Retail News CRM

Tag: China

  • How the retail industry has fared in 2018

    How the retail industry has fared in 2018

    The overall retail market in India 2018 stood at Rs 43,251 billion and is forecast to grow by 6.4 percent CAGR in 2018-2023. Retailing in India still predominantly takes place in physical stores and shopping behaviour between urban and rural consumers continues to be vastly different. Smaller independents (both grocery retailers and non-grocery specialists) continued to dominate the landscape they faced growing competition from modern outlets opening in out-of-town shopping centres and malls capturing the Tier II & III markets.

    This year, we witnessed modern retailers launch interesting payments schemes and effective pricing strategies to propel the sales. For example, leading retailer Future Group launched its payment wallet Future Pay which can be used in all its retail brand outlets. Retailers also capitalised on growing acceptance of modern retail by developing new marketing schemes and strategies to attract shoppers.

    Additionally, multi-channel strategies remained key for retailers as they are developed online platforms that are also smartphone and tablet compatible to drive Internet sales.

    Furthermore, retailers also increased their new private labels products. This is was done for certain grocery categories like: packaged foods, non-alcoholic drinks, beauty and personal care and home care products.

    Finally, subscription-based retailing practices started to pick up in 2018. Although still relatively niche, and limited only to urban India, the subscription-based model for beauty and personal care and consumer health became quite popular in metropolitan cities.

    What are the retail trends that are going to rule the roost in retail in 2019?

    – Retailing will continue to offer potential for grocery retailers. Convenience stores and forecourt retailers are likely to continue to see healthy growth rates as their format can meet the demands arising from changing lifestyles by offering more convenient shopping solutions, both in terms of location, business hours and product range.

    – Given the rising maturity of retailing in metros/urban areas, retailers have slowly started to focus on the semi-urban consumer base. This has resulted in the slow and steady urbanisation of shopping styles amongst semi-urban consumers.

    – As the labour crunch and high rentals continue to affect the retail landscape in India, hypermarkets are looking to ramp up investment on self-service technology and automation to reduce costs and improve customer experience. Some hypermarkets chains have implemented self-service kiosks at checkout counters, generally with positive results because of reduced waiting times. Investments have also been made into automated ordering systems, which has helped brands reduce storage space at outlets, hence control rental costs. This can be expected to grow during 2019 as well.

    – Furthermore supermarkets are likely to push the broadening of key product categories, such as organic fresh food, soft drinks and packaged food. They are also likely to further narrow the line between foodservice and grocery retailing, with the introduction and integration of new foodservice elements within their stores.

    – Non-grocery retailing will likely be impacted by the growth of internet retailing at the expense of specific store-based retailers and other non-store channels. Consumers are expected to increasingly shop and research products online, with the popularity of smartphones making mobile-optimised sites and shopping apps crucial in attracting consumers. Moreover, social media will be used more often to alert consumers to attractive price promotions and build interest in new product launches. Also, omni-channel strategies will remain key for non-grocery retailers.

    – Non-grocery retailers will increasingly integrate their online brand information with store inventory, as consumers expect to find the same products in both channels. Moreover, to minimise showrooming, players will also need compelling reasons for customers to buy their brands in store, whether in terms of product selection or price competitiveness.

    – The entry of Amazon and Flipkart could stimulate a much-needed increase in the competition, which will bring both opportunities and threats for existing food and drinks retailers in India. Amazon with ‘Amazon Pantry’ and Flipkart with ‘Flipkart Supermart’ eventually launched its online grocery business in 2018. Millennials and affluent consumers were encouraged to change from shopping in physical stores to online in 2018 with convenience and heavy discounts on offer. Also, with increasing investments from player such as Amazon who are expected to buy skate in Future Retail and PayTm who have partnered with BigBasket and Future Group to strengthen its online grocery business, the food and drinks internet retailing is expected to show tremendous growth in 2019.

