Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Cotton On plans next stage of global growth

    Cotton On plans next stage of global growth

    Cotton On Group has revealed plans to add 227 jobs in Australia and overseas this year as the Geelong-based value fashion retailer embarks on another expansion phase aimed at maintaining its five-year record of 20 percent-plus sales growth.

    Cotton On Group’s sales are forecast to rise 22.5 percent in 2015 to AUD1.51 billion (USD1.17b) and the privately owned company is budgeting for 20 percent-plus growth in 2016 by opening more than 100 stores and expanding e-commerce with new online sites, improved digital content and click and collect options.

    Over the next three years, the group plans to open 570 stores around the globe, taking the total to almost 1900, while lifting online sales to AUD250 million.

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  • Convenience stores in Taiwan look at mobile app potential

    Convenience stores in Taiwan look at mobile app potential

    Two major convenience store chains in Taiwan are trying to introduce mobile apps to give customers access to a greater range of services and boost sales as e-commerce could soon revolutionize the convenience store industry.

    President Chain Store Corp, which operates Taiwan’s largest convenience store chain, said it is currently building a big data and cloud computing system and developing omnichannel payment solutions. These solutions, including ibon, icash 2.0 and iChannel digital media platforms, will enable delivery of products ordered online through its 5,000 outlets, the company said.

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  • Tesco Lotus slashes prices

    Tesco Lotus slashes prices

    The Thai operator of Tesco Lotus hypermarket chain is cutting the prices of essential fresh foods by 10-50 percent for six weeks to revive consumer spending.

    Prices of more than 100 fresh food items including meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit and eggs are being reduced by up to half to help consumers during the difficult economic situation.

    The campaign began on Thursday at Tesco Lotus hypermarkets nationwide and will run for six weeks.

  • Lazada sees healthy online retail growth

    Lazada sees healthy online retail growth

    Thailand’s online retail market is expected to grow by up to eight times in the coming years, the same pace as China’s.

    The proliferation of inexpensive mobile devices and the growing number of internet users will be the main contributors.

    Riccardo Basile, chief executive of online shopping mall Lazada Thailand, said the local online retail market excluding food and travel would account for 1 percent to 1.5 percent of the country’s retail market this year.

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  • First Lush Spa to open in Hong Kong in 4Q15

    First Lush Spa to open in Hong Kong in 4Q15

    UK eco-friendly cosmetics company Lush is going to open the first Lush Spa in Hong Kong in the fourth quarter of 2015, the beauty retailer said yesterday.

    Located at Lyndhurst Terrace of Soho Square in Central, the five-storey Lush spa will have a total space of 6,909 square feet, with retail area on the ground floor and the treatment area on the second floor to fourth floor.

    “Hong Kong is a very exciting market for us, one which we have seen rapid growth and year to date LFL of 89 percent. Launching the spa starts another exciting new chapter for us here and offers our customers a unique and luxurious experience,” said Annabelle Baker, Director of Lush Asia Limited.

    Founded in 1995, the UK health and beauty brand places great emphasis on using fresh ingredients to produce handmade beauty products. Lush is the pioneer in advocating environmental protection and operating strict policies against animal testing in the cosmetics industry.

    Hong Kong & Macau have been wholly owned by Lush since the end of 2012. The company currently have seven shops in the two cities. It’s also opening a 10,000 sqf shop on Europe’s busiest shopping area – London’s Oxford Street.

    The company has launched Lush Spa in in the UK, Japan, France, Korea, Brazil and US. Hong Kong will be the third Asian market to have Lush Spa.

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  • Big Cyber to open 20 “makers” stores in China by year end

    Big Cyber to open 20 “makers” stores in China by year end

    A retail subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, plans to open 20 stores in China for technology innovators known as “makers”, by the end of the year, a company executive said on Sunday. According to Wang Jung-ching, general manager of Big Cyber, a new retail brand under Hon Hai’s Cybermart consumer electronics chain in China, his firm will open new stores in Beijing and Guangzhou in April and May after already opening a first store in Shanghai.

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  • Surfwear retailer Billabong rejects class action claim

    Surfwear retailer Billabong rejects class action claim

    Struggling surf-wear retailer Billabong said on Thursday it received notice of a shareholder class action lawsuit over market disclosures it made four years ago.

    The Federal Court of Australia online register said law firm Slater & Gordon filed a statement of claim a day earlier. A Slater & Gordon spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

    The law firm said a year ago that it planned to seek compensation for shareholders, alleging the company gave earnings guidance for the 2012 financial year that lacked reasonable grounds.

