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Category: Living

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

  • Disney+ hits a crucial figure four years ahead of expectations

    Disney+ hits a crucial figure four years ahead of expectations

    The Disney+ streaming service launched on November 12th and after just two weeks we called it “a real threat to Netflix.” While that was met by more than a few skeptics among our loyal readers saying that we jumped the gun, the streamer has gone from strength to strength. According to Today, the House of Mouse released its fiscal third-quarter earnings and announced that as of Monday, Disney+ had 60.5 million paid subscribers. The company’s goal of reaching 60 million to 90 million paid subscribers by 2024 was achieved four years earlier than expected thanks to the pandemic.

    With many families locked inside because of the coronavirus outbreak, Disney+ provided entertainment featuring characters well-loved by parents and their children. And this afternoon, the entertainment firm announced that with movie theaters still closed, the live-action version of Mulan will launch exclusively on Disney+. The film will debut on the site beginning September 4th. However, it will still cost subscribers an additional $29.99 to watch the film on the platform.

    And as if we needed another streaming service in the world, Disney also announced an upcoming new “general entertainment” streamer that will debut next year; it will use the Star brand that Disney acquired from Fox. The streaming content offered by this streamer will include titles from companies already owned by Disney such as ABC Studios, Fox Television, FX, Freeform, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight. In many markets, the new service will be integrated with Disney+.

    While the most up-to-date numbers show 60.5 million paid subscribers for Disney+, during the fiscal third quarter that figure was 57.5 million while Hulu had 35.5 subscribers. Add in the 8.5 million ESPN+ paid members during the same three months and overall Disney had over 100 million subscribers paying for its streaming services.

    The real test for Disney will come on Disney+’s one-year anniversary. That’s because the initial batch of Verizon’s unlimited subscribers, who receive a free one-year Disney+ subscription, will have to decide whether or not they want to lay out their own money to continue receiving the service. Unlike most things, Disney, Disney+ is actually very reasonably priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 for a year. Each account can include seven different user-profiles and four can stream on different screens simultaneously.

    While it is obvious that Disney+ includes Disney’s classic animation like Cinderella, the Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast, it also includes Pixar classics like all of the Toy Story films. If you grew up on Disney Channel shows like That’s So Raven, Even Stevens, Hannah Montana, and Lizzie McGuire, they are all on the app as well. And some shows that were broadcast on network television while produced by Disney, such as the very underrated Boy Meets World, make great binge-watching fare. Star Wars fans can view every film from the series and relive the moments when you first met characters like Luke, Darth Vader, R2D2, and Jar Jar Binks. Other Star Wars related titles can be streamed include Disney+’s first breakout hit The Mandalorian which introduced us to the adorable Baby Yoda.

    Marvel fans can turn to Disney+ to watch the Avengers, Iron Man, and Black Panther films. And adventure junkies will surely find content to watch under the National Geographic heading on the app. While the service might not cater to all tastes as Netflix does, you shouldn’t have a problem discovering something to stream on Disney+.

    Discussing the results of its streaming services during the quarter, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said, “Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we’ve continued to build on the incredible success of Disney+ as we grow our global direct-to-consumer business. The global reach of our full portfolio of direct-to-consumer services now exceeds an astounding 100 million paid subscriptions — a significant milestone and a reaffirmation of our DTC strategy, which we view as key to the future growth of our company.”

    If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can download Disney+ from the Apple App Store. Those with an Android device can do the same from the Google Play Store. And the app can be loaded on the web at www.disneyplus.com. But be careful. Watch Disney+ for too long and you might start feeling a little goofy.

  • Hong Kong’s Swindon Book Store closes after 100 years in Business

    Hong Kong’s Swindon Book Store closes after 100 years in Business

    Swindon Book Co, one of the oldest bookstores in Hong Kong, will permanently close at the end of this month.

    The 5000sqft Tim Sha Tsui venue, with its distinctive vintage storefront on Lock Road, has operated for more than a century. Its closure comes as several other major booksellers exit the Hong Kong market, including all 16 branches of Popular Bookstore, which traded for 40 years in the territory prior to closing in March. Chain stores Dymocks and Page One both departed Hong Kong during the past five years.

