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.

Spotify now lets users share music on Facebook Stories
Spotify has just made it possible for people listening to music to share it on Facebook Stories. If you want your friends and followers to know what songs you like, you can now share it on Facebook Stories and viewers will hear a 15-second preview before tapping to listen.

Here is how you can do that: tap “Share” when viewing the track on Spotify, select Facebook, customize your Story, and post it to your followers. As mentioned earlier, your followers will get a 15-second preview that they can listen to, but they can also tap “Play on Spotify” if they want to hear more.

The new feature is a logical step forward and an upgrade from the similar option that artists and their teams have been using for quite a while to promote their tracks, albums, playlists, podcasts, and more.

For the time being, the preview feature will only play when a single track is shared to Stories. However, if you want to share other content like albums, playlists, or your profile, your followers will have the option to tap directly into that content on Spotify, but they won’t hear a preview.
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September 13, 2019
Fjallraven opens huge Sydney flagship store
Swedish heritage outdoor brand Fjallraven has opened a flagship store in Sydney nearly one year after making its brick-and-mortar debut in Australia.

The store, located on York Street in Sydney’s CBD, stocks the brand’s popular Kanken rucksack, as well as a broader range of outdoor apparel, including men’s and women’s jackets, tops and trousers.

It is the brand’s second brick-and-mortar location in Australia. The first opened in Melbourne Central in October 2018, and marked Fjallraven’s inaugural location in the Southern Hemisphere.

Susan Park, Fjallraven’s brand manager in Australia and New Zealand, said the Melbourne store has been trading well over the past year.

“Opening our retail store was an important stage of brand development in Australia. We were optimistic about our performance before launch as we knew the demand was there,” she said.

Fjallraven launched in Australia in early 2017 through retail partnerships and online, which helped the team better understand which products to range in the Melbourne store.

Now, the team is further refining its decision-making through in-store feedback.

“We review and incorporate our customers’ feedback into what we range and how we present our products in-store and it’s been a process of constant improvement,” Park said.

According to Park, the Kanken rucksack is still a best seller, though interest in trekking equipment – especially trousers and jackets – has grown significantly as a result of increased access and awareness.

More broadly, the store is driving an uplift in Fjallraven’s overall wholesale and e-commerce business in Australia, Park said.

“We are really seeing the benefits of a controlled omnichannel approach and we anticipate this will be the case for Sydney as well,” she said.

The Sydney store, like the Melbourne store, will also offer shoppers a daily ‘fika’, a Swedish tradition which translates roughly to a coffee break.

The retailer serves complimentary coffee, tea, and small snacks to customers at certain times of the day and invites them to spend time in the store and chat with the staff.

In addition to this in-store experience, the brand is planning to launch ‘Fjallraven Discovery Australia’ in 2020 – a three-day and two-night hike in the Grampians, designed to get people outdoors and back to nature.

The hike will incorporate indigenous history and is in keeping with a growing theme of Fjallraven hikes all over the world.
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September 12, 2019
Sim Leisur to open theme park at Paradigm Mall
Penang-based theme park developer Sim Leisure Group is to open an indoor recreational center at Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Sim Leisure has already started the construction of the 35,000sqft indoor recreational center which it will operate as a tenant for up to 12 years.

It is scheduled to open by the end of November, before the peak year-end school-holiday season.

Paradigm Mall is located in the heart of Petaling Jaya, next to the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong highway in Klang Valley. The six-floor mall has 700,000sqft of retail space and more than 300 retail spaces.

Sim will build Escape Challenge, an indoor version of Escape, targeting youth and young families. Both Sim and the mall believe the new feature will help draw families to the mall, increasing foot traffic for the retail stores.

“For years, we have been approached by developers and mall operators to develop an indoor version of Escape,” said Sim Leisure CEO Sim Choo Kheng. “Paradigm Mall Petaling Jaya is a strong community partner and perfectly highlights the unique traits of a family mall. We are very proud of this partnership given the affinity for play parks by parents and children. Installing the play area in the mall is a natural fit given that no other malls in Klang Valley have recreation centers of this genre,” he said.

Sim will use the Escape Challenge at Paradigm Mall as a showcase of its capabilities as it tries to develop the indoor recreational concept in other markets, especially Mainland China.

“We foresee this indoor version of Escape growing exponentially in the years to come as the retail shopping business continues to undergo a transformation.”

