been rejected. The government has yet to make a decision on the second application, submitted by Ncell.

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  • Nissan Philippines opens new Sucat dealership

    Nissan Philippines opens new Sucat dealership

    Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) continues to expand their dealer network in the country with the opening of their latest showroom in Paranaque. Located along the stretch of Dr. A. Santos Avenue, the new Nissan Sucat dealership features the brand’s new global retail visual identity called Nissan Design Initiative (NREDI) 2.1.

    “This new visual identiy is intended to become more inviting to our customers and at the same time showcase Nissan cars at its most attractive and exciting way. It also gives our dealers a fresh, new look that projects a reinvigorated, stronger Nissan,” said Ramesh Narasimhan, NPI president and managing director.

    According to Nissan, NREDI 2.1 aims to unify different markets / dealerships under one visual identity. Its philosophy centers on enchancng the Nissan customer experience through premium comfort and innovative services.

    nissan

    Managing the new dealership is Tetra sales and Services Inc. (TSSI), who considers the opening of the new dealership a major milestone for Nissan and their company.

    “With the implementation of NREDI 2.1 for the first time under our group, we at TSSI are proud to continue upholiding the driving spirit of innovation and excitement that is inherent in the Nissan DNA. We are also proud to say that, as the largest dealer group, we are committed to help boost a stronger consumer trust and confidence for the Nissan brand,” said Felix Limcaoco III, TSSI president.

    felix-k

    The new showroom, according to the company, is twice the size of a normal dealership with a total area of 781 square meters. It gets a variety of consultation areas along with a spacious lounge with a bar. Also present is an exclusive delivery area where clients can receive their brand-new car for the first time.

    The new Nissan Sucat Dealership is located at 8390 Dr. A Santos Ave., BF Homes, Paranaque City

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  • Duty-free sales climb 36% in Korea so far in 2016

    Duty-free sales climb 36% in Korea so far in 2016

    Duty-free sales from South Korea’s retailers increased 36.4% year-on-year to W8.9trn ($7.9bn) in the first nine months of 2016, according to local media reports. This is compared with W6.55trn a year ago.

    Sales growth in particular is driven by the rise in foreign tourists, with Chinese travellers comprising nearly 43% of all travellers. Chinese spend per passengers reached a total of $350, while Koreans spent $106, according to The Korea Times.

    According to the publication, despite the increase in sales many retailers in the country are facing deficits, with the exception of Lotte Duty Free and The Shilla Duty Free, which reportedly saw profits totalling W232bn and W38bn in the first half the year, respectively.

    Galleria Duty Free Shop of Hanwha was reported to have suffered a W17bn loss, while Doosan’s Doota Duty Free saw a W16bn loss for the same period.

    Despite this, there is still room for optimism, with potential for annual duty-free sales to top W10trn by the end of the year. Retail real-estate developments such as Hanwha Galleria’s launch of the Galleria Duty Free 63 store in July, and buoyant figures reported by retailers like Shinsegae, add to the country’s potential for a possible positive rebound.

    Photo of KTO

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  • Fashion retailer French Connection’s shares jump on takeover hopes

    Fashion retailer French Connection’s shares jump on takeover hopes

    Shares in UK-based fashion retailer French Connection Group Plc rose more than 20 percent on Monday after a media report said overseas investors were looking to buy the lossmaking firm.

    The Telegraph newspaper had said on Saturday that interested buyers were thought to be a mix of European and U.S. private equity firms, as well as investment manager Neuberger Berman, and that French Connection had approached investment bank Moelis & Co (MC.N) for advice.

    French Connection and Moelis declined to comment. Neuberger Berman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    French Connection has struggled to compete in recent years against fast-fashion rivals such as ASOS, Forever 21 and Inditex’s Zara and has failed to report a pretax profit since the year ended Jan. 31, 2012 with critics saying it should ditch its 25-year-old FCUK logo.

    Private equity firms could be a natural fit for French Connection as they could push through operational changes to extract profit, and revive the company’s brand appeal, said Neil Saunders from retail consultant Conlumino.

    The retailer has been the source of takeover speculation in the past, and some industry experts said there was now more pressure on the company following years of underperformance and little sign of underlying issues being addressed, despite turnaround measures including store closures and the hiring of new management and design teams.