    Reports have blamed high rentals and online competitors for the closures.

    A Facebook message posted by the store on Tuesday announced a new chapter in the brand’s journey with a move online, while subsidiary stores Hong Kong Book Centre and Kelly & Walsh will remain open.

    “We deeply appreciate all your support over the years and we are truly honored to have spent time with you at retail,” read the post.

    Swindon Book Co, which distributes school textbooks in Hong Kong, partnered with e-book firm Kobo several years ago as an authorized seller of the device in order to keep up with the times.

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  • Spotify launches Group Session feature for Premium users

    Spotify launches Group Session feature for Premium users

    Spotify introduced two weeks ago a special premium plan for couples, which allows two users who reside at the same address to get similar benefits for just $12.99 per month. While the new plan does make sense for a certain category of customers, it’s limited by the fact that both users must have the same address to be eligible for the Spotify Premium Duo plan.

    Spotify announced a new feature that will allow multiple Premium users to share control of their listening sessions with others in real-time. Basically, Spotify Premium users will be able to listen together to their favorite tune, regardless of their location.

    Group Session, as Spotify calls it, enables groups of two to five people to use the feature by sharing a “join” link via messaging apps or social media with each other. Initially released in beta back in May, the new Group Session feature is only available to Premium users and lets both host and guests pause, skip, play, and select tracks in the queue.

    Also, Group Session includes the option to add in choices whenever the host or guests feel like. All changes are made instantaneously, so if you want to change add a new song to the list or skip the current one, these actions will be reflected on all participant devices immediately.

    Spotify Premium users can start taking advantage of the new feature by heading to the Connect menu and tapping on the “Start a group session” option. Then, they will be able to share the invite link they get with their friends or have them scan the Spotify code to join the session.

  • Casino operator RIC posts $2.3 mln loss

    Casino operator RIC posts $2.3 mln loss

    Royal International Corporation (RIC), which operates the largest casino in Quang Ninh Province, posted a loss of VND54 billion ($2.3 million) in the first half.

    The second quarter was the third consecutive quarter the HCMC Stock Exchange-listed company had reported a loss. Its accumulated loss by the end of June totaled VND282 billion ($12.2 million).

    Revenue in the first half fell 38 percent year-on-year to VND49 billion ($2.1 million) as its hotel and casino complex in travel hotspot Ha Long Town was closed most of April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The company has been cutting down staff and salaries in recent months to reduce costs. In the first six months, its employee numbers fell by 334 to 1,059. It had earlier forecast revenues of VND294 billion ($12.7 million) this year, of which 64 percent would be drawn from the casino and 36 percent from hospitality. Last year Royal International Corporation had posted a loss of VND72 billion ($3.1 million), blaming it on the increasing number of casinos in Ha Long.

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  • HBO Max already has over 4 million subscribers in the US

    HBO Max already has over 4 million subscribers in the US

    HBO Max launched in the United States at the end of May. Today, almost two months later, WarnerMedia parent company AT&T has announced that the streaming service already has over 4 million subscribers.

    Speaking on an earnings call earlier today, AT&T CEO John Stankey revealed to analysts and investors that HBO and HBO Max reached a combined total of 36.3 million subscribers by the end of June.

    Therefore, HBO Max reached its 4.1 million subscriber count in little over a month. The numbers do pale in comparison to the incredible 10 million subscriber count Disney+ achieved in only 24 hours, but the HBO Max feat is impressive nonetheless.

    Roughly 3 million were retail customers while the remaining 1.1 million came from activations through AT&T platforms such as bundle plans. The latter is surprisingly low considering the millions of customers that are eligible for the service.

    WarnerMedia already had 30 million cable customers and HBO Now subscribers that could be moved over to HBO Max at launch. But Stankey revealed the company has had trouble getting people subscribed to cable services over to the service.

