Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Philippine associations honor key professionals

    Philippine associations honor key professionals

    The PCAAE’s inaugural Ang Susi awards open a new era for national organizations and the specialists who run them. PHILIPPINE association executives honored key members of their emerging profession at their inaugural Ang Susi Awards, this month. Organized by the 197-member Philippine Council for the Advancement of Association Executives (PCAAE), the awards recognized individials and institutions in seven categories at a beautifully catered gala at the Philippine International Convention Center.

    The highlight of the night was the warm applause for Evelyn Salire, when she was named Association Executive of the Year. She won the prize for her achievements as the Secretary-General of the Philippine Retailers Association. After decades of industry-building, behind-the-scenes event work, Salire is now a Philippine event industry role model.

    There were also six institutional categories, as follows;

    Environmental Impact Award Winner: Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) Project entries: EU Due Diligence Guidebook and The Material Matters: A Sourcebook on Material Manipulation of the Homestyle Industry.

    The books show wood users are wood savers too, and provide the timber industry, (which supports one million households across the Philippines) with a concise and specific information on how to comply with the social, legal and environmental aspects for a sustainable timber industry. The EU Due Diligence Guidebook also came about in a time when international export markets demand, more than ever, verifiable standards of environmental compliance.

    In partnership with the Philippine Wood Producers’ Association, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Global Forestry Services – and with funding from the EU and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization – the CFIP showed that it can make a difference in leading the timber industry and, in particular the furniture industry, in promoting good environmental governance and management practices.

    On the other hand, to repurpose and develop new applications of past raw materials used by the industry into new raw materials of mixed media, and to develop furniture products using innovations in the indigenous raw materials, CFIP has produced another publication entitled The Material Matters: A Sourcebook on Material Manipulation of the Homestyle Industry.

    The project brought about at least eight newly-manipulated raw materials undertaken by as many well-known designers in the country which were then used by small and medium enterprises to be applied in furniture design that consequently resulted in at least 16 furniture collections that are now being offered in the market.

    The project was conceptualized by CFIP and ably supported by the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP), a partnership that has led to fresh, durable and saleable designs and amplifies the world-renown talent and craftsmanship of the Filipinos.

    People Empowerment Award Winner: Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Project Entry: GSP Nationalization Scheme for Council Executives

    For 75 years, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) continues to be the largest volunteer-led and girls-only movement in the country. With a complex governance structure, it has been a challenge for the GSP to promote and maintain responsible Council governance to ensure continuing relevance in achieving its organizational mission and vision.

    For instance, most Council Executives have been burdened with fund sourcing to pay for their own salaries, which distract their concentration in carrying out their functions. A further challenge is the need to further professionalize its CEs through capacity-building and granting of attractive remuneration. To meet these challenges, the GSP instituted the “Nationalization Scheme for Council Executives” with an aim to deliver both quality and quantity membership for the GSP. The scheme enables the Councils to focus more on effective program delivery by rationalizing the salaries of its CEs.

    Under the scheme, competent applicants and CEs are now starting to come in and join the GSP at the Council level as professional staff, due to the competitive salaries and better benefits being offered. As a result, GSP’s membership increased from 1.9 million to 2.5 million, a remarkable 24 per cent increase.

    Community Service Award Winner: National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines (NFWC) Project Entry: NFWC Learning Centers

    For the past 94 years, the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines has believed that early childhood education is critical to people’s personal growth.

    From its beginning nursery classes initiative in a “learning while playing environment”, these educational support programs have expanded into full-blown learning centers in its own building and complemented by 91 other affiliated learning centers throughout the country, with teaching modules that are aligned with the K-to-12 program of the government.

    The NFWC Learning Centers nationwide were instrumental in the growth and development of pupils who were trained to become responsible citizens. The nursery classes in garages, living rooms and gardens of residences of NFWC leaders in 1935 are now housed in classroom-type pre-schools with complete teaching materials. At present, NFWC has continued to receive and assessing applications for accreditation of learning centers.

    Industry Development Award Winner: Philippine Retailers Association Project Entry: “Best Practices in Retailing Series”

    The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) is the country’s recognized organization of retailers and suppliers to the retail industry.

    To assist and upgrade the capacities of its members and others in the industry, PRA embarked on a series of seminars that it provided to retailers outside Metro Manila, in the regions and provinces across the country, to level up their competitiveness and to update them with the latest trends and practices in the global retail system.

    PRA’s roadshow capacity-building project covered topics such as store operations, customer service, loss prevention and related subjects, and has helped more than 2,000 small and medium provincial retailers in Cebu, Pangasinan, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

    Technology Innovation Award Winner: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Project Entry: e-Health Center (Cloud-enabled Primary Healthcare Solutions)

    Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP) leverages the power of the cloud to transform and transfer access to quality and affordable healthcare to the poor and underserved areas around the world.

    The fully functional mobile facility can be easily mounted and is quickly and cost-effectively customized with workstations equipped software networking capabilities, an open and accessible web-based electronic medical records system and an essential diagnostic equipment integrated into the cloud. These cloud-enabled technologies provide the tools for on-site staff to perform routine diagnostic tests and make results available online so physicians hundreds of miles away can provide a remote diagnosis, thus reducing the need fo highly-skilled medics onsite.

