Retail News CRM

Blog

  • TCC opens megamarket in Nong Khai

    TCC opens megamarket in Nong Khai

    TCC Logistics and Warehouse, a subsidiary of TCC Group, has opened the MM Mega Market in Nong Khai province to cash in on growing consumption spurred by increasing border trade with neighbouring countries.

    The company has leased space at Asawann Shopping Complex II for 30 years to open the MM Mega Market, which has a new concept blending a hypermarket and wholesale store under the same roof. Customers can but products either in bulk or just one piece.

    The market, covering 10,000 square metres, is 4.4 kilometres from the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, enabling it to attract customers from Laos.

    Lees ook:

  • Tesco may seal Lotus’ fate Thurs

    Tesco may seal Lotus’ fate Thurs

    New Tesco boss Dave Lewis is expected to focus on cost cuts and asset sales — including the possible sale of its Tesco-Lotus venture in Thailand – when he provides an update on his plans to revive the troubled British grocer’s fortunes on Thursday.

  • Amazon’s third-party merchants are a growing piece of the sales pie

    Amazon’s third-party merchants are a growing piece of the sales pie

    To help fuel its growth, Amazon.com is increasingly turning to the millions of businesses that use its site to sell their own goods. That’s a good thing for Amazon, because those third party sales tend to have higher margins, according to some analysts, and it’s an inexpensive way to fill out its online catalog.

    To view the full article (note: you must be a Wall Street Journal Online subscriber), visit The Wall Street Journal Online.

  • Jollibee, partner to operate Dunkin’ Donuts stores in China

    Jollibee, partner to operate Dunkin’ Donuts stores in China

    Philippine fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) and its partner, Asian investment firm RRJ Capital Master Fund II LP, have sealed the deal with Dunkin Donuts Franchising LLC to operate Dunkin’ Donut stores in China.

    In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Tuesday, JFC said the franchise agreement grants the newly formed joint venture firm Golden Cup Pte. Ltd. the exclusive right to develop Dunkin’ Donuts in Hong Kong, Macau, Fujian, Hunan, Jianxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Guanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shangxi, Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Heilongjiang and Jilin.

    Golden Cup Pte. Ltd. is the joint venture company formed by Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of JFC) and Jasmine Asset Holding Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of RRJ Capital Master Fund II, L.P.).

    In an earlier disclosure to the PSE on 19 December, JFC said “the Dunkin’ Donuts deal provides the JV with an excellent opportunity to operate and expand one of the leading global coffee chain brands in the 2nd largest economy in the world.”

    JFC said it will invest USD300 million in the venture, USD180 million of which will be contributed by JPWL. In the first 12 months of operations, JPWL’s initial investment would be about USD18 million.

    As of December 2014, Jollibee operates 811 stores in the Philippines and 101 stores overseas. Dunkin’ Donuts, on the other hand, has nearly 11,000 restaurants in 33 countries worldwide.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • PLDT, Rocket Internet create JV for mobile payment in emerging markets

    PLDT, Rocket Internet create JV for mobile payment in emerging markets

    Looking to drive the massive adoption of online and mobile payment solutions in emerging markets, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) Internet platform Rocket Internet AG are establishing a global Joint Venture for payment services.

    Under the agreement, PLDT will contribute the intellectual property, platforms and business operations of its mobile-first payment platform Smart e-Money Inc., a pioneer in mobile banking and mobile wallet services in the Philippines, which has handled transactions valued at approximately EUR3.4 billion (USD4 billion) in 2013.

    With over 5 million active customers and 300.000 trade accounts, SMI owns and manages the Philippines’ biggest “branchless banking” network, certified at the highest global security and governance standards as a financial service platform.

    “We look forward to continuing the long-term success story of Smart Money and optimizing the synergies between e-commerce and innovative mobile-first payment solutions,” said Napoleon L. Nazareno, President and CEO of PLDT.

    Rocket, on the other hand, will contribute its participations in Paymill Holding GmbH and Payleven Holding GmbH, two of its payment platforms for high growth, small-and-medium-sized e-commerce businesses across Europe.