    Lees ook:

  • Vietnam FDI disbursement in 2018 tops $19 bln

    Vietnam FDI disbursement in 2018 tops $19 bln

    Foreign direct investment disbursement in Vietnam reached a record $19.1 billion in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 9.1 percent. However, FDI pledges for new projects, capital supplements and stake acquisitions were down 1.2 percent from a year earlier to $35.46 billion, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

    A total of 3,046 new projects have been granted investment certificates since the beginning of the year, with a total registered capital of nearly $18 billion. Nearly 1,170 projects registered to increase their capital by a total of $7.5 billion. The rest of the registered capital was reported in a total of 6,500 instances of capital contribution and share purchases by foreign investors.

    This year, foreign investors injected capital into 18 fields and sectors. The processing and manufacturing industry attracted the highest capital at $16.5 billion, followed by real estate with $6.6 billion, and wholesale and retail sectors with $3.6 billion.

    Japan ranked first in FDI contributions to Vietnam this year, followed by South Korea and Singapore. Localities that attracted the most FDI were Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the northern city of Hai Phong.

    Meanwhile, Vietnam invested nearly $380 million abroad this year, mainly in banking and finance, forestry, and fishing. Vietnamese investors injected capital into 38 different countries and territories, with the highest investment in Laos, followed by Australia, the U.S. and Cambodia.

    Lees ook:

  • Yellow Tie Hospitality to bring Taiwan-based beverage brand Chachago in India

    Yellow Tie Hospitality to bring Taiwan-based beverage brand Chachago in India

    Karan Tanna led Yellow Tie Hospitality, the leading food and beverage franchise management company, has tied up with Taiwan based beverage brand, Chachago to launch its first outlet in Bengaluru in January 2019. Yellow Tie has acquired the master franchise rights for the brand in India as well as UAE, Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Oman, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain & Afghanistan and plans to launch100 outlets in India by 2021, with an overall investment of USD 6 million in brand expansion and development in India.

    Chachago is a Taiwanese beverage brand known for its aromatic and delicious varieties of Taiwanese milk tea, bubble teas, fruit-infused beverage, cheese-based beverages, milkshakes, and other specialty beverages and desserts. This is the first time the brand is entering India after having established its presence in countries like Taiwan, Canada, Australia, Hongkong, Vietnam, and Phillippines. A typical Chachago outlet will be in malls, high street, and educational institutions, and will spread over an area of 100 to 500 square feet and a capex of INR 20-40 lakh will be invested in building each outlet.

    Commenting on the launch Karan Tanna, Founder CEO of Yellow Tie Hospitality said: “Chachago is a specialty beverage brand originated in Taiwan, a country also known as the ‘House of Milk Tea’. We felt Indian consumers would connect with these specialty beverages, as there is a high demand for them in a tropical country like ours. It is a well-known fact that specialty beverages are a large and growing segment in the QSR category. As the market evolves, niche offerings are becoming more popular, giving us confidence that a brand like this will go down well with Indian consumers. Chachago is positioned very well with a gamut of products ranging in various teas, fruit infusions, and milkshakes. Chachago will be a one-stop-destination for premium beverages. We are very sure that the finest product development capability of Chachago in Taiwan combined with their experience of over three decades and optimized operation to give more throughput, will enable very quick growth for them in India”.

    He further added that there is a plan to turn Chachago into a 300 outlet chain by 2023 across the franchise geographies, “Going forward, the company is also looking for strong growth in countries outside India, by the second half of 2019; and by the year 2023, we are expecting the total outlets of Chachago to contribute approximate Rs 120 crore in annual revenue.”

    “We have tasted success in the very competitive Taiwanese market because of our own capability of using the most premium ingredients with optimized results. These ingredients are not only appreciated in Taiwan but also in other countries like Canada and Australia. We are very sure that with our experience and the expertise of Yellow Tie Hospitality, Chachago will be able to grow aggressively in a market which is the second highest competitive market in the world. We look forward to our presence in India”, said Hseih Yu Yin, Owner, Chachago.

    To further streamline the franchising process for Chachago, the company will go through a master franchise and multi-unit franchise route wherein franchise selection criteria will be based as per International brand standards. The potential franchise owner’s credibility will be audited by Yellow Tie Hospitality.