    The project serves communities that often lack doctors, functional clinics, internet access or even electricity. Deployed initially in 14 states in India, now in Bhutan and replicable in many countries, including the Philippines, the project is poised to have both local and global impact, especially now that it is being expanded in collaboration with the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB).

    Change Catalyst Award Winner: Philippine Institute for Supply Management (PISM) Project Entry: “GAWAD SINOP”

    The Philippine Institute for Supply Management is a 300-membership national association of professionals in the purchasing and supply management field.

    The PISM has used an awards program as a change catalyst to impart to its members the value and importance of setting the standard to which outstanding achievements in supply management must adhere to. It also emphasizes the critical role that supply management plays in the success of an organization.

    The “Gawad Sinop” Awards delivers the message of the contribution of supply management and its four pillars, namely, purchasing, demand and replenishment, logistics and customer service, to organizational competitiveness.

    The PISM, through this awards programme, demonstrates the world-class nature of the supply management professionals in the Philippines and furthers the wealth of knowledge and best practices, not only of the award winners themselves but also other members and to the public-at-large.

    The “Gawad Sinop” award is considered the highest honor given to supply management professionals and organizations who have contributed to the upliftment of the sector.

  • KL office rental rates under pressure

    KL office rental rates under pressure

    A large supply of office space continued to weigh on rental rates in Kuala Lumpur, KL Fringe and Beyond KL (Selangor) in 3Q2015, while the overall market is expected to remain gloomy until year end.

    This quarter, the cumulative supply of office space for KL City and Beyond KL stood at 91.97 million sq ft, following the completion of Ilham Tower with 394,000 sq ft of net lettable area (NLA), Menara Bangkok Bank (475,000 sq ft NLA) in KL City and Q Sentral (one million sq ft NLA) and The Vertical 1 & 11 (830,000 sq ft NLA), based on The Edge/Knight Frank Klang Valley Office Monitor 3Q2015.

    The total cumulative office space under construction in KL City, KL Fringe and Beyond KL stood at 9.88 million sq ft. The supply of office space is expected to grow about 10.7% from 4Q2015 to 4Q2017.

    “Overall, rental rates may dip due to heightened competition in a tenant’s market. Coupled with a further slowdown in the country’s economy and low business confidence, many businesses are freezing recruitment, reducing investment in staff and consolidating their positions. This will inevitably impact take-up rates and overall occupancy levels,” says Knight Frank Malaysia managing director Sarkunan Subramaniam (pictured, right). “Nonetheless, rental rates of well-located, dual-compliant, good grade office space are expected to remain resilient.”

    In 3Q2015, demand for office space remained subdued, in line with a further slowdown in the country’s economic activities (lower gross domestic product growth of 4.7% in 3Q2015 versus 4.9% in 2Q).

    “The depreciation of the local currency and weaker commodity prices, coupled with domestic and external headwinds, do not bode well for the office market, which traditionally has been driven by the services and oil and gas (O&G) sectors. The contraction of the O&G sector is the significant trend from the fall of oil prices. The main lifeline of one of the leading sectors has dried up,” says Sarkunan.

    Overall, occupancy and rental rates are expected to decline in the coming quarter due to high levels of impending supply and competition among building owners.

    “The high level of existing and new supply, coupled with a weaker leasing market (fewer enquiries), which is seeing more consolidation/mergers and acquisitions amid an increasingly challenging business environment, will increase downward pressure on occupancy and rental rates moving forward,” he says.

    “It remains a tenant’s market with landlords embarking on aggressive marketing plans to achieve significant occupancy and to improve their occupancy levels. Tenants continue to be spoilt for choice, as there are many offering attractive rents, incentives and tenancy terms such as a longer free-rent period.

    “During construction, landlords and developers of office projects need to market their developments in newspapers, showcase their projects at property expositions, provide special incentives to agents to secure anchor or big tenants within the stipulated time period et cetera — these marketing plans and strategies will help to ensure that, upon completion, these office projects would have achieved significant occupancy levels.”

    Moreover, says Sarkunan, tenants will feel the pinch of the current economic situation. “It is best for landlords to embrace the situation by being flexible with tenants who need to contract, thereby retaining them and being the long-term space provider.”

    Sliding occupancy, stagnant rents

    The overall occupancy rate in KL City dipped 1.7% to 82.4% in the previous quarter. “[Since] the completion of Ilham Tower in 3Q2015, it has yet to achieve significant occupancy,” says Sarkunan.

    Occupancy in the central business district (CBD) has dropped 2.7% to 87%. The Golden Triangle also recorded a decline of 1.5% to 81.6%.

    On a more positive note, there has been an increase in almost all areas in the KL Fringe.

    Overall, KL Fringe occupancy rose 0.3% to 89.1%, propped up by higher occupancy in Damansara Heights (up 0.8%) and KL Sentral (up 5.2%).

    “In Damansara Heights, the ongoing rejuvenation of Damansara Heights with the mixed-use project Damansara City and the upcoming Pavilion Damansara Heights, is expected to revive demand for office space in the area. This will be supported by improved mobility via the MRT Line 1 with two stations nearby (Samantan and Pusat Bandar Damansara),” says Sarkunan.