    Activist investment firm Gatemore Capital Management (GCM), which has an 8 percent stake in French Connection, would be supportive of running an open sales process, Liad Meidar, managing partner at GCM said in an emailed statement.

    GCM said it would be interested in a potential buyer looking to focus on increase the rate of store closures and improve gross margins in French Connection’s retail and wholesale business.

    French Connection needed to focus on fashion for 25- to 35- year-olds, said Gatemore, which last month urged the retailer to speed up its store closure program after its first-half results showed another loss.

    As of Friday’s close of 32.75 pence – a fraction of highs of more than 500p set in 2004 – French Connection had a stock market value of 31.5 million pounds.

    Any buyer will have to gain the backing of founder and executive chairman Stephen Marks, who still holds a 41.65 percent stake in the company as of March 15, according to Thomson Reuters data.

    British companies have become cheaper for overseas buyers in recent months as Britain’s vote to leave the European Union has driven the pound GBP= to its lowest in about three decades.

    French Connection shares were up 10 percent at 36p by 0721 ET on Monday.

  • Aruba rethinks network procurement with NaaS

    Aruba rethinks network procurement with NaaS

    At the Aruba APAC Atmosphere 2016 conference held late last month in Singapore, Aruba Networks President Dominic Orr announced the launch of network-as-a-service, which supports the delivery of the company’s new Mobile First Platform.

    Core applications for Gen-Mobile era

    The core applications on Aruba Networks’ new Mobile First Platform are supported by its existing network infrastructure, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), wired and WAN. The platform comprises network controls, network management, policy management, cloud networking, network analytics and location services. These applications supports the delivery of third-party IT services and business applications that form a mobile apps ecosystem.

    Examples of the IT services that are available on Aruba’s Mobile First Platform include Citrix, MobileIron (MDM and enterprise mobility services), splunk (operational intelligence), ArcSight (an HP company that provides cyber security), Okta (identity management and single sign-on), Check Point, Intel Security, Juniper, and Palo Alto Networks.

    As for business applications, the Platform also supports Skype for Business, AT&T, Aislelabs (enterprise mobile wallet marketing platform), kasada (cryptographic data firewall and our password-less authentication), RetailNext (in-store analytics), Envoy (visitor registration) and eventboard (visitor and room management).

    “The Gen-mobile has given rise to rapid IT forces like the internet of things (IoT) and mobility. This is not just about the use of next-generation devices, like the Wi-Fi-connected TV boxes like the Apple TV, but the applications on top,” said Anthony Wai, sales engineering director of Asia Pacific, Aruba Networks (a HPE company), in an exclusive interview.

    In a typical workplace environment, an organization needs to refresh the network infrastructure once every three to seven years. For example, they would need new routers and new switches to conform to new standards of the wireless network. In the past, when IT procurement was largely driven by IT, addressing user experience tended to be an afterthought. The situation today is reversed, however. “Many of the IT procurement decisions today are now user-driven. For example, the line of businesses (LoB) would first provide to their banking customers a banking application. They would then instruct IT to handle the infrastructure matters,” Wai said.

    Utility-like network procurement models

    To catch up with the fast pace of new mobile apps development and delivery, and the increasingly shortened cycle of network infrastructure upgrades, IT and the other LoBs would benefit from a flexible network services procurement model, such as network-as-a-service (NaaS), said Wai.

    “NaaS enables the subscription of network infrastructure services using an opex model instead of a capex model. By subscribing instead of acquiring these network services, customers can benefit from the latest technologies, and need not budget a sum of capex to invest in the next round of network technology upgrades,” Wai said.

  • Orange Business launches IoT and analytics suite globally

    Orange Business launches IoT and analytics suite globally

    Orange Business Services has announced the worldwide launch of Datavenue, its IoT and data analytics modular suite.

    Datavenue will help multinational and large national corporations seize the endless opportunities offered by the IoT revolution, the operator said.

    Already 56% of decision makers consider IoT as strategic. Use cases include improving safety and user experience within smart cities by connecting street lights or parking meters, as well as improving quality of life by connecting medical devices to monitor a person’s health remotely.

    Datavenue is supported by Orange Business Services’ 700 IoT and analytics experts worldwide, as well as data scientists, developers, consultants, statisticians and IoT security experts.

