Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Love, Bonito unveils new brand identity, revamped assortment strategy

    Love, Bonito unveils new brand identity, revamped assortment strategy

    Southeast Asian omnichannel fashion brand Love, Bonito has unveiled its new brand identity after 13 years of operation, introducing a change in its assortment strategy as part of the campaign.

    The brand’s name was redesigned with a cleaner font, while the clean bold logo was complemented by a heart-shaped monogram that was formed by the brand’s initials ‘LB’. While the brand is commonly known for its signature peach tone, the brand has expanded its colour palette with Bold Brown, Cool Pink and Heart Red.

    The company said its new image reflects the maturity and sophistication alongside its loyal community. The new look will be rolled out in physical stores in key markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong, with the flagship in Tun Razak Exchange Mall being the first location to be fully rebranded. The brand will also shift to a sassier tone of voice.

    “While many of our Asian cultures have been known to be more conservative, we want the world to see who the multifaceted Asian women are in this 21st century,” said Dione Song, CEO of Love, Bonito. “By doing so, we too want to let Asian women know that it is perfectly alright to be unabashedly ourselves while keeping to our roots and heritage.

    “Our consistent double-digit year-on-year growth since 2020 has been an encouraging sign,” Song added. “The vision of being the go-to destination for Asian women is big, and we are just getting started.”

    Love, Bonito said it will reduce the number of styles produced by 60 percent, streamlining its assortment to three key lines: Signatures, Staples, and capsule collections.

    “Our assortment overhaul was born out of the desire to create a resilient business as we continuously widen our global footprint,” said Pat Achakulwisut, chief commercial officer at Love, Bonito. “We want to make smarter strategic investments across various business functions, from design, production, merchandising to supply chain as well as overall operations.”

    The campaign follows the brand’s expansion into the US and the Philippines last year. Love, Bonito ships to 20 countries worldwide.

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  • Indian jeweller makes Chicago debut

    Indian jeweller makes Chicago debut

    Tata Group’s jewellery brand Tanishq has increased its presence in Chicago by opening a store at 4300 East New York Street.

    The Chicago store will feature a specialised and exclusive workwear selection targeting the different demands of women on professional and casual occasions.

    Additionally, collections including Tales of Mystique and Rhythms of Rain feature worldwide and contemporary jewellery influenced by the cultural riches of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and Kerala.

    “Having already captured the imagination of the discerning consumer in New Jersey and Texas, Tanishq is excited to be entering another iconic American city with a diverse customer base who can now enjoy our unrivaled offering right at their doorstep,” said Kuruvilla Markose, CEO of Titan International Business.

    “Our stunning Chicago store plays a pivotal role in Tanishq’s global expansion, aiming to cater not only to the Indian diaspora but also to the broader American and international communities residing in the city, with an unrivalled offering of more than 2000 unique designs.”

    Tanishq, which had previously established a presence in New Jersey and Texas, now has 420 outlets in India and is expanding internationally into Dubai, the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, and the US.

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  • Ministry of Finance wants 50% tax on e-cigarette atomizer

    Ministry of Finance wants 50% tax on e-cigarette atomizer

    The Ministry of Finance has maintained its proposal to impose a 50% Most-Favored Nation (MFN) tariff on electronic atomizer, the device used to heat up liquid solution used for vaping.

    In a recent response to the Ministry of Health, which has advised the government to ban the imports of e-cigarettes due to health concerns, the finance ministry said that as the code of e-cigarette products were included in Vietnam’s list of exported and imported goods, it needed to impose a tax on such products in case the government allows their import in the future.

    The MFN is what countries promise to impose on imports from other members of the World Trade Organization.

    Vietnam now imposes a 50% MFN tariff on the liquid solution used in e-cigarettes and on the e-cigarettes in which the atomizer and the solution are inseparable.

    The tariffs, however, have mostly no practical impact as Vietnam does not allow the imports of e-cigarette components. These products, however, are widely popular in the country, mostly because of smuggling.

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade has reminded the finance ministry that atomizers should be regulated as electronic products already subject to an MFN tariff of 5% according to Vietnam’s commitments to the WTO.

    But the finance ministry said that e-cigarette components were new products that did not exist when Vietnam made commitments with the WTO.

    Government officials estimate that smoking is the cause of over 40,000 deaths in Vietnam every year.

    Experts say that the rising popularity of e-cigarettes means they should be regulated to prevent smuggling.