    “Another reason for the rise of KL Fringe is KL Eco City. This ongoing integrated urban city development on about 25 acres in Bangsar may be seen as an extension to the established Mid Valley City (MVC) locality. Two office towers in Damansara City and several office components (strata office suites and The Pillars) in KL Eco City are expected to be completed next year.”

    Meanwhile, occupancy at MVC/Bangsar/Pantai dropped by 4.5% to 92.8%.

    The overall occupancy rate Beyond KL has increased to 76.5% from 75%. Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya saw the rate rise to 66.2% and 91.5%, respectively, while Shah Alam has experienced a tremendous recovery to 62.1% from 54.3%. “The overall occupancy for Shah Alam has improved significantly, by 14.4%, following further take-ups at Top Glove Tower, which includes two floors by the landlord Top Glove Corp Bhd (34,800 sq ft) and Level 10 by Fitness Centre (17,400 sq ft),” says Sarkunan.

    Improved occupancy in several office buildings, which include The Ascent @ Paradigm, Oasis Square Block H and Wisma AmFirst in Damansara/Tropicana/Kelana Jaya, led to a 11.8% quarterly increase.

    Rental rates, meanwhile, remained steady in 3Q2015 despite downward pressure.

    Grade A rental rates in KL City — Golden Triangle Prime A+ (RM11.33 psf) — remained unchanged from the previous quarter. However, Golden Triangle Grade A and CBD Grade A experienced a decrease of 0.3%  (RM7.19 psf) and 3.6% (RM5.41 psf), respectively.

    Over at KL Fringe, overall rental rates remained unchanged from the previous quarter — Damansara Heights Grade A (RM5.43 psf), KL Sentral Grade A (RM6.78 psf) and MVC/Bangsar/Pantai Grade A (RM5.90 psf).

    Likewise for average rental rates for Beyond KL, with the overall rental rate at RM4.19 psf. Rental rates in Petaling Jaya (RM4.41 psf), Subang Jaya (RM3.91 psf), Shah Alam (RM3.50 psf) and Cyberjaya (RM4.17 psf) remained the same.

    Notable transactions and movements

    On Aug 10, Affin Bank Bhd announced that it will develop its own head office building on a 54,266 sq ft parcel at Tun Razak Exchange acquired for RM255 million, or about RM4,699 psf (plot ratio of 15.2 times).

    The proposed international class, Grade A, 35-storey office building development will have a gross floor area (GFA) of 823,439 sq ft and 830 parking bays.

    On July 3, Hong Leong Bank Bhd entered into a conditional share sale agreement with Hong Leong Real Estate Holdings Sdn Bhd (a unit of Guocoland [Malaysia] Bhd) to acquire the entire issued and paid-up share capital of DC Tower Sdn Bhd (DCT) for RM189.33 million cash.

    DCT is principally a property investment company, holding the development and ownership rights for a 33-storey purpose-built stratified office building (Office Tower A — 506,069 sq ft NLA) located within the ongoing integrated development project known as Damansara City Kuala Lumpur. The appraised value of Office Tower A is RM1,150 psf over its aggregate NLA.

    The review period also witnessed a few notable movements. In KL City, BAE Systems Detica (M) Sdn Bhd acquired a further 11,200 sq ft of Menara Binjai.

    Minat Megah Sdn Bhd moved into Etiqa Twins, taking up 14,400 sq ft. In KL Fringe, 1 Sentrum welcomed two new tenants (Novo Nordisk Pharma Malaysia Sdn Bhd and AmMetLife Insurance Bhd) while Google Malaysia expanded, taking up 103,000 sq ft and 51,000 sq ft, respectively.

    Meanwhile, Tricor Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd moved out of The Gardens North Tower, leaving 36,000 sq ft.

    PA Group, a US-based international insurance group, will establish its regional operations in Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, UK firm Needle Partners has opened a new marketing office in Kuala Lumpur that aims to promote its English law and white label service called Needle Network.

    CTBC Bank Co Ltd, the banking subsidiary of CTBC Financial Holding Co, has received permission from Malaysia’s financial supervisory institution to establish a representative office in Kuala Lumpur. CTBC Bank will be the first Taiwanese bank to set up an operational base in Malaysia in 17 years.

    Notable announcements

    KLCC Holdings Sdn Bhd and its partner Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Co are understood to have invited interested parties for a pre-screening process for its RM5 billion project in the city centre called Cititower.

    Slated to come up in 1Q2016 on a 1.6ha plot between Suria KLCC and the Asy-Syakirin Mosque, Cititower’s proposed components are a 9-storey retail podium, a 59-storey hotel, an 80-storey office tower, a link way between Suria KLCC and the project, a ramp in Jalan Ampang and landscaping works.

    Pelaburan Hartanah Bhd is reportedly planning to develop a 6.8-acre site that used to house the office of the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration in Jalan Conlay.

    Located directly opposite Kompleks Kraftangan, the proposed development will comprise a 50-storey serviced apartment building and two blocks of 37-storey office suites that will sit atop an 8-storey retail podium and a 3-storey basement car park.