    Improving that situation is now an area of focus, the CEO said. The company is also having discussions with Roku and Amazon about getting the streaming service onto their respective Roku TV and Fire TV platforms, which are the two most popular in the US.

    The negotiations aren’t going as smoothly as they could, though. Amazon, in particular, has reportedly taken an “approach of treating HBO Max and its customers differently” than competing services and their respective customers.

    WarnerMedia insists that HBO Max should be launched as an independent app on both Roku and Amazon platforms, but these company want the streaming service integrated into their Channels section like HBO and HBO Now.

    Whatever the outcome, it seems customers will enjoy the service. The amount of time spent inside the HBO Max app is up an impressive 70% compared to HBO Now thanks to the expanded content library.

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  • NBA and Titan launch merchandising partnership in the Philippines

    NBA and Titan launch merchandising partnership in the Philippines

    The US National Basketball Association (NBA) has signed a multiyear merchandising partnership with Titanomachy, Philippines’ basketball specialty store.

    Under the partnership, NBA will relaunch its official e-commerce store in the Philippines, which is operated by Titan, next month.

    The online store will offer a wide selection of merchandise from all NBA’s 30 teams, including jerseys, shirts, footwear, headwear, outerwear, accessories and equipment.

    “We look forward to providing passionate Filipino fans with unprecedented access to authentic NBA products through the relaunch of the league’s online store,” said Lesley Rulloda, NBA Asia Associate VP of global merchandising.

    The NBA online store will also feature exclusive collections and products, including the NBA Philippines Tees Collection.

    “Our newly forged partnership with the NBA will enable us to cater to a wider range of Filipino basketball fans and equip them with new ways to express their love for their favorite teams, players and league,” said Mike Ignacio, MD of Titanomachy.

    The NBA Philippines is the league’s 25th branded international e-commerce store.

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  • Spotify rolls out video podcasts to free and premium users worldwide

    Spotify rolls out video podcasts to free and premium users worldwide

    Podcasts are a thing for several years now, but they only recently blow up. Spotify and other music streaming services are pushing out lots of features related to podcasts, including the option to see the actual podcasters, while listening to them.

    Spotify revealed that it’s now rolling out a new video podcast feature with select podcasts, which will allow both free and premium users to listen to or watch these podcasts. Spotify also highlighted some of the podcasts that will benefit from video integration: Book of Basketball 2.0, Fantasy Footballers, The Misfits Podcast, H3 Podcast, The Morning Toast, Higher Learning with Van Lathan & Rachel Lindsay, and The Rooster Teeth Podcast.

    Regardless of whether you’re using an Android or iOS device, you can watch podcasts by pressing the play icon that usually appears on compatible podcasts. They should start automatically and sync almost immediately with the audio feed.

    The option to download the audio on your phone so that you can listen to your favorite podcasts on the go will remain available. Keep in mind that the video feature will only roll out in countries where podcasts are supported.

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  • Ikea City store in Shanghai opens, a Chinese first for Swedish retailer

    Ikea City store in Shanghai opens, a Chinese first for Swedish retailer

    Swedish home-furnishing giant Ikea opens an Ikea City store in Shanghai today, its first such outlet in China.

    The Ikea City opening comes after the Ikea Tmall flagship launch in March as part of the brand’s strategy to broaden the ways it reaches Chinese customers, making the brand more accessible.

    Located in Jing’an district, the store spans three floors and occupies 3000sqm. It will feature a limited range of about 3500 products.

    “We’re seeking to diversify store formats, including online channels as well, to complement each other in order to test, learn and gain feedback from customers to fuel future growth,” Francois Brenti, VP of Ikea China said.

    “We have seen solid growth of online channels following the pandemic and we expect this to continue in the future,” he said.

    The new Ikea City Shanghai store will take the brand’s number of stores in the city to five.

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  • Don Don Donki kicking off in Malaysia

    Don Don Donki kicking off in Malaysia

    Japanese discount retailer Don Don Donki is to launch its first store in Malaysia next year.

    Located in Lot 10 shopping center, the Don Don Donki Malaysia store spans three floors, offering a wide range of Japanese goods and globally-sourced products.

