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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.

  • MSIG Insurance celebrates 10 years of growth in Vietnam

    MSIG Insurance celebrates 10 years of growth in Vietnam

    General insurer MSIG Vietnam celebrated its 10th anniversary recently at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel and Hotel Nikko Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) on 11th and 12th March 2019 respectively. More than 500 partners, customers and staff attended the celebrations which mark the success of MSIG Vietnam that could only have been achieved with the strong support of its partners and customers over the years.

    It was an honour to also have guests-of-honour, Mr. Phung Ngoc Khanh, Director General of Insurance Supervisory and Authority, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Kunio Umeda, Ambassador of Japan in Vietnam, and Mr. Junichi Kawaue, Consulate General of Japan, grace the occasions.

    Celebrating the occasion with kagami-biraki or traditional Japanese sake barrel-breaking ceremony – an auspicious ceremony that represents good harmony and fortune. From L to R: Mr. Alan J. Wilson, CEO, MSIG Asia; Mr. Hideyuki Tanaka, Chairman, MSIG Asia; Mr. Yujiro Sobajima, General Director, MSIG Insurance (Vietnam) Co., Ltd.; Mr. Noriyuki Hara, President and CEO, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.; Mr. Kunio Umeda, Ambassador of Japan in Vietnam; Mr. Phung Ngoc Khanh, Director General of Insurance Supervisory and Authority, Ministry of Finance.

    MSIG has been doing business in Vietnam for over 25 years, beginning with a representative office of the Tokyo-based Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance in Hanoi in 1994. In 2009, a subsidiary office was established and that marked the beginning of MSIG Insurance (Vietnam). The company started out by supporting Japanese corporate clients, and within 10 years, laid the foundation to also expand its business to offer insurance solutions to non-Japanese clients and develop its bancassurance channels.

    “Since its establishment, MSIG Insurance (Vietnam) has been contributing to the development of the Vietnamese economy by supporting the expansion of Japanese corporate businesses through 2

    general insurance solutions. Today, we also support Vietnamese corporate businesses and the portfolio of non-Japanese clients have increased to 20%”, said Mr. Noriyuki Hara, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.

    Mr. Noriyuki Hara, President and CEO, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd.

    “Among our global activities, our main focus is on Asia. We are the largest non-life insurance company in the region to operate in all 10 ASEAN countries. Among these countries, Vietnam is one of the most noteworthy. We will continue to push ourselves to achieve more and provide the highest level of service quality to our clients to contribute to the further development of Vietnam. We truly appreciate the continuous guidance and encouragement from all our clients and partners”, Mr. Hara continued.

    During the celebrations, the Minister of Finance also presented MSIG Vietnam with a “Certificate of Merit” to recognise the company’s efforts in contributing to the development of Vietnam’s insurance industry from 2009 to 2018. The recognition is testimony of the strong relations that MSIG has in the country and encourages its staff to continue to go above and beyond to serve the needs of their customers in Vietnam.

  • Single-Use Plastic Ban, Food Waste and Local Produce Top Priorities in Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan

    Single-Use Plastic Ban, Food Waste and Local Produce Top Priorities in Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan

    Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is focusing on three key sustainability initiatives as part of the company’s recently announced 2019 Sustainability Plan: eliminating single-use plastic products; reducing its food waste footprint; and expanding its support of local farming and produce-growing communities.

    1. No Single-Use Plastic Products by end-2019

    The elimination of single-use plastic items is part of the “Centara Earth Care” programme aimed at encouraging hotel guests and tourists to be proactive about energy saving, waste reduction and sustainable environmental tourism. The sustainability plan covers five types of single-use plastic items, including drinking straws, laundry bags, take-away food containers, fitness centre and poolside plastic bottles, and plastic guest room amenities. They are being replaced with items made from materials designed to minimise environmental impact.

    “Centara strives to operate ethically and sustainably in a balanced manner across the entire portfolio whilst providing an exceptional level of Thai hospitality,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to selecting environmentally friendly produce which, in turn, enables us to further incorporate sustainable strategies and development into our products and services, creating shared value at an environmental, social and economic level wherever we operate. We are also committed to ensuring a respectful, safe and healthy environment to the larger society and our future generations.”

    Centara began phasing in its elimination of single-use plastic products in 2018 across all 39 of its operating properties. Under the plan, alternative products which are reusable and made from environmentally friendlier materials, including plant-based, compostable and bio-degradable plastics, will be fully phased in by year-end.

