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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.

  • Singapore’s Sun Electric begins solar power distribution

    Singapore’s Sun Electric begins solar power distribution

    Providing an environmentally friendlier alternative to power generation fired by coal or natural gas, home-grown Sun Electric kicked-off its first live distribution of solar power today (Feb 29) to local businesses. The solar power is distributed through Singapore’s power grid and supplied by solar energy generators installed in collaboration with JTC Corporation (JTC) and SPRING Singapore.

    The first solar energy company to obtain an electricity retail license in Singapore – Sun Electric also launched an array of clean energy products under SolarSpaceTM, a platform that enables consumers in cities to buy solar energy even if they do not have a roof of their own to install solar panels.

    “Our programme was developed to change the way cities obtain energy, and to allow cities to harness clean energy that can be obtained from their environment. Smaller consumers of energy such as SMEs can now do their part for the environment and sustainability by adopting clean energy,” Dr Matthew Peloso, CEO of Sun Electric said at a press conference attended by Mr Loh Khum Yean, Chairman of the Energy Market Authority (EMA).

    The programme, Dr Peloso said, allows rooftop owners to capture sunlight striking their roofs, and sell it to energy consumers in their city. Rooftop owners can install solar panels and generate energy while tracking their contributions to their city in real-time, and customers who buy the energy can monitor their usage easily on Sun Electric’s platform. This means that a city can now blend in solar energy as a component of its power supply with various consumers, the company said in a media release.

    Previously, only building owners who bought energy themselves could use solar power. Now, building owners can install solar energy generators on those rooftops while energy consumers who do not own rooftops can buy clean energy from them. “This system harnesses the power and connection of people who can put this city on a sustainable footing. This system requires no subsidies, and allows any competitive and open energy market to adopt solar energy,” Dr Peloso noted.

    Dr Peloso also announced the launch of Sun Electric in the USA, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines with “strategic partners abroad”.

    “By the second half of 2018 we aim open the electricity retail market to full retail competition. This will empower the remaining 1.3 million small consumers, mainly households , with more option on how to better meet their electricity needs,” Mr Loh Khum Yean, Chairman of the Energy Market Authority (EMA).

    Market interest in clean energy, Mr Loh said, has been growing significantly in Singapore where the total installed solar PV capacity has increased from 1.5 megawatt in 2009 to 43.8 megawatt by end 2015, enough to power around 14000 four-roomflats a year. “We expect the strong growth of solar to continue as technology improves and cost goes down… The demand for Cleantech solutions is growing both locally and overseas. This presents business growth opportunities not just for established companies but also for SMEs,” Mr Loh added.

    The company said, its portfolio of products including – SolarFlexTM, SolarLiteTM, SolarPeakTM and Solar100TM offer tailored electricity packages according to the percentage of clean energy required by individual consumers.

    Seven local companies including The Chope Group, Sky Tower on Sentosa, Pilatique, Seagift, Lotto Carpets Gallery, Absolute Living, and Duta Holdings, are the first set of clients receiving electricity from the solar energy generators installed on JTC rooftops in Tuas South under the test-bedding programme.

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  • Fund expands Indonesia exposure, buys into retail

    Fund expands Indonesia exposure, buys into retail

    Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC has increased its exposure to Indonesia’s growing middle class by investing 5.2 trillion rupiah ($385 million) in Trans Retail, the main retail arm of conglomerate CT Corp.

    CT Corp’s businesses span television and online media to retail, banking and amusement parks. Its retail arm Trans Retail, formerly a local unit of French retail group Carrefour, currently runs 86 hypermarkets and supermarkets in the country under the Carrefour and TRANSmart brands.

    GIC said in a press release on Wednesday that Trans Retail is taking advantage of the rapidly expanding consumer class as Indonesia’s retail scene shifts from traditional mom-and-pop stores to modern trade formats.

    “We are keen to build lasting partnerships with reputable local partners,” said Amit Kunal, GIC’s head of direct investments group for Southeast Asia.

    CT Corp’s owner Chairul Tanjung, Indonesia’s fifth richest businessman in 2015 according to U.S. magazine Forbes, is a rare breed of non-ethnic Chinese tycoons in the country who built his business from scratch. CT Corp gained full ownership of Trans Retail after it increased its stake to 100% in 2013 for 525 million euros ($578 million). The group also has a stake in Garuda Indonesia, the country’s flag carrier.

