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  • Philippine telcos unveil more payment options for digital goods

    Philippine telcos unveil more payment options for digital goods

    Telecommunications companies in the Philippines are making it easier for Filipino shoppers to purchase digital goods such as apps, games, books, magazines, music and movies.

    With only around four percent of Filipinos owning credit cards, according to the CIA Fact Book in 2013, it is difficult for consumers to participate in e-commerce and fully enjoy a digital lifestyle.

    With the direct carrier billing service now provided by both Smart Communications Inc. the and Globe Telecom, it is expected that

    The pay-with-load service of Smart Communications, dubbed Pay-With-Mobile, unveiled on Friday, allows subscribers to purchase from the App Store and iTunes using prepaid load or to charge the purchase to their monthly phone bill.

    The service, which Smart said will be fully available on 18 February, eliminates the need for a credit card to make in-app purchases, which has long been a barrier for many Philippine shoppers.

    Smart said a 15 percent premium will be charged on top of the published App Store and iTunes rates to account for VAT (value-added tax) and foreign exchange rate difference in US dollars.

    To get started, users need to register their mobile number to get a Pay-With-Mobile number, which they can enroll in their Apple ID account to start making purchases.

    “Smart understands that not everyone owns a credit card, but that shouldn’t stop people from realizing the full potential of their mobile devices,” said Charles Lim, EVP and Wireless Consumer Division Head at Smart.

    Globe Telecom, for its part, has earlier launched its own direct carrier billing services for in-app purchase on Google Play last October.

    For Apple customers, Globe susbscribers can purchase from the Apple App store through the GCash American Express Virtual Pay, a service it introduced in 2012.

    Globe said app purchases comprise 27 percent of total GCash American Express Virtual Play purchases. Meanwhile, Google Play Store app purchases has more than doubled since its launch last October.

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  • McDonald’s shareholder group calls for changes to board of directors

    McDonald’s shareholder group calls for changes to board of directors

    A McDonald’s Corp. shareholder group called for changes to the burger giant’s long-tenured board of directors, including Chairman Andrew McKenna, because of the company’s ongoing sales woes.

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  • Woodland to invest USD80.5m in 5 years in India

    Woodland to invest USD80.5m in 5 years in India

    Footwear and apparel firm Woodland will invest up to Rs. 500 crore (USD80.5 million) in the next five years on expanding its retail network as part of its plans to double the store count to 1,000 by 2020 and enhance capacity. The company has also set a target of Rs. 2,500 crore (USD402.6 million) revenue by 2020 from Rs. 1,300 crore (USD209.3 million) expected in 2014-15.

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  • Vietnam’s Tran Anh to close electronics stores

    Vietnam’s Tran Anh to close electronics stores

    Vietnamese electronics retailer Tran Anh Digital World JSC said it will close its electronics supermarkets in Vincom’s Times City and Royal City on February 24.

    The closure was announced after Vingroup, the owner of the two retail and entertainment complexes, said it plans to occupy the rented space.

    Tran Anh Digital made the announcement regarding the closures on February 12, saying it is committed to ensuring warranty and other services for customers purchasing products at the two supermarkets.

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  • Jewellers in Vietnam make new products to meet surging Tet demand

    Jewellers in Vietnam make new products to meet surging Tet demand

    Gold shops in HCM City are stocking many kinds of original products and hope to make big profits on them during Tet.

    Gold traders expect the demand for gold products to be particularly high on the 10th day of the new year, which is the birthday of the God of Wealth.

    Last year, many gold shops were hit by a shortage of stock after people flocked to buy gold on that day, according to market observers.

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  • David Jones says retail spending up significantly, more boutiques planned

    David Jones says retail spending up significantly, more boutiques planned

    David Jones has brushed off suggestions it will head downmarket under its new owners, and says it aims to build more boutique stores amid continued economic uncertainty.

    Chief executive Iain Nairn, who was appointed in August after the AUD2.1 billion takeover of David Jones by South African retailer Woolworths Holdings, said its tracking of about AUD30 billion in retail spending showed “significant” growth in year-on-year spending.

    “The customer is spending and we’re making good market share gains, particularly in the department store sector,” Nairn said.

