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.

  • AirAsia X Eyes Flights To California

    AirAsia X Eyes Flights To California

    AirAsia X’s ambitions to fly to mainland North America aren’t new. AirAsiaX has long talked about using their A330neos and Tokyo’s Narita airport as a starting point for flights to California. With the first of the aircraft now being delivered, the low-cost carrier breathed new life into the story at an aviation conference yesterday, Monday, September 23, 2019.

    AirAsiaX’s Muhammad Sharir was discussing the route at the Routes Online annual conference in Adelaide, Australia. Mr Sharir says the flights to the US mainland could start as soon as 2021, but was coy about where the flights would originate from or where they would fly to. Quite possibly because they haven’t sorted that out yet.

    Not yet a truly long haul carrier

    AirAsiaX has some form as a long haul low-cost carrier. It started flights to both London and Paris around ten years ago. But the economic downturn doomed the flights and within a few years, the flights were canceled.

    From their Kuala Lumpur hub, AirAsiaX now gets as far afield as Australia, Japan, China, South Korea and Hawaii. Strictly speaking, medium-haul rather than long haul but AirAsiaX wants to get back into the long haul business.

    2021 is the proposed starting date for California flights, because Mr. Sharir said that’s when the A330neos they need to operate the route would be delivered and ready to fly. AirAsia X has confirmed orders for 78 A330neos.

    Oakland out of favour

    Oakland, California, has long been on AirAsiaX’s horizon. As Edward Russell notes, AirAsia X held a media event at the airport back in 2012 and wheeled out a plane painted in a local sports team’s colors. All very nice, but AirAsia X flights never appeared on the arrivals board at Oakland.

    It seems Oakland has lost some of its allure for AirAsiaX, their preference swinging towards Los Angeles. But The Points Guy story thinks San Francisco is the most preferred option for the first AirAsia X North American flights.

    North America via Honolulu?

    It also offers the rather delicious option of pinging out of Honolulu on the back of existing Osaka-Honolulu AirAsia X flights.

    Whilst not a nonstop transpacific flight, it would make AirAsiaX the first low-cost carrier to offer a transpacific service. At this time, low-cost carriers coming from both east and west directions all terminate and coalesce at Honolulu. You could, technically, do the crossing on say, Southwest to Honolulu and then AirAsiaX on the last leg – which sounds like a lot of fun.

    California flights via Honolulu are an interesting scenario for AirAsia X. Photo: AirAsia.
     

    It would also see an Asian based low-cost carrier give the US low-cost incumbents a run for their money on the Hawaii-US mainland routes. The reaction at Southwest’s Dallas HQ would be priceless to see.

    While this is an interesting scenario, nonstop flights out of Japan remain a live option. AirAsia X currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Narita. Those flights could continue onto the US mainland. It is also worth noting that AirAsia X has a history of announcing flights to North America that don’t eventuate. Whilst they do have the aircraft being delivered capable of making the flights, the 2021 starting date is still a while off and no routes have been announced

    It will be a case of wait and see.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Rituals in Hong Kong doubles down on growth

    Rituals in Hong Kong doubles down on growth

    Following its debut flagship in Times Square this summer, the second store of Dutch bath-and-body label Rituals in Hong Kong launched yesterday at IFC.

    The brand plans to open two more stores in the city this year, along with its first travel-retail venture in South Korea.

    Two decades after its launch, the concept of “slowing down” which Rituals’ promotes as the founding pillar of the brand, was probably a little ahead of its time. Now, however, the ‘mindfulness and wellness’ trend is both well established and growing.

    Raymond Cloosterman, founder and CEO, told Inside Retail Asia that Rituals in Hong Kong has received a positive reception since its launch there: “The people of Hong Kong have really embraced our ‘slow-down’ ethos, promoting the importance of self-care for body, mind and spirit. We look forward to making Rituals accessible to new audiences in Hong Kong as we expand in the future.

    “Besides this there is a clear, strong positioning and tangible consistency in everything the brand presents, from product to packaging to our retail concept. And the quality for an affordable price is another cornerstone of our strategy.”