    • Phase I, targeting the elimination of plastic straws, began in August 2018. The single-use plastic straws being eliminated take up to 200 years to decompose; the new bio-straws replacing them decompose within six months. Once the change is fully enacted throughout all Centara properties, the reduction in plastic straw consumption will total nearly 2.2 million straws per year.
    • Phase II, eliminating the use of plastic laundry bags, began in December 2018.  Moving forward, these practices will also become Centara’s standards for all existing and new properties.
    1. Food Waste Reduction

    Centara’s new and continuing food-related sustainability initiatives include:

    • further reducing food waste and minimising each property’s carbon footprint with expanded purchasing of fresh local foods from herb, fruit and vegetable growers
    • making same-day donations of surplus food to charities located near each property
    • providing local farms with pre-separated organic waste for composting
    • transforming waste at select properties into biogas fuel, a blend of mostly methane and carbon dioxide gases which can be used in place of fossil fuels.

    In 2018, Centara supported the Bangkok-based foundation Scholars of Sustenance (SOS Thailand) by making same-day donations of more than 28,000 kilogrammes (kg) of quality surplus food. The donations provided over 86,000 servings to those in need, while the reduction in Centara’s food waste saved over 54,000 kg of GHG equivalent emissions.

    Both Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien and Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket have biogas machines on-site capable of converting 30-100 kg of organic waste each day into an equivalent number of litres of organic compost and biogas comparable to nearly five kg/day of LPG fuel. Since July 2018, the Cowtec Composting & Biogas Production Machine installed at Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien has been processing organic waste from the property’s kitchens, staff canteens and landscaping works. By the end of 2018, the machine had composted more than 5,700 kg of organic waste and produced 262 kg of biogas equivalent LPG.

    1. Strengthen Local Communities

    Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan further expands the company’s support for local communities’ small farms and producers who grow food for Centara hotels and resorts in their area.

    The company attributes much of its carbon footprint reduction to making approximately 70% of total produce purchases from local sources. Beyond the economic benefits to the community, expanding farm-to-table dining enables each property to provide the freshest available food items to guests.

    The company’s ongoing engagement with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, continues to yield consequential improvements in key sustainability metrics. To date, 15 Centara hotels and resorts have achieved EarthCheck certification and another four properties are enrolled in  EarthCheck’s Evaluate Plus programme, leading to significant reductions in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions across a number of Centara’s certified properties.

    Most recently, the company’s leadership in environmental sustainability was recognised by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which awarded Centara Hotels & Resorts (CENTEL) its “Thailand Sustainability Investment (THSI)” designation, an annual recognition for listed companies that operate with responsibility for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects.

    Further recognition for properties includes the “Green Hotel 2018 Award” from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion at Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, awarded to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin and Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien.

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  • Garuda Indonesia Cancels 49 Boeing 737 MAX Orders

    Garuda Indonesia Cancels 49 Boeing 737 MAX Orders

    Breaking news coming from Jakarta that Garuda Indonesia has canceled their order for 49 Boeing 737 MAX placed a few years ago. This comes after two disastrous 737 MAX crashes and a worldwide grounding of the aircraft for safety reasons. Garuda operates over 70 737NG aircraft. As such, the 737 MAX was a natural addition to the fleet and part of the 737NG replacement plan. At face value, Garuda’s order was worth $4.9 billion.

    Garuda made the following comments upon ordering the 737 MAX:

    The Cancellation

    Garuda Indonesia’s President Director, Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra, announced the cancellation on Thursday, March 21st. In his comments, he specifically stated that the 737 MAX 8 suffered from bad publicity that spooked travelers from choosing the 737 MAX 8. Specifically, Garuda Indonesia believes there is no longer passenger confidence in the aircraft, so they are cancelling their order.

    This isn’t a major issue for Garuda Indonesia since they only have one 737 MAX 8. Depending on how long the groundings of MAX aircraft last, Garuda could find a new buyer or lessor for that specific aircraft. They could also sell it back to Boeing as part of a deal. Garuda Indonesia is already an Airbus customer. They operate both the A330-200 and 300 widebodies. In addition, Garuda Indonesia has 14 A330-900s on order.

    Cancelling the 737 MAX leaves Garuda with few options for sourcing a narrowbody replacement for their 737-800s. Russia is working on an alternative, however, it seems like Garuda will need an established plane with passenger confidence. In addition, based of Garuda Indonesia’s original order, they will probably go for a fuel efficient plane that carry a similar number of passengers.

    This makes the A320neo the most likely option for Garuda Indonesia. On an order for 50 aircraft, Garuda will probably get some discounts from Airbus that would make the delayed entry, any cancellation fees with Boeing, and increased maintenance and training costs worth it if passengers will still fly with them.

    The A320neo, however, would not be entirely out of place in Garuda’s fleet. Garuda Indonesia operates a low-cost arm called Citilink. Citilink flies over 50 A320/A320neo family aircraft.