    Meanwhile, IJM Corp Bhd’s unit IJM Construction Sdn Bhd has received a letter of award from GDP Architects Sdn Bhd on behalf of Hotel Equatorial (M) Sdn Bhd and Fenghuang Development Sdn Bhd to undertake stage two works for the redevelopment of the former Hotel Equatorial in Jalan Sultan Ismail into a 52-storey mixed-use development for RM455.5 million.

    At KL Fringe, Hong Leong Group will occupy Office Tower A (appraised based on RM1,150 per sq ft over its aggregate NLA) as its global headquarters.

    Concurrently, GuocoLand is finalising agreements with tenants for its Office Tower B — a 19-storey office tower with 240,000 sq ft NLA. It has reportedly secured 70% occupancy, with two global multinational corporations to date. The rental rate for Office Tower B is around RM7 psf. GuocoLand, which currently occupies three floors of Menara HP, will also move into this office block. Damansara City has a gross development value (GDV) of RM2.5 billion, and is expected to be fully operational by mid-2016.

    There were a few notable announcements for Beyond Kuala Lumpur. Mercu Mustapha Kamal at Damansara Perdana consists of a 27-storey Tower 1 and a 14-storey Tower 2 with net floor areas (NFA) of 285,091 sq ft and 213,719 sq ft, respectively.

    Tower 2 (183,000 sq ft NLA) is available for lease and en bloc sale and is scheduled to be completed by December. Tower 1 will be completed in October 2016 and will also be available for lease.

    Mercu Mustapha Kamal has a GDV of RM385 million. The MSC-status development is pre-certified Green Building Index (GBI) Gold with features such as automatic control of lighting and zoning, energy-efficient lights, waste management and sky gardens on multiple floors. Its developer, Emkay, has plans for three more office projects in Damansara Perdana, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur city centre.

    In Kota Damansara, Menara Mitraland, the corporate tower that houses the headquarters of Mitraland Group, has officially opened. The 30-storey building — the tallest structure in the locality — is part of the new Cascades mixed-use development which includes residential, retail and office components. The retail and residential units have mostly been taken up while the office building is over 50% occupied.

    In Shah Alam, meanwhile, Naza TTDI Sdn Bhd recently opened its new head office, Menara Naza TTDI. Located in Section 13, the 20-storey office tower with 250 parking bays has a GFA of 306,000 sq ft and facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool and café.

    The Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) is spending about RM170 million on Laman PKNS, its new headquarters in Shah Alam. The building will sit on a 1.6ha plot in Section 14. Due to be completed by end-2015, the building is rated GBI Platinum.

    Electrical home appliance maker Khind Holdings Bhd is planning a mixed-use project on a 65,340 sq ft tract in Setia Alam, Shah Alam, as part of its diversification exercise.

    The RM150 million project will include an office building (to be partly occupied by Khind), a retail component and serviced apartments. Construction is targeted to start in 1Q2016 and is expected to be completed within 36 months.

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  • Battle for young customers heats up in HSBC’s Asia stronghold

    Battle for young customers heats up in HSBC’s Asia stronghold

    HONG KONG Banks in Hong Kong are intensifying the battle for young customers key to their future retail profit, offering online perks and mobile banking products in a bid to erode the dominance of HSBC in its Asian stronghold.

    Like peers around the world, banks operating in Hong Kong including Bank of China Ltd (601988.SS) (3988.HK) and Citigroup Inc (C.N) are trying to improve their online banking products to lure tech-savvy students and young professionals as they are about to open their first bank account.

    For HSBC the battle to win the hearts of young Hong Kongers is particularly important as retail banking activity in the Asian financial centre helped drive its overall profit up 2 percent in the first half of this year.

    The London-based bank, which has put China at the centre of its global strategy, is also in the process of deciding whether to move its global headquarters to Hong Kong.

    A survey of 2,500 people conducted in November by specialised research firm RFI, gave Bank of China a bigger market share among bank customers aged 18-24 than HSBC, which dominates in all other categories.

    These customers loathe spending time at bank branches and seek a lender that can allow them to carry out multiple transactions from their smartphone. “I would rate both the online and mobile services offered by Bank of China as good as they allow me to pay my parking tickets instantly, and this is very important to me,” said Chun Hoi Lau, a 23-year-old student at the University of Hong Kong.

    Bank of China, which says the young generation is a key customer segment, allows clients to carry out cross-border payments through an app, uses the popular WeChat social media platform to handle customers’ queries and has introduced a popular virtual securities investment contest for students.

    “We have been developing a comprehensive strategy with a set of products and services delivered through their preferred channels to suit their life styles,” the bank told Reuters.

    BANK FOR LIFE

    The jury however is still out on which lender is making effective inroads among the young, a segment targeted because people often stick with a bank for life once they have made their choice, analysts said.

    In a detailed survey commissioned by HSBC, and conducted by Nielsen last year, the bank said its market share of 18-24 year olds was nearly double that of Bank of China. It said it was aware of the increasing need to offer more online services.

    “We are investing heavily in developing new capabilities to meet customers’ needs,” said Kevin Martin, HSBC’s head of retail banking and wealth management, Asia Pacific.

    HSBC will next year launch more products for smartphones and digital payments as well as new security features, Martin added.