    Datavenue includes four modules:

    1. Select relevant objects and sources of data. Orange offers a range of certified and tested connected objects, such as sensors, cameras or modules to connect existing assets. Datavenue has a catalog of data that includes population movement analytics using anonymized data from mobile networks.
    2. Connect objects reliably with the most suitable and secured networks. A truck travelling cross borders or an agricultural sensor in a field would require different networks. To address the wide diversity of needs, Orange provides a range of connectivity options. These include future-proof global cellular networks and innovative capabilities, such as eUiCC, worldwide fixed and satellite networks, as well as low-power solutions, such as LoRa.
    3. Manage data to improve efficiencies and create enhanced services. For example, a construction company can monitor cranes worldwide to prevent problems and reduce maintenance costs. Managing data in real-time enables technicians to solve issues remotely or to arrive on site with the right material, reducing service interruptions. Orange offers both cloud-based and on-premises software solutions, encompassing remote device management, processing and visualization.
    4. Control key elements of enterprise transformation projects. Orange experts aim to provide end-to-end security and data protection, integration with information systems and service scalability. Throughout the entire project and beyond, customers can rely on Orange to ensure the solutions are future-proof and adapted to market evolutions.

    “We have developed extensive vertical expertise around IoT and data analytics in several sectors, including automotive, industry, smart cities, healthcare and smart homes,” Orange Business Services VP of IoT and analytics Olivier Ondet said.

    “Our solutions have already improved performance and employee safety through industrial machinery monitoring, enhanced patient care with remote assistance, and enriched citizen well-being with smart city services. This is now all being brought together to support the international launch of Orange Datavenue.”

    Datavenue was first launched in France in 2015. Orange today operates more than 10 million active B2B objects and processes 65 million items of technical data per minute – all fully compliant with data protection regulations.

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  • ZALORA Brings See Now, Buy Now Model to Singapore Fashion Week

    ZALORA Brings See Now, Buy Now Model to Singapore Fashion Week

    ZALORA, Asia’s online fashion destination, today announced its partnership with Singapore Fashion Week as the Official E-Tail Partner. This is the second time the online fashion brand is taking part in one of the region’s biggest fashion events of the year. ZALORA will be presenting three Singapore designers and labels namely, Stolen, Aijek, and Max Tan in the Fashion Futures Showcase. Fashion fans in Singapore can purchase the collections on ZALORA from today onwards.

    As the Official E-Tail Partner, ZALORA will be hosting a shoppable Singapore Fashion Week microsite on ZALORA.com that will feature curated collections from Fashion Futures Showcase and Singapore Fashion Week Access, a dedicated show segment for Singapore designers. As part of ZALORA’s commitment to stay up-to-date with the latest trends within the industry, ZALORA is embracing the ‘see now, buy now’ model enabling fashion show goers to purchase their favourite looks immediately.

    Shop Max Tan Spring/Summer 2017, Stolen Spring/Summer 2017, and Aijek Fall/Winter 2016 collections at www.zalora.sg/fashion-week-singapore and on the ZALORA mobile app.

    “ZALORA is proud to be supporting local designer talent in one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year,” said Parker Gundersen, Chief Executive Officer of ZALORA Group. “We’re very passionate about supporting the local fashion industry across all of our markets in Asia, and Singapore Fashion Week provides a great opportunity for us to give the region’s top designers exposure to millions of new consumers on our online platform. It’s also an exciting way for our customers to discover new fashion and to buy product straight from the runway.”

    “Singapore Fashion Week is delighted to be working with ZALORA again this year, as we recognise the growing impact and importance of digital and social media, and connecting designers and labels

    with customers via e-commerce. With the growing trend of ‘See Now, Buy Now’ as well, I believe that online retailers like ZALORA will play an ever-growing role in partnerships with fashion weeks around the world,” commented Tjin Lee, Founder and Chairman of Singapore Fashion Week.

    ZALORA also strongly believes in making fashion more inclusive and accessible. To further engage fashion consumers, the Fashion Futures Showcase will be live-streamed on ZALORA where viewers at home can watch the shows and access exclusive content. Catch all the exciting happenings at Singapore Fashion Week Fashion Futures Showcase on social media at #ZALORAxSGFW.