“Following our initial public offering and a record year of profitability last year, our global aspirations remain on track. We will continue to scale our proven and successful business model into new markets across the region that are awaiting a new genre of affordable and healthy family entertainment.”

Sim Leisure Group has been developing and operating theme parks in Penang. Sim Choo Kheng has more than 29 years of experience in the theming industry.
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September 12, 2019
Google’s popular YouTube Kids app is getting a ‘Preschool’ filter and web version
Back when Google unveiled the YouTube Kids app for Android and iOS devices in 2015, its goal was pretty simple and so was the execution of the product itself. Roughly four and a half years later, the children-friendly, parentally controlled video platform naturally looks far more mature and versatile, meeting the specific needs of more age groups and user categories than ever.

After expanding its functionality to distinguish between “older” and “younger” users last year, YouTube Kids is now getting a third option to ensure even younger children can be kept protected from content deemed unsuitable for their age. We’re talking preschoolers aged 4 and under here, which will be served with videos that “promote creativity, playfulness, learning, & exploration” if their parents so choose.

Of course, just like before, you’ll still also be able to select an “approved content only” option under which the search feature will be blocked and your child will merely get access to videos, channels, and collections hand-picked and green-lighted by yourself. Speaking of, you should continue to keep in mind that not all YouTube Kids content is manually reviewed and carefully grouped in the right age category, so if you end up activating the “preschool”, “younger”, or “older” setting, you’ll definitely need to keep an eye out for inappropriate videos and immediately report them as such.

In other news, you might be happy to hear that after crossing 100 million installs through the Play Store alone, YouTube Kids will finally become available on the web as well. The app’s browser version is gearing up for an official launch “later this week”, although no further details are available at the moment.
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September 12, 2019
Pokemon Masters out now on Android and iOS
If you’re stuck in queues waiting for hours to be able to play World of Warcraft: Classic, you can definitely pass the time by checking out the newly released Pokemon Masters mobile game. Despite its name, this isn’t a game about Pokemon since you won’t be hunting and collecting little monsters.

Pokemon Masters is about trainers, as players will collect Sync Pairs (the game’s name for trainers) and their set partners. The premise is simple: form a team with three trainers and their Pokemon and target your opponents’ weaknesses to deal more damage.

The goal of the game is to travel the island of Pasio collecting badges and trying to access the higher levels of the leaderboards. There are 65 Sync Pairs available at launch, which can be purchased in-game if you don’t want to try and collect them by playing the game.

Pokemon Masters offers co-op play, so you’ll be able to play with friends all around the world, but you need to teal up with two other players. The game is free to download on both Android and iOS platforms via Google Play Store and App Store.
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September 12, 2019
Locations announced for new Lego stores in Queensland, Australia

Alceon Group has announced the locations of two new Lego stores opening in Queensland this year.

The investment firm, which holds the distribution rights for Lego in Australia and New Zealand, will open stores in QIC’s Robina Town Centre on the Gold Coast and Westfield’s Chermside shopping center in Brisbane.

The stores, measuring 188sqm and 236sqm respectively, will incorporate many of the custom-built design features seen in the Sydney store, such as brick-built mosaics and 3D models of local icons.

“We are confident that brick fans of all ages will enjoy these new world-class retail experiences, with signature features that are a tribute to creativity and innovation,” Richard Facioni, executive director of Alceon Group, said in a statement.

The Queensland store openings are part of a broader expansion of Lego’s bricks-and-mortar presence in Australia and New Zealand, following the opening of the first certified Lego store in the region at Westfield Bondi Junction in March.

Alceon last month revealed plans to open additional stores in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland this year, with more to follow in South Australia and Western Australia in 2020. A store is also set to open in Westfield’s Newmarket shopping center in Auckland this year.

Facioni said in July that the brand has benefited from the popularity of the top-rated Lego Masters reality show; the stores will aim to capitalize on that momentum.

“Our two landmark Lego certified stores in Queensland will attract both local and international visitors as we unveil fun and inspiring retail environments that showcase the creative potential of the world-famous Lego brick,” he said in a statement.

Alceon has become one of the biggest investors in the retail sector, after it acquired the Specialty Fashion Group brands Katies, Millers, Autograph, Crossroads and Rivers in 2018. The company has a controlling stake in Noni B and ethical designer fashion brand Ginger and Smart, and owns Ezibuy, SurfStitch, and Pumpkin Patch, among other retail assets.