    Economic growth and social change on the Indian subcontinent are causing the beverage, dairy and liquid food industry to boom. Euromonitor International forecasted that all beverage sectors will grow at double-digit rates in the next four years, which Drink Technology India (DTI) will also benefit from.

  • Shiseido makes plans for China

    Shiseido makes plans for China

    Shiseido reinforces the regional headquarters system that oversees the business in China as of January 1, 2019. Moving towards the achievement of its medium-to-long-term strategy, VISION 2020, Shiseido will evolve further to ”Be a Global Winner with Our Heritage” by ensuring sustainable growth in the significantly growing Chinese market.

    Under the new system, Shiseido will reinforce the brand business structure in the China region and its supporting corporate functional structure in order to enhance brand appeal to Chinese consumers and strengthen market execution.

    As to the Brands Business, the management function of the Prestige Brands business in the China region and the CMO function of Cosmetics Brands ＆ Personal Care Brands will be established. Furthermore, the strategic alliance with emerging e-commerce platform companies in the China region will be strengthened under direct control of the CEO of the China region.

    At the same time, Shiseido will proactively support the business strategy and reinforce the corporate functional structure aiming to improve its organizational capability to ensure sustainable business growth.

    Shiseido will continue leading growth through the acquisition of greater competitiveness of the Chinese business and by reviewing the organizational structure to optimize functions for all areas and market characteristics around the world.

  • Shanghai Tang goes back to its roots

    Shanghai Tang goes back to its roots

    Shanghai Tang, recently acquired by Chinese entrepreneur Chen Danxia and Lunar Capital, goes back to its roots with the appointment of Victoria Tang-Owen, the daughter of the visionary founder David Tang, as Creative Director.

    Together with the appointment of Victoria to rebuild on her father’s legacy, the brand will continued to be led by the CEO Maurizio De Gasperis, former Managing Director of the brand.

    The headquarters will remain in Hong Kong, and has just welcomed a new General Manager of Global Retail, Elisabetta Bazzini, with extensive experience in Asia working with a number of luxury fashion companies including Gucci, DFS, Versace and Max Mara.

    Leveraging the heritage of the Chinese luxury brand, Victoria is set to reinterpret Shanghai Tang’s unique brand aesthetics.

    Shanghai Tang is the first Chinese authentic contemporary luxury brand founded in 1994 by Sir David Tang, and thereafter under Richemont’s ownership for almost two decades.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Chinese QR payments booming

    Chinese QR payments booming

    Nuwemaru Street in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, was known as Baojian street until it was renamed in April. The street had been called Baojian from 2011 when the Chinese pharmaceutical company of the same name sent 12,000 employees to the southern tourist island as a reward.

    Despite the sharp drop of visitors since 2017 – when tensions between the two countries peaked with the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system – it still looks very much like Chinese territory today, with many store signs in Chinese.

    Upon closer examination of the shopfronts, Chinese QR codes are also evident.

    The QR codes for Chinese mobile payment services have gained popularity on the Korean tourist island over the last couple of years. Even a restaurant selling seollongtang – Korean beef-broth soup – in the middle of the street has a QR code for Chinese mobile payments.

    “Half the Chinese visitors use Alipay or WeChat pay,” said a store clerk of one of the cosmetic stores on the street.

    Currently 1,000 stores on Jeju accept Chinese QR mobile payments. The Jeju government said it was promoting the use of Chinese mobile payments in hopes of attracting more Chinese tourists.

    On Dec. 10, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the China’s Tencent, which operates WeChat, to attract more Chinese visitors to the island.

    One part of the agreement calls for tourism promotions on the WeChat platform, including discount events, while a blog will be run to introduce the island to potential visitors from China.

    The Jeju government and the tech company also agreed to share information on the consumption patterns of Chinese tourists who made payments through WeChat pay.

    Seven top officials from Tencent attended the signing ceremony, including company vice president Zhang Ying. During the ceremony, Zhang said that the only thing he carried with him when coming to Korea was his smartphone, demonstrating that he didn’t need cash or a credit card as long as he had WeChat Pay.

