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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.

  • Google updates Docs, Sheets, and Slides

    Google updates Docs, Sheets, and Slides

    A new look and feel are now available for Google’s Docs, Sheets and Slides app, the Mountain View company announced. Unfortunately, if you were expecting any new features or improvements, you’ll be disappointed. Google confirmed that there are no functionality changes whatsoever in this update, so the only things we’ll get are the visual improvements.

    The visual improvements mentioned by Google include a restyled document list, highly-legible typefaces, consistent controls, and updated icons all over the place. Google also announced that the redesign has already made its way to the latest versions of Docs and Slides for Android.

    On the other hand, the new design will roll out to Sheets on Android sometime today, so expect the new visual improvements to pop up very soon. The most recent Docs, Sheets and Slides Material redesign update is part of a larger effort to bring consistency to the look and feel of Google’s G Suite apps.

    Although these updates are now being rolled out globally to all Android devices, it will take up to two weeks to appear for everyone, so be patient if the changes aren’t yet available for you.

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  • Instagram update brings dark mode in iOS 13

    Instagram update brings dark mode in iOS 13

    Instagram made many headlines in the last week or so, as the company is bringing new features to its audience and testing others before releasing them to the general public. After introducing a brand new Threads app and removing one of its most controversial features, Instagram is once again in the spotlight, but for a very different reason.

    The social network has just pushed out another update for its iOS app, which brings the highly-anticipated dark mode. The changelog published in the App Store doesn’t mention anything other than bug fixes and performance improvements, but The Verge confirms native dark mode support for iOS 13 is there.

    Still, you will not be able to turn the dark mode on or off within the application. Instead, the iPhone’s system-wide settings are the ones that dictate Instagram’s behavior, so if you choose to use the dark theme on your iPhone, the app will match it with its own.

    We’re not complaining, but it would have been nice to be able to switch it on and off directly from within the app. All in all, it’s great that another popular iOS app is getting important visual improvements like the dark mode.

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  • Social unrest, trade tensions erodes Tse Sui Luen profits

    Social unrest, trade tensions erodes Tse Sui Luen profits

    Weak consumer sentiment based on “social unrest” in Hong Kong and the ongoing Sino-US trade tension has cost Hong Kong-listed jeweler Tse Sui Luen a cut of more than 90 percent in its half-year profit.

    In a profit warning, chairman Annie Lau said a preliminary review of the company’s management accounts for the six months to September 30 show a 14 percent decrease in turnover.

    “The group has recorded the weakest sales in its Hong Kong market in the months of August and September … which is expected to drop by approximately 45 to 55 percent year on year. Given the challenging and uncertain market conditions on our retail business, the group is expected to record a significant decrease in the profit attributable to the owners of the company for the six months … by more than 90 percent as compared with that for the corresponding period last year.”

    She said the company has introduced cost-saving measures and applied “more proactive operating tactics” to weather the current unfavorable economic and business environment.

    “We are negotiating with landlords for rental relief or reduction, in particular for shops situated in the key areas of the social incidents in Hong Kong, and managing our rental and staff expenses as well as general and administration costs at a stable and reasonable level with respect to the business performance. At the same time, we have formulated plans to lower our inventory level to reduce the holding cost, and adjust our product mix and marketing strategies to stimulate sales,” she said

    “We will continue to monitor the relevant economic conditions and the ever-changing retail landscape, including cost pressure and the increasing downward pressure of the domestic economy.”

    Lau reassured shareholders that the company’s financial position remains healthy with sufficient cash on hand to meet its business needs.

    The half-year results for Tse Sui Luen Jewellery are expected to be released by the end of November.

  • Vietjet Celebrates Autumn with Hundreds of Thousands of Promotional Tickets

    Vietjet Celebrates Autumn with Hundreds of Thousands of Promotional Tickets

    Vietjet has announced its latest deal with hundreds of thousands of promotional tickets going from S$0 to travel around Asia in the Autumn season.

    Promotional tickets are available for purchase on Vietjet’s official website or on the “Vietjet Air” mobile app from now until 10 October 2019, between the golden hours of 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm (GMT+8). The promotion includes daily return tickets from Singapore to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and all international routes between Vietnam and Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Cambodia. All routes operated by Thai Vietjet are also applicable for this promotion.