    GIC has been boosting investments in consumer sectors overseas, especially in emerging markets where the middle class population is growing. Its investments include retail, e-commerce, education and medical sectors.

    In 2014, the sovereign wealth fund participated in a round of investment for Indian e-commerce company Flipkart, which raised a total of $1 billion, and invested $104 million in Taiwanese music-streaming company KKBOX. The fund has also actively invested in various shopping malls overseas, including in the U.S., South Korea and Brazil.

    Nonetheless, uncertainties remain in the outlook for Indonesia’s retail scene. Trans Retail does not disclose its financial performance, but the earnings of Indonesian retailers have been under pressure amid a slowdown in consumer spending.

    Matahari Putra Prima, a listed hypermarket operator affiliated with the Lippo Group conglomerate, reported a 30% year-on-year decline in net profit for the nine months ended in September 2015. On Wednesday, supermarket operator Hero Supermarket said it would sell off its convenience store business.

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  • Shinsegae unveils revamped Gangnam department store

    Shinsegae unveils revamped Gangnam department store

    The revamped Shinsegae department store in Gangnam will officially open on Friday.

    The store’s concept is heavily inspired by the high-end department store chains Le Bon Marche in France and Saks Fifth Avenue in the U.S.

    The Shinsegae Group, which is Korea’s second-largest retailer, has added six new floors to the annex building of its store in the affluent area of southern Seoul. This makes the 86,500 square-meter store the largest department store in Seoul. It also now houses 1,000 brands, up from about 600 brands previously.

    “The Gangnam store is important in every way. We are striving to suggest shopping as a lifestyle rather than to seek for simply sales growth,” said Jang Jae-young, CEO of Shinsegae Department Store, at the press briefing to mark the opening.

    The company has seen sales come to a standstill over the past few years, mainly due to the global economic slowdown as well as competition from other retail channels such as e-commerce.

    The revamped store is designed to attract people who prefer a luxurious in-store shopping experience and Shinsegae expects it to be a game changer. Its Gangnam branch is expected to generate 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in its first year and 2 trillion won by 2019.

    Brands within the store are categorized into four major themes – shoes, contemporary, kids and living. Products Items are divided based on themes rather than by brand names. Hence luxury brands, such as Christian Louboutin, and domestic brands, such as Soda, mingle in the same zone.

    For those preparing for marriage, the store has dedicated a whole floor to wedding gifts and lifestyle goods. There, you can find anything from luxury goods, such as jewelry and watches worth hundreds of millions of won, to silver three-story tea trays or zen-style flower arrangements.

    “According to our research, people from countries exceeding gross domestic production per capita of $30,000 value the experience of shopping, its process and services they receive. We think the Korean market is ready for this,” said Ryu Sin-yul, vice president of the Gangnam store.

    Shinsegae plans to open five more stores this year — Busan Centum City Mall in March, an urban duty free store in May, two stores in Gimhae of South Gyeongsang Province and Daegu in June and December respectively as well as Hanam Union Square shopping mall in September.

    “We are not trying to compete with (other retail powerhouses such as) Hyundai or Lotte. We will create a new generation of shoppers who have never been to department stores before,” Ryu said.

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  • HCL Care Wins Asia Retail Excellence Award in ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’

    HCL Care Wins Asia Retail Excellence Award in ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’

    The HCL Care division (HCL Care Services) of HCL Services Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of HCL Infosystems Ltd. (India’s premier IT Services and Distribution Company), has won the prestigious Asia Retail Excellence award in the ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’ category at an award ceremony held in Mumbai. This recognition was conferred on HCL Care Services for providing excellent end-to-end support services for various product categories across locations in India.

    On receiving this recognition, Mr. Sharad Talwar, Head, HCL Care Ltd. said, ” We are honored to receive the prestigious Asia Retail Excellence award in the ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’ category. This award encourages us to continue delivering service excellence and exceptional after-sales support to our customers. Today we provide world-class service support, including setting up exclusive Service Centres to leading OEMs, and are the preferred partner for leading Indian and international brands.”

    HCL Care Services provide support across telecom, IT, consumer electronics and consumer durables products for multiple brands through its contact centres, walk-in centres, on-site support, supply-chain operations, reverse logistics, repair factory and value-added services. HCL Care Services, under its specialized retail outlets ‘Touch’, have a network of more than 300 service centres across 250 cities in India, and serves more than 3 million consumers in a year. HCL Consumer Services has further expanded its retail presence by opening up exclusive service centres for various brands.