    Overall

    In the grand scheme of things, Garuda Indonesia is not a major 737 MAX customer.  Norwegian, SpiceJet, Ryanair, Jet Airways, Lion Air, Flydubai, and Southwest all have over 100 737 MAX aircraft on order. However, if Garuda Indonesia is expressing concern about the 737 MAX, it is likely that other airlines are also concerned about their 737 MAX fleet and orders.

  • Are Indonesian online travel agents dropping AirAsia

    Are Indonesian online travel agents dropping AirAsia

    Following AirAsia’s withdrawal of flights from online travel agent Traveloka, the airline told that it will be placing its focus on enhancing its products and services as well as website and mobile app instead. This comes as online agents are rumoured to be asked by major Indonesia airlines to keep AirAsia’s Indonesia flights out of their platforms. The online agents reported by the travel publication include Traveloka, Tiket.com, Panorama Group, Golden Rama Tours & Travel, and Wita Tour. Traveloka PR director Sufintri Rahayu said that she hopes that AirAsia’s withdrawal is “not a permanent decision” and the company is currently discussing with the airline how to “reach the best outcome for all relevant parties.”

    She added, “We have always done our best to provide an open and fair online platform for all our airline and travel partners, including AirAsia, to sell their services to our customers. We respect and recognise AirAsia’s position as an important regional airline in Southeast Asia. Our faith and goodwill towards AirAsia remain high as ever.”

    Meanwhile, a spokesperson from AirAsia reiterated that it remains “open to dialogue with business partners” but  did not comment further on the alleged bans from various online travel agents. Previously, AirAsia Indonesia president director Dendy Kurniawan called Traveloka out for unexplained disappearance of AirAsia Indonesia flights from Traveloka for the second time in the two weeks. He said that the omission of flights has “hurt” cooperation between AirAsia and Traveloka, adding that Traveloka has “not acted in good faith.”

    Brand impact and sale for AirAsia

    While it remains uncertain how long this saga will last, aviation consultant at CommunicAvia Gerry Soejatman said that it is “unlikely for the withdrawal to impact on AirAsia’s international market”. Even domestically, the impact may not be as high as one would have expected. He explained,

    In Indonesia, AirAsia is perceived to be the airline with the strongest direct selling compared with the others, and its customers are generally quite loyal.

    And while being on online travel agents’ website is a great form of brand recall and point of sale for many travel brands, Construct Digital’s senior internal digital marketer Jan Mascarina suggested tactical campaigns such as awareness activations can help AirAsia elevate their position in Indonesian consumers’ minds. He said, “One way to do this, aside from aggressive media spending, is to maintain a social media presence that speaks local lingos and understands local trends, in order to connect with the very locals they are trying to win business from.”

    In terms of search marketing, AirAsia could consider hijacking competitor keywords. Mascarina said, “AirAsia can bid against searches for competing airlines in the country to keep itself as the first suggestion when users search for airlines.”

    He added with 97% of Indonesian search being powered by Google, this could present a low-hanging fruit for travellers exploring their options. Moreover, AirAsia could also bid against keyword searches “for the very travel site that it now finds itself at odds with, in order to funnel some of the users from these sites into their own website.” Additionally, AirAsia should find ways to engage and grow their current user base through loyalty or referral programs.

    Prantik Mazumdar, managing partner of Happy Marketer, a Merkle Company said if there is one independent airline brand that can fight being dropped from online travel agents’ lists on its own terms, it is Air Asia.

    “AirAsia is a pioneer in data-driven digital marketing and have made huge improvements in the recent past in terms of its mobile-first customer experience to drive bookings and multi-touch customer engagement,” he said.

    To further battle this challenge, AirAsia will need to invest resources in a multi-prong approach to capture more SEM traffic for generic keywords that are usually bid for by online travel agents. It will also need to run location-based dynamic ads to achieve higher relevance and click through rates. An added focus will be needed to improve conversion rates and cost per acquisition through tactical tweaks on landing pages and drive higher bookings through it’s existing customer base by targeting them through personalised offer emails or through custom audience ad messages on social media.

    “AirAsia will also need to now create more local destination related content independently or through syndicates that improve its SEO rankings; experiment with dynamic pricing to improve its average revenue per booking metric and beyond digital, you may also see them innovate through better bundled offerings and new partnerships with hotel chains and new age digital businesses in Indonesia,” he added.

    We have all seen that Tony Fernandes and his team relish a good challenge and I’m sure they will take this head on.

    He added that this could turn out to be a great imperative for AirAsia to further build on it’s own internal full stack marketing capability and reduce it’s reliance on online travel agents.