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  • Lenovo creates new post for Lanci

    Lenovo creates new post for Lanci

    Lenovo Group Ltd has appointed Gianfranco Lanci as its corporate president, a newly created position, as part of the company’s organizational structure change for global market and business growth, the world’s No. 1 personal computer maker said on Tuesday.

    Lanci, a 30-year veteran of PC industry, will take up the new position from 1 April. The new post is seen as the number two executive behind Lenovo’s Chairman and Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing.

    Lanci, who will retain his current position as chief operating officer and head of the PC business, will head Lenovo’s PC sales and marketing efforts worldwide.

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  • Flipkart to create 2 million jobs in 2015

    Flipkart to create 2 million jobs in 2015

    Indian leading e-commerce company Flipkart on Wednesday said it would directly and indirectly create about two million jobs in 2015 through its marketplace and ancillary services.

    Among other segments, logistics and warehousing would be key employment generators, the company said. In 2014, the e-commerce industry created about half a million jobs, according to Flipkart.

    The Bengaluru-based company employs about 33,000 people. Earlier this week, Flipkart said it planned to double the size of its technology team in 2015 to 2,000.

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  • Connected gadget sales soar in Singapore

    Connected gadget sales soar in Singapore

    Singaporeans’ thirst to be online has seen sales of connected gadgets more than double in just five years.

    While the connected devices sector in Singapore was valued at only USD 950 million five years ago, it has expanded to more than US$1.8 billion in 2014, according to research house GfK.

    ‘Connected devices’ comprise of 20 wireless and connected electronic/digital products tracked by GfK in Singapore, including computers, internet TVs, smart cameras, PC accessories, headphones, headsets, routers and also the latest gadgets – smart watches and health fitness trackers.

    The growth is being powered by Singapore’s affluent and well-developed internet infrastructure, says Gerard Tan, account director for Digital World at GfK.

    “In line with the country’s high internet usage and technology adoption rate, wireless devices with internet connectivity have been growing every year from 2010 to 2013, registering an additional 3.1 million devices sold within this four year span.

    “On the other hand, our sophisticated society is less interested in non-connected devices, with steep falling demand year after year since 2012.”

    Sales reached a peak in 2013 with consumers splurging more than USD 2.1 billion on over 5.2 million connected devices, following which market saturation led to a slowdown in the 2014. By comparison, non-connected, wired devices within the same product categories witnessed an even steeper decline of 29 per cent in value, considerably higher compared to the 15 per cent fall registered in the connected segment.

    In spite of overall decrease in consumer demand, some connected gadgets continued to register growth in 2014, including smart watches, health fitness trackers, phablets, wireless printing devices, smart cameras, and loudspeaker soundbars. The top three fastest growing connected devices in Singapore last year were docking/mini-speakers, phablets and loudspeakers/soundbars at 162, 60 and 55 per cent increased sales respectively over 2014. Despite the easing in sales, manufacturers are launching more new models of connected devices. According to GfK findings, the number of market offerings across all products rose by 15 per cent to hit 4920 – a strong indication of the positive market sentiment going forward.

    “The soaring popularity of this market means we can anticipate more of such products being launched, and the introduction of more new and exciting features, for instance, the function of easy syncing across different products,” said Tan.

    “With today’s heavy reliance on the internet, it becomes even more essential for modern technology to be equipped with the connectivity feature,” he concluded.

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  • Panasonic, Lenovo’s retail bets in India

    Panasonic, Lenovo’s retail bets in India

    Two brands trying to get a bigger foothold in India’s smartphone market recently announced plans to expand their retail presence, strongly leaning on exclusive stores and e-commerce.

    The Japanese Panasonic and Chinese Lenovo are both in the process of bolstering their retail strategies. While the new stores would help their wide-ranging product portfolio, their smartphone fortunes would be paramount.

    Lenovo India is planning to triple its retail footprint. Run by franchisees, Lenovo has 400 stores which are branded as Lenovo stores, besides 3,500 outlets where its products are available. In the next three years, Lenovo will add to its branded stores – Lenovo Exclusive Stores (LES) and Lenovo Exclusive Store Lite (a smaller version for lower tier towns). While 30 percent would be LES, the rest would be the LES Lite model.

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  • Chilean vending machines model takes off

    Chilean vending machines model takes off

    In Chile, vending machines inside local stores are offering cash-strapped shoppers affordable staple items – without denting retailers’ profits.

    Trend monitoring website Springwise.com reports some 73 per cent of the population of Latin America lives on less than US$4 per day, but the prices of food and necessities in struggling areas rarely reflects this.

    Often, shops in areas such as Santiago in Chile offer products at prices up to 40 per cent higher than better off areas. Hoping to end this inequality, Algramo distributes vending machines containing staples such as beans, lentils, rice and sugar around Santiago. It installs the affordable alternatives in local stores and splits the profits with the shopkeepers.