  • Google Messages rolls out custom RCS conversation color themes more widely

    Google Messages rolls out custom RCS conversation color themes more widely

    Back in November, Google announced some new features for its Messages app as part of its celebration of reaching the one billion monthly active RCS users milestone. Many of these promised features, such as animated emoji, Photomoji, and screen effects, have already been rolled out to users. However, one feature has taken quite a while to roll out widely: custom themes.

    Custom themes were announced as a customization feature allowing users to change the bubble and background colors of individual conversations. Presumably, this feature was to help eliminate the limitations of blue versus green bubbles and to aid users with differentiating conversations.

    It appears that this feature is currently receiving a wider rollout. Although some users started seeing this option with the latest version of the Google Messages app in beta (v20240308), I received the update myself without updating my app (still in beta version 20240228), suggesting that this is a server-side push.

    To check if the feature is available to you, you will first make sure you are in an RCS chat, as this feature does not work with SMS/MMS conversations. Once inside any chat thread, tap on the three dot menu and select “Change colors.” This will then open the UI for changing themes, showing you all the color options available, including the default.

    It should be noted that this works slightly differently on Pixel devices that use Material You dynamic theming. When I tested on a Pixel, the theme affected the conversation’s background and the bubble color. On a Samsung Galaxy device, though, it only altered the bubble color.

    Additionally, when you successfully change the theme, you receive a small notification at the bottom that reads “You changed the theme,” which also gives you a quick shortcut to change the theme again. Happy theming!

  • The Apple Car could have changed the face of the auto industry

    The Apple Car could have changed the face of the auto industry

    Last month, Apple calmly went around to the back of company headquarters in Cupertino carrying the self-driving Apple Car files and put a bullet through the project. Apple spent a decade and a ton of money on what would have turned out to be an amazing game-changing vehicle according to the description of what Apple was working on written by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter.

    Gurman said that the design Apple was working on around 2020 was similar to the rounded Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle. This is a van that at the time, looks the same in the front and back so that it always appears that the vehicle is moving forward. Gurman says that the vehicle resembled no other vehicle mass-produced at the time and was designed for full Level 5 autonomous driving.

    While Apple changed the looks of the car’s interior a few times, the look was a minimalist one with seats that looked like those seen in a limo or private jet; the vehicle would accommodate four people. Some versions of the interior featured a big television set in the center to show videos and FaceTime video chats. From the roof of the vehicle, multiple iPad-sized screens were suspended to give passengers access to certain controls. A special air-conditioning system pushed the air along the sides of the interior instead of blowing it right at the passengers’ faces.

    Two previous designs for the Apple Car included the first one which resembled the 1950s Volkswagen microbus; inside Apple, this design was known as the Bread Loaf. The second design for the vehicle looked like the 2017 Volkswagen ID Buzz prototype before VW showed off its concept. The fourth design, the one that looked like the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle, had CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams excited.

    But the most recent design also included a less ambitious Level 2 autonomy forcing Apple to add a steering wheel and pedals. The sliding van doors were replaced by gull-wing doors. Nonetheless, it’s all moot at this point anyway and while Apple might have changed the face of the automobile similar to what it did with the smartphone, the company decided to stick to its knitting since the project still had a long way to go and a lot more red ink to spill before it would be ready to be launched.

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  • Indonesia to investigate Batik Air after pilots fall asleep mid-flight for 28 minutes

    Indonesia to investigate Batik Air after pilots fall asleep mid-flight for 28 minutes

    Indonesia’s transport ministry said Saturday it would open a probe into local airline Batik Air after two of its pilots were found to have fallen asleep during a recent flight.

    A pilot and co-pilot were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes during a flight from South East Sulawesi to the capital Jakarta on January 25, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said.

    The incident resulted in a series of navigation errors, but the Airbus A320’s 153 passengers and four flight attendants were unharmed during the two-hour-and-35-minute flight.

    The transport ministry “strongly reprimands” Batik Air over the incident, air transport director-general M. Kristi Endah Murni said, calling on airlines to pay more attention to their air crew’s rest time.

    “We will carry out an investigation and review of the night flight operation in Indonesia related with Fatigue Risk Management for Batik Air and all flight operators,” Kristi said in a statement.

    Batik Air said in a statement on Saturday that it “operates with adequate rest policy” and that it was “committed to implement all safety recommendations”.

    The pilots involved in the January 25 incident had been temporarily suspended, the statement added.