The company this week reported a 136 percent increase in sales at Noni B Group, which includes the womenswear chain and five former SFG brands, to $881.9 million, though net profit was down 52 percent to $8.2 million due to restructuring costs associated with the acquisition.

September 11, 2019
Duoyun Books’ flagship in Shanghai is 52 floors above ground level
Design firm Wutopia Lab has designed a unique “books above clouds” store in Shanghai’s tallest building for Duoyun Books.

The design for 2259sqm flagship located on level 52 of Shanghai Tower was commissioned by Shanghai Century Publishing to provide space for 60,000 books. As well as the book-retailing area, the store features a lecture room, exhibition space and a cafe.

Wutopia’s scheme centres around a “white abstract mountain” of stacked translucent bookshelves and includes curved entrances and large windows offering expansive views over the city.

A “Tiffany-blue” cafe is embedded amidst the bookshelves, while a pink dessert house is positioned at the end of the store to surprise visitors.
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September 11, 2019
Ethan Allen opens in Taiwan, Cambodia

US interior-design house Ethan Allen has opened new outlets in Taipei and Cambodia as it seeks to expand its international footprint as well as its domestic network.

Ethan Allen Interiors is an interior-design company which manufactures and retails quality home furnishings through a network of 300 stores worldwide and online.

Besides the Taiwan and Cambodian outlets, Ethen Allen has recently opened a store in Azerbaijan and four more in the US.

During the 2020 fiscal year the company says it will open multiple new US outlets and expand further abroad, without revealing the specific markets.

“The repositioning of our retail network is done with two primary goals: to expand our reach to more customers, giving them the opportunity to collaborate with our interior designers; and to highlight our quality, craftsmanship and incredible diversity of style, the pillars that define Ethan Allen,” said chairman and CEO Farooq Kathwari.

In addition to its vertically integrated furniture-manufacturing and logistics operation – Ethan Allen currently makes 75 per cent of its products in its North American workshops – the company has a team of more than 1500 interior-design professionals.

In line with its “classic design, modern perspective” ethos, the company has refreshed 70 per cent of its product line over the past three years.

September 10, 2019
Monocle opens its first travel store in Hong Kong
Global media brand Monocle has opened its first dedicated travel-retail store, at Hong Kong International Airport.

The shop is the first in a new rollout of airport-based outposts for the brand, with an emphasis on books, periodicals, travel essentials and Monocle’s full range of products and collaborations.

The store was developed in association with Paris-based Lagardere Travel Retail, and is located at one of the airport’s popular retail destinations selling globally sourced essentials, accessories and apparel.

“The launch of this new concept at Hong Kong International Airport comes at the perfect time for our sector,” said Monocle’s editor-in-chief and chairman Tyler Brule. “Airport news and shop formats have not been keeping pace with the retail industry in general, and this debut seeks to raise the game for both the print industry and customers.”

The 190sqm stand-alone store retails the brand’s range of Monocle travel guides as well as special-edition products available only at Hong Kong International Airport.

“Hong Kong is already one of our most important markets both for readers and brand partnerships,” added Brule. “In order to tailor this for the local audience, visitors and passengers connecting, we’ve developed a store that is calm, elegantly designed and stocked with good reads for the long haul, gifts for friends and clients at the other end and of course lots of accessories and fashion items for our core audience.”

Monocle currently operates stores and cafe concepts in London, Zurich, M
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September 9, 2019
Netflix tests feature that helps members quickly find content they like

If the recommendations made to you by Netflix’s algorithms haven’t excited you in the past, there is good news on the way. Spotted first by a Twitter user named Jeff Higgins, the video streamer is currently testing a feature on iOS devices called Collections. Content is curated by Netflix’s team of experts and the titles are placed in different categories based on factors like genre, tone, storyline and character traits. Some of the different categories include “Dark & Devious TV Shows,” “Prizewinning Movie Picks,” “Watch, Gasp, Repeat,” “Let’s Keep it Light,” “Netflix Is a Joke,” and Women Who Rule the Screen.”

Those iOS users chosen to test the new feature will find the option to use Collections in the upper right corner of the Netflix homepage where you would normally find “My List.” Tap on a collection category that you find appealing and the page expands to reveal thumbnails of the titles in that specific collection. Above those thumbnails, you’ll see an explanation of what this collection is all about. For example, tap on “Real & Riveting” and you’ll see that the titles in this group are documentaries such as Woodstock, and American Factory.