    Asia Retail Congress is an important global platform to promote world-class retail practices. The forum is aimed at company chairs, presidents and CEOs from leading international and national retailers, directors of international and national retailers, and directors of international brands, who believe in making a change. Their awards recognize best practices in the retail industry across various categories like fashion, consumer durables, mobile and telecom services, food, travel and hospitality, health, real estate, etc.

  • China’s Dalian Wanda Group to Invest in France’s Europa City

    China’s Dalian Wanda Group to Invest in France’s Europa City

    China’s Dalian Wanda Group Co. is planning to make big investments in France, sources said on Thursday. The Chinese entertainment and real-estate conglomerate is aggressively targeting foreign acquisitions in an attempt to continue business growth amid a slowdown in China.

    The Chinese company is broadening its global ambitions and in advance talks to make a large investment in a retail and development hub called Europa City, located on the outskirts of Paris, sources said. Europa City, the multibillion-dollar development, is expected to open in 2024, according to the company’s official website. The development will include a theme park, cultural exhibitions, retail shops, restaurants, and sports venues. In addition, the project will spread across 200 acres of land, according to reports.

    The deal, if successfully close down, would check Wanda’s first real move into France. Yet, it has greater arrangements for the nation. Wanda, owned by Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, is keen on possibly purchasing Amaury Sport Organization, an organization that runs cycling’s Tour de France race, individuals acquainted with Wanda’s deal said. However, the deal is still in its early stages.

    Wanda owns most of the shopping malls and different theme parks in China. The Europa City deal will likely strengthen the company’s position both in home and overseas market. Likewise, it will also mark a victory for the Chinese based investor as it was keen to expand its business outside China and diversify its investments. Earlier in January, Wanda Group also announced that the company is looking to construct an industrial park in Haryana, a province in northern India, with an investment of around $10 billion.

    The Group’s goal of expanding globally is clear and it underwent a buying spree in the past three years. In January 2016, it acquired Legendary Entertainment for an amount close to $3.5 billion. The investment was the result of the Chinese commercial property developer’s ambitions to become a global film giant. Legendary was responsible for providing the finances for popular box office hits such “Godzilla,” “Inception,” and “Jurassic World.” In China, the Hollywood company co-financed “Pacific Rim,” which later turned out to be a box office hit. Recently, Wanda Group also financed “Southpaw,” a hit Hollywood boxing movie.

    Moreover, the company also invested $2.6 billion in US movie-theater chain, AMC Entertainment. Likewise, it has also made an entrance into the sports industry. Last year, the Chinese group bought Infront Sports & Media AG for approximately $1.2 billion. It has also purchased a reasonable 20% stake in Atletico Madrid, a Spanish soccer club for around $49.6 million. If it’s successfully able to acquire the organization that runs Tour de France, the company will make a very prominent investor in the sports industry.

    A larger proportion of Wanda’s business is in China, but the country’s cooling real-estate sector has encouraged the company to focus on overseas acquisitions. It has already closed down some of its retail stores in the country amid poor sales. As for now, in China, the company is focusing towards investing in the e-commerce and financial sector.

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  • Revamped Siam Discovery to embrace ‘lifestyle’ concept

    Revamped Siam Discovery to embrace ‘lifestyle’ concept

    The 18-year-old mall in central Bangkok has been closed for a Bt4-billion overhaul since May and expects to reopen under the new title “Siam Discovery – The Exploratorium” next quarter.

    “We want to create a unique shopping experience for all customers. To make the new Siam Discovery different from its neighbouring shopping malls Siam Center and Siam Paragon, we want to introduce a revolutionary new retail concept in Thailand,” said Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive officer of Siam Piwat, which also owns and operates Siam Paragon and Siam Center.

    To turn this shopping venue into a hybrid retail destination, Siam Piwat decided to ensure that its 40,000 square metres of retail space would offer a range of products and undertake sales and marketing strategies that would be more flexible and respond to customers’ demands.

    Previously, Siam Discovery hosted at least 120 retail tenants.

    After the reopening, there will be hundreds of categories and more than 5,000 international and local brands on offer.

    “We invited [Japanese design studio] Nendo to provide the inspirational design concept for Siam Discovery because Siam Piwat looks at the future from a global perspective rather than just the potential of the Thai market,” Chadatip said.