    Industry players said that one reason for airlines to exert pressure on travel agents may be because they “want to increase fares due to high fuel costs and AirAsia isn’t playing ball.” The article also said that several consumers have take their frustration about rising domestic airfares to an online petition, which has collected near to 400,000 signatures. In an update, it said that the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association and Transportation Ministry have since responded and brought the prices down on some flight routes.

    “Airlines usually sit together to discuss their challenges, but not to set prices, that would be illegal. The Indonesian Competition Commission is looking into those allegations,” Soejatman said.

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  • Airasia will soon start selling flight tickets of other airlines

    Airasia will soon start selling flight tickets of other airlines

    AirAsia’s group CEO Tony Fernandes said the Malaysian low-cost carrier’s official website will soon start selling tickets of other airlines, as it looks to generate a new form of revenue. In a Twitter post, Fernandes said that AirAsia.com will be formed as a new company under the open sourcing firm that helps in building software, Red Hat Inc.

    Fernandes is confident that in time, airasia.com will generate as much gross merchandise volume (GMV) from non-AirAsia flight tickets as it does from selling AirAsia flight tickets. As of now, the GMV is $4 billion, he tweeted.

    GMV indicates total sales dollar value for merchandise sold through the ecommerce platform.

    Moreover, in a series of tweets, Fernandes announced that the hotel sales via the website increased 300 percent last week and is going to grow along with activities.

    He added that AirAsia’s loyalty points will help drive more people, because of their database, to the platform, which claims the strongest platform among ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

    “We have a much more powerful database and better knowledge of our customers than OTA,” he said in a tweet.

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  • IOT Asia 2019 : Optimise Business Returns With IOT Applications

    IOT Asia 2019 : Optimise Business Returns With IOT Applications

    Asia’s leading platform for Internet of Things (IoT) returns to drive deeper insights into critical developments in the digital sphere, with new highlights on building value chains for Smart Cities and Industrial IoT. Bringing together a diverse spectrum of participants, IoT Asia 2019 aims to facilitate the application of IoT technologies in business communities. Singapore’s champion for the Smart Nation Initiative Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs will be in attendance as guest-of-honour to deliver his opening address on 27 March 2019 at 10:30 am.

    Jointly organised by SingEx Exhibitions and the Singapore Industrial Automation Association (SIAA), the 6th edition of IoT Asia 2019 will be held at Hall 1, Singapore EXPO, 27-28 March 2019. It will be co-located with Last Mile Fulfilment Asia 2019, which addresses the agenda of disruptive technologies and their applications in the retail fulfilment and logistics space.

    Riding the wave of IoT transformation

    Set to welcome over 6,000 international attendees, IoT Asia 2019 will showcase more than 100 technology companies, start-ups and emerging IoT players with innovative products and solutions to help businesses improve efficiency and increase bottom-line.

    Furthering the agenda of creating collaborations in the IoT community, SIAA will be signing MOUs with the Singapore-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SGC) and the Indonesia IoT Association on March 28 to form strategic alliances that impact innovation adoption. These MOUs will reflect the commitment of the countries in supporting the formation of an IoT-centric ecosystem that taps into the strength of shared networks and expertise.

    “IoT trends and emerging technologies are set to reinvent the landscape by driving digital business innovation for a decade. We recognise that the adoption of IoT presents an

    unparalleled opportunity for us to identify the technologies that will impact businesses in multiple industries. In this context, IoT 2019 plays a key role as an enabler of technology adoption; a matchmaker of quality business leads; and a cultivator of skills development and education,” said Mr. James Boey, Executive Director, Industrial & Urban Solutions, SingEx Exhibitions.

    Mr. Terence Teo, President, Singapore Industrial Automation Association, further commented on the impact of technology innovations: “We are at a higher stage of civilisation where it has been exponentially transformed by accelerated technological development. Undeniably, emerging technologies have helped to grow businesses through greater data- driven insights, and as the industry grows at an unprecedented rate, advanced technologies will be required to make sense of the complex bulk of digital data collected.”

    Discover possibilities on Interchange

    IoT Asia 2019 has evolved into an active ecosystem that connects other business and emerging technology communities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and implementation in multiple industries. Launched at IoT Asia last year, the Interchange team has joined hands with De/Centralize, a Blockchain community, to curate conversations with seasoned technologists that examine the intersection of IoT and DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology).

    Through interesting onsite and digital-streaming formats, Interchange will provide companies with an opportunity to identify the possibilities offered by DLT and blockchain- defined perimeters in their enterprise deployment. To facilitate this engagement and to understand why blockchain is a game changer, Interchange will address the challenges and uncover the potential opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. (For details on the Interchange, please refer to Annex A).