    Vietjet Vice President Nguyen Thanh Son said, “With an expanding flight network across Asia that includes convenient departure timings with more than 400 flights daily and super-saving tickets priced from just VND0, VND99,000, VND199,000, etc., customers can easily fly anytime and anywhere. Vietjet aims to bring millions of flying opportunities to everyone, meeting air travel demands of passengers, pioneering new direct routes such as Da Nang – Taipei/ Tokyo (Haneda), Ho Chi Minh City – Bali; Ho Chi Minh City/ Hanoi – New Delhi, which helps save transit time for passengers and give them more time to experience the destinations. Besides Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, travelers from other localities like Hai Phong, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, etc. can now easily take direct flights to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.”

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  • Cebu Pacific introduces online chatbot for customer support

    Cebu Pacific introduces online chatbot for customer support

    Philippines-based low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific has launched its online travel assistant, Charlie the Chatbot, to provide 24/7 support for customers.

    Charlie, now available on the airline’s website and official Facebook page, can help answer customers’ frequently asked questions, which include flight bookings, inflight meals, baggage allowance and so on.

    Customers who need help can type in their queries in English one at a time, or choose from a variety of suggested topic options when they open the chatbox.

    Charlie’s capabilities also include assisting passengers with their flight check-in, providing flight itineraries and boarding passes, and sharing details of the airline’s ongoing seat sales and promotions.

    “We’ve always talked about being an enabler of fun and accessible travels, and as part of our thrust to enhance customer experience with the airline, we created Charlie,” said Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience at Cebu Pacific.

    “As we officially launch our chatbot, we hope to offer convenience and helpful information within our travelers’ fingertips.

    “Charlie still has a long way to go in terms of learning – just like any chatbot. Rest assured, we are continuously working on expanding Charlie’s knowledge in order to provide our passengers with the best customer experience possible.”

    The airline says Charlie has engaged with more than 393,000 passengers since its inception in January this year.

  • AirAsia wins World Travel Awards

    AirAsia wins World Travel Awards

    AirAsia continued its winning streak, taking the top honors at the World Travel Awards Asia and Oceania 2019 for the seventh year in a row.

    AirAsia emerged ahead of regional players such as Scoot, Jetstar, SpiceJet, Nok Air and Firefly to win the top low-cost carrier awards, Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline and Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew.

    The awards were accepted by AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat in the presence of industry representatives and key figures from across the region at a gala ceremony held at the Vinpearl Convention Centre In Phu Quoc at the weekend.

    AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat and a group of AirAsia’s pioneer cabin crew accepted Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline and Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew awards from President and Founder of World Travel Awards Graham Cooke.

    AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat said: “It is an honor to receive these awards. Being recognized by guests and industry colleagues as Asia’s best is a testament to our ongoing efforts to develop new and innovative guest-obsessed products and services.”

    World Travel Awards founder Graham E Cooke said, “AirAsia continues to set the benchmark for low-cost aviation in Asia and beyond. Its dedication to improving its services remains unrivaled, and I am delighted that it has been acknowledged by both the travel trade and the public having been voted ‘Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline 2019′ and ‘Asia’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew 2019′.”

    The World Travel Awards are one of the most prestigious, comprehensive and sought after awards programs in the global and tourism industry.

    Established in 1993, they acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across key sectors of travel, tourism and hospitality. The World Travel Awards brand is globally recognized as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence.

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  • Instagram enables augmented reality shopping through its mobile app

    Instagram enables augmented reality shopping through its mobile app

    Instagram continues to add new tools to its app to enable users to interact in different ways with the content it provides. The latest updated tackles augmented reality, a technology that many other companies have already implemented in their products.

    Starting today, several brands that are using Instagram to sell their products will now be able to add a new augmented reality feature that lets customers try their products before they buy it.

    The new feature is meant to help Instagram users to preview certain products they plan to buy and see what they look like on their face. To try out these new AR-compatible products, Instagram users must first find these specific products that brands are tagging in a post. Then, simply choose the option to try out the product using an augmented reality filter before adding it to the cart.

    But the new feature is not only meant to shop easier, as Instagram users can share these AR experiences in Stories, which will also link to the original product so that other users can try it out and, eventually, buy it.

  • Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu continues to bring improvements to its app on as many platforms as possible. Although no new updates are available at the moment, the streaming service will be getting important accessibility enhancements very soon, Hulu confirmed in a blog post.