    Digital plans and future growth

    With a historic presence in concessions, especially in travel retail, Rituals has more recently been focusing on expanding with standalone stores. In Asia Pacific, it plans to continue developing this model with more than 10 new travel-retail locations to open this year.

    While a European brand, the roots and ideology of Rituals was inspired by Eastern philosophy.

    “Asia was always in the long-term global vision for Rituals and we are so happy and proud to have opened our first store in Hong Kong,” Cloosterman said. “You can almost say it’s where Rituals was really founded, since the ideology of the brand is very much inspired by honoring Eastern philosophy.”

    To embark on its Asia expansion, Rituals had opened up a new regional head office and warehouse facility in Hong Kong. Now it is turning its focus to digital engagement as well.

    “Hong Kong is a true metropolis as well as a leader in the digital retail experience,” Cloosterman told Inside Retail Asia. “To be at the centre of it provides a great opportunity for Rituals to launch our brand.

    “We are constantly working on our digital proposition as it is one of our four pillars aside from Domestic Retail, Travel Retail and Wholesale.”

    The brand will also be launching its own e-commerce store soon, along with a Rituals app that provides guided meditations and yoga classes.

    Lees ook:

  • DFS Group launches ‘World of Watches and Jewelry’ event

    DFS Group launches ‘World of Watches and Jewelry’ event

    Travel retailer DFS Group is launching its first ‘World of Watches and Jewelry’ event through October, targeting millennial, fashion-minded clientele and first-time watch buyers.

    The event is described as “a celebration of watches and jewelry” and will be held in five T Galleria by DFS stores globally: Macau, Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam and Saipan.

    The stores will host a series of activations featuring more than 40 watch and jewelry brands, including 10 that are new to DFS.

    “With our discerning millennial customers in mind, we have sought to develop and curate relevant products and experiences that respond to their needs with creativity and flair,” said Matthew Green, senior VP watches and jewelry at DFS Group.

    The ‘World of Watches and Jewelry’ is interpreted through four themes that reflect the different moods and lifestyles of our consumers.” Those are: Time to Move, Time to Think, Time to Play and Time to Style.

    In addition to this, in Macau, DFS has teamed up with SevenFriday to create a curated pop-up that includes a relaxing lounge bar and a game of chance to win a range of prizes. A Swarovski pop-up featuring mystical moon and star motifs adorns the space, highlighting the Swarovski Symbolic and Swarovski Remix Collections. And Tag Heuer will celebrate it heritage and its presence in motor-racing in collaboration with Aston Martin. Limited-edition watches will be on sale, inspired by Aston Martin’s racing cars.

    Lees ook:

  • Bamboo Airways hopes to triple market share to 30 pct

    Bamboo Airways hopes to triple market share to 30 pct

    New kid on the block Bamboo Airways wants to expand its current 10 percent market share to 30 percent by next year. For this, it first plans to expand its fleet and increase the number of domestic routes before starting international services to destinations like South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.

    Its chairman Trinh Van Quyet last month said it would be the first Vietnamese airline to fly directly to the U.S.

    The carrier is preparing for an evaluation by the International Air Transport Association for issuing a safety certificate, which would allow it to partner with international airlines, the statement said.

    It is preparing to file for permission to operate direct flights to the U.S. using wide-bodied Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

    The firm plans to raise $100 million next year in an initial public offering, Reuters reported recently.

    Its entry has eaten into the market share of other airlines. The passenger market share of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and its two affiliates, Jetstar Pacific and VASCO, as of June was down 5 percentage points from last year to 51 percent.

    Budget carrier Vietjet suffered a 2.7 percentage point drop from 44 percent to 41.3 percent.

    Bamboo Airways, which began flying in January, last month received permission from the government to expand its fleet from 10 to 30.

    Vietnam expects the aviation market to grow by 16 percent a year in 2015-20 and 8 percent in 2020-30.