    Oliver Samwer, Founder and CEO of Rocket Internet, said its network of companies combined with PLDT’s 14 years of experience in the mobile payment industry will allow the partnership to deliver world-class innovations in mobile money and micro-payments around the world.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Olivia Wilde is the face of H&M’s Conscious Exclusive campaign

    Olivia Wilde is the face of H&M’s Conscious Exclusive campaign

    Known for her commitment to sustainability and her engagement for environmental causes, actress Olivia Wilde, will be the face of H&M’s Conscious Exclusive campaign, set to be unveiled in around 200 H&M stores worldwide and online on 16 April.

    “Sustainability is one of my biggest passions. I’m proud to be the face of H&M Conscious Exclusive, a collection which shows the stylishness of sustainability,” she said in a statement posted in the H&M website.

    H&M said this year’s Conscious Exclusive collection draws inspiration from African, Asian and Indian cultures in both cut and detail. Dresses are a focus, along with hand-drawn prints created especially for the collection.

    “The pieces are full of character with the most beautiful prints, all made from more sustainable materials,” said Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s head of design for new development.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Garrett Popcorn opens second HK store

    Garrett Popcorn opens second HK store

    Garrett Popcorn has opened its second store in Hong Kong at the Festival Walm Mall in Kowloon Tong.

    Lance Chody, Chairman and CEO of Garrett Popcorn Shops, said the shop complements its first store located at the IFC Mall shop.

    “We like to say that Garrett Popcorn is Happy Food and we hope that our launch in Festival Walk will make our Hong Kong customers as happy as our popcorn makes us,” said Olivia Huynh, VP APAC Operations at Garrett Popcorn Shops.

    The gourmet popcorn brand is popular throughout the US and many places in Asia including Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.

    Signature Flavors include: Caramel Crisp, Cheese Corn, various Nut Caramel Crisps, Buttery, Plain and the famous Chicago Mix, which blends Caramel Crisps’ sweetness with Cheese Corn.

  • LINE introduces mobile payment service

    LINE introduces mobile payment service

    Mobile platform LINE recently introduced a mobile money and transfer purchasing service called Line Pay, which is a new feature included in its 4.8 version update.

    With 170 million monthly active global users, LINE said the platform will provide a means through which shoppers can make make secure and convenient payments anytime, anywhere, straight from their smartphone.

    In the first phase of its release, LINE Pay will support only payments on LINE store. Users can register their credit cards to purchase paid content such as stickers and apps.
    All charges on the LINE Store made via LINE Pay will receive discounts of up to 25 percent for a limited time.

    In the future, the company said more offline shops and additional features such as money transfers between LINE users will be included.

    To ensure security in transactions, a LINE Pay-exclusive passwords is required, which prevents features from being used even if the account is logged in to by a third party. LINE said it also utilizes a monitoring system to detect and report accounts that are suspected of illicit activity and will work to ensure a safe and secure payment service for its users.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • After terrible year, Thailand’s auto sector is expecting 2015 recovery

    After terrible year, Thailand’s auto sector is expecting 2015 recovery

    The Thai auto industry may have suffered a terrible year, with domestic sales plummeting by almost 40 percent during the first 10 months, but many believe the worst has passed and that 2015 will be a year of recovery.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Brands now targeting online and stores differently

    Brands now targeting online and stores differently

    In order to steer clear of the war between online and offline retailers, consumer brands may soon ensure that their products on e-commerce platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon are different from those retailing at traditional brick-and-mortar outlets. For example, Taiwan-based BenQ, manufacturer of LCD monitors and projectors, has already diversified its portfolio.

  • Rise in the market for video surveillance

    Rise in the market for video surveillance

    The growing use of video surveillance systems in sectors such as hospitality, banking and financial, government, transportation, education and retail has created huge growth opportunities for the manufacturers, distributors and system integrators in this industry.

    Lees ook:

  • HK still world’s most expensive retail market

    HK still world’s most expensive retail market

    Hong Kong ranks as the world’s most expensive high-street retail destination, surpassing New York, Paris, London and Tokyo by a substantial margin, according to the latest research from CBRE.

    CBRE’s regular quarterly ranking of the world’s prime global retail markets saw little change in the third quarter of 2014, with global and hot-growth markets continuing to lead the rankings.

    It said this is the third consecutive year that Hong Kong has ranked top of the global list.