“We’re always looking for new ways to connect our fans with titles we think they’ll love, so we’re testing out a new way to curate Netflix titles into collections on the Netflix iOS app,” a Netflix spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. “Our tests generally vary in how long they run for and in which countries they run in, and they may or may not become permanent features on our service.”-Netflix

Netflix is under more competitive pressure than ever before. For example, take Disney+, expected to launch this November 12th. For $6.99 a month, subscribers can stream on four screens simultaneously, set up to seven user-profiles and view streaming content in 4K resolution at no extra charge. To get those features on Netflix, a subscriber would have to pay $15.99 a month.

By offering Collections, Netflix hopes to provide recommended titles that its subscribers want to see. The more time its members stay on Netflix, the less they will feel the need to sign up for a rival streaming service. As the video streamer says on its iOS app, Collections is “an easy way to find shows and movies you’ll like.”

September 6, 2019

Ikea China to invest billions in further expansion

Ikea China will invest RMB10 billion (US$1.41 billion) into the market within the next fiscal year.

The Swedish furniture maker’s largest investment yet into the Chinese market, the funds will go towards strengthening operations over a three-year strategy to improve the customer experience and build on its business digitisation. The company’s own online sales channels will be expanded as well.

While the move is in response to changing demands in the local furniture market and is a departure from the company’s traditional emphasis on physical stores, store upgrades and the opening of small retail outlets are expected to form part of the firm’s emerging strategy following the increasing urbanisation of Chinese retail in general.

Ikea China plans to launch four new locations by the end of the year alongside its expanded coverage online, and will hire an additional 3000 staff as the online furniture industry picks up more competitors, including Alibaba-backed Red Star Macalline Group.

“China’s home furnishing market is currently in a period of steady growth,” said head of Ikea China Anna Pawlak-Kuliga. “At the same time, urbanisation continues to accelerate alongside digitisation and the rise in per capita disposable income.”

Ikea had already announced an intention to build an RMB8 billion ($1.12 million) shopping centre in Shanghai last year.

September 6, 2019

Disney+ will offer 4K video, four simultaneous streams and more for only $6.99 per month

Disney+, the beloved entertainment company’s new streaming service, will launch on November 12th priced at $6.99 per month. During the D23 Expo held in Anaheim, the company revealed some additional information about the Netflix competitor. For example, instead of dropping a whole season of an original show at one time, Disney will release them on a weekly basis. And the House of Mouse will allow Disney+ subscribers to stream content to as many as four devices at the same time and will not charge extra for 4K video streams. Subscribers will also be able to create up to seven different user profiles.

Netflix, on the other hand, is known for releasing entire seasons of new shows at one time, encouraging the binge-watching crowd to watch a complete season of a show in one sitting. While it allows up to five profiles to be created, Netflix subscribers must pay more ($15.99 per month) for 4K resolution and to stream on four devices simultaneously. This is a strange position for Disney to be in, as many fans of its theme parks will attest to (a one-day ticket to one park is a princely $109). But there is plenty of competition for your subscription dollars and Disney+ needs to bring in some revenue before it can even think about matching Netflix in terms of cost.

“With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo. Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”-Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International segment, Disney.

Disney+ will be a mixture of classic Disney movies and animation (don’t forget that Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox means that the service will include every episode of The Simpsons) and original shows. The company has access to quite a few popular titles that will be used to create new adventures of popular characters. As pointed out earlier this year in a report from Loup Ventures, how many times can someone watch The Lion King? More likely to drive growth for Disney+ will be new episodes using the same characters from popular Disney classic cartoon and live films.

Disney announced yesterday that new originals are in development for Disney+ including:

The Mandalorian-the first live-action episodic series based on Star Wars which will follow “the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.”
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series-based on the popular High School Musical movies, this show “follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.”
Lady and the Tramp-A “retelling” of the 1955 animated cartoon, but with real animal stars and CGI.
Noelle-A holiday-themed movie starring Anna Kendrick and Billy Eichner.
Encore!-This series brings former high-school musical castmates together to recreate shows they performed many years ago.
The World According to Jeff Goldblum-Enough said.

Other shows announced include the return of Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire in a new series, Muppets Now which will reunite Kermit and Miss Piggy, and another live-action Star Wars show. The latter will focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi and will star Ewan McGregor.