    The KNKT report, seen by AFP on Friday, was uploaded to the agency’s website in late February.

    One of the pilots had not rested adequately on the night before the flight, according to the report.

    About half an hour after the plane took off, the captain asked permission from his second-in-command to rest for a while, with the request being granted.

    The co-pilot then took over command of the aircraft, but also inadvertently fell asleep, the report said.

    “The second-in-command had one-month twin babies. His wife took care of the babies and he assisted while at home,” the report said.

    A few minutes after the last recorded transmission by the co-pilot, the area control center in Jakarta tried to contact the aircraft. It received no answer.

    Twenty-eight minutes after the last recorded transmission, the pilot woke up and realized his co-pilot was asleep and that the aircraft was not on the correct flight path.

    He immediately woke his colleague up, responded to the calls from Jakarta and corrected the flight path, the report said.

    The plane landed safely after the incident. Investigators did not identify the pilots, but said they were both Indonesians and were aged 32 and 28.

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  • Google Wallet will now automatically add your tickets and passes from Gmail

    Google Wallet will now automatically add your tickets and passes from Gmail

    Google Wallet is receiving a set of small quality of life updates designed to enhance the user experience and make it your go-to digital home for essential passes, tickets, and more. The updates include tighter integration with Gmail to eliminate the extra step of manually adding passes and movie tickets to your wallet.

    If you’ve ever purchased a movie ticket or booked a flight online, you’ve likely encountered the inconvenience of having to scramble through your Gmail in order to find the confirmation. Only to find out that the cellular signal is very weak, and your email won’t load. This is a perfect use case for Google Wallet, which Google just announced now directly integrates with Gmail, automatically surfacing movie tickets and boarding passes from participating airlines and movie chains.

    Google states that this feature is currently available with select global chains, but that the company is working hard to expand its reach. This will likely save you some time and fuss, as you can now have your tickets and passes readily available in one spot with you need them.

    Managing your collection of passes within Google Wallet just got more convenient. You now have the ability to manually archive most passes. Archiving a pass places it in the “Archived Passes” section of the app.

    If you ever need to unarchive any of these previous passes, you can do so as well by tapping on the pass and selecting “Unarchive Pass.” Furthermore, the ability to archive passes extends to your Wear OS devices for more efficient organization, no matter where you are.

    Google Wallet is further blurring the lines between your digital life and the real world. For US-based users, there’s a new beta feature out: loyalty cards saved in Wallet are now cleverly linked with Google Search and Shopping. This means that your membership benefits can be highlighted as you browse for products online, potentially unlocking special offers and discounts. Businesses interested in taking part in this beta test will need to reach out to Google support in order to enroll.

    Lastly, Google Wallet is becoming more accessible around the globe. Back in November, Google Wallet became available to residents of the Dominican Republic, Monaco, and Peru. This means that Google Wallet is now available in 74 countries worldwide for both Android and Wear OS.

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  • Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    We already know that iOS 18 is going to be one of the biggest updates in Apple’s history. New AI features including a revised Siri have many iPhone users looking forward to June when Apple previews iOS 18 during WWDC 2024. Other changes will be coming to the operating system’s accessibility features. These are features designed for those with “vision, mobility, hearing, speech, and cognitive needs” and can be found in the Accessibility app.

    MacRumors spoke with industry sources who told them about some new accessibility features expected to be added to iOS 18. Traditionally, these are announced before WWDC which makes it quite possible that Apple is wrapping up the development of these new features now which could be why they have leaked at this point in time.

    Voice Shortcuts would allow an iPhone user to connect a phrase to start a particular accessibility feature. Unlike Siri Shortcuts, no wake phrase, such as “Hey Siri,” would need to be spoken first. The rumor says that Voice Shortcuts would work with accessibility features such as VoiceOver and Voice Control. The former reads the content on an iPhone, while the latter allows you to use vocal commands to “perform gestures, interact with screen elements, dictate and edit text, and more.”

    Another change will have Apple adding font size control throughout the system. Currently, users can change the font size of an app but only if this is supported by the app, and some of Apple’s system apps do not offer such support; all of them will in iOS 18. The company also previously announced Personal Voice for Live Speech which uses AI to create a digital version of a user’s voice after running through 15 minutes of “training” with often-used phrases recorded. If someone has a disease that will cost them their speech, this feature will allow them to “talk” once he/she can no longer do so.

    We should see iOS 18 released this coming September.