    According to CBRE, Hong Kong (USD4,327 per sq. ft. per annum) maintained a wide lead over the number-two market, New York (USD3,570 per sq. ft. per annum) where prime rents along Fifth Avenue are at record levels.

    “The Occupy Central protest, which began late in Q3, has not yet materially impacted retail rents in Hong Kong as most prime retail shops are located beyond protest areas,” said Joe Lin, Executive Director, Retail Services, CBRE Hong Kong.

    While the top four cities continue to hold their leading positions, there was some movement lower in the top ten rankings. Rents rose in Tokyo (USD1,076 per sq. ft. per annum), and fell in Zurich (USD895 per sq. ft. per annum) and Sydney (USD730 per sq. ft. per annum), resulting in the cities changing positions this quarter.

    In Q3 2014, Tokyo continued to lead rental growth in Asia-Pacific, with the continued lack of space in major high-street retail locations pushing up retail rents 7.7 percent quarter-over-quarter.

    Strong rental growth was also recorded in a number of emerging markets in the region, particularly in India and Vietnam, reflecting the recent resumption of structural economic reforms following the general lack of progress over the past few years. Highlights included a strong 5.9% quarter-over-quarter rental growth in Ho Chi Minh City and a 4 percent quarter-over-quarter rental growth in Mumbai.

    Lees ook:

  • UPS partners with 7-Eleven in Singapore for delivery

    UPS partners with 7-Eleven in Singapore for delivery

    Driven by the growth of e-commerce and online, cross-border transactions, UPS and 7-Eleven have entered into an exclusive partnership in Singapore for an innovative delivery system.

    The agreement will see 20 7-Eleven outlets at Shell petrol stations across Singapore serve as Alternative Delivery Locations (ADL) for UPS packages.

    “The online shopping market in Singapore is projected to reach SGD4.4 billion (USD) by 2015, and our customers have raised concerns about not being available to sign off on their purchases when they arrive,” said Ingrid Sidiadinoto, Managing Director, UPS Singapore.

    The new solution offers customers the flexibility of collecting packages coming from selected online retailers, at the closest participating Shell ADL, if they are not available when UPS makes the first delivery attempt.

    She said the new arrangement is expected to help raise the bar on customer service by giving customers greater control over their e-commerce shipments. With 7-Eleven operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the 20 strategically-located outlets participating in the initiative would allow customers to retrieve their packages from a secure and staffed location at their convenience.

    In addition to the 7-Eleven partnership, Shell will also be fueling UPS’s 100-strong Singapore delivery fleet with Shell Diesel and Shell FuelSave, which help UPS to reduce harmful emissions and its carbon footprint in Singapore.

    “We look forward to welcoming UPS customers to our 20 ADL stations at any time of the day, and assisting them in retrieving their online purchases,” said Leong Chee Hoe, Regional Key Account Manager East for Commercial Fleet, Shell Singapore.

  • Luxury brands’ missed opportunity: YouTube

    Luxury brands’ missed opportunity: YouTube

    Luxury fashion brands sashayed their way to substantially more YouTube views in 2014. But they still have a lot of runway ahead for growth on the social media platform.

    According to a new report by think tank L2, conducted in partnership with YouTube ad buying platform Pixability, fashion brands increased views on the video site by 204 percent as of October, as compared to the prior year’s total. The 90 brands examined also boosted their subscriber base by 87 percent, with Chanel, Dior and Burberry leading the way.

    Despite this improvement, the report noted fashion brands “consistently fail to optimize their YouTube presence,” in part because the majority of their content fails to appear in the top slot of search results for their respective brands.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Online Friday sale reaches USD7.2m in Vietnam

    Online Friday sale reaches USD7.2m in Vietnam

    Traders recorded a sale of VND154 billion (USD7.23 million) in the first ever Online Friday event in Vietnam, announced the Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VEITA) on Monday.

    VEITA said that more than 1,000 traders who showcased 3,226 products participated in the shopping event held on the first Friday of December (5 December) via two websites, ngaymuasamtructuyen.vn and onlinefriday.vn.

    The VEITA said that hi-tech devices, fashion and consumer products accounted for more than 80 per cent of the total orders.