    Citibank is also appealing to younger customers with 19 “smart” branches in Hong Kong that boast the sleek lines of Apple Inc’s retail stores, touch panels, video conferencing facilities and iPads to access a wide range of banking services. Hong Kong spokesman James Griffiths said Citibank was also offering customers discounted fees on stock and forex trading via digital platforms to encourage more transactions.

    The question now for HSBC’s challengers is whether they can convert young people lured by attractive rates or flashy online offerings into lifelong customers.

    “HSBC isn’t that popular among young people,” said John Pang, a 24-year-old civil servant who banks with the lender. “It hasn’t changed a lot in the past 5-10 years, the online interface still looks the same.”

     

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  • China retail sales to increase 10.7 per cent

    China retail sales to increase 10.7 per cent

    China’s retail sales, a key gauge of domestic consumption, is likely to post slower growth this year compared with 2014, commerce ministry said.

    Retail sales may expand around 10.7 per cent in 2015, Shen Danyang, spokesman at the Ministry of Commerce, told a news conference in Beijing today, without giving a reason. Retail sales rose 12 per cent last year.

    In the first 11 months of 2015, retail sales grew 10.6 per cent from a year earlier. In November, retail sales increased by an annual 11.2 per cent — the strongest monthly expansion this year.

    China’s external outlook remains gloomy. Chinese firms said global demand this year was worse than that during 2008-09 financial crisis, as per a recent survey by commerce ministry of more than 6,000 firms in 70 key industries.

    Subdued external demand, rising costs, slowing investment growth and the yuan’s appreciation have all weighed on China’s trade performance this year, Shen said.

    “Feedback from firms showed foreign trade was extremely difficult this year.”

    China’s net exports are likely to contribute around 12.3 per cent to the increase in the country’s GDP this year, he said, citing data from a research unit under his ministry.

    China’s trade remained weak in November with exports falling a worse-than-expected 6.8 per cent from a year earlier and imports tumbling 8.7 per cent.

  • International passenger arrivals at Bali up 45 percent

    International passenger arrivals at Bali up 45 percent

    Balis Ngurah Rai Airport recorded a 45 percent increase in international passenger arrivals three days prior to the Christmas and New Years holidays.

    “The number of international passengers rose to 13,938, or 45 percent, compared to the same period last year,” Trikora Harjo, the general manager of PT Angkasa Pura I, the operator of the airport, stated here on Wednesday.

    The passengers from various countries arrived aboard 73 flights at the Goddess Island.

    Harjo has forecast that the number would continue to increase ahead of the New Years Eve celebrations.

    Domestic passenger arrivals also increased to 15,663, or almost two percent, compared to the same period last year and also in comparison to the 11,987 passengers who have departed from Bali.

    The number of both domestic and international passenger arrivals has already begun increasing two days ago.

    To anticipate the hike in passenger arrivals, the airport authorities have set up monitoring posts in cooperation with the police, the TNI (military), and other security agencies.

    In anticipation of the increase in arrivals, domestic airline companies Citilink and Lion Air have also applied to operate 180 additional flights to accommodate the departing passengers after the holidays.

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  • Garuda Indonesia Wins Transportation Safety Award

    Garuda Indonesia Wins Transportation Safety Award

    Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has received a Transportation Safety Award (TSA) from the Transportation Ministry. Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan said that the award is given to encourage transportation companies to improve passenger safety.

    Jonan said that safety is an important issue in the transportation service business. “Transportation business sells two things: time and safety,” Jonan said on Tuesday, December 22, 2015.

    Punctuality, according to Jonan, mostly depends on natural factors including the weather. Meanwhile, safety is something that can be controlled by men. Therefore, Jonan encourages transport service operators to improve its safety aspects.

    In addition to Garuda Indonesia, the Transportation Ministry also awarded PT Kereta Api Indonesia Area Operation I Jakarta in second place, and state-owned bus operatir Damri in third place.

    Scoring process for the award was conducted by an independent team by considering several criteria, including organizational aspect, which contributes a 15 percent to the total score; Human Resource (40 percent); facility (35 percent); and safety management support (10 percent).

  • Internet Retailing Expo Indonesia

    Internet Retailing Expo Indonesia

    The 2-day conference and exhibition focuses on both learning and the evaluation of technologies, products and services to help retailers in establishing and growing their online strategies.

    Ever wonder why many would consider Indonesia as a good prospect to do business especially in online retailing? Interestingly, Indonesia has one of the highest number of Internet users. The number is expected to hit 3 billion users in 2015 and may possibly overtake Japan to be in the top five.

    In the retail business, the sales had amounted to USD $114.29 billion in which 0.6% (USD $2.6 billion) are online sales. It is predicted that in 2015, it will reach USD$3.56 billion. With that, Rudiantara, the Minister of Communications and Information, has expected for e-commerce to account for 8% of the country’s total retail business in the next 10 years.