    To turn this vision into reality, the Siam Discovery renovation was overseen by Oki Sato, one of the world’s top designers.

    “Our role as a retailer has advanced to another level and become one of managing visitors’ experiences and emotions at the destination, rather than just one of managing products, categories and displays,” Chadatip stressed.

    Besides being Nendo’s largest project in Thailand, this is the first major facelift of the 18-year old shopping complex. The aim is to cash in on the potential growth in shopping and retail markets in Thailand following the implementation of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) early this year.

    Chadatip said the 2 million square metres comprising the Siam area was considered one of top-ranked retail destinations in Bangkok, which annually attracts more than 200,000 visitors. The number of foreign-tourist arrivals is expected to rise, particularly after the full implementation of the AEC.

    Give this potential, one year after the reopening, Siam Discovery is expected to welcome 100,000 visitors a day, of whom about 65 per cent will be local shoppers while the remaining 30-35 per cent will be foreign tourists.

    “We aim to double our sales revenue within one year compared the sales in the year before this major renovation,” she said.

    Siam Piwat targets recovering the cost of this renovation within five to six year as it believes that this is a long-term investment. By the end of this year, the company hopes to see at least 10-per-cent revenue growth, partly driven by the new Siam Discovery.

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  • 2016 Chinese business gets off to a roaring start in Korea

    2016 Chinese business gets off to a roaring start in Korea

    The Chinese tourism and travel retail business began with a bang in January with arrivals up by +32.4% year-on-year to 521,981, according to Korea Tourism Organization.

    The growth is all the more impressive for coming off a strong base. January 2015 saw a similarly robust +32.9% rise to 394,345.

    Departures by Koreans also rose strongly, up +15.1% in January to 2,112,337, following an impressive +20.1% increase in 2015.

    The January figures will be much welcomed by Korean travel retailers after a difficult 2015 caused by the mid-year MERS crisis. Chinese arrivals dipped by -2.3% last year, a fall driven entirely by the catastrophic slump in tourism from June through August.

    Japanese visitor arrivals remained soft in January, falling -2.0% to 136,884, following a -19.4% fall in 2015.

    For 2015, Chinese visitors accounted for 45.2% of all arrivals, with the once dominant Japanese representing a mere 13.9% share.

    Visitor arrivals by gender for January; Source: Korea Tourism Organization
    Visitor arrivals by purpose and nationality for January; Source: Korea Tourism Organization
    Outbound departures of Korean nationals by gender for January; Source: Korea Tourism Organization
    Visitor arrivals by gender for 2015; Source: Korea Tourism Organization
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  • Korean’s Eland To Build Tourism JV With China’s Wanda

    Korean’s Eland To Build Tourism JV With China’s Wanda

    South Korea’s apparel brand Eland recently signed an agreement with China’s Wanda Group to establish a tourism joint venture in South Korea.

    This is reportedly the first cooperating result of the two parties since they signed their leisure industry investment agreement in June 2014.

    According to the agreement, Eland and Wanda will each hold a 50% stake in the tourism JV and they will each account for half of the board of directors. However, Eland will be responsible for the operation of the JV. The two parties are expected to agree on actual processes, including deciding on a corporate name, in March 2016 at the latest.

    A representative from Eland said that by combining Eland’s diversity with Wanda’s online advantage in China, the two parties will achieve better results. Wanda Group operates in various industries such as department stores, hotels, real estate, and tourism in China. By cooperating with Wanda, Eland plans to transfer its major business from fashion to logistics.

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  • Online shopping boom in Korea risks mall debt downgrades

    Online shopping boom in Korea risks mall debt downgrades

    South Koreans are spending record amounts shopping with their mobile devices, raising the risk of debt downgrades for retail giants still focused on mall traffic.

    The odds that the nation’s No 1 department store operator, Lotte Shopping Co, will miss debt payments in the coming 12 months doubled to 0.64 per cent from 0.29 per cent a year earlier, according to Bloomberg’s default-risk model that takes into account a company’s finances and stock moves. That suggests it merits a non-investment debt rating. Default risk using the model also climbed for Shinsegae Co, the third-ranked department store operator.

    Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings have both changed their outlook for Lotte Shopping’s score to negative from stable this month, following a cut in Shinsegae’s outlook to negative by Korea Investors Service last month. The nation’s mobile shopping transactions surged 64 per cent to a record 24.4 trillion won (S$28 billion) last year while sales at department stores dropped for a second straight year, according to Statistics Korea data.