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  • Blend business and pleasure on the same phone with Verizon’s dirt-cheap new Second Number feature

    Blend business and pleasure on the same phone with Verizon’s dirt-cheap new Second Number feature

    Have you ever felt the need to use two different phone numbers for various business or, well, personal reasons? Instead of carrying two mobile devices with you all the time, which can be a bit of a hassle, Verizon will let you activate an aptly named Second Number feature on your account for just $10 a month until June 5.

    That sounds far more convenient than the traditional alternative and it also looks way less suspicious to anyone who might want to pry into your secret… business. Of course, you don’t have to be a double agent or a Tinder addict to find this new service useful, as Big Red points out a second phone number can greatly help folks operating side gigs as well as frequent sellers on online marketplaces keep their primary and secondary activities separate with little effort and minimal costs.

    Speaking of costs, it’s important to point out that the aforementioned June 5 cutoff date refers to how long you have to “lock in” the promotional $10 a month price, which should then go unchanged in perpetuity (or until Verizon changes its mind). If you don’t sign up by that date, you can obviously still do so at a later time, but only at a raised monthly cost of $15.

    Either way, this looks like a pretty affordable method to get an extra wireless service line with unlimited talk and text. There will be no data on it, however, which is what allows the plan to be so extremely cheap. You’ll need to take care of all data-related business on your primary line, mind you, which presents a series of… challenges you can only overcome using good old fashioned text messaging.

    To get started, you’ll have to be an existing Verizon customer (well, duh!) with a dual SIM smartphone in your possession. While the nation-leading carrier has an extensive support webpage dedicated to explaining how you can use two numbers on a compatible handset, there doesn’t seem to be a list anywhere containing all such devices (or at least some of them), which makes today’s launch feel a little incomplete and confusing.

  • WhatsApp calls log could soon be integrated into Google’s Phone app

    WhatsApp calls log could soon be integrated into Google’s Phone app

    Staying connected with friends and family on WhatsApp is about to get even easier as the popular messaging app looks to integrate call logs with Google’s native Phone app on Android. This change would put WhatsApp’s voice and video calls on equal footing with regular phone calls, allowing you to see all your call history in one place.

    Currently, WhatsApp calls only show up within the app itself. This upcoming integration would streamline the process, especially if you primarily use WhatsApp for calls. The fact that @Kishore9196 on X noticed this suggests that the feature might already be rolling out in a limited beta test.

    In the screenshot provided, you can see WhatsApp calls appearing within the Google Phone app’s call log, conveniently marked with a “WhatsApp” tag to differentiate them from standard cell carrier calls. Once the feature is fully rolled out, it would make sense if tapping on one of these entries would give you the option to quickly initiate another WhatsApp call with that contact. It’s also likely that this integration won’t be limited to just WhatsApp, as other VoIP apps such as Telegram could follow suit as well, giving you a unified call log experience on your Android phone.

    However, this feature isn’t entirely new. As the source pointed out, iOS already has this feature, which displays third-party VoIP calls in the iPhone’s native call history. Android users have been missing out on this convenience, although hopefully not for much longer.

    Having this kind of interconnectivity between apps is a benefit that European users will soon enjoy in more areas, such as messaging, as the DMCA has ordered. Because of this, WhatsApp will also have the added benefit of including other messaging platforms within its own app, bringing about cross-platform usability. This is not to say that the integrated call log on the Phone app is a result of this, but it is a nice touch so that users won’t have to switch back and forth between apps as often.

    This change will be a welcomed quality-of-life improvement for those who regularly use WhatsApp for calling. With the seamless integration of your call logs, staying connected within WhatsApp is about to get a whole lot smoother.

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  • Steelmaker Hoa Phat’s sales surge 32% in two months

    Steelmaker Hoa Phat’s sales surge 32% in two months

    Vietnamese steel giant Hoa Phat Group saw a 32% rise in sales volume of steel products in the first two months of this year, the firm reported.

    In the January-February period, Hoa Phat sold 1.15 million tonnes of hot rolled steel products (HRC), construction steel, high quality steel and steel billets. Meanwhile, the firm produced 1.38 tonnes of crude steel, an increase of 71% over the same period last year.

    However, in February, the firm saw a considerable drop in steel sales volume compared to that in January, mostly due to the long Lunar New Year holiday. In the month, Hoa Phat produced 690,000 tonnes of crude steel, a similar output as January.