September 6, 2019

Disney’s new Genie app will make your theme park wishes come true

You might not realize it, but when it comes to technology Walt Disney is not a Mickey Mouse operation. You might recall that back in 2017, we told you that the entertainment giant was testing OTA wireless charging using a technology called quasistatic cavity resonance. The goal is to allow visitors at its parks to one day walk into an attraction and walk out with their mobile devices fully charged.

Today, during the D23 superfan convention in Anaheim, Disney announced a new app called Genie that is expected to launch late next year. The company says that it will “enhance the way you plan for and experience a trip to Walt Disney World Resort.” The app will provide custom itineraries based on a user’s interests such as a princess-day theme, or for those foodies who like to experience the culinary delights from the different countries at Epcot. There is even one for thrillseekers; the latter, we assume, includes rides on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and the positively frightening Wedway People Mover and other hair-raising rides.

If you know what attractions you want to see at a Disney Park, tell the Genie app and it will go through millions of possible options to come up with a fun-filled schedule for the day. And if you decide to make changes, that is no problem; Genie will “re-optimize” your schedule. As you walk through the park, the app will also send alerts with recommendations and will even handle any dining reservations that you might want to make.

“This represents yet another way we are using creativity and innovation to connect guests with the stories and characters they love, and to help them make lasting, magical memories with the family and friends they cherish most. Over the past several years, Disney parks have become more seamless and enjoyable through other digital offerings, such as mobile food ordering, the Play Disney Parks app, online check-in and so much more”-Disney

Despite Disney’s ties to Apple (Steve Jobs and his estate were once the largest Disney shareholder after the purchase of Pixar), we’re sure that the app will be made available to both iOS and Android users.

September 6, 2019

Cafes and bookstores in China riding wave of creative boom

China’s cultural and creative industries are entering a positive era, according to a new report by Mintel, Cultural And Creative Products Retailing.

And cafes and bookstores in China are among the primary beneficiaries.

The firm found that with China shifting from a primarily manufacturing economy toward a more service- and creative-centric one, Chinese consumers are paying more attention to cultural and leisure lifestyles.

The research revealed that as many as three in five (60 per cent) of urban Chinese respondents said that they have been visiting more cafes in the past six months, while more than half of respondents have increased visits to libraries (56 per cent) and bookstores (55 per cent). What’s more, two in five (40 per cent) of urban Chinese respondents say they have been visiting more museums and over a-third (36 per cent) say the same of art galleries.

Meanwhile, lower tier cities in China present great potential for cultural and creative industries. Mintel found that 61 per cent of respondents from Tier 2 cities visited libraries more in the past six months as compared to just over half (51 per cent) of respondents in Tier 1 cities. Similar figures held for bookstores and art galleries.

“Chinese consumers, today, are paying more attention to cultural and leisure lifestyles, and therefore, are spending more money on leisure and entertainment,” said Mintel China Reports category research director, retail Chih-yuan Wang.

“As discussed in our report Mintel Trend ‘Slow it All Down’, as lives become faster and more hectic, there is a wider appreciation for taking one’s time. Cultural and creative products present the opportunity for Chinese consumers to enjoy a degree of slow-paced escapism—also why cafes, libraries and bookstores are now at the centre of cultural and creative leisure lifestyles in China. We are seeing the emergence of new-format bookstores and lifestyle stores featuring comfortable spaces, aligning with consumers’ pursuit of leisure and better living. It’s not just about selling products; it’s also about selling a way of life.”

Research from the flagship report shows that Chinese consumers are actually spending more on leisure and entertainment; total expenditure in the sector reached an estimated RMB2,048 billion (US$289.1 billion) last year, growing 9.7 per cent from 2017. Mintel research also reveals that going to the cinema has become the most popular cultural activity, with three-quarters (74 per cent) of urban Chinese respondents having purchased film tickets within the past six months. This is followed by spending on exhibitions (40 per cent) and concerts, operas, dramas or plays (35 per cent).

“Despite the popularity of video streaming services, our research shows that Chinese consumers love going to the cinema,” said Wang. “Going to the cinema is perceived as a leisure activity rather than a cultural one, showcasing the potential to explore the cultural aspects of cinema and the overall film industry. Transforming cinema from a leisure venue into a cultural venue will open up opportunities for the film- or play-related merchandise market.”

September 5, 2019