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  • Malaysia smartphones sales peak at 8.5m units in 2014

    Malaysia smartphones sales peak at 8.5m units in 2014

    Malaysian consumers just cannot get enough of smartphones; buying more of them each year to bring annual sales volume to yet another peak in 2014 at 8.5 million.

    GfK retail sales tracking showed consumers buying around USD2.66 billion worth of the popular gadget between January and December last year. Total consumer spend, however, was down by 4 percent against 2013 due to the falling prices of smartphones in the country.

    “There was an influx of strong new players in the smartphones and phablets market in the past year, presenting an even wider array of more affordable options for consumers,” saidSelinna Chin, Managing Director for GfK in Malaysia. “Demand peaked in December when sales volume in that month alone reached nearly 769,000 units—over 106,000 more than the slowest sales month in the same year.”

    All regions across the country exhibited stable growth in 2014, with the Central region contributing to nearly half (46 percent) of the entire market share volume.

    The biggest spike in sales was contributed by the USD150 to USD200 segment of smartphones. Its volume share grew from 10 percent of the total market in 2013 to 16 percent in 2014; making it now the biggest segment within the local market.

    “Smartphones below USD200 will continue to be in demand moving into 2015, driven by the multitude of brands, improved technical specifications, aggressive marketing and price erosion — key factors which will further encourage consumers to replace their smartphones,” said Chin. “In a separate GfK consumer survey conducted nationwide, nearly half of all respondents indicated that price is the most important deciding factor when choosing which phone to buy.”

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  • foodpanda group acquires Middle East food delivery service 24h.ae

    foodpanda group acquires Middle East food delivery service 24h.ae

    Targeting the Middle East as next high growth market in the food delivery sector, online food delivery company foodpanda acquired 24h.ae, a food business delivery in the United Arab Emirates.

    Founded in 2011, 24h.ae delivers food in seven cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaima. It has 700 restaurant partners, including major brands like Subway, Wendy’s , Domino’s, Johnny Rockets, and Pizza Express.

    foodpanda is already active in Saudi Arabia and Jordan with its hellofood.sa and hellofood.jo brands, respectively.

    Ralf Wenzel, Co-Founder and CEO of foodpanda group, said that combined with its existing hellofood business in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, they would be able to offer the best food ordering experience in the Middle East.“

    The foodpanda group also recently announced acquisitions in Southeast Asian and Asian markets.

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  • Flipkart aims to double sales to USD8b this year

    Flipkart aims to double sales to USD8b this year

    E-commerce major Flipkart has set a target of doubling the gross merchandise value (GMV) of the products sold on its platform to USD8 billion by December this year, against the current USD4 billion, say company sources. The target was decided upon at a recent board meeting of the company, held in Singapore.

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  • India’s LocalBanya aims to raise USD15m in the next quarter

    India’s LocalBanya aims to raise USD15m in the next quarter

    Mumbai-based grocery e-tailer LocalBanya is set for a fourth round of funding worth about USD15 million from domestic venture capital firms within the next quarter. The company has raised about USD20 million in three rounds, one of them about a quarter ago. “We’ll need another round of cash infusion to go national.

  • Samsung introduces extensive lineup of new products at 2015 Samsung Forum in HK

    Samsung introduces extensive lineup of new products at 2015 Samsung Forum in HK

    South Korean electrical appliance giant Samsung Electronics introduced an extensive lineup of new products which included SUHD TVs, curved monitor, smartphone, notebook and printer at its 2015 Samsung Forum in Hong Kong last week.

    For business customers, Samsung introduced MultiXpress 4 Series – the first Android OS-equipped multi-function printers (MFPs). The new printer features a 10.1-inch full touchscreen panel that enables users to search and print from web browsers, emails, maps, images and other types of content – without the need to connect to a PC. The touchscreen also offers the ability to preview documents, as well as editing and annotating capabilities.

    “Businesses seek smart printing solutions that can be managed easily whilst still delivering powerful performance at reduced costs. Our new printing technology not only delivers all of these things but also ensures that super smart is also super simple,” said Ellen Fu, Head of Enterprise Business Team, Samsung Electronics Hong Kong Co., Ltd.