    “We don’t expect a meaningful improvement in Lotte Shopping’s earnings this year,” said Hong Kong- based senior analyst at Moody’s, Wan Hee Yoo.

    Lotte Shopping expects sales in its overseas business to grow this year and it also seeks to increase domestic sales by linking its online and off-line businesses, said its spokesman on Wednesday.

    Shinsegae has been making efforts to reduce its debt ratio since last year, including by selling shares of Samsung Life Insurance Co and issuing perpetual bonds, said its spokesman on Wednesday.

    The spread on Shinsegae’s dollar notes due in 2045 rose to 185 basis points on Feb 23, the highest since its issue in May, showed Bloomberg-compiled data. Lotte Shopping’s 2017 bond spread has fallen 14 basis points this year to 130.

    The nation’s online shopping market is forecast to grow to more than 100 trillion won by 2019, with purchases on mobiles making up about 75 per cent, said Korea Ratings last month, citing Bain & Co’s projection.

    Total transactions on the Internet increased 19 per cent to 53.9 trillion won last year, according to Statistics Korea data.

    South Korea’s smartphone penetration rate is the world’s fourth highest at 83 per cent as of end-March, according to a KT Economics & Management Research Lab report released in July.

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  • Malaysia to Invest in Indonesian Startup Companies

    Malaysia to Invest in Indonesian Startup Companies

    Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP) held a meeting with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to talk about e-commerce.  With the revision of negative investment list, it is expected to facilitate the state’s investment towards digital business in Indonesia.

    Communications and Informatics Minister Rudiantara appreciates this intention.  However, he asked that Malaysia not only invests in funding, but also request that the cooperation can simultaneously share knowledge.  “So its not just about money, but also on the know how,” he said in Jakarta on Tuesday, Feb 23.

    Rudiantara said that Malaysia’s intention to invest in the e-commerce sector is normal.  Especially when Indonesia is the largest digital economy in ASEAN.  In order to quickly achieve digital economy by 2020, Indonesia needs knowledge and experts.

    Deputy of Investment Implementation Control of the Indonesian Coordinating Investment Board (BKPM) Azhar Lubis says to build a startup company, this type of financing is actually required.  This is supported by the revision of DNI.

    The financing is a solution if a company wants to develop but has difficulties getting a bank loan, especially when bank loan requires collateral.  “Hopefully there will be many startup companies that can be aided,” said Azhar.

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  • Retailers grapple with dull domestic consumption

    Retailers grapple with dull domestic consumption

    South Korea’s retail stocks suffered a series of challenges last year, including the broader economy’s downturn to a nationwide outbreak of a deadly virus. Experts see no turnaround in sight for them this year, as economic worries continue to weigh down on consumer sentiment while competition from online and mobile rivals intensify.

    “It’s hard to expect a dramatic turnaround for the retail industry, except from the base effect from the year-earlier period when the MERS outbreak kept people holed up in their homes,” said Kim Ji-hyo, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities,

    The combined operating profit of 10 major retail companies, including

     


    department stores, home shopping firms and convenience stores, declined 11 percent in 2015 from a year earlier, according to Hyundai Securities.

    The government had pushed retailers to hold coordinated sales events last year starting in October, which helped increase private consumption by an annual 3.2 percent in the final quarter of 2015 — the strongest figure in five years.

    But the spike in spending seemed short-lived after the bargain ended.

    January’s consumer sentiment index slipped to a level on par with July last year when consumption fell into the doldrums in the aftermath of the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak.

    “For the time being, I do not expect to see meaningful growth in domestic consumption,” Kim said.

    Last December, hypermarkets reported a 5.1 percent year-over-year drop in sales as they failed to recover from the human traffic loss to department stores during the massive sale events initiated by the government, according to Mirae Asset Securities.

    Department stores were also affected by an unseasonably warm winter that held back the sales of winter goods, which suffered a 5.7 percent year-on-year decline.

    Shares of retail giant Shinsegae fell by nearly 20 percent, from 262,500 won ($212.63) in November to 211,000 won in Monday’s trading.

    Some say the malaise of the retail sector owes much to a shift in consumer spending patterns.

    Major retailers are failing to adapt to the growth of online and mobile shopping, they say.