    In fact, if you have a Roku platform, the changes announced today should already be available for you, but Android, tvOS, iOS, and other living room devices will get these new features in the coming months.

    First and foremost, it’s worth mentioning that the update focuses on text legibility and screen reader capabilities. The most important change is the enhanced text opacity that will certainly improve readability.

    Hulu users can enable the screen reader, also known as the audio guide on some devices, by heading to settings to turn on the feature. These screen readers will assist viewers with visual impairments by vocally guiding them through the Hulu platform. Once the update is released for a certain device, it will be applied automatically, so you don’t have to search for anything yet.

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  • AirAsia announces inaugural flights to Belitung

    AirAsia announces inaugural flights to Belitung

    Low-cost carrier AirAsia commenced flights from Jakarta to Belitung, Bangka Belitung, on Tuesday as well as from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Belitung on Wednesday.

    The inauguration ceremony on Wednesday was marked by handing out flowers and souvenirs to international passengers arriving from Kuala Lumpur, who then enjoyed a traditional welcome dance.

    The Airbus A320-200 that was used for the flight can accommodate 180 passengers.

    Veranita Yosephine, deputy CEO AirAsia Indonesia, said the inauguration was the continuation of the airline’s commitment to support Indonesian tourism, especially the 10 New Balis or burgeoning tourist destinations in the country.

    “Previously, we’ve launched flights to Lombok, Labuan Bajo and Sorong. We’ve also added five new planes to support operations in these new destinations,” she added.

    AirAsia is offering promotional rates on flights from Jakarta to Belitung that start from Rp 471,000 (US$33.19) and Belitung to Jakarta from Rp 393,000. The price includes a free baggage allowance of 15 kilograms.

    Tickets from Belitung to Kuala Lumpur start from Rp 309,000 and from Kuala Lumpur to Belitung start from Rp 378,000.

    The promotional rates are available for AirAsia BIG members until Oct. 6 on airasia.com and the AirAsia mobile app for a travel period until Feb. 9, 2020.

    Belitung, one of two main islands located off the east coast of Sumatra, is known for its pristine beaches and 1,000-year-old granite rock formations. (

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  • AirAsia India Set To Switch Terminals At Mumbai Airport

    AirAsia India Set To Switch Terminals At Mumbai Airport

    AirAsia India has made the choice to change from terminal two at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, to the domestical terminal one. This will mean passengers who are traveling within India will no longer have to transfer through the international terminal to take a standard domestic flight on AirAsia India.

    Mumbai is a popular destination for airlines. So much so that AirAsia India has been unable to get departure gates from the main terminal one at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport since they launched back in June 2014. They have, instead, had to operate their domestic service from the international terminal two.

    This had several disadvantages, such as forcing passengers who are transferring from other domestic carriers to a different terminal to take an AirAsia India flight, as well as passing through different security checks that are normally reserved for international flights. And for those not in the know, the two terminals are far apart and require a bus to transfer between them.

    This is set to change however this October, when the airline begins operating from terminal one and can line up with all the other domestic low-cost-carriers.

    “We are pleased to announce that Mumbai will now be our fourth hub in India, and alongside that AirAsia India will shift its operations from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1B from October 15,” said Sunil Bhaskaran, managing director, and chief executive, AirAsia India.

    AirAsia India flies across the sub-continent. Photo: AirAsia

    But moving to a better terminal for passengers is just the beginning, with the move allowing AirAsia India to make Mumbai it’s new fourth hub in the country.

    “Mumbai will become AirAsia India’s fourth hub in the country after Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kolkata,” AirAsia India said in a press statement back in May “AirAsia India will now connect Mumbai to Kochi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Indore, New Delhi and Bengaluru.”.

    The airline currently flies to 21 destinations across the subcontinent with 23 Airbus A320-200 aircraft. They don’t specifically have any aircraft on order at the moment, but likely that some of the vast 353 Airbus A321neos that are on order to their parent organization will find their way into their fleet.

    They are a subsidiary airline of the AirAsia group, a vast network of low-cost-carriers who’s combined network flies from the United States, to Japan, to Australia and more. AirAsia X, the international arm of the airline, recently took ownership of a brand new Airbus A330neo and is operating the cheapest flatbeds flying in the sky today.