    This is where Internet Retailing Expo (IRX) comes in. IRX is the leading multichannel event in the retail calendar and takes place every March in the UK. It welcomes retailers and technology providers from across multichannel landscape. In addition, it allows retailers to learn from the best on how to connect profitably with their customers and take lessons from case studies.

    startup_ecommerce_pixabayStartupStockPhotos

    Following the success of IRX in the UK, it will be launching its first edition in Asia; IRX Indonesia in 2016. The 2-day conference and exhibition focuses on both learning and the evaluation of technologies, products and services to help retailers in establishing and growing their online strategies.

    With an expected attendance of 500 delegates, retailers can look forward to meeting with many senior-level decision makers from various companies, and expanding their networking contacts. Also, there are 40+ confirmed speakers for the event, such as from Lazada Indonesia, GO-JEK, Indosat, PT Garuda Indonesia and The Body Shop, who will cover a range of topics during the event.

    A start-up pavilion will be set up which is dedicated to companies at the forefront of innovation. This allows companies to showcase their new products or services that may interest retailers; an excellent chance to meet with potential buyers. This platform is ideal for technical managers to explain how their products work to an audience of buyers and influencers. Technology categories include payment technologies, security, apps, LBS, embedded & in-store technologies.

    If you are a retailer, you can join our retailer partnership programme and attend the conference (+ expo) for free inclusive of networking breaks and lunch.  Or if you wish to be a sponsor/exhibitor, you can download our sponsorship prospectus to learn more about the business opportunities.

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  • SMI secures five-year retail licence at Yangon airport

    SMI secures five-year retail licence at Yangon airport

    Singapore Myanmar Investco (SMI) subsidiary SMI Retail is to operate duty-free, retail and food and beverage facilities at Yangon International airport (YIA) terminal two from April 1 2016. The retail operator has been awarded a five-year licence, with the option to extend for a further  five years.

    Comprising 6,725sq m of retail space, SMI will host 43 shop units across the ground, first and second levels in T2, where it is expected to welcome more than triple the amount of international passengers travelling to Yangon. It will also provide a merchandising, management and consultancy service to local distribution partner Royal Golden Sky (RGS) Company Limited for the T2 duty-free retail space. The agreement is for five years and begins on April 1 2016.

    RGS has also been appointed exclusive distributor of duty-free merchandise for sale in the airport, including the new terminal. The agreement also begins on April 1 2016 with the renewable contract expiring on March 31 2021.

    Meanwhile, the group’s exclusive 10-year supply agreement with DFS, announced last May, has been secured and forms an integral part of SMI’s travel-retail business model. According to the company, both initiatives will augment the group’s market position in the burgeoning travel industry and increase its business presence of consumer-related services in Myanmar.

    Operations of the duty-free, retail and food and beverage outlets will commence from March 2016 and be progressively rolled-out over the next few months. In addition, the group has reached  agreements with international fashion and lifestyle brands and food and beverage franchises.

    SMI president and CEO Mark Bedingham said: “SMI has been able to use the capabilities of its senior executives, many of whom have extensive experience in duty-free, retail and food and beverage management, to make a compelling offer, through our local partners, to YIA and its magnificent new terminal. We have  provided them with a unique and exceptional range of duty-free, luxury and lifestyle brands and  introduced for the first time some world class food and beverage concepts. This will allow SMI to have full exposure to the expected rapid growth in tourism and business travel.”

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  • Launching Thailand’s first ‘Clip ‘n Climb’

    Launching Thailand’s first ‘Clip ‘n Climb’

    Bangkok’s newest climbing hub, Clip ‘n Climb, which is one of the happening zones at BOUNCE Thailand, features 24 innovatively themed indoor climbing walls in visually attractive colours and textures, set over 255 sq m, ranging in difficulty and skill.

    A revolutionary indoor climbing experience from New Zealand comes to Thailand in the form of Bangkok’s first ever ‘Clip ‘n Climb’, at the brand new BOUNCE Thailand trampoline universe, on the 5th floor of The Street Rachada, a lifestyle mall located on Ratchadapisek road. Clip ‘n Climb, launched on 22nd December 2015 in conjunction with Quicksilver-Roxy-DC brands, is a fantastically fun and exciting alternative to outdoor rock-climbing, not to mention incredibly safe. a

    “It feels great to bring one of the world’s hottest new activity attractions to Bangkok all the way from New Zealand! Clip ‘n Climb’s innovative safety systems make it a breeze for anybody to start climbing, and the design of the walls have some of the hardest challenges for even the most experienced athletes,” commented Mr. Galeno Chua, Clip ‘n Climb Master Trainer. “It’s a completely new way of climbing. I can’t wait to rock Bangkok with this!”

    Bangkok’s newest climbing hub, Clip ‘n Climb, which is one of the happening zones at BOUNCE Thailand, features 24 innovatively themed indoor climbing walls in visually attractive colours and textures, set over 255 sq m, ranging in difficulty and skill. With no two obstacles the same, Clip ‘n Climb presents enticing physical and mental challenges for kids starting from 3 years old, and from novice to expert climber. Clip ‘n Climb utilizes a new generation auto-belay device, TruBlue™, which employs a magnetic eddy current braking technology, for absolute safety first. During ascent, TruBlue™ takes up the slack, then lowers gently in a controlled descent to the ground.