    “Once WeChat Pay is available at traditional markets in Jeju, it will be a great help in promoting traditional Korean culture and goods to Chinese tourists,” said Yoon Chang-ho, head of tourism and marketing at the Jeju government.

    According to convenience store CU, in the first half of 2018 87.2 percent of Chinese tourists used mobile payments when making electronic purchases at CU outlets in Korea. Only 12.8 percent used credit cards. In 2016, 65 percent used credit cards.

    Many institutions are accepting Chinese QR code mobile payments.

    Starting in September, Hanyang University will accept tuition fees via WeChat Pay. The program is being developed with Shinhan Bank. Roughly 900 or so convenience stores and restaurants at train stations in Korea have started accepting WeChat payments.

    One of the reasons Korean businesses are willing to accept mobile phone payment systems is because people tend to spend more when using them. When they buy something by simply waving their phone, they feel as though they are spending less.

    To make a payment, a customer places the store’s QR code – similar to a bar code – in front of their phone camera for 10 to 20 seconds.

    Chinese QR code mobile payment systems are not only used in Asian countries, such as Korea, Vietnam and Thailand. They are also being used in other places visited by Chinese tourists, such as the United States and Europe. These payment systems are even accepted at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands.

    Roughly 78 percent of Chinese are said to use these payment systems, while only 21 percent use either credit cards or cash.

    While visiting a small restaurant in China late last year, President Moon Jae-in was surprised at the convenience of QR-code payments.

    One reason the QR-code payment system has rapidly grown in China is the country’s lack of a telecommunication infrastructure needed for credit-card processing. The QR code system doesn’t require a credit card terminal, which makes it cost effective and convenient.

    Although WeChat Pay joined the game late compared to Alibaba, it currently has 40 percent of the Chinese mobile-payment market, while Alipay has 54 percent. WeChat may overtake Alipay because of the popularity of its mobile messenger.

    Not all commercial districts in Korea accept the Chinese mobile payment systems. One such place is Myeong-dong, which attracts huge numbers of Chinese tourists. The street vendors in Myeong-dong only accept cash.

    Some critics question the growth of the Chinese payment systems. One concern is that since the networks are Chinese, it may be hard to track down the payment records, and that could lead to tax evasion.

    A person who has been installing Chinese mobile payment systems for years said this is not true as the payments made in Korean stores are deposited in local accounts, and the Korean stores have to report the payments to the Korean financial authorities.

    Loopholes do exist. If a Chinese company decides to open a branch and use a payment terminal from China, it would bypass the local institutions, making it difficult for Korean authorities to keep track of the payments.

    Because of such problems, the Vietnamese government in June banned the use of Alipay and WeChat Pay. It found that some money spent domestically by tourists did not go through local financial institutions.

    In 2016, the tax evasion question became an issue in Thailand as well. The Thai government at the time found that Chinese businesses were evading taxes through mobile payment systems. Several travel agencies were penalized.

    Some cases have been reported in Korea. In 2016, a plastic surgeon in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, only accepted cash or credit cards from his Chinese patients, and the credit cards were processed using a Chinese terminal. More than 70 percent of the revenue was from Chinese patients. The hospital was found to have evaded more than 10 billion won ($8.9 million) in taxes.

    Overseas customers also present a problem. According to Korea Custom Service, more foreigners are buying goods directly from Korean online shopping malls. In 2013, 67,000 purchases were made in this way, but that figure has surged to more than 7 million.

    Chinese customers were the top purchasers and were especially big on Korean cosmetics. Last year about 2 trillion won worth of Korean cosmetics were purchased directly online by foreign buyers. That’s 10 times the 203.5 billion won worth of cosmetics purchased directly online in 2014.

    With the growing popularity of direct purchases, many online shopping malls have started accepting mobile payment systems. Since 2015, Alipay has been supporting Korean SME exporters in terms of payments and logistics.

    This could result in Korean exporters evading taxes.