    “Pan Pacific Retail Management is strategic in choosing our mall for its location to attract not just the locals but also to capture the heavy tourist traffic from the dense cluster of hotels in and around Bukit Bintang,” said Joseph Yeoh, vice president of YTL Land, which operates Lot 10.

    The store will anchor the new entrance of Lot 10, which will be directly connected to the Bukit Bintang MRT station.

    The Don Don Donki Malaysia Lot 10 store is expected to be completed in the last quarter of this year and open its door to the public in early next year.

    “Its dynamic concept is an excellent addition to our tenant mix which reinforces our mall’s youthful vibes of Meet, Play, #LoveLot10,” he said.

    Since its launch in Southeast Asia in 2017, Don Don Donki has progressively expanded across the region with seven outlets in Singapore and two stores in Bangkok. The Japanese chain has also opened three stores in Hong Kong in just one year.

  • Here’s how you can win over 83 years of free Netflix service

    Here’s how you can win over 83 years of free Netflix service

    This year, thanks to the global pandemic, Netflix has proven to be a much-needed distraction for those stuck inside. During the second quarter, the company added more than 10 million new subscribers worldwide. And now one lucky person could end up winning 1,000 free months of Netflix service. That works out to more than 83 years of service. You read that right. Who knows? COVID-19  might be eradicated by then. Netflix calls it the “immortal account.”

    To win the contest, you need to play a Netflix original game based on its new action film “The Old Guard.” This is the motion picture version of a graphic novel written by Greg Rucka. Starring Charlize Theron, the film is about a team of “noble mercenaries” who just cannot die. And this immortality is the reason why Netflix is giving away 83 years of service. As the streamer asks, “But how long is immortality, really? Netflix can’t promise a truly eternal subscription to its service, but it can offer the closest alternative: 1,000 months of service, which comes out to a bit over 83 years.”

    The grand prize winner must ring up the highest score while playing Netflix’s “The Old Guard” video game. You must be at least 18 years of age and reside in one of the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia. The contest ends at 8 am PT on July 20th which means that time is a-wastin’. You can play the game as often as you’d like until the contest ends, and the top 10 scores will be posted on a leaderboard.

    The grand prize winner will receive a special code good for 1,000 months of free Netflix service covering two screens. The person who achieves the second-highest score wins the second prize consisting of a code good for one year of free Netflix service for two screens. And the entrant who manages to get the third-highest score playing the game wins a code that can be used to obtain six free months of Netflix for a pair of screens. The codes must be redeemed within one month of their activation which is expected to take place on July 20th. The ARV (Approximate Retail Value) of all of the prizes adds up to $10,169.82.

    “The Old Guard” video game mirrors the events of the movie and in the game, you play the lead character looking to fight off your enemies using a one-handed Labrys. The latter is a giant, double-bladed ax. Netflix hints that getting killed in the game slows you down, so to ring up a high score, you need to defeat enemies quickly, without getting hit.

    While Netflix is the most popular subscription streamer in the world, the company’s estimate for new subscribers during the current quarter was 2.5 million. That is less than half the 5.27 million expected on Wall Street and the company is blaming the shortfall on short-form video app TikTok. Netflix told stockholders that “TikTok’s growth is astounding, showing the fluidity of internet entertainment. Instead of worrying about all these competitors, we continue to stick to our strategy of trying to improve our service and content every quarter faster than our peers. Our continued strong growth is a testament to this approach and the size of the entertainment market.”

    If the U.S. government gets its way, TikTok will be banned in the states because it is owned by Chinese firm ByteDancer. The U.S. is concerned, as it is with all apps and products owned by a Chinese company, that ByteDancer is secretly collecting information that it sends to a server in Beijing. The company has denied this and no evidence to support the allegations has ever surfaced.

    Besides TikTok, a number of new streamers could prove to be competition for Netflix. Disney+, launched last November, is off to a strong start. HBOMax and NBCUniversal’s Peacock are also available to iOS and Android users.