    Trending conference topics

    This year’s conference kicks off with a focus on building value chains with key segments on Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain. IoT 2019 will delve into specific industry sectors such as e-commerce and construction with a focus on key areas of application: 1) Superior infrastructure with enhanced security via Blockchain; 2) Advanced data analytics using Artificial Intelligence 3) Data analytics and 4) Enablers

    The conference programme features a stellar cast of international luminaries such as Saadia MUZAFFAR, Founder, TechGirls and former member of Waterfront Toronto’s Digital Strategy Advisory Panel, Canada; and Martin YATES, Chief Technology Officer, South Asia & Emerging Markets, Dell EMC who will take to the Unplugged Stage for a no-holds barred discussion on the implications of smart cities.

    Tackling the hot topic of IoT security is Prof. YU Chien Siang, Chief Innovation & Trust Officer, Amaris AI; and Oliver Meili, Head of IoT Development & Operations, Bosch Software Innovations, among others, while Anthony Burke, Professor of Architecture & Associate Dean of International & Engagement, Faculty of Design Architecture & Building, University of Technology Sydney, Australia; Joelle Chen, Director, Global Partnerships & Marketing, Intelligent Air Solutions, MANN+HUMMEL Group; and Salim Aslam, IoT Solution Architect, Social Innovation Business, Hitachi Consulting, Singapore will share insights on reimagining and redefining a truly intelligent city.

    AI and cyber terrorism: How to manage risks?

    Navigating the IoT security landscape with new technologies like 5G, blockchain and AI adds to existing challenges faced by governments and industries. We pose questions such as “how will future developments of these technologies take shape”, “what are the key considerations and implications for governments and industries”, and “what are the measures to better address security-breach concerns?”

    Join us for an interactive discussion on “Shake-ups in the emerging IoT security landscape,” on 27 March, 3pm at the Unplugged Stage

    What is the future of the workplace?

    Driven by progress in automation, human jobs will not disappear but rather evolve, renew and become more complex. The labour force will therefore have to acquire new skills. What are the new skills that will be in demand in an AI future? Find out how AI and humans are able to co-exist in the workforce and the types of management frameworks that have to be created to ensure successful collaborations between humans and machines.

    Join our discussion ”Human cognitive capabilities and skills that matter for an AI future

    – Will we have what it takes?” on 27 March, 4pm at the Unplugged Stage.

    Behind the design of Singapore’s first integrated “Smart district” At the forefront of Singapore’s Smart Nation push is the Punggol Digital District (PDD), envisioned to be a vibrant district where cutting-edge technology and social innovation transform the way we work, live, learn and play in the future. The first district in Singapore to adopt an integrated masterplan approach – combining a business park, a university and community facilities – PDD aims to create synergies, enable close integration between industry and academia, as well as foster vibrant and strong communities.

    Housing key growth sectors that abide within IoT such as cyber security, artificial intelligence and data analytics, the district will be an ecosystem of open innovation and a conducive test-bed environment, enabling businesses and the community to thrive in a digital economy.

    To learn more about Singapore’s first Smart district, join us on 27 March, 1:20pm at the Centre Stage. 

    For more information on the conference programmes at IoT Asia 2019 and LMFA 2019, log on to www.internetofthingsasia.com and www.lmfasia.com.

  • Qualtrics Empowers Companies to Take Control of Brand Strategy

    Qualtrics Empowers Companies to Take Control of Brand Strategy

    Qualtrics, the leader in experience management announced the launch of Qualtrics Brand Tracking, a breakthrough brand monitoring solution on the Qualtrics XM PlatformTM that promises to transform how companies manage their brand strategy across their organisation.

    Built on the Qualtrics Experience Management (XM) PlatformTM, Brand Tracking integrates with Qualtrics’ customer, employee, and product experiences to enable a comprehensive view of insights and actions that shape the core experiences of any organisation.

    In today’s fast-moving market, companies are now looking to own their brand tracking programme with insights that are instant, embedded, and adaptable. Qualtrics Brand Tracking arms organisations with the technology necessary to fully leverage one of their most valuable assets – their brand.

    “Over the past year, we’ve been partnering closely with hundreds of brands across the world to help design and run their brand tracking programs on the XM Platform. With built-in expert methodology, guided program set-up, and dashboards on every device, Qualtrics Brand Tracking is now available to empower every organisation from startups to billion dollar enterprises, making tracking and optimising their brand easier than ever,” said Kelly Waldher, vice president of Brand Experience, Qualtrics.

    With Qualtrics Brand Tracking, SoFi – one of the fastest growing financial services companies in the industry – is transforming the way they use brand insights to drive growth in their business. As SoFi continues to grow, the company is able to quickly and easily design their brand tracking programme, constantly monitor key brand indicators, combine response data with social media feedback, and embed prescriptive actions in their business processes.