    This means there will be a possible 117 million air travelers by 2023, 85 percent by Vietnamese carriers, which will require 340 aircraft, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • KrisShop Singapore souvenir store pops up at Sentosa

    KrisShop Singapore souvenir store pops up at Sentosa

    KrisShop has collaborated with Enterprise Singapore to open a pop up Singapore souvenir store featuring the city’s most distinctive trinkets.

    The new store displays products from different local brands ranging from Singapore gin to its ubiquitous satay, with a tagline “With Love, SG”. Served as a platform for domestic brands, With Love, SG is curated to demonstrate Singapore’s culture and heritage.

    Singapore Airlines’ KrisShop says it aims to help local brands expand their retail network internationally and to strengthen their brand equity amongst local and international customers.

    KrisShop features more than 2000 products ranging from cosmetics and fragrance to electronics and exclusive co-branded items, sold online and on its aircraft.

    Lees ook:

  • Apple Japan opens its largest store today

    Apple Japan opens its largest store today

    Apple Japan has opened its largest flagship store this month in Marunouchi, Tokyo.

    The new stores was designed by Foster + Partners, one of several architecture practices commissioned to build the tech giant’s retail stores around the world. Foster + Partners also recently completed the revamp of the Fifth Avenue ‘cube store’ in New York City.

    A Foster + Partners spokesperson said the company wanted the Apple Japan store to embody “an honesty of materiality”.

    Located adjacent to the busy Tokyo Station, Apple’s fifth store in Tokyo features a facade featuring two-storey glass display windows framed with aluminium and with 3-dimensional, rounded corners.

    Inside, locally sourced bamboo was planted to create a vibrant greenery atmosphere.

    “The opening of Apple Marunouchi marks a significant moment in Apple’s long relationship with Japan,” said Deirdre O’Brien, senior VP of retail and people at Apple.

    “We wanted to create a restrained presence amid the bustle of Tokyo,” said Stefan Behling, head of studio at Foster + Partners. “The beautifully crafted aluminium vitrines (display windows) define the boundary of the store and Apple’s presence, offering everyone walking by a glimpse into the store. The structural grid gives the entire volume a certain rhythm, while the calm interior is enhanced by the bamboo that lines the perimeter.”

    Later this month Apple Japan will also relocate its Apple Fukuoka to a new and expanded location and complete the remodelling of Apple Omotesando.

    Lees ook:

  • Kakao Friends expands to Europe with IMG

    Kakao Friends expands to Europe with IMG

    Korean mobile lifestyle platform company Kakao has associated with IMG to exclusively license its character brand Kakao Friends in Europe.

    Originating from South Korea’s leading messenger platform Kakao Talk, Kakao Friends’ characters have gained millions of fans with its charisma and unique personalities. As K-pop culture has become a global phenomenon, Kakao Friends decided to enter Europe markets by launching an European online store to reach its global fans.

    Eight Kakao Friends’ characters have already collaborated with some of premium brands such as Louis Vuitton or Nike. There will be approximately 30 Kakao Friends stores opened in South Korea and Japan in the future.

    “Having already connected emotionally with millions of fans and aspirational brands, Kakao Friends is a leading K-POP culture export and is powerfully on trend in Europe,” said Matthew Primack, senior vice president of licensing at IMG. “Now is the perfect time for a social and culturally rich lifestyle brand like Kakao Friends to explore new product opportunities that reflect its unique identity and booming popularity.”

    Kakao Friends in Europe will primarily feature apparel and accessories, homeware with future extension into additional categories.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Metro Retail Stores Group shares vision for sustainable shopping

    Metro Retail Stores Group shares vision for sustainable shopping

    Philippines retailer Metro Retail Stores Group Inc (MRSGI) is planning to open up more opportunities for sustainable shopping.

    Speaking at the recent Regional Forum on the Promotion of Sustainable Consumption in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), MRSGI VP for corporate affairs Anna Marie Periquet shared that “as engines of economic growth and shapers of consumer taste, retailers can make a difference in the world.”