    Needless to say, this move to the domestic terminal sets up AirAsia India for long-haul success in India.

  • AirAsia expands flights in Indonesia

    AirAsia expands flights in Indonesia

    AirAsia launched new services from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to the island of Belitung in Indonesia this week. The new four weekly services from Kuala Lumpur will support the Indonesian government’s agenda to develop ’10 New Bali’ destinations.

    It follows the commencement of daily Jakarta – Belitung services that started 1 October.

    AirAsia Indonesia deputy CEO Veranita Yosephine said: “These new routes from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta continue our trajectory support of the Ministry of Tourism Indonesia’s initiative. This year alone, AirAsia Indonesia has launched new routes from Jakarta to Sorong, from Bali to Lombok and to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to the Komodo islands.”

    The airline recently added Airbus A320 aircraft which are now based in Jakarta and Lombok. By year-end, it will also take delivery of an additional two new aircraft.

    To celebrate the new route, AirAsia is offering an all-in fare from as low as MYR89* from Kuala Lumpur to Belitung, until 6 October for travel until 9 February 2020 for its loyalty program members.

  • K-pop girl-group Twice to open first pop-up store in Singapore

    K-pop girl-group Twice to open first pop-up store in Singapore

    K-pop girl-group Twice is to open a pop-up store called Twaii’s Shop in Singapore this month, marking its first Asia stop after the theme stores in Korea and Japan.

    Located at *Scape between October 12 to 14, Twaii’s Shop will feature more than 30 exclusive Twice merchandise items, including the Candybong light stick and Twaii-design T-shirt.

    The Twaii’s Shop will also set up a special lucky draw for fans to win a Twice-autographed album if they spend a S$50 or more on a single receipt.

    The South Korean group successfully held three sold-out concerts in Singapore with the most recent Twice World Tour 2019 Twicelights in July at Singapore Indoor Stadium. They also just released a mini album called Feel Special.

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  • Profit soars for Tesco in Asia

    Profit soars for Tesco in Asia

    Tesco in Asia has reported a 54.1-per-cent boost in operating profit to £171 million as the company accelerated its cost-saving initiatives in Thailand.

    Those reforms include distribution efficiency improvements and more focused, effective marketing activity.

    Tesco in Asia sales during the 26 weeks to August 24 grew 8.4 per cent year on year to £2.556 billion, although on constant exchange rates that growth was pared back to just 1 per cent. Like-for-like store sales fell by 1.3 per cent largely due to reduced sales of general merchandise.

    “We are focusing on differentiating our customer proposition in Thailand, across both large and small stores,” said CEO Dave Lewis in a review of the results. “We opened our first urban supermarket in June and our large store re-invention trial stores have been well received by customers, generating a sales uplift of 4.8 per cent.”

    He said trials of Tesco in Asia’s Express proposition in Thailand also proved successful.

    “We plan to roll out the enhanced offer to all Express stores. We have introduced 300 products in smaller pack sizes, added 100 products to our ‘ready to eat’ range and extended our ‘food to go’ drinks offer, in addition to maintaining our focus on fresh evening meal solutions.”

    “Own brand expertise and price investment on key fresh food products” led to positive sales growth in Malaysia, he said.

    Global group sales were flat at £28.3 billion during the first half, with operating profit up 25.4 per cent to £1.406 billion.

    Succession plan announced for CEO

    Declaring Tesco group’s turnaround program complete, chairman John Allan revealed Lewis will step down as CEO in the northern hemisphere summer next year.

    He will be replaced by Ken Murphy, who is currently chief commercial officer and president of global brands at Walgreens Boots Alliance.

    “Today’s results confirm that the Tesco turnaround has been delivered,” said Allan. “Under Dave’s leadership Tesco has transformed customer satisfaction and rebuilt the business. We can now move forward with renewed confidence. We have an exceptional leadership team, a very clear strategy, a re-invigorated brand and financial strength.”

    Lewis said his decision to step down was a personal one.

    “I believe that the tenure of the CEO should be a finite one and that now is the right time to pass the baton. Our turnaround is complete, we have delivered all the metrics we set for ourselves. The leadership team is very strong, our strategy is clear and it is delivering. The Tesco brand is stronger and customer satisfaction is the highest it has been for many years. Colleagues are doing an extraordinary job and their expertise shows in every store and channel every day.

