Retail News CRM

Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • WhatsApp update adds new features for iPhone users

    WhatsApp update adds new features for iPhone users

    WhatsApp is testing a lot of features before bringing them to the general public, and many times we report on these improvements if they’re newsworthy. Today, we have news about another update that all iPhone users should be able to get via the App Store.

    The most important change is the ability to play voice messages directly from notifications. This can be done by long-pressing and tapping play. Also, WhatsApp users will now be able to change font styles in the camera by tapping the T icon.

    Furthermore, the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS allows users to quickly edit and send back media in their chats. Simply tap the doodle icon when viewing an image or video and should be on the right track.

    Last but not least, memoji can now be sent as stickers from the emoji keyboard on iOS 13. To benefit from all these changes mentioned above, make sure your WhatsApp app is updated to version 2.19.100.

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  • Jeweller Platinum Guild opens Shenzhen store

    Jeweller Platinum Guild opens Shenzhen store

    Platinum Guild International (PGI) has just opened its first store in Shenzhen, China.

    The new store is a part of PGI’s strategy to accelerate the manufacturing and distribution of new-generation platinum jewelry designs.

    “Research has shown that the number-one barrier to acquiring platinum jewelry in recent years has been the lack of appealing designs, so PGI has worked closely with key industry manufacturers and retailers to fast forward the adoption of new designs,” said Huw Daniel, CEO of PGI. “This showroom will showcase the abundance of new designs now available, together with innovative ways to merchandise and brand collections for today’s discriminating consumers”.

    Premium cabinets and windows were installed in the showroom along with multimedia devices to display its partners’ platinum jewelry collections. Blue is used as the theme color of the store.

    PGI China MD said the new Shenzhen outlet will provide a stronger presence for platinum jewelry in the traditionally gold-intensive jewelry-manufacturing hub and showcase the platinum jewelry industry’s advanced craftsmanship and designs to expand its business potential in China.

  • Wumart wins bidding war for Metro China

    Wumart wins bidding war for Metro China

    Chinese retail group Wumart has won a lengthy bidding process for the Metro China business.

    The German grocery and hypermarket retailer commenced a search for a buyer for the business in March, with various sources reporting an asking price of between US$1.5 billion and $2 billion. As many as eight bidders were in the running with a short list culled several times before non-binding bids were due in June.

    “This partnership includes the sale of Metro’s entire indirect participation in Metro China to a subsidiary of Wumei for an enterprise value of approximately US$2.1 billion,” Metro said in a statement.

    However, Metro will retain a 20-per-cent stake in the Metro China-Wumart joint venture. The deal is subject to regulatory sign-off.

    Metro China has 95 stores in the territory as well as real estate assets in several major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

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  • Vacheron Constantin re-opens Ion Orchard boutique

    Vacheron Constantin re-opens Ion Orchard boutique

    Timepiece brand Vacheron Constantin is reopening its Singapore boutique at Ion Orchard, debuting its new retail concept.

    The boutique’s revamped interior is designed to convey modern elegance and a refined aesthetic, featuring new design codes accented by contemporary Asian elements. It contains lounge areas and an in-house watchmaker to enable interaction with customers. The storehouses the brand’s complete collection in addition to exclusive boutique limited editions.

    “This new boutique experience exemplifies the maison’s constant search for excellence and aesthetic perfection, embodying the ‘One Of Not Many’ spirit,” said Vacheron Constantin Southeast Asia and Australia MD Yassin Tag. “It will not only be a gathering place for customers, enthusiasts and the public, but to also discover the heritage and transmission of know-how that defines Vacheron Constantin.”

    An exhibition titled “Nicknames” is being held to mark the boutique’s opening, featuring a curation of vintage timepieces with unusual designs and evocative nicknames.

  • Singapore retail sales down in August

    Singapore retail sales down in August

    Singapore retail sales eased down by 1 percent year on year in August, after excluding motor vehicle sales.