    • Brand Tracking provides instant results. With Brand Tracking, results are instant through live, automated mobile and web dashboards. Organisations no longer have to wait months for critical insights. With Qualtrics’ pre-built programmes and dashboards, anyone in the organisation can launch a powerful, world-class brand tracker and start seeing results within hours.
    • Brand Tracking empowers companies to connect their entire organisation to one platform with embedded technology.Breakthrough insights are available through embedded technology allowing companies to connect their entire organisation to one platform. From social reputation data, campaign data, media buy data, and other brand-related data subsets, Qualtrics Brand Tracking makes it faster to act on detailed insights that will drive top-line growth.
    • Brand Tracking is adaptable and flexible. Like all projects on XM Platform, Qualtrics Brand Tracking is adaptable to evolving business needs and is easily customisable. Making edits to existing methodology and programmes no longer require expensive change orders. Companies now have the ability to customise studies, across their organisation, with a few clicks.
  • Vietnam Retail Steap Climb in Retail Growth

    Vietnam Retail Steap Climb in Retail Growth

    The Vietnam retail sector is forecast to record double-digit growth from 2019 to 2024, according to a report by ResearchAndMarkets.

    While a number of Vietnamese consumers still choose to shop in traditional markets as they can buy ingredients in smaller portions, supermarkets are offering ready-to-cook packages better suited to the daily needs of the average consumer, says the report. Thus, supermarkets and convenience stores are taking an increasing share of the overall food and grocery market.

    Food products, non-food products, and home appliances are also sold in larger supermarkets, offering more range and convenience for local customers under one roof.

    Modern retail outlets also offer private brands/products that can be exclusively purchased in their stores.

    Some newer stores have in-house bakeries and cafes where consumers can hang out and enjoy with family or friends.

    Growth of convenience

    The growing Vietnamese middle and affluent classes and the younger population increasingly value convenience and comfort. That is driving growth in the convenience store market, met by the expansion of companies such as Circle K, which is now expanding across Hanoi after establishing a strong presence in Ho Chi Minh City, FamilyMart, 7-Eleven and GS25, among others.

    The increasing presence of local players, such as Vinmart+, which has nearly 900 stores nationwide, and test stores trading as Bach Hoa Xanh, operated by Mobile World, are helping expand the Vietnam retail market.

    Traditional food-and-beverage retailers still dominate the sector.

    As of last year, traditional retailers accounted for 94 per cent of the retail grocery sales, and the remaining 6 per cent sales were attributed to modern retail.

    According to industry experts, modern retail sales are expected to reach 18 per cent of total food retail sales by 2024.

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  • Chinese internet giants bidding on AS Watson

    Chinese internet giants bidding on AS Watson

    Two Chinese internet giants are reportedly evaluating separate bids for a stake in global retailer AS Watson.

    As earlier reported by usg, Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek is working with an advisor on options for selling part of its stake in the Hong Kong-headquartered company. The latest reports suggest Temasek is looking to sell a 10 per cent holding for around US$3 billion, which would represent a healthy financial gain on its 2014 investment, when it paid $5.6 billion for 25 per cent stake. Tencent Holdings is considering a bid in partnership with some investment funds.

    Tencent’s rival Alibaba Group has already expressed an interest, although again, this has not been formally confirmed by the company. Temasek is declining any public comment on the prospective buyers have been invited to make presentations this month.

    However the news organisation’s sources have cautioned that Temasek may ultimately opt to retain its stakeholding and there are suggestions that “differences in valuation expectations could make reaching a deal difficult”.

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  • Big Big Shop partnering up with Circle K

    Big Big Shop partnering up with Circle K

    Shoppers buying goods online from Television Broadcasts Limited’s Big Big Shop will be able to collect their purchases at any Circle K Convenience store across town.

    The click-and-collect service results from a partnership between TVB and Convenience Retail Asia signed this week. Big Big Shop was launched in July last year.

    “Circle K is a perfect match for Big Big Shop which will provide our customers with a convenient click-and-collect service,” said Mark Lee, group CEO at TVB.

    “Location is everything. Circle K has more than 330 stores conveniently located in Hong Kong.”

    Lee said synergising with TVB’s promotional power, Big Big Shop adopts a ‘show-and-sell strategy’ by marketing advertiser-sponsored products on TVB’s prime-time shows.

    “During the eight months’ operation of Big Big Shop, the show-and-sell strategy has proven to be a success in motivating viewers to buy online, notably in the sales of kitchen appliances by German Pool; quality frozen meat and seafood by Gourmet; package tours by Big Line Holiday; and George Lam concert tickets.

    “With Circle K as our logistics partner, we will be able to greatly expand the range of products available at Big Big Shop by including more vendors who don’t necessarily have the delivery capability. The partnership with Circle K will offer an even better shopping experience to our customers. It marks an important step in our e-commerce fulfillment and development of online-to-offline business strategy,” Lee said.