    “The sharp drop in retail firms’ earnings is bound up with the mobile shopping market’s growth. It won’t be an easy battle to fight against online rivals,” Kim Keun-Jong, analyst at Hyundai Securities said.

    For traditional retailers, opening of physical retail outlets used to provide significant advantages in expanding the geographical reach of business, but with the huge spike in mobile shopping, they have lost the competitive advantage, he added.

    In contrast to large retailers, Korea’s mobile retail market is large and growing. Its value increased to 13 trillion won in 2015 from just 60 billion won in 2008.

    Convenience stores remain a bright spot for the retail industry. Sales at convenience stores jumped 29.6 percent on-year to 16.52 trillion won last year, due to the popularity of convenient meals prepared away from home and increased margins in cigarette prices.

    “Although the positive impact of the cigarette price hike on the convenience stores’ revenues will fade away this year, they are expected to improve profitability by expanding a range of private brand products, such as prepackaged meals and coffee,” Lim Dong-geun, an analyst at Mirae Asset said.

     

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  • Lotte, Salim to set up e-commerce platform solution JV in Indonesia

    Lotte, Salim to set up e-commerce platform solution JV in Indonesia

    South Korea’s retail conglomerate Lotte Group said Sunday that it plans to form a joint e-commerce venture with Indonesia’s biggest conglomerate Salim Group to grab a pie of the rapidly growing e-commerce market in Indonesia.

    According to Lotte Group, its Chairman Shin Dong-bin on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement with Salim Group Chairman Anthony Salim to establish an e-commerce platform solution joint venture in the first half of this year. They aim to officially launch the company early next year.

    The South Korean retail mogul expects the Indonesian online retail market to grow to 25 trillion won ($20.27 billion) in value by 2020 after the market grew to 3.2 trillion won in 2014. The two companies plan to set up a comprehensive e-commerce platform solution and logistics service that will allow Lotte’s 41 offline retail stores and one department store operating in the Southeast Asian country as well as Salim’s 11,000 offline convenient stores, Indomaret, to sell and deliver products to Indonesian consumers. They will also introduce some popular products of Lotte Mart and Lotte Department Store in Korea through the new platform.

    In Indonesia, Lotte is operating one department store, 41 retail stores (including two grocery stores), 31 Lotteria fast-food franchises, two Angel-in-us cafés and two Lotte duty-free shops (one in airport and the other in downtown). In 2010, the retail group acquired Titan Chemicals, one of the leading petrochemical company in Southeast Asia, to gain a foothold in the petrochemical industry in the region.

    Salim Group, the biggest Indonesian conglomerate, operates a diverse array of business ranging from food, infrastructure, logistics, telecommunications, media and automobile, to real estate.

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  • Walmart India ramps up investment

    Walmart India ramps up investment

    US-retail giant Walmart is investing between $240m and $300m to bolster its presence in India by expanding its number of stores from 21 to 70 by 2020.

    “We have a cash-and-carry model, and the growth has been good for us,” Walmart India VP and head of corporate affairs Rajneesh Kumar told Retail Update.

    “Each store takes two to three years to set up. These will create nearly 2000 direct and indirect jobs.”

    Walmart India inside

    Meanwhile, Walmart’s technology centre in Bengaluru is also expanding its role and headcount, ramping up from 750 employees to 1200 by next month, says the Business Standard.

    “Most of the growth at Walmart Labs here is driven by supply chain and analytics,” says Walmart Global Technology Services VP and MD Jayakumar K. “The focus is to set up two centres of excellence, from ground up.”

    Walmart is working to merge its retail stores and online presence to become an omni-channel player, and has merged its computer systems technology team and its eCommerce technology team in Silicon Valley to create Walmart Technology.

    Jayakumar says that as the announcement is new, the immediate impact on the India centre is yet to unfold.

    “However, the combined structure in some sense already exists here. The Bengaluru centre is the only one in the world for Walmart where both these teams work together. We not only work in the same building, but have also collaborated on projects.”

    Walmart has made huge changes to its technology roadmap for its eCommerce over the past few years. Two years ago, the company changed from using off-the-shelf applications to using more software developed in-house.

    In India, it has created the Pangaea platform, which has been partially rolled out locally and this year will be introduced in other countries.

    Jayakumar says this approach allows the company to be quicker and more agile when launching products.

    As well as its focus on technology, Walmart is also tapping into the start-up ecosystem, acquiring 15 start-ups since 2011.

