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Tag: asia

  • Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic+ Revealed

    Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic+ Revealed

    The completely new 2.0-litre engine is the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder manufactured for series production. The engine is paired to an 8-speed AMG Speedshift gearbox The A45 can do the 0-100 kmph run in four seconds flat while the A45 S does it in 3.9 seconds. The A45 and the A45 S have an electronically limited top speed of 250 kmph and 270 kmph respectively. With the AMG driver’s package, the A45’s top speed can be bumped up to 270 kmph as well. The specific output of the cars is 208 bhp/litre, which is downright mental. Plus, the car also has a ‘Drift’ mode which can be activated by putting the transmission into manual and switching off the ESP and car being in the race mode. There are six driving modes on offer, which are slippery, comfort, sport, sport+, individual and race.

    The A45 gets 18-inch alloys as standard while the ‘S’ variant gets 19-inchers. The 18-inch alloys get a 10-spoke design while the 19-inch alloys have a 5 twin-spoke design. Plus, the standard model gets grey brake callipers with white AMG lettering while the ‘S’ model gets bigger 6-piston, red brake callipers with black AMG lettering. Apart from the driving modes, the A45 and the A45 S also get AMG Dynamics which is basically integrated vehicle dynamics control which can be used to alter the ESP settings, all-wheel control and steering characteristics. It is highly unlikely that Mercedes-Benz will launch the A45 in India given that the new-generation A-Class isn’t on sale as well. But, never say never!

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  • Amazon increases efforts to tackle counterfeit goods

    Amazon increases efforts to tackle counterfeit goods

    Online retail giant Amazon is expanding its product serialization service to Canada, India and some European countries to tackle counterfeit products in the supply chain.

    Amazon Transparency involves the application of unique codes to products to allow the retailer, its customers, brands and other members of the supply chain to authentic every unit of a product.

    “Counterfeiting is an industry-wide concern – both online and offline. We find the most effective solutions to prevent counterfeit are based on partnerships that combine Amazon’s technology innovation with the sophisticated knowledge and capabilities of brands,” said Dharmesh Mehta, vice president, Amazon Customer Trust and Partner Support.

    “We created Transparency to provide brands with a simple, scalable solution that empowers brands and Amazon to authenticate products within the supply chain, stopping counterfeit before it reaches a customer.”

    With Transparency, each brand puts the codes on its products, which is then scanned and verified by Amazon to ensure its authenticity.

    Customers can also use a mobile app to check for themselves, regardless of where they purchased the units.

    Brands also use Transparency to communicate unique unit-level information, including manufacturing date, manufacturing place or other product information such as ingredients.

    Over 4,000 brands are using the service in the US and Amazon said that it has proactively prevented over 250,000 counterfeits reaching customers.

  • New Tiffany Philippines store opened

    New Tiffany Philippines store opened

    American luxury jewellery and specialty retailer Tiffany & Co will open a new freestanding boutique at Greenbelt 4 in Makati City, the Philippines tomorrow, July 12.

    The coming launch was featured in Lifestyle online magazine for its understated luxurious design inspired by the New York flagship, featuring “off-white and pale gray walls and lone chandelier floating above the main glass-and-chrome vitrine at the centre, which displays the key collections … Satellite vitrines on either side showcase the high jewellery pieces, available in the Philippines for the first time.”

    While the firm has had a presence in the Philippines for many years at Rustan’s stores, the new boutique will showcase a broader selection of the firm’s jewellery.

    “At Rustan’s, they could do only mostly silver jewelry and engagement rings,” said Tiffany’s country manager Mario Katigbak. “When I came in, we found that there is a market for Tiffany high jewellery.

    “Unlike other brands where it’s the design that’s selling, at Tiffany, it’s the stones. The market is very ready. It’s more sophisticated and ready to appreciate the quality of the stones, more than just the design. Tiffany does its own cutting, and it’s very important for them where the stones are mined. It’s an evolution to a higher level of jewellery.”

    Tiffany’s diamonds are laser-etched with a microscopic serial number to help identify their quality and point of origin.