    A 20.3-per-cent fall in the value of motor vehicles sold during the month caused the topline figure to decline by 4.1 percent.

    However, month on month, real retail sales rose by 2.2 percent (they fell by 1.3 percent with motor vehicle sales included in the data).

    On a year-on-year basis, sales of furniture & household equipment and watches & jewelry fell by 9.8 percent and 8.6 percent respectively, largely attributed to lower demand for household equipment and jewellery, according to Statistics Singapore.

    Other retail industries that recorded declines in sales included petrol service stations (down 3.3 percent), recreational goods (down 2.7 percent) and food retailers (down 2.3 percent).

    Conversely, sales of apparel & footwear, in department stores, and of medical goods & toiletries rose by between 4 percent and 4.9 percent.

    Online sales comprised 5.5 percent of the total.

    Sales of food & beverage services

    Meanwhile, sales of food & beverage services grew by 3.6 percent year on year in August.

    On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales rose by 1.4 percent, month on month.

    Turnover of fast-food outlets, restaurants and food caterers increased by between 3.7 percent and 10 percent, while sales of other eating places (such as cafes) decreased by 0.4 percent.

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  • Taubman Asia names new president

    Taubman Asia names new president

    Taubman Asia president Peter Sharp has resigned after almost three years in the role.

    Parent Taubman Centers has announced Sharp’s replacement will be Paul Wright, executive VP and global head of leasing, who will relocate to Hong Kong and take up the new role on January 1.

    “We thank Peter for his contributions and his steadfast commitment to driving the company’s growth in Asia,” said Robert Taubman, chairman, president and CEO of Taubman.

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    “Paul’s significant relationships with global retailers and partners, and his knowledge of the Asia market, has been an important part of our business in the US and abroad,” said Taubman. “This promotion is the natural next step for Paul, and his competencies will be essential as we prepare to open Starfield Anseong in South Korea in 2020 and evaluate other opportunities in the region.”

    Wright, joined Taubman Asia in 2006. During his tenure, he led the leasing program for the company’s ground-up development properties in China — CityOn. Xi’an (opened April, 2016) and CityOn.Zhengzhou (opened March, 2017), as well as Starfield Hanam (pictured) in South Korea (opened September, 2016). He also led leasing of IFC Mall in South Korea, a center for which Taubman Asia previously provided leasing and management services.

    Prior to joining Taubman Asia, Wright worked with Citta Management Limited where he was responsible for leasing, property management and retail operations at the Taipei 101 Mall. He also held management roles with Lendlease Corporation in Asia and Jones Lang Wootton in Perth and Sydney. An Australian, Wright speaks Mandarin Chinese and English.

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  • Lawson plans massive store rollout in Philippines

    Lawson plans massive store rollout in Philippines

    Lawson Philippines plans to grow its network from just 50 stores to about 500 within five years.

    The planned expansion leans on a new agreement between the firm and local partner Ayala Corp.

    Lawson had previously partnered with another local firm, Puregold Price Club, with an earlier rollout schedule. Plans were stymied when Puregold pulled out of the deal last year.

    Lawson may also collaborate with its new partner’s e-commerce business, including making its store network available as shop-and-drop outlets.

    According to reporting in Nikkei, Lawson oversees 2547 offshore locations as of August, up 30 percent from last year, with the majority being in China.

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  • AirAsia’s inflight WiFi is getting faster

    AirAsia’s inflight WiFi is getting faster

    WiFi on planes is the next-gen convenience, or potential annoyance, depending on your attitude to people being ‘connected’ all around you. But for business people, parents with families or bored flyers, it will be a welcome addition to the low-cost flying experience.

    Now, passengers, onboard AirAsia can look forward to an “enhanced inflight entertainment and connectivity experience” with the low-cost airlines’ recently upgraded WiFi services.