    In the month, its sales volume of hot rolled steel products, construction steel, high quality steel and steel billets was 518,000 tonnes, down 19% compared to the first month of the year.

    Meanwhile, the firm sold 212,000 tonnes of construction steel and high quality steel, down 42% compared to January, along with 266,000 tonnes of HRC products, 41,000 tonnes of steel pipes, and 32,000 tonnes of galvanized steel.

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  • Gasoline prices fall

    Gasoline prices fall

    Gasoline and diesel prices dropped Thursday afternoon.

    The popular fuel RON95 gasoline fell 1.55% from a week ago to VND23,550 ($0.95) per liter.

    Biofuel E5 RON92 declined by 1.05% to VND22,510.

    Diesel dropped 1.44% to VND20,470.

    In the last seven days fuel prices swinged due to concerns that China would struggle to regain growth momentum, a rise in gold and cryptocurrency investment, and a reduction in OPEC production.

    Globally gasoline prices dropped by 1.8-2.1% per barrel while oils dropped 1.1-1.9%.

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  • Singapore retail sales down in January

    Singapore retail sales down in January

    Singapore retail sales – after excluding motor vehicles from the data – dropped 2.1 percent year-on-year in January, following the 2.8 percent decrease in December.

    According to the Department of Statistics, January retail sales edged up 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous month.

    The estimated total retail sales value was SG$3.7 billion (US$2.75 billion), of which 12.9 percent was online.

    There were mixed performances within the retail trade sector, highlighted by an 11.8 percent decline in sales of wearing apparel and footwear. Supermarkets and hypermarkets and recreational goods recorded decreases of 6.5 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.

    Meanwhile, sales of food and alcohol and watches and jewelry increased by 8.5 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively.

    Sales of food and beverage services fell 5.6 percent in January, following the 0.4 percent growth in December. The lower sales were partly attributed to the Chinese New Year being celebrated at the end of January 2023 rather than in February this year.

    The total sales value of F&B services was estimated at SG$ 942 million (US$700 million), of which 23.1 percent was from online sales.

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  • Electricity bills double for Hanoians on meter reading date change

    Electricity bills double for Hanoians on meter reading date change

    Households in Hanoi have received electricity bills two or three times higher than usual this month after national utility Electricity Vietnam (EVN) postponed its meter reading date.

    Minh of Ha Dong District said the power consumed and bill for January are both more than double the usual at 2,127 kWh and VND6.7 million (US$271.4) though consumption has been completely normal and he bought no new electrical devices.

    The same thing has happened to Hanoi’s nearly 2.8 million electricity users, and EVN’s change in meter reading date seems to be the reason.

    The reading date has been moved to the end of each month from the beginning.

    Thus the January bill is for until Feb. 29 and not metered until Feb. 7 as used to be the case, meaning the bills are for two months.

    It is a one-time occurrence, EVN noted

    However, many consumers have correctly pointed out that combining two months’ bills would place their electricity usage in a higher tier. The pricing system is in slabs with higher per unit cost with increasing consumption.

    In Huong’s case, the first 350 kWh would be charged at multiple rates from tier 1 to 5 (VND1,806-3,050 per kWh).

    But if the extra 400 kWh is added, it would be charged entirely at tier 5 and 6 (VND3,050-3,151 per kWh) rates.

    EVN Hanoi has however reassured consumers it has made allowance for this, and the bills would be normal.

    For example, the tier 1 rate would be applied for the first 85 kWh instead of the usual 50, it said. Last year the reading date was changed in several provinces and cities. EVN had planned to effect the change in Hanoi last November but postponed it.

    EVN plans to apply the new date across the country by 2025, when electronic meters are installed in every household.

  • Nitori to launch in the Philippines

    Nitori to launch in the Philippines

    Japanese furniture retailer Nitori will launch its first presence in the Philippines with a store planned to open next month, as part of its plan to push growth in Asia countries.

    The 1100sqm facility will be at the Mitsukoshi BGC shopping area in Manila. The company plans to operate 50 outlets in the Philippines by 2032.

    Nitori unveiled its plan to expand in Asia last year after opening stores in Malaysia and Singapore in 2022. The plan included the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea.

    Headquartered in Japan’s Tokyo, Nitori operates across the globe with stores mainly in Japan and China.

    Based on the goal statement “to enrich the homes of people all over the world”, Nitori’s vision is to open 3000 stores and reach sales of 3 trillion yen (US$20 million) by 2032.

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