    To celebrate the launch of Clip ‘n Climb BOUNCE Thailand and also as a present during this festive season, every one-hour ticket purchased gets one trampoline voucher for a one-hour FREE bounce in the trampoline zone, until 10th January 2016. Clip ‘n Climb BOUNCE Thailand opens daily from 10:00am –10:00pm.
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  • Upbeat outlook for Asian retail market

    Upbeat outlook for Asian retail market

    Even after the season of giving, the coming year ushers in the world’s most energetic and exciting retail market for Asia, Colliers International forecasts, as consumers in the region look for venues not only to shop, but also to jovially spend time with family and friends.

    The year 2016 will see Asian consumers continue to drive retails sales up, according to the global real estate services firm’s report.

    Citing data from the Economist Intelligence Unit, Colliers said retail sales in Asia are projected to grow by 4.8 percent in 2016, surpassing the global average of 3.2 percent.

    Colliers said the general outlook for Asia remains upbeat despite concerns about the long-term sustainability of some of China’s more ambitious developments.

    Colliers said the coming year gives investors an opportunity to look into contributing to the relatively narrow retail gene pool of specialty occupiers of shopping centers in the region.

    “Investors in existing assets will be well-advised to look at cycles in mature markets and to use softening rents as a good opportunity to be imaginative about remixing and repositioning assets,” Colliers said.

    The property advisor also said while it forecasts vacancies in the Asian retail market, it also sees a significant appetite for retail owners to diversify.

    “They [retail owners] are in prime position to occupy their own developments with made-to-suit retail concepts,” Colliers said. “These could be either domestically grown concepts or portfolios of brands acquired overseas.”

    The report emphasized that the consumer market in the region is not merely driven by pure utilitarian acquisition of physical goods but also in spending time with friends and family outside small urban domiciles.

    “We see these behaviors evolving into twin trends, with a desire for experiential retail, and a concept of wellness and lifestyle,”said the report.

    It noted that the consumer market seeks out brands and environments that help to improve one’s life or provide leisure-based experience.

    “A prime example of this would be the amorphous blending of female sports and leisurewear around themes of beauty, mindfulness and yoga by activity-specific brands and mainstream retailers alike,” noted the report.

    Colliers noted that China seems to be following other regional markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea and Japan as it aspires to build portfolio relationships with trusted mid-market Food and Beverage(F&B) quality chains.

    “Indeed, global mid-market F&B superbrands and Asia-specific F&B superbrands are for the most part underrepresented in China. For this very reason, we believe there is significant opportunity for midmarket aspirational global F&B players to increase their Asian portfolios. We expect their activity to increase in 2016,” said the report.

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  • Novotel Zhuhai rebranded as Pullman

    Novotel Zhuhai rebranded as Pullman

    The Novotel Zhuhai has been rebranded by AccorHotels as the “Pullman Zhuhai,” in line with the company’s plans to promote its up-market Pullman brand in China, reported Travel Daily on Sunday. The Novotel Zhuhai opened only last December, but AccorHotels has decided to rebrand the resort. This will take the group’s Pullman portfolio in the greater China region to a total of 25 hotels across 22 cities.

    “We are excited to welcome the hotel to the Pullman family,” said Paul Richardson, the chief operating officer for AccorHotel’s Greater China region.
    “The rebranding of the property is part of AccorHotels’ ongoing global endeavor to further align with its brand architecture to ensure a more consistent brand experience for its guests,” Richardson added.

    The 268-room, rebranded Pullman Zhuhai is situated in Gongbei, close to the major bus stations that connect the city with Guangzhou.
    Facilities at the up-market resort include restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms, a wedding chapel, an executive lounge, sauna and steam rooms, and a fitness center and outdoor pool. Both the ownership and management of the hotel will remain unchanged.

    The latest group of Sands Shoppes retail employees graduated at the Sands Retail Academy’s fourth graduation ceremony on Tuesday, at the Venetian Macao.220 graduate at sands shoppes ceremony

    At the ceremony, 220 front-line retail team members were certified to mark the completion of their training courses, designed to improve service quality at Sands Shoppes. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of over 80 retailers from the complex.

    “With this being our fourth graduation, we are pleased to see an increase in both the number of participants and the number of graduates,” said Antonio Ramirez, senior vice-president of human resources at Sands China. “The Sands Retail Academy is part of Sands China’s long-term commitment to developing local talent in Macao, by nurturing locals who are not direct employees of Sands China,” added Ramirez.

    The Sands Retail Academy was launched in 2013 to improve customer service training at Sands Shoppes. Since its inception more than 1,800 retail professionals have joined the academy.

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  • Dover Street Market Will Open a Store in Singapore

    Dover Street Market Will Open a Store in Singapore

    Dover Street Market is coming to Singapore. Founder Rei Kawakubo is opening another retail space in Southeast Asia next year. The new store will be its fifth location following New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and London, where it first began as a shop front for Kawakubo’s renowned label Comme des Garçons over 10 years ago.

    Soon, shoppers in Singapore will have access to a massive selection of noteworthy brands and exclusive products that makes the multi-brand marketplace one of the best boutiques on earth.

    The upcoming location will be seated in a retail space called “COMO Dempsey” and is likely to share the same “beautiful chaos” philosophy Kawakubo has infused in her other locations.