    “There is major tax evasion going on with the significant increase of foreigners buying Korean goods directly online thanks to the Korean Wave,” said Lee Hye-hoon, then ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker, during the National Assembly’s audit on the Korean National Tax Service in October 2016. “We need to take action.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Xiaomi India to foray into appliances, white goods space

    Xiaomi India to foray into appliances, white goods space

    Xiaomi is all set to convert its India arm into an end-to-end consumer durables company. According to a report, Xiaomi officials are currently identifying potential categories including air-conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, laptops and small appliances like vacuum cleaners and water purifiers for the Indian market. All the products will be smart appliances based on Internet of Things (IoT) or which can connect to the internet and other devices, and operated remotely.

    Xiaomi entered the Indian television market in February this year with products 30-50 percent cheaper than the top three brands — Samsung, LG and Sony. It eventually expanded TV sales to offline stores and started assembling them in India in partnership with contract manufacturer Dixon. It recently announced having shipped more than a million televisions into the Indian market.

    The company will follow the same model for appliances. The products will be priced aggressively in line with its announced strategy of keeping just 5 percent profit margin for itself and start local assembly after gaining some scale to take advantage of Make in India duty benefits, according to the report.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietnam wants China to import more, invest more

    Vietnam wants China to import more, invest more

    China should increase imports of Vietnamese goods and make more hi-tech investments, government officials and business representatives say. Le Hoai Trung, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, proposed at the Vietnam-China Economic Promotion Forum Thursday that China creates more favorable conditions for more Vietnamese goods to enter the country through border gates.

    “We hope that the Chinese government will be more open to the Vietnam market, especially for products that Vietnam has strong supply and China has high demand for, such as rice, pork, milk, agriculture, seafood, electronics and consumer goods,” Trung said in the forum attended by 500 Vietnamese government and business representatives and 200 Chinese counterparts.

    Vietnam has a high trade deficit with China. From January to November, the country exported $37.7 billion worth of goods to China and imported $59.6 billion, a trade deficit of $21.9 billion, according to Vietnam Customs.

    Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “Although Vietnam’s exports to China have been increasing this year and trade deficit is declining, I don’t think this trend will be sustainable.”

    He said it would require a big effort from authorities to pave the way for Vietnamese goods, especially agriculture products, to enter China.

    Loc also proposed that that unofficial trade activities between the two countries at the border be formalized to guarantee long-term benefits for both sides.

    As protectionism in the world rises, Vietnam and China need to cooperate to control trade cheating, like Chinese businesses exporting its goods via Vietnam to other countries, which would impact on sustainable development of both countries, Loc said.

    Trung said at the forum that Vietnam welcomes foreign direct investment from China that is focused on high technology in infrastructure, supporting industry and agriculture.

    He added that Chinese FDI businesses should ensure environmental protection and Vietnamese labors’ benefits when investing in the country.

    Loc added that China, as a leading country in the world in the high-tech sector, can provide this kind of investment to Vietnam.

    “Vietnam is looking for a new type of foreign investment which has higher quality, integrate more with Vietnamese businesses using high-technology which are environment-friendly,” he said.

    China is Vietnam’s largest import market, while Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the 8th in the world.

    From January to November, bilateral trade turnover reached over $97 billion, up 16.5 percent year-on-year, according to official data.

    China has invested in over 2,000 projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of $13 billion. It ranks 7th out of 129 countries with FDI in Vietnam.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Asian stocks slump after Fed raises interest rates

    Asian stocks slump after Fed raises interest rates

    Tokyo led a rout of Asian shares today, mirroring big losses on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve (Fed) defied unprecedented pressure from US President Donald Trump and raised interest rates, sparking fears the move could choke economic growth.

    The Nikkei plunged to a 15-month low as investors took fright over the pace of monetary tightening, with a slump triggered by the Dow’s fall to its lowest level of 2018 gathering pace.

    The Fed raised rates for the fourth time this year – as expected – but markets reacted badly after chairman Jerome Powell said the bank would not shift course on reducing its balance sheet.

    Investors had hoped for a less aggressive approach amid concern that global growth is slowing, while Powell played down the impact of recent market turmoil on the US economy.