  • Dyson opens Beauty Lab in Sydney

    Dyson opens Beauty Lab in Sydney

    On Wednesday, Dyson opened its first ‘Beauty Lab’ in Australia, where customers can book hair styling appointments, drink prosecco and try out and buy the company’s extremely popular hair products.

    Located in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building, the store marks a shift from the wholesale and e-commerce channels the company has traditionally relied on. While Dyson has previously held pop-ups, the Beauty Lab marks its first permanent bricks-and-mortar location in the country.

    The Beauty Lab concept is focused on educating customers and providing a luxury experience.

    “Dyson is continually disrupting the styling industry and its Beauty Lab is no exception,” said Joey Scandizzo, Dyson styling ambassador.

    “It’s exciting to be part of the journey to create amazing styles and educate people on how to help prevent extreme heat damage by using game-changing Dyson styling technologies.”

    The store features two products – Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap styler – which took two years and almost £100 million ($179 million) to develop, the company said.

    The styling tools have been extremely popular in a product category that had not seen much innovation for decades, and are only now back in stock after having sold out.

    Customers can make appointments to have their hair styled by an expert at the Beauty Lab. For $50, they receive a complimentary beverage including prosecco, a hair consultation by a Dyson styling expert, a luxury hair wash with treatments and a head massage.

    The session is free for those who purchase a Dyson hairdryer or styler. Buyers will also buy receive a free gift (choosing from a brush kit, Supersonic stand or a woven bag).

    The launch of the Beauty Lab comes after the company added a second call centre in Australia last year, in what it said was a significant commitment to its presence here.

  • Versace China opens Beijing flagship Store

    Versace China opens Beijing flagship Store

    Versace China’s new flagship has opened in Beijing as part of a concerted plan by the fashion label’s new owners to expand its footprint globally.

    Launching in Beijing’s China World Mall to bring its store network to 53 outlets, the more than 4300sqft two-level boutique features a marble-based store design overseen by French architect Gwenael Nicolas.

    “The LEED-certified boutique has been created with the highest sustainability standards in mind,” said a statement released by the firm. “Dimmable lights with central control have been installed to ensure efficient use of energy over the course of the day.”

    “There’s no bigger luxury than our future. The new Versace China concept is a commitment toward Versace’s sustainable legacy,” said designer Donatella Versace”

    Capri Holdings, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, bought Versace from Donatella Versace late last year for US$2.2 billion. It is now implementing a plan to double the label’s worldwide sales with at least 112 new stores scheduled by 2022 along with a refurbishment program for the existing network. The new Beijing store is a key step in that plan.

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  • AirAsia adopts Workday cloud tech to manage 22,000 global employees

    AirAsia adopts Workday cloud tech to manage 22,000 global employees

    Southeast Asia’s largest budget carrier, AirAsia, is adopting cloud technology to manage the company’s 22,000 employees across the region as part of its digital transformation.

    AirAsia operates flights to more than 140 destinations across 22 markets.

    AirAsia announced it had recently taken a huge leap in human capital management (HCM) in cooperation with Workday, a provider of financial and human capital management software that is based in California.

    AirAsia chief people and culture officer Varun Bhatia said that Workday’s cloud technology could help the company maintain what he called “single-source truth and employee data”.

    “We believe we have to move towards a more personalized approach and employees have to get a personal experience,” Bhatia said recently.

    The collaboration, Bhatia said, enabled the airline’s employees to access the integrated, cloud-based platform individually from their mobile phones at any time and from anywhere.

    “It is a self-service platform where employees can do basic [things] like arranging leave, completing their data information and the like,” he said.

    The platform keeps information on each individual employee and their employment records, including career path, technical skills level and professional development, as well as standard information that employees need to do their jobs.

    Employees can also check their daily work schedule, manage leave days and track information about their salaries.AirAsia chief people and culture officer Varun Bhatia (right) and Workday president of Asia Rob Wells (left) shake hands to mark the collaboration in cloud-based human capital management recently at AirAsia Headquarters, Malaysia. (Courtesy of /AirAsia)

    Workday president for Asia Rob Wells said that with the help of technology and digitalization, AirAsia could allow its workforce to achieve efficiency and make their jobs easier.

    “Every day, the 22,000 employees of AirAsia are either serving us, flying us, caring for our baggage or making sure that the airplane works all the time,” said Wells.

    “They don’t have the time to come to the office to a desktop device. Thus, engaging the workforce through mobile, through access to digitalization, is essential,” he said.

    Adopting cloud technology to manage its human capital is part of the airline’s “AirAsia 3.0” vision to go beyond being an air travel company and become a travel tech company. AirAsia 3.0 also envisions providing hotel booking and logistics services as a one-stop e-commerce platform for travelers.

  • India’s Grofers to convert 200 partner stores into its own brand network

    India’s Grofers to convert 200 partner stores into its own brand network

    Indian online grocer Grofers will convert around 200 service-partner stores into its own offline branded outlets.

    The move is intended to expand Grofers’ business without affecting online sales, and has already been put into effect in around 100 such “kirana” outlets, providing training in point-of-sale, retention and loyalty schemes, among other areas. Plans are also underway to expand the network into southern Indian markets.

    “We have converted several grocery stores into our own branded offline stores,” said Grofers VP and offline business head Yeshu Bansal, “around 100 kirana stores in Delhi-NCR have been a part of this effort that started somewhere in November last year. Our target is to have 200 such stores in the coming few months.”

    The firm is aiming to double sales to ₹5000 crore (US$726.7 million) this financial year and is planning an IPO within three years.

    “Using our forecasting tools and data science, we help the offline stores understand what items are selling more and what should he stock for,” added Bansal. “We are taking our experience and tech to the offline store … We are entering kirana stores in residential areas that has middle and the lower middle class population. The goal is to help the retailer scale up his business by getting more footfalls, and for us, it helps push their homegrown brands (private label products) as well.”

    Grofers partners with more than 6000 stores that deliver groceries to its customers.

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  • Vietnam budget airline VietJet to launch online business

    Vietnam budget airline VietJet to launch online business

    Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet is set to enter the e-commerce business. The firm is currently forging alliances with industry partners to enable it to offer a range of goods and services online as it seeks to build on and profit from its existing customer data. The new platform, which will be based on blockchain technology to facilitate transactions among partners, is expected to launch within the next two years.

    “Following our concept of ‘Consumer Airline’, we will have an e-commerce platform to serve not only air tickets but whatever they need,” said Vietjet’s VP Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh in Tokyo in an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review. “All the suppliers and partners will join our platform to serve the products to not only our 30 million passengers but also hundreds of millions of customers in Vietnam and other parts of the world.”

    The service will offer banking, insurance, hotel bookings and consumer goods, among other planned features. It will initially target passengers on the airline before expanding to the general public.

    Vietjet is expected to fly 30 million passengers this year, an increase of 30 per cent over last year’s total. While its revenues have been increasing over the period, rising fuel costs and intensifying competition have increased pressure on the firm’s core business. Vietjet has already formed a partnership with finance firm HD Saison Finance to allow customers to purchase air tickets ‘on loan’ in hope of attracting sales even from travellers who cannot immediately afford to buy.

    Vietjet currently flies 119 domestic and international routes, with a fleet of almost 80 aircraft.

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  • Net-A-Porter targets high end with EIP Prive

    Net-A-Porter targets high end with EIP Prive

    Net-A-Porter will this month launch EIP Prive, an invitation-only luxury digital destination for its most loyal customers to discover the world’s most sought-after high jewelry and watches.

    The company describes the new services as taking the experience of a private jewelry salon into the digital realm. It will be offered to customers in more than 170 countries, including across Asia.

    “The private and personalized online space will offer the ultimate immersive and interactive experience for traditionally offline and highly renowned jewelry maisons,” the company said. Boehmer et Bassenge, Piaget, Boghossian, Bayco, Nadia Morgenthaler and Giampiero Bodino will be the first brands featured on EIP Prive.

    The service will include access to a dedicated personal shopper who will help EIPs (Extremely Important People) select from the curated collection.

    “Building on the success of our Fine Jewelry & Watch suite, we are delighted to introduce a special collection of exquisite, high jewelry pieces at Net-A-Porter,” said Alison Loehnis, president at Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter. “EIP Prive will offer clients a truly unique opportunity to discover the world’s most exclusive high jewelry maisons through a highly personalized, invitation-only service.”

    Along with private viewings of the newest standout, rare jewels and exclusive collections, EIP Prive customers will have access to personalised services including customization, bespoke requests and sourcing incredible, one-of-a-kind pieces.

    EIP Prive will launch as an invitation-only service in July, with further expansions into watches and men’s planned for late 2019, further establishing Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter as the go-to authorities in the high jewelry and watch space.

    Net-A-Porter says its personal shoppers will receive diamond and gemstone education from the Gemological Institute of America.

  • Moda Operandi launches Store in China

    Moda Operandi launches Store in China

    Fashion-discovery platform Moda Operandi has appointed Ming Yang as the firm’s new MD for China.

    While Moda Operandi has served the Chinese customer for years, Ming’s appointment represents Moda’s official entry into the region. She will build a strategy, operations, marketing, and personal styling programs from Shanghai.

    “Ming’s experience successfully shaping major US and UK-based retail brands to fit the needs of the Chinese luxury consumer is unparalleled,” said CEO of Moda Operandi Ganesh Srivats. “At Moda, we’re committed to becoming part of the local fabric in China, building our China operation from the ground-up, and ultimately being the pre-eminent luxury fashion platform for Chinese consumers. Ming has just the experience to get us there.”

    Ming will be Moda Operandi’s first employee in China, growing the company’s Shanghai team and overseeing all of Moda Operandi’s business strategy and operations in Mainland China.

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  • New Audi S8 Unveiled Globally

    New Audi S8 Unveiled Globally

    Audi is all set to put up a big show in 2020. The German luxury carmaker has been testing a slew of new models which are scheduled to be launched in 2020. The new-generation Audi A8was unveiled a couple of years ago and the S8 prototype was soon spotted being tested at the Nurburgring circuit. Almost two years later, Audi has finally unveiled the full-blown performance sedan and the figures are rather impressive.

    The all-new 2020 Audi S8 is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 motor which churns out a 555 bhp and a humongous peak torque of 800 Nm which is enough for a car that weighs 2.5 tons. In addition, it also gets a 48-volt mild hybrid system for start-stop traffic condition which betters the fuel efficiency and performance. Now such manic power delivery also needs to be handled prudently and for the purpose, Audi has equipped the S8 with some advanced standard fitments. For instance, the new model gets predictive active suspension as standard which can raise or lower each wheel individually. The suspension helps to keep the body stable by predicting the road conditions. For example, forward-looking cameras can sense potholes and adjust the ride accordingly. Then, in the dynamic mode, the suspension limits the body roll to as low as 2.5 degrees which goes up to 5 degrees in the comfort mode. Other standard fitments include Quattro all-wheel-drive, all-wheel steering, a sport differential and carbon fiber ceramic brakes which measure at 16.5-inch in the front and 14.6-inch at the rear.

    Understated design has been a tradition at Audi and the same goes even for performance cars. The new S8 looks subtle and very similar to the A8. Though the face is a bit aggressive, there isn’t much drama to make it look busy. At the rear, it gets quad tailpipes set up and the S badging. Moreover, it gets sporty looking five-spoke alloy wheels as well. Upgrades on the inside are little more than subtle. It gets an exclusive upper inlay made of Carbon Vector that creates a special 3D effect. Matte aluminum trim and diamond-stitched seats with embroidered S badging are also something which differentiates it from the A8 sedan. The fully-loaded S8 will be equipped with five radars, six cameras, twelve ultrasound sensors and a laser scanner.

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  • Mr Jeff plans more outlet in Singapore and Philippines

    Mr Jeff plans more outlet in Singapore and Philippines

    Spanish on-demand laundry startup Mr Jeff plans Singapore and the Philippines expansion. The company aims to open more than 75 franchises in the Philippines, and 30 in Singapore by the end of this year.

    A Mr Jeff app allows users to book laundry services on-demand and through a subscription model. By using the app, website, or the company’s physical store network, customers can choose the exact location, time and day for their laundry to be collected and delivered. A driver visits the user’s home or office, collects the garments and delivers them back later, cleaned and ironed.

    According to Mr Jeff’s research, laundry services are popular among the younger generation, and considered by 78 per cent as the most-disliked domestic chore.

    “With our digital approach and our subscriptions plans, we intend to change the traditional function of the dry cleaning sector,” said Luis Eduardo Quintero, of Mr Jeff Philippines.

    “Singapore and the Philippines are two of the countries in which maximum revenue is expected.”

    Founded in 2015, Mr Jeff is currently operating 370 laundry points in more than 10 countries, mostly in Central and Southern America.

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  • Volvo Car India Registers 11 Per Cent Increase In Sales

    Volvo Car India Registers 11 Per Cent Increase In Sales

    Volvo Car India recorded 11 percent growth in its half-yearly sales in 2019. The company sold 1,159 units between January-June 2019, whereas it sold 1,044 units sold during the same time last year. Volvo said that the sales contribution from mini metros and Tier-I towns and solid demand for the company’s SUV range were the key factors for the growth. Volvo Cars India has witnessed a growth of 25 per cent in the last fiscal year. The company sold 2,687 units of passenger vehicles in FY2018-19 against 2,157 units which it sold in the previous year. FY19’s growth was largely driven by the XC40 compact luxury SUV which is the most affordable Volvo sold in India currently and was launched last year.

    Charles Frump – Managing Director, Volvo Car India said, “We are extremely happy with 11 percent growth in sales performance so far especially when the industry is not looking positive. Our brand engagement programs continue to play a crucial role in this performance. While the short term market performance looks tough, I am very confident the automobile growth will bounce back and we would be happy to replicate our sales performance of 2018.”

    Volvo India had already announced that it will be introducing 4 new electrified cars in the country in the next 3 years. In its commitment towards the environment and electrified future, Volvo Cars plans to slowly phase out conventional powertrains and focus only on electrification. The Next launch from Volvo in India will be the new-generation Volvo S60, which could be launched towards the end of 2019 or early 2020.

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  • Emma dessert opens in Singapore

    Emma dessert opens in Singapore

    Japan’s Emma dessert has opened its first overseas outlet, at Singapore’s Plaza Singapura.

    Located on basement level 2 of the shopping mall, the outlet offers two exclusive products to Singapore – the Boba Taco Softie, and Charcoal Cheese-flavoured Soft Serve – along with its original menu.

    Signature items include Soft Serve with Okinawa Brown Sugar Bubble in Wafer Shell, Soft Serve in Cup with Okinawa Brown Sugar Bubble, Soft Serve in Charcoal Cone.

    Emma opened its first shop in Japan in May 2018, and now has seven outlets in Japan.

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  • Hema Fresh eyes 2000 stores by 2022

    Hema Fresh eyes 2000 stores by 2022

    Alibaba’s grocery-store network Hema Fresh (Hema Xiansheng) is targeting at least 2000 stores across China by 2022.

    With the current network at 160, expansion of the two-year-old chain is now being ramped up after Alibaba worked to refine the format. According to senior executives of Alibaba, quoted in Chinese news media reports, Hema Fresh will have stores in 200 cities by 2030. It is currently in 21, including Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing.

    Hou Yi, Hema Fresh’s CEO and VP of Alibaba, says the company will be targeting cities with populations in excess of 1 million as it achieves critical mass.

    As Pascal Martin and Jack Chuang, partners at OC&C Strategy Consultants, described in a deep dive into the Hema format published early this year, the Hema concept was developed from scratch by Hou Yi, a logistics expert hired from rival Jing Dong.

    The Hema store’s value proposition is built on three pillars:

    * Superb quality fresh food – particularly seafood – at an attractive price, that you can pick and have cooked to dine in the store or to go.

    * A completely integrated smartphone-centric experience, from product information (by scanning QR codes on product labels) to automated check-out enabled by RFID tags, to payment through Alipay (although Alibaba was recently forced by regulators to accept other payment platforms and cash).

    * An extended shopping experience with the download of an application that allows online ordering and free home delivery within 30 minutes within a 3km radius of each store.

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