    An exact opening date hasn’t been released yet, but stay tuned for more details.

  • Superdry delivers stunning turnaround

    Superdry delivers stunning turnaround

    SuperGroup, owner of the global lifestyle brand Superdry, has achieved an impressive 22.3 per cent increase in sales for the first half year, to £254.7 million.

    SuperGroup’s retail arm represented its strongest division, generating 30.8 per cent growth to £172.1 million, reflecting the continued expansion of wholly owned stores in the EU. Additionally, retail same store sales saw a major turnaround, increasing rapidly by 17.2 per cent compared to a decline of 4.1 per cent during the same period last year.

    This was driven particularly by a strong eCommerce performance. Online retail sales grew by 19.2 per cent as its digital channel continues to be its fastest growing route to market.

    “That noted, SuperGroup’s core focus remains on significant physical expansion within its key markets – Europe, North America and China,” observes  Anusha Couttigane, senior consultant with retail analyst Conlumino

    As part of its full year strategy, the group has set out to expand own store space by some 130,000 sqft  (12,000 sqm) within Europe. So far, nearly half this target has been achieved, the company having opened 14 net new stores comprising 63,000 sqft (5850 sqm) of new trading space during the first half year.

    Elsewhere, its wholesale arm saw 23 international franchise and licensed stores open during this period, contributing to a 7.8 per cent growth in wholesale revenue. However, the seasonality of its products has caused the group to announce an expected £3 million to £3.5 million operating loss in its North American operation for the full year as it realigns its product offer for its customer proposition on the continent.

    “With a successful first half completed, SuperGroup has positioned itself well for the all-important Christmas trading period,” comments Couttigane.

    “In the run-up, product innovation has been leveraged to encourage new customers, including Superdry’s premium collaboration with Idris Elba and its Superdry Sport and Superdry Snow collections for women, making the brand a strong contender for Christmas wish lists.

    “However, while its first six months have benefited from soft comparatives, the second half is set to be more demanding,” she concluded.

    SuperGroup’s full year pre-tax profit projection remains stable at £72.1 million.

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  • Peru to have Tmall Global shopfront

    Peru to have Tmall Global shopfront

    Peru and China have signed an agreement allowing Peruvian products to be sold directly to Chinese consumers online.

    Peruvian producers will set up stores on Alibaba Group’s Tmall Global via a country shopfront, much like Tmall has created with Germany, Australia, the US, Korea, the Netherlands, Thailand and other nations.

    The agreement will take Peruvian exporters closer to Chinese consumers and the value chain of Peruvian products will be fully developed, said VP of the Peruvian Association of Exporters, Eduardo Amorrortu during Monday’s contract signing ceremony.

    “Ecommerce has been developing very rapid. It has had a great impact on the economy and traditional modes of consumption have changed,” said VP of the Association of Chinese Companies in Peru (AECP), Kong Aimin.

  • Shoppers catch Zalora online fever

    Shoppers catch Zalora online fever

    Asian online fashion retailer Zalora recorded sales six times higher than any day ever before during its December 12 Online Fever promotion last weekend.

    Zalora sells in eight Asian markets: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

    The 12.12 Online Fever promotion was positioned as Asia’s answer to North America’s Cyber Monday, with Zalora aiming to boost eCommerce across the region, offering shoppers cut-price deals to encourage online purchasing and hoping to convert traditional consumers into e-consumers. This year, 32 per cent of 12.12 Online Fever shoppers were first-time Zalora customers.

    “12.12 Online Fever 2015 was a great success not only for Zalora, but for all the partners we worked with to make this initiative possible and for consumers who got their favourite fashion brands on great price point,” said CEO Michele Ferrario.

    As Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan are enjoying immense economic growth, we wanted to engage consumers and help boost the growth of e-Commerce in the region. This online sales day will give them a push, sparking consumer spending by offering their favourite items at the best prices. Last year’s record sales attested that such a cyber event resonates well with consumers in the region, and we are happy that we managed to engage more consumers this year.”

    To ensure timely packing and delivery of orders, Zalora increased staffing in operations working 24/7 in order to ship 100 per cent of the packages received in its warehouses within 24 hours. This resulted to having 30 per cent of packages delivered to customers within the next day and more than 50 per cent of packages by the end of yesterday, (December 14), across the region.

    One of the big surprises from the sale was the high percentage of shoppers using their mobile devices to browse and purchase – 78.5 per cent of shoppers on Saturday were using mobiles, just 21.5 per cent desktops or laptops – the number of mobile shoppers rose 250 per cent year on year.

    Females accounted for 74 per cent of shoppers.

    The most popular categories for both males and females were apparel, footwear and accessories. Favourite brands among women include Rubi, Mango, Dorothy Perkins and Something Borrowed while Sperry, Herschel, Onitsuka Tiger and Topman were popular brands for men.

    Netizens were also talking about 12.12 Online Fever in their social media posts, a few of them commending Zalora’s quick delivery service and alerting their friends to join in. 12.12 Online Fever received more than 1.6 million of impressions on popular social media sites Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

    This year’s 12.12 Online Fever also saw an increase in number of partners with 376 participating across the region, covering industries ranging from food, home, entertainment and travel to beauty.

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