    Organized by Asean and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the forum brought together delegates from Asean member states, representatives from relevant government bodies, and non-governmental organizations as well as regional and international experts.

    Periquet added that social responsibility is “part of MRSGI’s corporate DNA”. The company works alongside the Vicsal Foundation to create programs that holistically take on the challenge of providing sustainable solutions for society’s most pressing needs. Vicsal Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of Vicsal Development Corporation, which owns and operates MRSGI.

    “Together with Vicsal Foundation and our other CSR partners, we are able to actively pursue programs that support the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” said Periquet. “We focus on helping eradicate poverty, provide quality education, ensure decent work and foster economic growth, and build stronger partnerships.”

    Among MRSGI’s programs are initiatives that promote inclusive business for local farmers, fisher folk and weavers. The company also helps consumer mindsets by providing them with socially-responsible and high-quality products.

    “The socially responsible goods on our shelves are not pity purchases,” emphasized Periquet. “They have passed strict tests on consumer safety, health, sanitation, and are government-registered.”

    Among the CSR brands mentioned were Caritas Margins, an organisation that works with micro-entrepreneurs from marginalised communities to create various products like food, artwork, home decor and accessories; St Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, which provides care and livelihood for people experiencing homelessness; and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, which facilitates the sale of fashion and homeware products made by persons deprived of liberty.

    Lees ook:

  • South Korea’s CU convenience store chain to open in Vietnam

    South Korea’s CU convenience store chain to open in Vietnam

    South Korea’s CU convenience store chain will expand its footprint to Vietnam, its second international market after Mongolia.

    BGF Retail, the operator of CU, signed a master-franchise agreement with CUVN, a Vietnam-based convenience store operator, on Tuesday. CUVN will be in charge of investment and operations in Vietnam market as BGF Retail contributes its brand and business background.

    BGF Retail and CUVN plan to open their first store in Vietnam by June next year.

    Park Jae-koo, CEO of BGF Retail, said the company will continue to expand internationally making forays into growing emerging markets.

    With the new expansion, the South Korean convenience store operator expects to gain a strong position in the Southeast Asian market as Vietnam’s economy has witnessed significant growth during recent years.

    Rival network GS25 has already launched in Vietnam, opening stores in Ho Chi Minh City.

    Lees ook:

  • Biggest AWS consumer from Singapore stole multiple identities for mining cryptocurrencies

    The Amazon Web Service cloud service had recently received one of its biggest consumers from Singapore, but it was quickly discovered after a small investigation that the user was impersonating several US-based personalities and thus using the computing power for his own benefit by mining several cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and LTC.

    Ho Jun Jia, also known as “Prefinity” and “Ethereum Vendor” was arrested in Singapore in September 2019 and is waiting for the United States court to decide if they want to extradite him from the country.

    This is very likely to happen as the US and Singapore have an extradition treaty. If the extradition does happen, Ho will have to face fines above the $5 million’s worth of computing power he consumed as well as some jail time for identity theft and fraud.

    Who did Ho impersonate?

    According to the investigation, Ho was impersonating an unnamed game developer in California, which was actually paying the bills on Ho’s illegal activity on the AWS. Furthermore, Ho had also undertaken the identity of a Texas-based individual and an Indian businessman.

    In total, Ho had consumed a staggering amount of $5 million’s worth of computing power, thus potentially generating far more in profits than anticipated.

    Investigators also say that Ho was using trading bots to then speculate with the cryptocurrencies he had generated through his illegal activities.

    It is easily understandable as according to this Bitcoin Trader review on InsideBitcoins, the larger the amount deposited on a Bitcoin trading robot, the higher the chance of not making too much of a scene, therefore helping Ho keep his identity a secret.

    It’s assumed that Ho made far more from speculations than he made with simply mining the cryptocurrencies, thus the unauthorized exchange of securities could also be added to his list of illegal activity.

    Why will Singapore approve the extradition?

    According to investigators, it is assumed that Ho was also hiding his identity in Singapore as well, therefore he was not subject to any type of income or capital gain tax that is active within the country.