  • NBA joins branded-mask trend, selling across Asia

    NBA joins branded-mask trend, selling across Asia

    North America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched a face-mask collection online, supporting communities impacted by Covid-19.

    The NBA face masks, produced by NBA licensee Foco and e-commerce partner Fanatics, will feature designs of all 30 NBA teams.

    According to the company, proceeds from the sales of the masks will be contributed to Direct Relief, a humanitarian organization committed to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies.

    The NBA face mask line will be introduced at the league’s e-commerce sites in Europe and 10 countries across Asia-Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Vietnam.

    Face masks are no longer just a medical product. In some countries, wearing a mask was a cultural norm long before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived. Face masks have gone mainstream in the fashion industry as many labels are introducing their own face mask line, including New Balance and Pendleton.

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  • Allow foreign ownership in fuel distribution, ministry proposes

    Allow foreign ownership in fuel distribution, ministry proposes

    The Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed that fuel distributors be allowed to sell a maximum of 35 percent of their stake to foreign investors.

    The ministry rationalized that several exceptions the government has allowed so far, such as 20 percent foreign ownership in Petrolimex and 35 percent in Petrovietnam Oil, have considerably improved the performance, competitiveness and value of these fuel distributors.

    Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization in 2007 but did not open the market to foreign investors in order to allow local companies to grow and secure key positions in fuel distribution, the ministry said.

    Now, after 13 years, local companies have achieved the target and need more capital to invest in storage and port infrastructure to improve production to meet domestic demand, and for this, they need foreign investment, it said.

    The ministry added that the 35 percent cap will keep foreign investors from taking complete control of the sector, which is key to the nation’s economy.

    Petrolimex and Petrovietnam Oil are the two main fuel distributors in Vietnam and the government holds a majority stake in both companies. Japan’s Idemitsu Q8 is the only foreign-owned petrol chain in Vietnam with four outlets since entering the market in 2017.

    Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd is one of the four investors behind the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

    Officials had said earlier that 70-75 percent of fuel consumed in Vietnam is being produced locally and the rest imported from several countries including South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.

  • Ikea Manila opening delayed after construction issues

    Ikea Manila opening delayed after construction issues

    Construction interruptions have delayed the expected opening date of the long-awaited Ikea Manila store.

    Ikea Southeast Asia has released a short video on LinkedIn summarising the company’s progress in various markets. It says that the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic meant construction had to be suspended.

    The new store, the first Ikea in the Philippines and located next to SM’s Mall of Asia, was announced two years ago and due to open this year. No set date has been given as yet, only “by next year”.

    Work has now resumed on the site after several weeks of closures due to Covid-19 situation. It appears from the video that the construction is already at the third floor of the project.

    Located in the Manila Bay area, the Ikea Pasay City occupies a 67,760sqm area which will make it the biggest Ikea store in the world.

    Meanwhile, Ikea says after a review of the Vietnam market, it now plans to open its first store there in Ho Chi Minh City, rather than Hanoi as originally planned. The country’s home-furnishing market is estimated at US$4.4 billion a year, with Ho Chi Minh accounting for a 18 percent share and Hanoi a lesser 11 percent.

    The company is also working on other infrastructures at other stores around the region such as the development of a multi-story car park and “foodwalk” at its Mega Bangna store in Bangkok.

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  • Chatbots are backfiring, ‘pushing away customers’

    Chatbots are backfiring, ‘pushing away customers’

    Chatbots in customer support can backfire and result in the loss of business, according to a new Brunel Business School study.

    The research, published in Services Industry Journal, investigates factors that make chatbot interaction a negative experience for customers, which can cause them to abandon a purchase or even a brand altogether, blaming the company rather than themselves for any communication failure.

    “For firms, chatbots promise improvements in customer service while enabling big cost savings,” said Brunel Business School professor Dr. Ana Canhoto. “The negative experiences identified in our study mean firms end up with unhappy customers, may lose customers or face a PR crisis which makes it hard to attract new ones.”