    When Samsung introduced the curved form-factor in 2013, it dramatically enhanced the home entertainment experience for consumers. Utilising Samsung’s proprietary, eco-friendly nano-crystal technology and intelligent SUHD re-mastering picture quality engine, Samsung SUHD TVs demonstrate advances in contrast, brightness, colour reproduction and detail – delivering a superior picture quality experience.

    Samsung will offer three new series of SUHD TVs – JS9900, JS9800 and JS8000 – in four screen sizes from 55″ to 88″, so that consumers have the flexibility to purchase the perfect TV that fits their style and taste.

    As its first 34-inch ultra-wide 21:9 curved monitor, SE790C delivers an enhanced immersive and comfortable viewing experience for multi-media entertainment and multi-tasking.

    The innovative 3000R (curvature radius of 3,000mm) design of the SE790C provides a noticeably different viewing experience from traditional flat screen monitors and other curved monitors in the market. Unlike flat screen monitors where the viewing distance differs from the centre of the screen to the edges, the screen edges of the SE790C match the natural curve of the viewer’s eyes. As a result, the SE790C creates a distortion-free viewing experience with less eye strain and enhanced comfort. The company hasn’t released the retail price of the monitor but said it will available next month.

    To expand the popular services provided by smartphone GALAXY A5 and A3, Samsung introduced GALAXY A7, equipped with a 5MP front-facing camera, 13MP rear-facing camera with auto-focus and LED flash to make it easier for users to take selfies.

    Face Detecting Selfie Alarm enables users to take a photograph with the rear-facing camera. The auto-editing functions which support an automatic detection of faces and a real time retouch of images let users capture the best selfies.

    The new ATIV Book 9 notebook unveiled at the 2015 Samsung Forum comes wrapped in an ultra-slim and light design – making it easy to travel on the go. Weighing merely at 950g with a thickness of 11.8mm, the notebook’s overall volume is 23 percent more compact than its previous generation, fitting perfectly into the smallest size of bags.

    ATIV Book 9 adds freedom to work and roam without worry thanks to the extended 12.5 hours of battery life. The Ultra Power Saving Mode squeezes an additional hour with 10 percent of battery remaining. Without compromising mobility, this ensures efficient power management when users need battery most.

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  • Sony to launch training headset for runners

    Sony to launch training headset for runners

    Sony Corp. said on Thursday it plans to launch a training headset for runners called Smart B-Trainer that uses music to help runners adjust their pace.

    The 43-gram device monitors heart rate, calorie consumption and running pace, and even selects songs for adjusting the pace, from a databank that can store up to 3,900 songs.

    The device is expected to sell for around JPY30,000 (USD250) when it hits store shelves on 7 March.

  • Patek Philippe slashes prices by over 20pc in HK

    Patek Philippe slashes prices by over 20pc in HK

    Swiss luxury watch brand Patek Philippe announced a significant markdown in prices by up to 22 percent in the Hong Kong market, a move analysts believe is aimed at taking on an influx of European watches through parallel imports, Shanghai’s the Paper reports.

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  • Cyberattacks target in-store sales systems

    Cyberattacks target in-store sales systems

    Cyberthieves are increasingly targeting credit card information from point-of-sale systems, Tokyo-based information security company Trend Micro Inc. has warned.

    It’s a problem shared by countries worldwide, and Japan is no exception, the company said.

    POS attacks involve the use of computer viruses to intercept and extract confidential data from systems used to process credit card settlements and manage customer information as well as product sales records and inventories. The systems also play a role in marketing, through analysis of store-by-store sales trends and inventories.

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  • LG unveils “luxury” smartwatch in Apple challenge

    LG unveils “luxury” smartwatch in Apple challenge

    South Korea’s LG has unveiled an “all-metal luxury smartwatch” in an attempt to broaden the appeal of its wearable devices as a fashion item and steal a lead on the hotly-anticipated Apple Watch.

    The LG Watch Urbane has a 1.3 inch plastic touchscreen display and runs on Google’s Android Wear operating system. The stainless steel body comes in gold and silver with a leather strap.

    The South Korean electronics giant has billed the device as a “luxury timepiece” and the “perfect fashion accessory” for men and women.

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