    Therefore, it’s easy to say that even if Ho is not extradited he will have to face charges of tax evasion in Singapore, which, although garners a much lighter punishment, would still mean the disclosure of the fortune he accumulated as well as several years served in prison.

    However, considering that most of the damage was caused to US-based individuals as well as companies, Singapore is very unlikely to deny the extradition and allow US authorities to punish Ho.

    In the end, all victims will be compensated for the damage they received from Ho’s illegal activities and further security measures will be implemented on the AWS and Google Cloud platforms.

  • Vietnam Airlines cleared to fly to the US

    Vietnam Airlines cleared to fly to the US

    Vietnam Airlines has been allowed to operate direct flights from Hanoi and Saigon to several American destinations. It is the first Vietnamese airline to receive such permission, according to FlightGlobal, a leading news site about the global aviation community.

    The national flag carrier will be allowed to operate flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam’s two biggest metropolises, to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Dallas-Fort Worth. It can also continue these routes to the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.

    The permit also allows Vietnam Airlines to operate its flights to the U.S. via stops in Taiwan’s Taipei and Japan’s Osaka and Nagoya airports.

    The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted a Category 1 rating to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) under its International Aviation Safety Assessment program last February, which meant the latter met safety standards to operate flights to the U.S.

    Besides Vietnam Airlines, low-cost air carrier Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways are in the running to launch direct flights to the U.S. and are ordering aircraft for the purpose.

    There are currently no nonstop flights between Vietnam and the U.S. Flights now take 20.5 hours to fly from Ho Chi Minh City to San Francisco via South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, while the planned direct service to major cities along the U.S. West Coast would take only around 13 hours.

    Thanks to simplified visa requirements, Vietnam has emerged among the fastest-growing international travel destinations for Americans, who are big spenders in the country, shelling out on average $3,233 per trip, according to a survey released last year by travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth.

    Americans are among the top foreign visitors to Vietnam, with 687,226 arrivals last year, an 11 percent year-on-year increase.

    An ethnic Vietnamese population of over 2.1 million in the U.S. is also expected to be a steady source of travel demand.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietnam wants to be top 15 organic farming countries

    Vietnam wants to be top 15 organic farming countries

    The agriculture ministry seeks to turn Vietnam into one of world’s top 15 organic farming countries by 2030, and has its sights on the EU market given trade deals. Under a draft proposal it will submit to the prime minister in the fourth quarter, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to have 7-10 percent of the farming area in the country under organic crops by then.

    The targeted rates are at least 5 percent for animal husbandry and 100,000 hectares of ponds, or 7-8 percent of the total for aquaculture.

    Tran Thi Loan, deputy director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), said at a recent forum that organic farming in Vietnam is mostly small in scale.

    Industry insiders said Vietnam lacks policies to encourage organic farming and a system of certification and supervision to ensure quality.

    Olivier Catrou, head of the organic farming division at France’s National Institute of Origin and Quality, said the government needs to establish such a system so that farmers can produce in larger scales.

    Vietnam has great potential to export organic produce to the EU thanks to the upcoming EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, the agriculture ministry said. Last year, with almost 13,000 tons, the country ranked 39th in organic exports to the EU.

    Data from the ministry shows organic farming is done in 40 localities on a total area of 23,400 hectares, 97.5 percent of them are under EU, U.S. and Japanese standards, and most of the produce are vegetables, fruits and tea.

    Domestic consumption of organic produce is worth around VND500 billion ($21.5 million) a year in Hanoi and VND400 billion ($17.2 million) in Ho Chi Minh City.

    There are 20 exporters of organic produce who ship 260,000 tons a year worth almost $15 million.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Bamboo Airways exec leaves for property firm

    Bamboo Airways exec leaves for property firm

    Duong Thi Mai Hoa, who used to be deputy chairwoman of startup Bamboo Airways, has moved to real estate firm Sunshine Group. A spokesperson for Sunshine Group told VnExpress she had joined as deputy chairwoman earlier this month.