    Algramo enable locals to purchase goods in bulk in reusable containers, lowering the price and encouraging a more eco-friendly retail model. Rather than setting itself up as a competitor to neighbourhood shops — which are an integral, social part of Chilean life — Algramo work with the shopkeepers to improve the economic climate of the area.

    The company developed their own vending machines, including one which dispenses washing powder and one which dispenses a variety of staple foods. All the machines can be installed easily and operated by customers.

    So far, Algramo has installed more than 300 machines in Chile and now plans to expand into Colombia.

     

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  • 1000 Degrees heads for Malaysia

    1000 Degrees heads for Malaysia

    US pizza company 1000 Degrees Pizzeria has chosen Malaysia as its first international market.

    The company said it would open its first pizza outlets in Kuala Lumpur, later this year in Kuala Lumpur, the federal capital, with an unidentified local partner.

    1000 Degrees says while Malaysia will be its first international market outside its US home base, talks are already underway with potential partners in Panama City, Qatar and Dubai.

    “We are excited to bring our spin on traditional Neapolitan Pizza, served in a fast-casual environment to the citizens of Kuala Lumpur,” said a company spokesman.

    1000 Degress pizza store 315

    “We feel as if this city, which is experiencing tremendous growth, is ready for something new in the name of pizza.”

    1000 Degrees has grown rapidly during the past six months and expects over 60 franchisees to be signed by the end of third quarter of 2015.

    The franchise was started in northeastern US, but quickly has gained traction in 16 of the 50 states.

    The spokesman said Malaysia was chosen for its international debut because it was “an exciting place” and the company is working with “an exciting group of experienced operators” in Kuala Lumpur.

    1000 Degrees offers both single and multi-unit operators an opportunity to serve what they feel is the best pizza in the nation, for as little as $250,000 per unit.

     

  • SSI Group profit soars

    SSI Group profit soars

    The Philippines’ largest specialty store retail business, SSI Group, has reported a massive 63 per cent jump in its annual profit.

    SSI Group says its 2014 surplus was 998.7 million Pesos (US$66.9 million), up from 613.7 million P ($41 million) in 2013.

    The company’s brand portfolio includes Marks and Spencer, Gucci, Burberry, Hermès, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Gap, Bershka, Aeropostale, Samsonite, Nine West and Payless Shoe Source.

    SSI Group says its performance is the result of an aggressive store rollout program, strong gross profit margins and the depth and breadth of its brand portfolio. It expanded its store network by 126 outlets last year.

    The group’s annual sales rose 19 per cent to P15.2 billion, and in the last quarter by 26 per cent to P5.2 billion.

    In a statement, SSI Group president Anton T Huang described the outlook for 2015 as positive.

    “2014 was a landmark year for SSI as we executed our largest store expansion program to date. We continue to leverage on a brand portfolio that resonates with consumers, on the availability of prime retail space, and on evolving consumption patterns and consumer tastes.

    “We expect that these factors will continue to drive our performance in 2015,” he said.

    The company now operates 723 specialty stores with a combined floor space of 134,000 sqm and represents 106 brands in the Philippines.

    It also operates 90 FamilyMart convenience stores.

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  • New stores, eCommerce drive Gome growth

    New stores, eCommerce drive Gome growth

    China’s Gome Electrical Appliances boosted online sales by 84 per cent last year helping fuel a 43.5 per cent boost in annual profit.

    The full year surplus was 1.28 billion yuan, (US$206.2 million).

    The booming online operation is clearly still growing with a quarter on quarter sales boost of 117 per cent in the three months to December 31.

    At the same time, Gome says it continued to refurbish its bricks and mortar store network and revamp its supply chain, procurement and distribution operations.

    In annual figures released Monday, Gome said it continues to pursue its goal of becoming an ‘Open Omni-channel Retailer’ by optimising its open supply chain platform, driving further improvements in the areas of procurement, logistics, information system and financial services, and building an open omni-channel platform encompassing ‘online + offline + mobile terminal + other socialised channels’.

    “The group has managed to provide cross-regional and cross-channel full services to consumers as a whole. The launch of this strategic transformation, supported by the low-cost highly-efficient open supply chain, has enabled the group to achieve year-on-year growth in key financial indicators for eight consecutive quarters and increase its operating efficiency,” the company said in a statement.

    As well as renovating 100 existing stores, Gome continued its push into tier 2 markets, strengthened partnerships with supermarkets and department stores and promoted its eCommerce development. Last year it opened 145 new stores, 78 of them in tier 2 cities. A further 154 concessions were opened.