    Unpleasant chatbot interactions are caused by inauthenticity, explains the study, when customers feel tricked into conversing with a non-human; excessive questions or repeated answers on the part of the bot; failure to exhibit appropriate empathetic responses causing upset; and failure to deal with complex queries due to a limited operational scope.

    If customers conclude the chatbot cannot resolve their inquiry, they will grow frustrated and ask to speak with a human – and if this cannot be arranged, they are likely to cut off the chat and abandon the firm, as well as potentially taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction, the study concludes.

    “When customer interactions with AI chatbots are negative, it can have serious negative ramifications on service providers, as customers can opt for more costly customer support channels, such as a phone channel,” said Canhoto.

    “In such cases, investment in AI technology intended to result in cost savings might backfire and result in a heavier load on other support channels. Or customers may terminate the service, switch to a competitor, or complain on social media.”

    Dr. Canhoto advises businesses to use these insights to fine-tune both their bots and customer expectations of them to avoid negative experiences.
    According to the Services Industry Journal, chatbots are involved in two out of three customer interactions.

  • Platinum Jewellery Leads China Jewellery Industry in a V-Shaped Recovery

    Platinum Jewellery Leads China Jewellery Industry in a V-Shaped Recovery

    With manufacturers reporting greater demand volumes and retailers confirming a steady increase in business in April and May, the China jewelry industry finds itself in the midst of a V-shaped recovery in the second quarter of 2020. A confluence of factors has led to platinum becoming a strategic category as the industry embarks upon recovery programs.

    Platinum jewelry manufacturers have been reporting greater demand volumes through April and May as a result of a remarkable level of replenishment purchasing in platinum.  Retailers across the board, from national and Hong Kong chains through regional chains, independents, and wholesalers have shown strong interest in a new generation of designs that provide stronger margins. By May, platinum fabrication volume had returned to a level on par with the same period last year.

    Retailers have witnessed a gradual ramp-up in business volume since the reopening, with some reporting sales of platinum jewelry reaching 80% or higher compared to the same period last year.

    Over-stocking of gold and gem-set jewelry due to lockdowns imposed since January had led to an inventory backlog in these categories. Record high prices for gold have depressed buying among consumers and retailers, while a record low platinum price has made platinum an attractive replacement for some pure gold and k-gold counters, offering improved profit margins and turn.

    This comes at a time when manufacturing partners of Platinum Guild International (PGI) have been prioritizing new collections and design directions to meet changing consumer needs.

    Underpinning this innovation has been the development of new alloys and technologies that PGI has been working with partners in recent years. This includes hard platinum and heat-treatable alloys that allow for refined contours in designs, better polish, better shape retention, and higher resistance to scratch. These innovations are expected to enable platinum to capture a more competitive market position in the jewelry space. The incorporation of new materials including enamels also add color and novelty allowing for more designed collections, such as Chow Tai Fook’s Frozen II and Angel of Peace Collections.

    “Our industry partners in China are reporting a platinum recovery driven by competitive pricing and the launch of new products which utilize innovative new technologies and designs that are capturing the interest of a new generation of consumers. Platinum Guild International’s initiatives to engage with both the jewelry trade and consumers have been extremely effective in accelerating this recovery during post-COVID-19. Despite pandemic uncertainty ahead, we hope conditions will allow for continued foot traffic to stores to ensure the sell through needed for a sustainable recovery,” says CEO Huw Daniel of PGI.

    More players have begun to enter or re-enter the platinum jewelry industry, leading to a rising interest in platinum fabrication. New players from the gem-set and gold retail industries have also started to carry platinum. For example, Shining House, which is a newcomer in platinum gem-set jewelry, now carries platinum in 100 of its 300+ stores in Central and East China, with the intention to include a platinum exclusive collection (“One Life One Love”) to all stores by end of third quarter.

    ”We are prioritizing this new SKUs, with improved production technology, that enables better pricing and recognizable new features for sales push this summer. We believe these SKUs could better help sales recovery,” says Ms. Sun, Product Head of Changzhou Jewellery, a regional prominent retailer in East China.

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