    “They think the Fed has completely misjudged the situation and now it’s just a matter of … trying to find an exit while you can,“ said Kyle Rodda, a market analyst at IG Group in Melbourne.

    “We’re probably entering a stage now where markets have got it (in) their head that we’re preparing for quite sustained downside going into 2019.”

    The Fed now projects only two interest rate increases, down from three previously, as it trimmed its forecast for US growth and inflation.

    Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA, said the “Fed delivered a dovish hike, but clearly, there wasn’t enough affirmation in the statement that the Fed was close to pausing or ending their interest rate hike cycle sooner than expected”.

    But some analysts urged caution.

    “The market overreacted to the Fed, I think,“ said Shane Oliver, head of invest-ment strategy at AMP Capital Investors in Sydney.

    “It is moving in a dovish direction and is on track for a pause in the first half of next year. Markets are being driven by fear rather than fundamentals.”

    But the spillover from the rate hike continued to rattle investors in Asia today, deepening concern over global growth prospects which are already facing headwinds from Trump’s trade war with Beijing, a slowing Chinese economy, and potential turmoil from Britain quitting the European Union.

    Japanese stocks also declined after the Bank of Japan left ultralow rates unchanged, with the threat of trade protectionism and slowing global growth casting a pall over the export-driven economy. A strong yen also put downward pressure on stocks with the dollar falling below ¥112.

    Nissan dropped more than 2% after a Japanese court rejected prosecutors’ request to extend the detention of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn after his arrest for financial misconduct.

    Shanghai fell more than 0.5%, even after the People’s Bank of China said it would supply lower-cost liquidity for up to three years to banks willing to lend more to small companies, as policy makers aim to shore up the flagging economy.

    Sydney closed more than 1% lower while Hong Kong and Seoul were down 0.9% each.

    The equities slump spread to Europe. Around 1100 GMT, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 0.5% with losses capped by stronger-than-expected UK retail sales data and as traders looked ahead to the outcome of the Bank of England’s regular monetary policy meeting later today.

    In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 1.0% and the Paris CAC 40 slumped 1.5%.

  • Louis Vuitton personalisation service launches in Asia

    Louis Vuitton personalisation service launches in Asia

    Luxury retailer Louis Vuitton is offering a personalisation service for a selection of men’s ready-to-wear items in a limited number of global stores. The My LV World Tour Louis Vuitton personalisation service offers clients the opportunity to customise their purchases with a variety of patches and embroideries inspired by vintage travel labels and varsity lettering of the kind Gaston-Louis Vuitton used to adorn his own luggage. The service was previously limited to leather goods.

    The patch themes include world-famous cities and heritage LV graphics, some of which will be available seasonally as limited-edition items.

    The Louis Vuitton personalisation service is available in only eight Asian stores: Hong Kong’s Canton Road and Pacific Place; Shanghai’s Plaza 66; Beijing’s Shin Kong; Japan’s Omotesando and Shinsaibashi; Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands and Seoul’s Shinsegae Main.

    Lees ook:

  • Acne Studios Opens First Store in Beijing

    Acne Studios Opens First Store in Beijing

    Acne Studios China has opened its third store, in Beijing. The Swedish luxury fashion brand launched in China two years ago, offering its eclectic mix of minimalist ready-to-wear fashion and denim. The new store’s interior features straight lines with glass, high-gloss white walls and contrasting stainless steel railing and shelves. A large display created by British designer Max Lamb stands in the centre of the store, painted in the label’s trademark shade of pink. It’s matched with purple rugs created by Lamb which contrast with the stark white interior.

    Acne Studios creative director Jonny Johansson said it had been a long-held dream to open a store in Beijing. “It is also my hope that this store will bring us the opportunity to create many special projects in the future.” Lines exclusive to Acne Studio China will be sold at the new boutique to mark its opening.

    The store is located in Taikoo Li North Village on Sanlitun Road.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • 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.

     

    Lees ook:

  • 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.

    Lees ook:

  • 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) :

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • 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.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: