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Tag: China

  • Lancome opened sensorial pop-up store in HaitangBay

    Lancome opened sensorial pop-up store in HaitangBay

    With over 170 beauty awards to its name, Mainland China’s leading beauty brand, Lancôme, celebrated its top selling serum, Advanced Génifique, by launching a multi-sensorial pop-up at China Duty Free Group’s (CDFG) Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex at Haitang Bay. Renowned actress and LANCÔME local ambassador for China, Zhou Dongyu, actors, Zhai TianLin and Yin Zheng, and over 12 beauty influencers joined hands to embark on an exclusive journey of experiencing the 1+1 dual skincare benefits of the Advanced Génifique and Advanced Génifique Sensitive. The pop-up is an opportunity to address the robust growth driven by Chinese travellers within a booming beauty market that continues to accelerate in Asia Pacific.

    Located at one of Asia’s leading downtown duty-free destinations, the pop-up in sophisticated hues of blue and white brought in the spirit and taste of French elegance to Sanya. Beauty influencers and travelers experienced Lancôme’s top-rated serum through various sensory, with features such as a photo booth, interactive games and an impactful outdoor lighting installation. The pop-up ran from November 2 to 29.

    “To celebrate the abiding success of the Lancôme brand and its iconic Advanced Génifique serum, we are happy to partner with CDFG in Sanya, Haitang Bay, to launch this pop-up with the presence of our local ambassador for China, Zhou Dongyu. As we remain optimistic of our growth in Travel Retail APAC, we are excited to reach out to the Chinese travelers in their home country to experience Advanced Génifique in an all-immersive retail experience pop-up,” said Tao Zhang, General Manager of Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific.

    “We are pleased to partner with a leading international beauty giant like Lancôme to showcase their iconic Advanced Génifique serum at this specially designed pop-up. CDFG Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex hosts millions of travelers per year, and our core focus revolves around the idea of creating and delivering meaningful and memorable experiences for them. This partnership with Lancôme has made this possible, bringing an engaging shopping experience, elevated for our travelers.” said Xie Zhi Yong, Deputy General Manager of CDFG Sanya Downtown Duty Free Store Co., Ltd.

    Celebrating the momentous occasion and enduring success of the brand’s iconic serum, the pop-up was themed around the Advanced Génifique, which is heading into its ten year anniversary in 2019. With more than 170 beauty awards to its name, the powerful youth activating serum remains as one of the best-selling serums in the country.

    Primed as Asia’s leading downtown duty-free destination for international, luxury cosmetics as well as the gateway for the brand to tap into the thriving travel retail market, CDFG Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex was specially selected to play host to Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique’s pop-up. The duty-free shopping complex houses one of the top POS for Lancôme worldwide, and will remain a key strategic focus for the brand’s travel retail business across APAC.

    Billed as the top holiday destination for affluent mainland Chinese, Sanya saw KOLs from around China descend upon its shores to embark on a ‘Advanced Génifique’ journey to reveal their skin’s glow and deepen their understanding of Lancôme’s well-loved Advanced Génifique and Advanced Génifique Sensitive serums through a beautiful holiday experience with the brand. Invited KOLs whose Advanced Génifique journey at Sanya enabled them to better understand the benefits of the brand’s powerful youthactivating serum, share their knowledge, and advocate Advanced Génifique across their platforms.

     

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  • Olympic Committee Launches the First Olympic Store for Chinese Fans with Alibaba

    Olympic Committee Launches the First Olympic Store for Chinese Fans with Alibaba

    The International Olympic Committee and Worldwide TOP Partner Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA) announced the launch of the firstever Olympic store on Tmall, China’s largest B2C marketplace for brands and retailers, during the weekend. The new Olympic store will be initially available to Chinese fans on Alibaba’s Tmall, with additional plans in development to create a global ecommerce platform for fans around the world.

    The Olympic store on Tmall has been launched as part of the new IOC Global Licensing Strategy, which aims to engage and connect with fans seeking official Olympic branded merchandise, in line with Olympic Agenda 2020. The launch was announced at the second annual Tmall Winter Festival in Zhangjiakou, a three-day online and offline retail event to generate excitement for winter sports among Chinese consumers. The Olympic store on Tmall will offer official products developed as part of three Olympic core licensing collections, aimed at engaging Chinese fans all year round.

    The Olympic Games Collection celebrates the upcoming Olympic Games and includes branded products from the Beijing 2022 and Tokyo 2020 Games, such as pins, apparel and other memorabilia. The Olympic Heritage Collection will feature products that include art and design elements from previous Games editions, such as postcards of historical Olympic posters, connecting fans and connoisseurs with the rich heritage of the Olympic Games. Finally, the Olympic Collection will target a young and active audience through unique branded products, mainly sports equipment and toys.

    Timo Lumme, IOC TMS Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to launch our first Olympic store on Alibaba’s Tmall in China, one of the world’s largest ecommerce marketplaces. The launch was made possible thanks to the support of our Worldwide Olympic Partner Alibaba’s technology and expertise, as well as our partnership with the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2022. The Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 will be a landmark moment for China and the Olympic Movement, and from today we look forward to offering the latest exciting Olympic products to Chinese Olympic fans through our new Olympic store on Alibaba’s platform.”

    Chris Tung, Alibaba Group Chief Marketing Officer, commented: “The launch of the first Olympic store on Alibaba’s Tmall is an important milestone in our long-term partnership with the IOC. We are proud to leverage Alibaba’s technology and ecosystem to provide more opportunities for Chinese fans to celebrate the heritage of the Games and join in the excitement for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the IOC to connect more fans in China and from around the world to the Olympic Movement in the digital era.” Piao Xuedong, Director of the Beijing 2022 Marketing Department, said: “We are proud to work with both the IOC and Alibaba to present the Olympic store on Tmall to Chinese Olympic fans today. It is the first time in the history of the Olympic Movement that Olympic fans can use an online store to look for licensed products both from the historical Olympic Games and the upcoming Olympic Games. Beijing 2022 is getting full value by innovating the licensing programme today. Our licensing team will keep supporting the Olympic store on Tmall by providing more wonderful products in the future.”

    In December 2017, Alibaba Group, in partnership with the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee, introduced the official online shop for Beijing 2022 on Tmall to help promote the Games among fans in China. Alibaba Group and the IOC entered a historic, long-term strategic partnership in January 2017 to help transform the Olympic Games for the digital era. Alibaba Group serves as the official “Cloud Services” and “E-Commerce Platform Services” Partner of the IOC, and is a Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel through to the 2028 Games.

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  • FAO Schwarz Hong Kong store opens

    FAO Schwarz Hong Kong store opens

    New York toy retailer FAO Schwarz has opened a private, invitation-only store in Hong Kong, designed by Studio X. The 1150sqft FAO Schwarz Hong Kong store which quietly opened last month is a prototype retail concept for Asia where the company can test design elements and store features before it opens public stores in Mainland China and beyond.

    FAO Schwarz is the oldest toy store brand in the US and a New York City icon frequently referenced in popular culture with scenes in movies such as ‘Big’ in which Tom Hanks famously danced across the store’s giant floor piano. That store closed in July 2015, its turnover no longer sufficient to meet the high rentals of Manhattan, but the legend has lived on.

    Parent ThreeSixty has opened a new store in New York this year and early this month said it planned aBeijing store. The prototype FAO Schwarz Hong Kong store is located inside the newly opened ThreeSixty Group Hong Kong office, which was also designed by Studio X.

    A spokesperson for Studio X said the design is centred around the toy brand’s philosophy “Return to Wonder”, offering “a sense of theatre and occasion that the original New York store was renowned for”. Key design features include many of the original store’s memorable elements such as the giant floor piano and clock tower.

    Studio X oversaw the whole design, including visual merchandising, custom graphics and the shopfront. The company will work with FAO Schwarz to develop further flagship stores across the world next year.

    Studio X was founded in 2016 by Rufus Turnbull and Sam Bradley with a vision to offer a fresh approach to commercial design. Its clients include Ikea, Swire Properties, K11 and Aromatherapy Associates.

    View the gallery below (7 images) :

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  • Valentino joins Tmall Luxury Pavilion

    Valentino joins Tmall Luxury Pavilion

    Valentino, whose name is synonymous with high fashion across the globe, has opened a flagship store on Tmall Luxury Pavilion, Alibaba Group’s dedicated site for premium brands. The online store features selected products from the Rome-based fashion house’s womenswear and menswear lines, as well as five limited-edition items available only to Tmall shoppers including sneakers, pants and shirts.

    The launch late November coincided with Valentino’s 2019 Pre-Fall Runway show in Tokyo, which was livestreamed on the Pavilion.

    China’s Millennial and Generation Z shoppers are on track to make up 46% of purchases in the global personal luxury goods market by 2025, up from 32% in 2017, according to a November report from consulting firm Bain & Co.

    Online sales channels are becoming more critical than ever for luxury brands, with official sites and e-commerce platforms expected to account for 25% of the market’s value in 2025, up from the current 10%, Bain’s research showed.

    To create a shopping experience that stays true to the brand’s heritage and values, Tmall and Valentino worked together to design the storefront’s interface, adjusting the layout to enhance branding, boost audience retention and encourage deeper interaction with consumers.

    Noonoouri, the Pavilion’s new CGI ambassador, also “attended” Valentino’s 2019 Pre-Fall Runway show, posting images of all of the behind-the-scenes action to her Instagram account.

    The digital avatar has already collaborate with luxury brands Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Saint Laurent.

    Before opening the new store, Valentino partnered with the Luxury Pavilion in April to launch a 3D virtual store that mirrors a brick-and-mortar pop-up store the brand has launched in Beijing.

    Shoppers can experience the physical location via the Tmall mobile app and browse a selection of Valentino’s collection.

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  • LG U+ CEO says Huawei gear is not a risk

    LG U+ CEO says Huawei gear is not a risk

    LG U+ CEO and Vice Chairman Ha Hyun-hwoi has made it clear that the carrier does not think there are any security threats related to its use of Huawei equipment in its 5G infrastructure. Ha made the statement during a year-end press briefing on Wednesday in Yongsan District, central Seoul, rebuffing claims by some lawmakers that there is a risk of security leaks through the use of the Chinese tech giant’s equipment in the network. LG U+ currently partners with Huawei as well as Samsung Electronics, Ericsson and Nokia for its 5G infrastructure.

    According to Ha, the Chinese IT company has already applied for security certification of its 5G network equipment from an international certifying body in Spain. The CEO added the public will be able to see how secure the equipment is once the evaluations are complete next year.

    “Security concerns apply to every equipment vendor we partner with, not only Huawei, and we need to thoroughly verify all the equipment [we use] is secure,” Ha said. “There are roughly 170 countries that are already using Huawei’s network equipment, and there hasn’t been any security problems reported so far.”

    Locally, Huawei has set up equipment that abides by over 70 security guidelines set by the Korea Internet & Security Agency, according to LG U+.

    The main reason for the carrier taking the risk of using the controversial equipment is because 5G infrastructure needs to be built in conjunction with the existing network equipment for 4G long term evolution (LTE), some of which LG U+ also bought from Huawei. Ha said price, technological competitiveness and the ability to deliver the equipment in a timely manner were also considered when choosing the vendor.

    LG U+ has built 5,500 base stations to service the next-generation 5G network as of Wednesday, while its local competitors have reportedly established less than 1,000 5G base stations.

    On why the mobile carrier is rushing to establish its 5G infrastructure, Ha said, “It is important to have a head start to have a competitive edge in [5G] services considering the quality tests we need to go through before March [when the high-speed network is commercialized for smartphones].”

    Ha said the company invested roughly 4 trillion won ($3.6 billion) to set up its 5G infrastructure, including at 5G spectrum auctions.

    The company said it hopes to take up a larger share of the market, which is dominated by SK Telecom, with 50 percent, and KT, with 30 percent.

    “In July 2011, when we first began the LTE service, our local market share was 17.7 percent, but the share increased to 21.2 percent over time as of the end of October,” LG U+ said in statement. “We think next year could be the best time to shake up the competing structure.”

    The carrier is preparing a 5G-based smart factory service with its affiliates LG Electronics and IT service company LG CNS, targeting enterprise customers. For individual customers, LG U+ is focusing on augmented reality and virtual reality content that can offer an immersive experience of watching sports games and K-pop concerts at home.

    The CEO also commented on speculations that the carrier will acquire paid TV service operator CJ Hello. Ha said it has opened up its options to cable TV operators other than CJ Hello and plans to finalize the deal within the first half of next year. Industry sources, however, still say negotiations between the two parties have nearly come to a close and final results are likely to come out around March.

  • Haidilao hot pot debuts in Vietnam

    Haidilao hot pot debuts in Vietnam

    Chinese hot-pot chain Haidilao is to open its first outlet in Vietnam. The outlet is located on the second floor of the 68-story Bitexco building in Ho Chi Minh City. Without revealing the opening date, the company has been recruiting office staff and restaurant crews for its Vietnam debut. Hai Di Lao Viet Nam Holdings Company was established in August, headquartered in Hanoi.

    Founded in 1994, Haidilao serves Sichuan-style hot pot integrating features from all over China. Until now, the chain has opened 29 restaurants overseas, including in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the US.

  • H&M sales surges, with notes

    H&M sales surges, with notes

    H&M sales grew by the fastest rate in three years during the latest quarter – but analysts suspect it is due to discounting of inventory and favourable currency swings. According to a stock exchange filing, H&M revenue rose 12 per cent to 56.4 billion krona (S$6.23 billion) in the November quarter.

    But the fast-fashion retailer has been battling to move a huge inventory, estimated in March as worth a staggering $4.3 billion.

    This week’s filing covered only sales, with full details of H&M’s trading performance set to be revealed on January 31.

    Some analysts have described it as “possible” the sales growth was not profitable given sweaters have been selling for as little as $10 in recent months.

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  • China Canada Goose flagship opening delayed after Meng arrest

    China Canada Goose flagship opening delayed after Meng arrest

    The arrest of Huawei CFO Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Canada has prompted down jacket retailer Canada Goose to delay launching its Chinese flagship store. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have already contributed to a 20.6 per cent drop in the brand’s share price this month amidst calls for a boycott in China and the Meng arrest only worsened the situation.

    The brand had been poised to open the 600sqm flagship in fashionable Taikoo Li Sanlitun this Saturday, following a pop-up event last month and a promotional campaign on Alibaba’s Taobao online mall. It opened a branch in Hong Kong last month, and is planning a regional office in Shanghai.

    “Our Beijing store has been delayed slightly due to ongoing construction. We look forward to opening our newest store in the near future.”

    A statement published : “Our Beijing store has been delayed slightly due to ongoing construction. We look forward to opening our newest store in the near future.”

    The Meng arrest took place at the request of the US on fraud charges related to alleged breaches of Iran sanctions.

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  • Prada ‘racist’ incident ended up with apology

    Prada ‘racist’ incident ended up with apology

    Prada has apologised for selling a US$550 monkey figurine after a social media backlash from US consumers alleging the character is racist. The monkeys, with oversized red lips and dark skin have been likened to “racist caricatures historically used to dehumanise black people” according to a commentary in The Business of Fashion.  Some social media users pointed out a resemblance to golliwogs, the fictional children’s book character created by Kate Upton in the late 19th Century, which brands worldwide have avoided using in marketing for reasons Prada executives could have easily found with a quick Google search.

    The ‘racist’ monkey character was part of the Pradamalia range of small accessories like keychains and toys featuring cartoon characters.

    Prada said in a statement that the creatures were “not intended to have any reference to the real world and certainly not blackface”.

    “Prada Group never had the intention of offending anyone and we abhor all forms of racism and racist imagery. In this interest, we will withdraw all of the characters in question from display and circulation.”

    The Business of Fashion described the company’s design as “at best tone-deaf, at worst racist and exploitative”.

    Some people in the retail industry may well ask how Prada released such a product after the high-profile case of H&M having to apologise after releasing marketing images of a black child wearing a hoodie with the text “Coolest monkey in the jungle” in January, which prompted a similar chorus of disapproval. H&M immediately withdrew the hoodies from sale globally and recycled them, but not before some stores in South Africa had to be closed temporarily after protests and vandalism.

    And just last month, Dolce & Gabbana was forced to apologise to Asians customers around the world for a video campaign mocking a Chinese model trying to eat pasta with chopsticks, followed by an extraordinarily racist rant on Twitter by one of the label’s founders (which he later claimed – to widespread skepticism – was the result of his account being hacked).

    Facebook user Chinyere Ezie (who took the photo of the Prada monkey used with this story) was one black American woman outraged by the product. Her post had been shared more than 10,000 times by Monday morning and received some 4300 comments.

    “Today after returning to NYC after a very emotional visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, including an exhibit on blackface, I walked past Prada’s Soho storefront only to be confronted with the very same racist and denigrating #blackface imagery,” she wrote.

    “I entered the store with a coworker, only to be assaulted with more and more bewildering examples of their Sambo-like imagery. When I asked a Prada employee whether they knew they had plastered blackface imagery throughout their store, in a moment of surprising candor I was told that *a black employee had previously complained about blackface at Prada, but he didn’t work there anymore.*

    “History cannot continue to repeat itself. Black America deserves better. And we demand better.”

    The products were withdrawn from window displays – and sales – within hours of Ezie’s post on Friday.

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  • New Lego land in China

    New Lego land in China

    The site where a Legoland will be built in Chuncheon, Gangwon, on Friday. The development of the Legoland, about the same size as the Legoland in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, has been approved by the Gangwon government. British amusement park developer Merlin is in charge.

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  • Nome Sweden revealed massive expansion plan in China

    Nome Sweden revealed massive expansion plan in China

    Swedish designer brand Nome has launched a new store at Guangzhou Baiyun Wanda. The brand plans to open more than 300 stores in China’s most central shopping centres within a year, with a projected total turnover of more than RMB2 billion (US$290.6 million).

    In the next three to five years, Nome plans more than 2000 stores in China and in excess of 1000 stores overseas. The global business scale is planned to reach RMB50 billion ($7.265 billion), creating a global brand of home furnishing.

    To mark the Guangzhou launch, the brand installed a modernised version of a traditional Guangzhou postal kiosk outside the store. The reimagined newsstand featured a translucent shell emanating blue and white lights to evoke a Nordic style, perceived by the brand as having become more popular amongst Chinese consumers in recent years.

    Swedish designer brand Nome covers 10 categories and more than 3000 SKUs in store, including lifestyle, home, furniture, clothing, digital, beauty, food, shoes, luggage and travel items.

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  • China’s Proya opens 1000 smart stores

    China’s Proya opens 1000 smart stores

    Chinese cosmetics company Proya has ramped up its expansion on the heels of strong growth this year. In the first half of the year, Proya achieved revenue growth of 28 per cent, representing 89 per cent of the company’s total revenue for the period. At the same time, the firm’s e-commerce platform achieved sales growth of 58 per cent, while its Uzero brand accelerated its opening of single-brand retail outlets modelled as smart stores, signing agreements with more than 1000 locations.

    Since the beginning of the year, Proya has been driving sales growth across its cosmetics store-focused network by improving its incentive programs, providing more resources to employees, and encouraging employees to embrace change and continuously enhance skill sets.

    Based on shifts in market demand, the company has been focussing its product upgrades on the addition of new functionalities, higher levels of efficiency, as well as new and improved, higher-priced high-value items and a better appearance. It currently retails more than 1000 products under seven brands.

    Next year, the company plans to launch additional high-end products with functional and technological advantages that will serve as a cornerstone of a comprehensive product and brand upgrade.

    China’s beauty and makeup market was valued RMB361.6 billion (US$52.3 billion) in 2017, with a compound annual growth rate averaging 9.5 per cent over the last 10 years.

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  • Luckin Coffee worth $2.2 billion in quite short time

    Luckin Coffee worth $2.2 billion in quite short time

    Fast-growing Chinese cafe chain Luckin Coffee has raised US$200 million in its latest funding round, effectively valuing the company at a stunning $2.2 billion. That’s up to $700 million more than its value was estimated just one month ago when the quest for funding was announced.

    Launched only in January, the company had already opened more than 1700 outlets in 21 Mainland China cities by last month. Its rapid growth is based on an inexpensive delivery service concept and online ordering system.

    An aggressive competitive strategy involves an IT-focused approach whereby all customers must purchase coffee via an app, with which they can then monitor brewing progress via livestream. Its pricing is considerably less than Starbucks.

    Luckin said the latest funding round was led by Singapore Government sovereign wealth fund GIC and China International Capital Corp. They were likely attracted by a mid-term plan for an IPO of the Luckin business in either Hong Kong or New York. GIC was a participant in a similar capital raising in July.

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  • DB Schenker signs a MoU for logistics centre in China

    DB Schenker signs a MoU for logistics centre in China

    DB Schenker, one of the world’s largest logistics service providers, and the Eastern China city of Changshu signed a Memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a state-of-the-art logistics center in the Changshu Economic and Technology Development Zone.

    Due to its convenient location near the metropolitan areas of Shanghai, Suzhou and Wuxi, and its proximity to the deep-water port of Yangshan as well as to a new port currently developed on the Yangtze River near Changshu, the city is a strategic location for a logistics center. Moreover, DB Schenker will be the first international third-party logistics provider (3PL) with a fully owned logistics site in Changshu.

    The new facility will provide state-of-the-art logistics and supply chain management services with a high level of automation to customers from the automotive and healthcare industry as main target group as well as to companies from other industry sectors situated around the Yangtze River Delta and Greater East China Region. The construction start of the center is scheduled for the end of 2019 with duration of two years.

    “After our strategic investment in a logistics center in Pinghu in July, the logistics facility in Changshu will be our second 100% owned distribution center in China. Both facilities complement our local growing warehouse portfolio with existing presence and partnerships with warehouses in Beijing and Shenyang”, says Christopher Pollard, CEO Greater China, Schenker China Ltd.

    With over 50 years of experience in China, DB Schenker is one of the biggest 3PL companies in the local market offering extensive air, ocean, road and rail freight services, as well as integrated contract logistics service and supply chain management.

     

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  • Alibaba powers Starbucks virtual store launch in China

    Alibaba powers Starbucks virtual store launch in China

    Starbucks launched its first virtual store in China powered by technology from Alibaba Group, providing a unified, one-stop digital experience across the Starbucks app and mobile apps within the Alibaba ecosystem, including Taobao, Tmall, and Alipay.

    The first-of-its-kind virtual store leverages an online management hub developed specifically for Starbucks by Alibaba. It provides consumers integrated access to Starbucks’ digital offerings, including “Starbucks Delivers,” “Say it with Starbucks” social gifting and merchandise available from Starbucks’ Tmall flagship store.

    Alibaba’s technology streamlines the shopping process, pulling offers that were available in multiple digital apps into a single access point. Adopting a centralized approach to its mobile presence enabled by the Alibaba ecosystem, Starbucks now has a complete overview of its consumers’ actions online. Moreover, the integration of membership between Starbucks and the range of Alibaba apps is expected to fuel strong growth in Starbucks Rewards membership in China.

    The new virtual store steps up the collaboration announced by Alibaba and Starbucks in August 2018, when the companies agreed a deep, strategic “New Retail” partnership. Ele.me, China’s leading on-demand food delivery platform, owned by Alibaba, provides Starbucks delivery service for 2,000 stores across 30 Chinese cities.

    In October 2018, Starbucks also piloted its first “Star Kitchens” within two FRESHIPPO (previously known as Hema) supermarkets in Shanghai and Hangzhou. As the first retail brand to establish a dedicated back-of-house presence in FRESHIPPO locations, each Star Kitchen utilizes the distinct fulfilment and delivery capabilities on-site to complement the handcrafted beverages offered through existing Starbucks stores.

    The launch of Starbucks’ virtual store is also the latest example of how the so-called “Alibaba Operating System” empowering traditional retailers. After years of development in this digital age, Alibaba has created a unique system to support enterprises in the process of digital transformation that covers critical areas such as retail, marketing, finance and logistics.