    CRA CEO Richard Yeung said Circle K is committed to providing convenient, efficient and quality services that enable Hong Kong consumers to enjoy better and easier lives.

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  • Cebu Pacific Set To Accelerate Expansion with Neos

    Cebu Pacific Set To Accelerate Expansion with Neos

    The Philippines’ Cebu Pacific Air plans to add at least 10 new-generation aircraft to its fleet this year, as it steps up its fleet renewal and expansion plans in a bid to accelerate growth. The country’s largest airline expects to take delivery of five A320neos and five A321neos as part of an ongoing strategy to replace aging aircraft, broaden its network, and up-gauge flights at Manila’s congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

    In January, Cebu Pacific took delivery of its first A321neo from Airbus as part of a larger order for 32 of the type. Additional plans call for one ATR 72-600 to arrive sometime this year. The airline now operates a fleet of 35 Airbus A320s, seven A321s, eight ATR 72-500s, 12 ATR 72-600s, and eight A330 widebodies.

    In a securities filing on Monday, the airline announced a 50 percent decline in earnings in 2018, citing challenging market conditions such as high fuel prices, increased competition, the six-month closure of Boracay Airport, and operational limitations at key airports. Net profits fell to $73.8 million from 2017’s $149 million while passenger revenue rose 9 percent year-over-year to $1.4 billion; ancillary revenue grew by 6 percent. The airline generated a 19 percent increase in cargo carried, while passenger numbers rose by 3 percent to 20.3 million.

    “Despite the pressures posed in 2018, we remained resilient,” said Cebu Pacific COO Michael Shau. “We were able to expand our network by up-gauging our flights touching congested airports. 2019 will be a different story though; we have already received the first of our fuel-efficient A321neo orders from Airbus and we expect 10 more new-generation aircraft this year. We also just announced four new domestic routes; 2019 is definitely the year we accelerate our growth.”

    While the airline is planning to add more passenger flights out of its Clark and Cebu hubs, it also sees more opportunity in cargo, reflected in plans to convert two of its ATR 72-500s to large-cargo-door freighters. Once it completes the conversion, Cebu Pacific will become the first low-cost carrier in the world to operate freighters of any type. With operations set for the first quarter of this year, the incoming ATRs will allow the airline to serve smaller airports in the Philippines, thereby allowing for new routes and increased connectivity.

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  • Deloitte forecasts forgettable year in Retail

    Deloitte forecasts forgettable year in Retail

    2019 is shaping up to be a ‘gap year’ for Australian retail, according to Deloitte’s latest Retail Forecast for the year ahead. Retail turnover is expected to slip from 2.2 per cent during 2018 to a more modest 1.6 per cent, before lifting back up to 2.2 per cent in 2020, according to Deloitte Access Economics partner David Rumbens.

    “It’s fair to say retailers have only survived the last few years because consumers have lived beyond their means. But that ship has now sailed,” Rumbens said.

    “Labour income growth is good, but not good enough yet to avoid some damage to retail growth in the absence of an excuse to run down savings further. And when overall net wealth is heading downwards, it provides a fairly strong incentive for people to be more prudent with their cash.”

    This isn’t likely to affect every facet of the retail sector equally, with businesses that offer more essential items, such as supermarkets, unlikely to feel the downturn in the same way as those that offer bigger ticket items such as furniture. Retailers that have some flexibility in the stock that they carry, such as department stores, may wish to re-evaluate and refocus on more essential items, as discretionary spend continues to tighten. However, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom for retailers, as such a year affords the opportunity to make calculated changes to prepare for a predicted upturn in sales in 2020. One of the key things retailers can do over this ‘gap year’ is to analyse and improve the link they have with their customers, as well as the relationship they have with their employees and supply chains.

    “There has been… an increase in focus on payments to staff and suppliers, are there issues there that retailers need to investigate to put themselves on a more sound footing going forward?” Rumbens said.

    “Retailers should investigate activities which will support the business so that it’s better able to react when sales growth does move back up to a faster pace.”

    One way retailers can offset some of the strain of operating in the Australian retail environment is to utilise a digital international expansion into other markets.

    “With digital commerce, we’ve clearly seen a lot of great overseas presence in Australia, and I think there’s a lot that Australian retailers can explore there,” Rumbens said.

    “You’ve got quite strong economic and consumer spending growth through China, and a significant market in India. These are not activities to be undertaken lightly, but if you consider the 700 million internet users in China… is it time to start considering that market?”

    Rumbens also believes the Federal Government could offer a stimulus to the Australian public, which could provide support for retailers at a time when growth is slow.