    Six AirAsia Malaysia planes and two aircraft operated by Thai AirAsia have now been equipped with Inmarsat’s high-speed Ka-band platform, GX Aviation. AirAsia Group president (RedBeat Ventures) Aireen Omar said this development is the “next logical step” for the airline.

    AirAsia formerly carried a system called ‘Rokki’ but has phased that out in preference to the newer, faster system.

    “As the pioneer of low coast inflight WiFi in the region, we are always looking for ways to redefine the digital inflight experience for our guests.”

    Guests will be able to stay connected throughout their journey and perform data-intensive activities, including live streaming. Ka-band claims to provide connectivity beyond basic broadband, supporting real-time video, music streaming and more.

    The AirAsia WiFi Internet plans range between 9 Ringgit (65 baht) and 58 Ringgit (420 baht) with the most basic plan capped at 10MB speed. There is also the top of the range 200MB plan which is best for streaming.

    The service will be rolled out to the rest of the Air Asia fleet over the next 12 months.

    The Thaiger tried out the new system on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket on Tuesday. We were only using the 10MB speed internet but was perfectly adequate for our work and saving documents in the ‘cloud’.

  • South Korean convenience-store chain CU to accept cryptocurrency

    South Korean convenience-store chain CU to accept cryptocurrency

    Major South Korean convenience-store chain CU is preparing to accept payments in cryptocurrency.

    The chain, which operates more than 13,000 outlets in the country, will use the Chai payment system to trade in Terra, a won-backed stablecoin that has garnered investment from many large Korean firms.

    CU parent firm BGF Retail partnered with Chai earlier this week to allow buyers to pay by presenting a barcode from the Chai mobile app.

    Terra co-founder Do Kwon told CCN Korea that low-margin businesses struggle to accept volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. In other regions, retailers often deal with exchanges to convert cryptocurrency payments to money on the spot.

    “Moving forward, Chai will continue to lessen the burden on franchisees and increase the merit of consumers through partnerships with various companies like CU convenience store with an on and offline infrastructure,” said Chai Corporation president Han Chang-joon in a statement translated by CCN.

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  • 7-Eleven parent cuts staff an store closings

    7-Eleven parent cuts staff an store closings

    Japanese 7-Eleven parent Seven & I Holdings is preparing to cut 3000 jobs in its 2022 fiscal year.

    The move will be the firm’s largest payroll cut since it opened and reflects increasing competition from e-commerce and shopping malls, as well as chronic shortages in labor.

    The firm is planning a structural reform initiative to rebuild customer support, including the shedding and downsizing of some of its less profitable Sogo, Seibu and Ito-Yokado branded stores.

    “The stores we’re keeping have the ability to attract customers,” Seven & I president Ryuichi Isaka told Nikkei. “We’ll focus our investment there and do more to revitalize them.”

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  • Big C opens first store in Cambodia

    Big C opens first store in Cambodia

    Supermarket chain Big C has opened its first store in Cambodia.

    The firm has opened on a more-than 2ha site in Poipet, a booming town on the Thai/Cambodian border, with a reported investment of US$6.8 million and offering more than 1200 jobs.

    A statement on the firm’s Facebook page reported by the Khmer Times read: “A soft opening for the Poipet Hypermarket was held under our vision to be the leading Thai retailer with customers at heart.”

    Cambodia is now the fourth country Big C operates in, following Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.

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  • Miniso $2 format opens first store, in Singapore

    Miniso $2 format opens first store, in Singapore

    Chinese discount merchandise retailer Miniso has launched a Miniso $2 outlet-store format, with its first shop opening in Singapore.

    The store will offer hundreds of household supplies goods at “affordable” prices and augment the 30 standard Miniso stores already trading in the city state. The range includes electrical appliances, home appliances and toys.

    While Miniso has not expressly said so, it is anticipated that the new Miniso $2 format will be expanded across the region. In Vietnam, for example, it has already announced a target of 400 stores by 2022.

    Located at HarbourFront Centre, the Miniso $2 was opened with a lucky draw event via Facebook where customers were selected to join a priority queue at the opening, and given free gifts.