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  • Hong Kong start-up PopUp Angels offers retailers Popup Stores

    Hong Kong start-up PopUp Angels offers retailers Popup Stores

    Hong Kong start-up PopUp Angels is offering a short-term alternative to retailers and landlords with pop-up store rentals as shop vacancies across the city continue to rise.

    Launched in November in Hong Kong, the PopUp Angels portal lets retailers, or food and beverage companies, test ideas and reach new markets without committing to a long contract.

    While demand from potential tenants is high, the city’s landlords are slowly coming round to the idea as their traditional model comes under threat from slumping retails sales.

    “Given that the retail market in Hong Kong has been doing so well in the past few years, it takes a while for the landlords to realise the golden age has passed and it’s time to find different ways to maximise the use of their vacant spaces,” said Kit Chan, director of PopUp Angels.

    Real Estate Agency Sheraton Valuers predicted the vacancy rate for ground floor stores in Causeway Bay to reach one in 10 in the wake of the recently ended Lunar New Year holiday.

    Retail sales recorded a year-on-year decrease of 3.7 per cent in 2015, hitting the lowest level since 2002, pushing many retailers to close stores.

    The start-up is aimed at companies testing a new idea or online retailers wanting to open a bricks and mortar store for a short period to boost their brands’ presence.

    PopUp Angels offer spaces to rent for any period from one day to up to a year, Chan said.

    Rental prices range from HK$3,000 (US$386) a day for a 375-sq-ft space in Central to HK$25,000 a week for two-storey location in the Western district.

    The start-up is also able to put potential tenants in touch with contractors and help guide them through any licensing issues.

    PopUp Angels was launched last September in Singapore, where the majority of vacant properties it lists are in shopping malls, according to Adrian Chan, who heads the operation in the Lion City.

    Melanie B, owner of Yoga BamBam, leases out the 375-sq-ft first floor space above her studio in Central through PopUp Angels to help with costs and to bring in some creativity.

    The former art gallery below PMQ – a design cluster on the grounds of the city’s former Police Married Quarters – was renovated with the goal of leasing the space as a pop-up by including internet access for card payment, a sturdy floor and lighting suitable for displaying art.

    “I don’t like stagnation, so the idea of a pop-up is that it changes every weekend, or every week,” she said.

    “So to have designer lingerie one week and then a hair product the next seems like a fun way to do it.”

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  • Hong Kong tourism, retail continue slump with less mainlander visits

    Hong Kong tourism, retail continue slump with less mainlander visits

    The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said on Jan. 19 that the number of visitors to the city fell 2.5 percent last year over 2014 to 59.31 million, among whom 45.84 million were from the Chinese mainland, down 3 percent. The number of overnight mainland visitors dropped 5.7 percent to slightly less than 18 million.

    Even Christmas season failed to meet expectations, with the number of mainland travelers being merely 3.72 million in December, down 15.5 percent, the biggest monthly drop in 2015.

    The total number of visitors to Hong Kong had been on the decline for seven consecutive months since June, the HKTB said.

    On the other hand, the retail sector also had a difficult time. According to the latest data from Hong Kong’s Census and Statistics Department, retail sales totaled 475.2 billion Hong Kong dollars in 2015, down 3.7 percent from 2014, the biggest drop since 2002.

    Last December’s retail sales were estimated at 43.7 billion Hong Kong dollars, down 8.5 percent year-on-year, while the total volume of retail in the same month fell 6.1 percent.

    Sales revenues of jewelry, watches and luxury gifts registered the biggest fall, down 17 percent in December year-on-year and 15.6 percent last year from 2014. In addition, clothes, commodities at department stores, medicine and cosmetics all saw a fall in revenue.

    The retail sector has been falling since March 2015, and saw revenue drops for ten months in a row last year. Retail sales in August totaled 37.9 billion Hong Kong dollars, down 5.4 percent year-on-year, the biggest fall in 2015.

    On February 15, Hong Kong Disneyland said it suffered a net profit loss of 148 million Hong Kong dollars, the first of its kind since 2012.

    Besides, Ocean Park,recently reported a double-digit fall in the number of mainland visitors during the Spring Festival holidays, while total admissions to the park fell 14 percent in 2015. Tom Mehrmann, the park’s chief executive, said the number of mainland visitors now has dropped to a mere 40 percent of the total admissions from over 50 percent in July 2015, and he expected a further drop in numbers during the months to come.

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