    “There is a strong prospect of some government stimulus coming through and supporting the sector mid-year,” he said.

    “It’s likely to happen, but we’ll have a fair idea in the next couple of weeks when the Federal Budget is handed down.”

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  • Metro China For Sale

    Metro China For Sale

    German wholesaler Metro has called for bids for its China operations.

    The firm was reported last September to be considering exiting its Metro China retail business as part of a plan to focus on wholesaling activities worldwide. The sale is partially in response to the emerging strength of e-commerce in China.

    According to industry insiders, Metro is seeking a deal in a deal that would value the business from US$1.5–2 billion, covering 95 stores in the territory as well as real estate assets in several major cities. Some observers have estimated the Metro China business to be worth up to $3 billion.

    Several local retail chains and private equity firms are expected to be among potential bidders, although none of the named firms responded to requests for comment for a report. E-commerce giant Alibaba has previously held talks with Metro over a possible stakeholding in the business and tencent has been linked to a bid.

    First-round bids should emerge next month.

    In related news, the firm announced the opening of a new warehouse in Yangon last week, aiming to serve local professional customers in the fast-growing hospitality and tourism sectors in the region. Metro Myanmar will not run wholesale stores but provide a virtual shopping experience for customers through its e-commerce and delivery systems.

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  • Inbox gets its official shutdown date and Google lies

    Inbox gets its official shutdown date and Google lies

    Google let Inbox users know quite a while ago that it would be shutting down the app in March 2019 and Google has continually promised that users’ favorite Inbox features would be integrated into Gmail before anyone was forced to leave Inbox. Now, Google has put a specific date on the Inbox shutdown despite that promise not having been kept.

    Inbox users have been getting a pop-up notification for a while reminding them that the app is going away and urging users to try out Gmail, but in the past day, that notification has gotten more specific. Now, the notification gives a more accurate timeline with the number of days left before Inbox is shut down and the countdown points to April 1st. Unfortunately, right after that Google straight up lies to Inbox users by claiming that “You can find your favorite Inbox features in the Gmail app.”

    As an avid Inbox user since the app launched, I can say unequivocally that is a lie. Gmail has gotten options to snooze emails, which is probably someone’s favorite Inbox feature, but that’s about it. Gmail still doesn’t have all of Inbox’s bundles (like Trips), it doesn’t highlight actionable items inline (like attachments, places, etc), it doesn’t have an option to save links to Inbox (instead it added Keep and Tasks to Gmail’s sidebar, which isn’t the same, it doesn’t have an option to quickly archive all items in a group (be it a bundle or a group of messages from a specific day), and Gmail also doesn’t have Inbox’s option to pin messages or notes.

    Maybe Google will surprise us and add all of those features in the next two weeks, but given how slowly features from Inbox have been added to Gmail, it seems pretty unlikely. In the meantime, users are being forced to leave Inbox and unless Google surprises us all with a major upgrade to Gmail, it seems poised to have lied about what Inbox users can expect when migrating to Gmail.

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  • 1.4 million super saving Vietjet tickets priced from MYR0 up for grabs for three days!

    1.4 million super saving Vietjet tickets priced from MYR0 up for grabs for three days!

    With the arrival of the vibrant summer season, Vietjet has opened ticket sales on three new domestic routes, including Can Tho – Hai Phong, Can Tho – Vinh and Can Tho – Thanh Hoa which will operate from April 26, 2019.

    Celebrating this special occasion, Vietjet is offering 1.4 million super saving tickets priced only from MYR0 (*) on three golden days from March 20 to March 22, 2019 via the airline’s website. The promotional tickets are available during the golden hours from 1.00pm to 3.00pm, and applicable for all domestic routes in Vietnam. Travel time is from May 21, 2019 to December 31, 2019?

    The Can Tho – Hai Phong route will operate daily return flights; flying time is around 1 hour and 55 minutes per leg. The Can Tho – Vinh route will operate return flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday; flying time is around 1 hour and 50 minutes per leg. Meanwhile the Can Tho – Thanh Hoa route will operate return flights on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday; flying time is around 1 hour and 55 minutes per leg.

    Subsequently in May 2019, Vietjet will introduce two more new routes from Can Tho to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa province) and Dalat (Lam Dong province). With the addition of these new routes, Vietjet will have the distinction of being the only airline with the most routes and flights from and to Can Tho – the capital city of the Mekong Delta area.

    With a network comprising 39 domestic routes and 69 international routes, Vietjet operates safe flights with a technical reliability rate of 99.64% — the highest rate in the Asia Pacific region. As a fully-fledged member of International Air Transport Association (IATA), Vietjet has obtained the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate and has been awarded a 7-star ranking, the world’s highest rate for safety, by AirlineRatings.

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