    A Bamboo Airways spokesperson said Hoa would be replaced internally.

    Hoa had been with Bamboo for almost a year and before that the CEO and CFO of Vingroup between 2012-2017, and the CEO of ABBank and Vietnam International Bank before that.

    The 50-year-old graduated from the Hanoi University of Technology and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. She is a member of the Association of Certified Public Accountants (ACCA).

    Sunshine Group is also in construction, education and technology.

  • Bamboo Airways eyes fleet expansion

    Bamboo Airways eyes fleet expansion

    Bamboo Airways plans to have a fleet of 100 aircraft by 2024 with the majority of them being Boeing 787-9 or Airbus A321.

    The carrier said in a statement Thursday it would lease the first Boeing 787-9 in October since the 10 it has ordered would not be delivered until the fourth quarter of 2020.

    Bamboo has received permission from the Ministry of Transport to operate 30 aircraft, and it plans to achieve this number by the end of the first quarter of 2020. The airline, which began flying in January, has yet to break even.

    Its chairman, Trinh Van Quyet, has said that with 30 aircraft the carrier could get into the black by the first quarter of 2020. The carrier now flies 10 aircraft on 26 domestic routes besides international charter flights.

    Vietnam hopes to grow its aviation market by 16 percent a year in 2015-20 and 8 percent in 2020-30.

    This means there will be a possible 117 million air travelers by 2023, 85 percent by Vietnamese carriers, which will require 340 aircraft, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Facebook, the 800-pound gorilla homegrown Vietnamese social media

    Facebook, the 800-pound gorilla homegrown Vietnamese social media

    Vietnam got its latest in a long line of social networks Tuesday but doubts remain about the viability of homegrown players in a Facebook-dominated country.

    Lotus belongs to media company Vietnam Communications Corporation (VCCorp), which has invested VND700 billion ($30.2 million) in it and is seeking to raise another VND500 billion ($21.6 million).

    VCCorp hopes to have four million regular users within a year and partner with 500 content creators in various areas.

    Many Vietnamese social networks have made their debut this year after Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said the country needs to have its own social media, which should garner at least 60 million accounts and 60-70 percent of the country’s social network pie by 2022.

    In February Nhat Viet Manufacturing and Investment company, which makes metal tools, launched VietNamTa, which is said to have an almost identical interface as Facebook. But it loads slower and there are also concerns about security.

    In June tourism-oriented social network Hahalolo debuted, and it seeks to have two billion users within five years and list on Nasdaq in the U.S.

    In July Gapo was launched after getting VND500 billion ($21.6 million) from investment firm G-Capital. The developers aim to pay users who contribute attractive content, and claimed to have reached two million users this month out of a target of 50 million by 2021.

    The Ministry of Information and Communications said 436 social networks had been licensed as of last year, but many have failed to attract a reasonable number of people and few survived for more than a year.

    Go.vn, which debuted nine years ago, promised to usurp Facebook’s position within six months with five million users. Its founders aimed for a 40-50 percent share of Vietnam’s social network traffic by 2015, but it is now no longer active.

    Others such as Zingme, Tamtay.vn and Yume.vn have followed the same path.

    Competing with Facebook appears to be a bridge too far for local players. Tran Anh Dung, CEO and founder of digital content startup MOG, said it would be virtually impossible for Vietnamese social networks to surpass Facebook unless the government makes specific policy changes to incentivize them.

    Niche markets could offer them opportunities, but they are not distinguishing themselves enough, he said.

    “Some players are trying to be different but I’m not sure if they are special enough to attract users.”

    Another challenge is resources. If a social network does not get a big infusion of funds in the beginning, it could be fatal, he added.

    Vietnam ranks seventh in the world in number of Facebook users with 58 million, or 75 percent of the population aged 13 or more, according to a report released in July by U.K. advertising agency We Are Social.

    An average Vietnamese uses social media for two hours and 23 minutes a day, same as the global average, according to market research firm GlobalWebIndex.

    Lees ook: