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Tag: China

  • Massive China retail sales boost for Tiffany & Co

    Massive China retail sales boost for Tiffany & Co

    Aided by a massive sales boost in Mainland China, luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co returned to profitability in the second quarter of this year.

    “Retail sales in Mainland China began to rebound in April and continued to accelerate in the month of May, during which retail sales increased approximately 90 percent as compared to the same period in the prior year,” said CEO Alessandro Bogliolo.

    “This robust recovery continued throughout the balance of the second quarter with retail sales up approximately 80 percent for the full quarter as compared to the same period in the prior year.”

    Tiffany’s second-quarter, worldwide net sales declined 29 percent from the prior year to $747 million and comparable sales declined 24 percent from the prior year. Net earnings of $32 million were down by 77 percent against the previous year’s $136 million. But that marked a welcome return to profit after a torrid, Covid-19 hit first quarter.

    For the half-year to July 31, worldwide net sales declined 37 percent year on year to $1.3 billion and comparable sales declined 34 percent. The company reported a net loss of $33 million compared with net earnings of $262 million the prior year.

    In the Asia-Pacific region, total net sales were flat in the second quarter and decreased 24 percent in the first half, to $299 million and $473 million, respectively, which included a comparable sales increase of 17 percent in the second quarter and a decrease of 16 percent in the first half.

    Besides the stellar China performance, Tiffany said its sales in South Korea rebounded strongly, however these increases were offset by softness across other markets and a decline in wholesale travel-retail sales, all related to the Covid-19 outbreak.

    In Japan, Tiffany’s net sales decreased by 28 percent in the second quarter and 34 percent in the first half to $111 million and $197 million, respectively.

    Bogliolo said the company’s global sales strengthened in August, with preliminary month-to-date worldwide sales through to August 25 “slightly positive” compared to the same month-to-date in the prior year.

    “Our focus on effective local market messaging continued with a marketing campaign, featuring the new Tiffany T ambassador Chinese singer Jackson Yee, which generated impressive levels of social media fan growth and consumer engagement that well exceeded our expectations.”

    Meanwhile, the company’s total e-commerce revenue was up 123 percent during the second quarter, accounting for 15 percent of overall sales – significantly higher than the 6-per-cent rate of the preceding three fiscal years.

    Bogliolo is bullish about the jeweler’s future prospects, despite the Covid-19 crisis. “I firmly believe that Tiffany’s best days remain in front of us because of the team’s demonstrated agility in response to unforeseen hurdles and our stated strategies, which continue to prove sound.

    “Our second-quarter results and August trends to date, in light of these challenging times, confirm the power and resilience of this venerable brand.”

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  • JD teams with brands to launch an organic alliance

    JD teams with brands to launch an organic alliance

    JD’s online supermarket JD Super has formed an organic alliance with brands trading on its platform.

    More than 10 companies, including domestic and international ones, have joined the alliance, including Milk Deluxe, Bellamy’s, Abbott, Anchor, and Gerber.

    Under the alliance, JD Super and other members will work together with government bodies, channel merchants, and inspection institutes to collectively build an “organic traceability” mechanism, which records information about product life cycles, according to JD.

    “JD hopes to establish an organic industry ecosystem through the optimization of industry standards for organic products as well a wide range of support for organic brands to grow their appeal among Chinese consumers,” the company said in a statement.

    JD Super will also support the organic alliance’s members with organic labeling and to develop the platform.

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  • JD teams with brands to launch an organic alliance

    JD teams with brands to launch an organic alliance

    JD’s online supermarket JD Super has formed an organic alliance with brands trading on its platform.

    More than 10 companies, including domestic and international ones, have joined the alliance, including Milk Deluxe, Bellamy’s, Abbott, Anchor, and Gerber.

    Under the alliance, JD Super and other members will work together with government bodies, channel merchants, and inspection institutes to collectively build an “organic traceability” mechanism, which records information about product life cycles, according to JD.

    “JD hopes to establish an organic industry ecosystem through the optimisation of industry standards for organic products as well a wide range of support for organic brands to grow their appeal among Chinese consumers,” the company said in a statement.

    JD Super will also support the organic alliance’s members with organic labeling and to develop the platform.

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  • Tmall seeks to boost engagement with Chinese Gen Z luxury consumers

    Tmall seeks to boost engagement with Chinese Gen Z luxury consumers

    High-end Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall Luxury has implemented new features to boost its brands’ appeal for Gen Z consumers in the region.

    The three new features include a daily live streaming service on luxury topics, a content-rich magazine channel featuring fashion news, and an upgraded membership program offering personalized services. The features are a response to the strong spending power for luxury items exhibited by consumers within the Gen Z age group, spending on average US$3600 annually on high-end goods.

    Data collected by Tmall Luxury shows that four-fifths of its user base are below the age of 35, with the number of luxury consumers aged 18–25 age group more than doubling between July 2018 and June last year. The emerging consumer dynamic has attracted top brands in the category such as Valentino and Balenciaga to collaborate with the platform.

    “By providing Tmall’s unparalleled analytics and insights on luxury consumption in China, we empower luxury brands with a deeper and more accurate understanding of local consumer preferences,” said Alibaba VP and GM of Tmall luxury, fashion and FMCG Mike Hu. “These insights allow luxury brands to precisely tailor their communications to Chinese young audiences while staying true to their brand identities.”

    Almost 200 brands have opened flagship stores on the Tmall Luxury platform.

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  • Stablecoins Boost Capital Flight From China

    Stablecoins Boost Capital Flight From China

    Amid an escalating trade war with the U.S., Chinese citizens moved $50 billion worth of cryptocurrency out of the country over the past 12 months, with stablecoin Tether mainly used to facilitate the outflows.

    Over the last twelve months, with China’s economy suffering due to trade wars and devaluation of the yuan at different points, we’ve seen over $50 billion worth of cryptocurrency move from China-based addresses to overseas addresses, blockchain analysis company Chainalysis said in a report.

    In comparison, Western Europe, the next largest cryptocurrency market, saw $38 billion of outflows. We believe that at least some of this activity represents capital flight from China, the report, published Thursday, said.

    The Chinese government allows its citizens to move up to $50,000 out of the country each year. Foreign investments in real estate and other assets have allowed wealthy individuals to skirt these rules, but cryptocurrency assets may be picking up the slack amid a crackdown by authorities on these practices.

    The use of stablecoins, which are digital currencies backed by other assets like cryptocurrency, exchange-traded commodities or fiat money to reduce volatility, is particularly high in East Asia, making up 33 percent of all value transacted on-chain, due to China’s ban of direct exchanges of yuan for cryptocurrency, the report noted.

    Stablecoins are particularly useful for capital flight, as their fiat currency-pegged value means users selling off large amounts in exchange for their fiat currency of choice can rest assured that it’s unlikely to lose its value as they seek a buyer,» the report said, noting that Tether, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar, is disproportionately popular in East Asia – accounting for 93 percent of transactions – compared to other regions.

    In total, over $18 billion worth of Tether moved from East Asia addresses to those based in other regions over the last 12 month, Chainalysis said.

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  • Tmall seeks to boost engagement with Chinese Gen Z luxury consumers

    Tmall seeks to boost engagement with Chinese Gen Z luxury consumers

    High-end Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall Luxury has implemented new features to boost its brands’ appeal for Gen Z consumers in the region.

    The three new features include a daily live streaming service on luxury topics, a content-rich magazine channel featuring fashion news, and an upgraded membership program offering personalized services. The features are a response to the strong spending power for luxury items exhibited by consumers within the Gen Z age group, spending on average US$3600 annually on high-end goods.

    Data collected by Tmall Luxury shows that four-fifths of its user base are below the age of 35, with the number of luxury consumers aged 18–25 age group more than doubling between July 2018 and June last year. The emerging consumer dynamic has attracted top brands in the category such as Valentino and Balenciaga to collaborate with the platform.

    “By providing Tmall’s unparalleled analytics and insights on luxury consumption in China, we empower luxury brands with a deeper and more accurate understanding of local consumer preferences,” said Alibaba VP and GM of Tmall luxury, fashion, and FMCG Mike Hu. “These insights allow luxury brands to precisely tailor their communications to Chinese young audiences while staying true to their brand identities.”

    Almost 200 brands have opened flagship stores on the Tmall Luxury platform.

  • Mercedes-AMG Opens First Ever Experience Centre In China

    Mercedes-AMG Opens First Ever Experience Centre In China

    Mercedes-AMG is opening its first Experience Centre in the world in China. Customers and fans can experience the motorsport DNA of the brand from Affalterbach in close-up – on and alongside the immediately adjacent racing circuit. The new AMG Experience Centre lies about two hours’ drive from Shanghai, occupying an area of around 1305 square meters directly adjacent to the Zhejiang International Circuit. The exclusive AMG format offers twelve functional areas and four display areas over two floors, adding up to an extremely comprehensive brand and product experience and allowing visitors to discover for themselves the many facets of Driving Performance.

    The vehicles and technologies on display can be explored in analog form as well as digitally using VR technology. Specially trained AMG experts are on hand to provide detailed information and individual guidance. If a customer expresses an interest in buying, they will be put in touch with their nearest AMG retail partner. The facilities on offer are further enhanced by the “Café63”, a lounge and an exclusive selection of high-quality lifestyle accessories available from the AMG Shop. The whole area can furthermore be used as an event location, for which it can be flexibly configured. Stairs lead up to the interactive experience zone on the first floor. Motorsport enthusiasts can experience racing simulators and AR applications here, set among the successes of the AMG Customer Racing Teams. A slot car race track controlled via brainwaves is yet another technological highlight that serves to emphasize the experience-oriented nature of the format.

    The opportunity to experience the AMG vehicle range on the race track is of course on the table. An extensive pool of vehicles which includes the GT3 and GT4 racing vehicles in which visitors can experience the true fascination of motor racing. In addition to this exclusive use of the track, the Zhejiang International Circuit offers special monthly track days, in which interested customers and fans can take part either in their own vehicles or in AMG vehicles booked from the Centre.

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  • Top Chinese retailtech enterprises revealed

    Top Chinese retailtech enterprises revealed

    Notable Chinese retailtech firms are small in size, heavy on IT personnel, and largely located around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Yangtse Delta region, according to a new report.

    The study was released by international audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG in partnership with the China Chain Store & Franchise Association to identify the top 50 high-growth retail tech enterprises in China. It recognizes firms that work to bring forward digitalization, intelligence and integration.

    The findings showed that consumer technology applications are more concentrated on front-end interaction with consumers, marketing and transactions, consumer operation, and smart technology companies.

    Most of the companies shortlisted for the report had no more than 300 employees.

    Technical personnel accounts for more than 60 percent of human resources in more than half of these firms, and about half of the companies have been operating for less than five years.

    “The association and KPMG have worked together to release the list of China’s leading 50 retailtech enterprises, after spending six months studying the founding team of candidate enterprises on a one-by-one basis over six criteria, namely: technology and business model innovation; empowering reform of the traditional retail sectors; financial health; valuation and capital market recognition; target market acceptance and potentials under market segmentation; team capabilities and corporate innovation mechanism; and business model innovation and sustainability,” said China Chain Store & Franchise Association secretary-general Kevin Peng.

    At the end, 64 representative Chinese retailtech firms were shortlisted, including 50 leading enterprises and 14 emerging enterprises.

    “We hope this list can offer some references to chain stores and retail brands so that their digital transformation journey can be smoother and more successful.”

    “The retailtech industry is treading the same path of evolution as China’s commerce, the two have formed a synergy for mutual growth,” said KPMG China partner and head of consumer retail Jessie Qian.

    “Enterprises in technological innovation and retail industries have worked hard to accumulate a wealth of technological applications and real-life cases, which can serve as a role model for enterprises building their own digital capabilities.”

    “The retail industry is innovating and reforming in the face of digitalization as consumers are changing their lifestyle,” said KPMG China partner and advisory head of consumer and retail sector, Michael Mao. “New retail technologies and the retail businesses are increasingly integrated, as new consumption needs are being explored and new operational models are emerging.

    “During the transformation, retailtech enterprises, especially start-ups, have played an indispensable role and they are upgrading themselves when engaging with their end-users. Many technological enterprises have evolved from software vendors of a single solution to business partners working with their end-users to develop solutions tailored for specific scenarios, others not only provide technical support for hardware and software but also assist retail enterprises in integrating technological transformation at the IT level with internal reform and optimization of organizational structure.”

  • Gentle Monster shows its flagship concept in Shenyang

    Gentle Monster shows its flagship concept in Shenyang

    Gentle Monster has unveiled another flagship concept in Shenyang, China after launching the “Memory” theme in Hangzhou last month.

    Themed “New Normal”, the Korean eyewear retailer’s new store in Shenyang is inspired by the idea of how AI will be “deeply embedded in human life.” The story behind the new concept, according to the company, is “the upcoming future where AI is no longer a strange concept, but a ‘New Normal’.”

    When entering the store, visitors will see a sculpted “AI shepherd”, keeping an eye over his sheep.

    “With more data collection, this AI shepherd is able to nurture the herd with more care than the past generations,” Gentle Monster explained. “The space past him exhibits the advanced technology of monitoring devices used to detect potential danger to guard the sheep.”

    Several artworks are featured on the store’s walls and floors. The Gentle Monster Shenyang store also houses a lion head sculpture in gold and dark blue-grey colors.

    “The Gentle Monster Shenyang store embodies the brand’s evolving identity, and visitors will be able to experience the future world where the ‘New Normal’ dominates the norm,” the company said.

    The store extends the technology theme of Gentle Monster’s new flagships. The Hangzhou store ‘Memory’ explores the concept of future technology restoring lost memories.

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  • JD sales beat estimates as customers move online

    JD sales beat estimates as customers move online

    China’s JD beat analysts’ estimates for quarterly sales, as the firm benefited from a shift in shopping habits of domestic consumers who have largely moved to online ever since the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The results coincide with growing tensions between Beijing and Washington. Several Chinese companies are putting off plans for US listings amid tensions between the world’s top two economies, while those listed in New York are seeking to return to exchanges closer to home. In June, JD raised about $3.87 billion in its Hong Kong secondary listing.

    JD executives did not offer any comments on US-China tensions on a conference call with analysts on Monday.

    China, which has under a thousand active Covid-19 cases currently, has largely emerged out of lockdowns but demand is still picking up in many sectors.

    Retail sales in the world’s second-largest economy slipped in July, dashing expectations for a modest rise, as consumers failed to shake off wariness about the coronavirus, while the factory sector’s recovery struggled to pick up the pace.

    The company’s net product revenue, which includes online retail sales, rose 33.5 percent to $25.74 billion in the second quarter.

    Net income attributable to shareholders rose to $2.38 billion from $89.4 million a year earlier.

    The company’s total net revenue rose 33.8 percent to $28.98 billion in the quarter ended June 30.

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  • China’s retail sales fall as consumers adopt caution

    China’s retail sales fall as consumers adopt caution

    China’s retail sales slipped in July, dashing expectations for a modest rise, as consumers in the world’s second-largest economy failed to shake off wariness about the coronavirus.

    Meanwhile, the recovery in the factory sector struggled to gain momentum.

    Asian markets pulled back on Friday following the disappointing set of economic indicators, which raised concerns about the fragility of China’s emergence from coronavirus.

    China’s recovery had been gathering pace after the pandemic paralyzed huge swathes of the economy as pent-up demand, government stimulus and surprisingly resilient exports propel a rebound.

    However, the data from the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday showed weaker-than-expected year-on-year industrial output growth and retail sales extending declines into a seventh straight month in July. That was slightly offset by firmer property investment, which showed a recent stimulus was supporting construction activity.

    “Looking ahead, we expect a renewed acceleration in infrastructure investment in the coming months as planned government bond issuance continues to ramp-up,” said Martin Rasmussen, China Economist at Capital Economics.

    “This should drive a further rebound in industry and construction, helping to absorb labor market slack, indirectly shore up consumption and keep the economic recovery on track.”

    Industrial output grew 4.8 percent in July from a year earlier, in line with June’s growth but less than forecasts for a 5.1-per-cent rise.

    Retail sales dropped 1.1 percent year on year, missing predictions for a 0.1-per-cent rise and following a 1.8-per-cent fall in June.

    The decline in retail sales was broad-based with garments, cosmetics, home appliances, and furniture all worsening from June.

    A key exception was auto sales, which surged 12.3 percent, turning around an 8.2-per-cent fall in June.

    China’s economy returned to growth in the second quarter after a deep slump at the start of the year, but unexpected weakness in domestic consumption weighed on momentum.

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  • JD outlines aggressive expansion strategy for Mainland China

    JD outlines aggressive expansion strategy for Mainland China

    Chinese e-commerce giant JD is planning on a widespread store network expansion within five years.

    The firm will open 20 E-Space experience stores in first-tier cities, 300 home-appliance flagship stores in prefectural-level cities and 5000 stores in towns and villages by 2025, according to the firm’s senior VP Yan Xiaobing.

    Yan made the announcement at a press conference marking the completion of JD’s full acquisition of home-appliance chain 5Star, commenting that the complete store network “will create a new offline JD”.

    The E-Space stores, known for allowing consumers to try anything in store, will be 50,000–100,000sqm in size, while the home-appliance stores will be 10,000–20,000sqm each.

    5Star, to be renamed JD 5Star, is the third-largest home-appliance chain in the territory, with annual sales of more than US$2.6 billion.

    “The Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on the home appliance industry in the first of this year,” said China Household Electrical Appliances Association director Jiang Feng. “JD’s acquisition of 5Star could play a key role in driving the industry’s transformation.”

  • China’s retail sales fall as consumers adopt caution

    China’s retail sales fall as consumers adopt caution

    China’s retail sales slipped in July, dashing expectations for a modest rise, as consumers in the world’s second-largest economy failed to shake off wariness about the coronavirus.

    Meanwhile, the recovery in the factory sector struggled to gain momentum.

    Asian markets pulled back on Friday following the disappointing set of economic indicators, which raised concerns about the fragility of China’s emergence from coronavirus.

    China’s recovery had been gathering pace after the pandemic paralyzed huge swathes of the economy as pent-up demand, government stimulus and surprisingly resilient exports propel a rebound.

    However, the data from the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday showed weaker-than-expected year-on-year industrial output growth and retail sales extending declines into a seventh straight month in July. That was slightly offset by firmer property investment, which showed a recent stimulus was supporting construction activity.

    “Looking ahead, we expect a renewed acceleration in infrastructure investment in the coming months as planned government bond issuance continues to ramp-up,” said Martin Rasmussen, China Economist at Capital Economics.

    “This should drive a further rebound in industry and construction, helping to absorb labor market slack, indirectly shore up consumption and keep the economic recovery on track.”

    Industrial output grew 4.8 percent in July from a year earlier, in line with June’s growth but less than forecasts for a 5.1-per-cent rise.

    Retail sales dropped 1.1 percent year on year, missing predictions for a 0.1-per-cent rise and following a 1.8-percent fall in June.

    The decline in retail sales was broad-based with garments, cosmetics, home appliances and furniture all worsening from June.

    A key exception was auto sales, which surged 12.3 percent, turning around an 8.2-per-cent fall in June.

    China’s economy returned to growth in the second quarter after a deep slump at the start of the year, but unexpected weakness in domestic consumption weighed on momentum.

  • Tencent profit beats expectations after strong demand for games

    Tencent profit beats expectations after strong demand for games

    Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings said second-quarter net profit rose 37 percent, beating market estimates, on higher demand for its video games as coronavirus put a dent in other entertainment options.

    Revenue from online games, which accounts for one-third of total sales, jumped 40 percent in the quarter, primarily driven by smartphone games including Peacekeeper Elite and Honour of Kings. That offset a continued decline in desktop games.

    Social networks, fintech and business services, and social advertising revenues all grew by nearly 30 percent.

    Media advertising revenues fell by 25 percent however, “as a result of weak brand advertising demand amid the challenging macro environment”, and delayed content production and releases.

    The world’s largest gaming firm by revenue booked a US$4.8 billion profit for the three months through June. Revenue rose 29 percent to $16.5 billion.

    The results come a few days after the US said it would ban WeChat-related transactions in the country.

    Tencent, which owns the Chinese messaging app, is under pressure to address concerns about the impact of the ban and outline its plans to mitigate any fallout.

    The company has also postponed a blockbuster release of “Dungeon and Fighter Mobile” game planned for August 12, citing upgrades needed to the game’s addiction prevention system.

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  • China sets dates for reinstatement of tourist visas to Macau

    China sets dates for reinstatement of tourist visas to Macau

    @Macau, the world’s biggest casino hub, is set to welcome an influx of gamblers after China announced that tourist visas would be reinstated for all provinces.

    Residents from Zhuhai city across the border from Macau are permitted from tomorrow, August 12.

    Residents from the neighboring coastal province of Guangdong on the mainland will be able to apply from August 26, the National Immigration Administration said.

    Residents of other provinces will be allowed to apply for visas from September 23.

    Casino executives and investors have been eagerly awaiting the announcement as a catalyst to reviving gaming revenue, which has slumped since February due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

    China’s National Immigration Administration said, provided the domestic coronavirus situation continued to improve, residents would be able to apply for individual and group travel visas to enter the special administrative region located on the country’s southern coast.

    Visitors from greater China make up over 90 percent of tourists to the former Portuguese colony of Macau.

    Shares of Hong Kong listed casino stocks soared on Tuesday following the announcement. The announcement comes nearly a month after China loosened coronavirus-related border restrictions between Macau and Guangdong.