    “With these firm foundations and a competitive, sustainable growth strategy in place, I have no doubt that Tesco will kick on again under new leadership next year.

    “When that time comes, I will watch progress from outside with interest, deep affection and pride. In the meantime, you can be sure that I will give the job everything I have until my very last day.”

  • AirAsia starts Kuala Lumpur-Belitung flights

    AirAsia starts Kuala Lumpur-Belitung flights

    AirAsia Group Bhd has began flying four times weekly services from Kuala Lumpur to Belitung. This is in addition to the daily flights between Jakarta and Belitung.

    AirAsia Indonesia deputy CEO Veranita Yosephine said AirAsia Indonesia has so far this year, launched new routes from Jakarta to Sorong, from Bali to Lombok and to Labuan Bajo.

    “To facilitate this expansion, the company has grown its fleet to include three new Airbus A320s which are based in Jakarta and Lombok. By year end, we will also take delivery of an additional two new aircraft,” she said in a statement today.

    To celebrate the new route, AirAsia is offering AirAsia BIG members special all-in fares from as low as RM89 from Kuala Lumpur to Belitung, from now until Oct 6, for travel from today until Feb 9, 2020.

    All-in non-member fares meanwhile, will start from RM94 for one-way travel, inclusive of taxes.

    AirAsia shares closed down 3 sen or 1.69% at RM1.74 today, with 8.05 million shares done, bringing a market capitalisation of RM5.82 billion.

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  • Threads from Instagram is a new app made to keep you in touch with your close friends

    Threads from Instagram is a new app made to keep you in touch with your close friends

    Facebook got away with one of the biggest thefts (legal, mind you) in the history of technology. Back in April 2012, not long after Instagram launched its Android app, Facebook bought the company for a paltry $1 billion. Not that anyone knew it was a steal at the time; Instagram was merely an app with photo filters and no one could foresee how it would explode to become one of the most popular social media destinations. By June 2018, Instagram reached a milestone as it hit one billion monthly active users. At that time, it was estimated that Instagram alone was worth $100 billion dollars. So obviously Facebook made an incredible investment.
    Today, Facebook announced a new “camera-first messaging app” called Threads from Instagram. This is a stand-alone app designed to keep you connected with a small group of friends; the idea is to use the camera on your phone to shoot photographs and videos to express how you’re feeling. You can share photos, videos, messages, and even Stories with your those on your Instagram close friends list. With Threads from Instagram, you get to decide who you communicate with.
    “Over the last few years, we’ve introduced several new ways to share visually on Instagram and connect with people you care about – from sharing everyday moments on Stories to visual messages on Direct. But for your smaller circle of friends, we saw the need to stay more connected throughout the day, so you can communicate what you’re doing and how you’re feeling through photos and videos. That’s why we built Threads, a new way to message with close friends in a dedicated, private space.

    Threads is a standalone app designed with privacy, speed and your close connections in mind. You can share photos, videos, messages, Stories and more with your Instagram close friends list. You are in control of who can reach you on Threads, and you can customize the experience around the people who matter most.”-Facebook

    With Threads from Instagram, you can message only those people whom you put on your Instagram close friends list; you’ll have an inbox and receive notifications just for messages from them. And if you haven’t made a close friends list on Instagram, you can do so directly from the Threads from Instagram app once you install it. The app opens by default to the camera and allows you to add shortcuts to the screen. That means you can share your images and videos with just two taps
    If you don’t have the time to send a photo, video or message to your buds, you can tell them what’s up using Status. Thread will recommend one (like studying), or you can customize your own (for example, procrastinating). And with Auto Status, the app will share a little bit about where you are without giving away actual coordinates. For example, Auto Status could show that you’re on the move, at home or in a coffee shop. If you are inside a coffee shop, the Auto Status won’t reveal the name of the shop or the address of the specific location you’re at. Status and Auto Status can only be viewed by your closest friends, and it is opt-in. You decide when to share your Status, and more importantly, you decide who gets the opportunity to see it.
    Even if you install Threads from Instagram, messages from your closest friends will still appear in Direct on Instagram besides showing up in the new app. This way, you don’t have to give up Instagram when messaging with your closest pals. Threads from Instagram (remember the full name-otherwise you’ll end up with a sewing app) started rolling out globally today for Android and iOS from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, respectively.
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