    Founded in 2013 by the Japanese designer Miyake Junya and the Chinese businessman Ye Guofu, Miniso has now expanded to more than 3600 stores worldwide.

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  • World’s largest FamilyMart opening in Manila

    World’s largest FamilyMart opening in Manila

    The world’s largest FamilyMart is to open in Manila.

    The 400sqm outlet will launch in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, on the ground floor of the Udenna Towers, operated by Philippine FamilyMart CVS. The store will be designed to appeal to “a youthful and vibrant market,” with a food counter as the store’s centrepiece.

    “We are aiming to be more relevant to the market we believe needs to be served,” said Philippine FamilyMart GM Bernard Suiza. “This is the pivot to food that we are embarking on here in the Philippines – going back to the essence of what konbini is, which is hearty, home-cooked meals”.

    The food-focused strategy will see the firm focusing on key, densely populated urban areas in the Philippines, and will be supported by PFM owner Udenna’s F&B holdings and supply chains.

    FamilyMart will also launch its own signature coffee brand with Japanese firm UCC in the near future.

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  • China feels the love in Kiehl’s Hainan promotion

    China feels the love in Kiehl’s Hainan promotion

    New York skincare brand Kiehl’s has held the fifth installment of its global “Kiehl’s Loves Adventure” campaign with a new pop-up in China’s Hainan.

    The immersive Kiehl’s Hainan pop-up store, which remained open in Sanya International Duty-Free Shopping Complex during September, incorporated designs by visual artist Simone Massoni that conveyed the essence of the host city and the hearts of travelers, drawing inspiration from the lush greenery and features defining Sanya.

    The pop-up was launched with appearances by popular Chinese boy band singer Wang Zi Yi and TV sweetheart Song Yan Fei, who tested the brand’s Calendula range on stage with fans. The store featured an Instagrammable motorbike installation set against a tropical backdrop for posing in the saddle, while a colossal Calendula Toner bottle housing a “Calendulab” presented an interactive experience tunnel for all visitors to explore.

    A VR experience at the Kiehl’s Hainan pop up allowed visitors to immerse themselves in a game to hunt down Kiehl’s products in a tropical forest. The traditional Kiehl’s apothecary made an appearance beneath a glider plane.

    In an effort to mitigate the impct on climate change caused by carbon created during travel, Kiehl’s is now collaborating with Pur Project by investing US$1 from every purchase of the brand’s Ultra Facial Cream 125ml bought before October 31 in an agroforestry program.

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  • Hulu update brings offline downloads to iPhone users

    Hulu update brings offline downloads to iPhone users

    After making its mobile app more accessible to users, Hulu announced another important update that brings a much-requested feature: offline downloads. Whether you’re planning to travel or just want to be sure that you have your favorite TV shows with you at all times, you can now watch Hulu whenever you wish with this new feature.

    The bad news is it’s only available for iOS users, but Hulu says that offline downloads will come to Android users “soon,” so we’re confident that it won’t take too long for the company to bring the feature to a larger audience.

    So, available today on iOS for views on Hulu (No Ads), the new feature allows you to download thousands of shows and movies, including past seasons of hits series like Family Guy, Desperate Housewives, and ER, as well as Hulu Originals such as The Handmaid’s Tale.

    To use the new feature simply head to the Downloads tab at the bottom of the screen and you should be able to access any downloaded content. Make sure to tap the “See What’s Downloadable” tab to browse through all the titles that you can take with you on the go.

    Keep in mind that not all content on Hulu is available for download, so if you’re looking for a specific title, you’ll see a download icon on the details page if it’s available for download.

    Hulu also confirmed that users can download up to 25 titles across 5 different devices. Also, you’ll have up to 30 days to watch the content that you downloaded. Finally, for watched content, the download will expire two days after starting playback, but you’ll be able to renew an expired download when online if the content is still available on Hulu.

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