Retail News CRM

Tag: E-Commerce

  • Indian traders lobby for ban on Flipkart, Amazon sales

    Indian traders lobby for ban on Flipkart, Amazon sales

    The Confederation of All India Traders is asking the government to ban pending sales events to be held by e-commerce rivals Amazon and Flipkart.

    The confederation, which represents 500,000 merchants and traders within the country, claims that the heavily discounted online sales violate India’s restrictions on online retail for foreign firms.

    “By offering deep discounts ranging from 10 percent to 80 percent on their e-commerce portals, these companies are clearly influencing the prices and create an uneven level playing field which is in direct contravention of the policy,” read a letter from the retailer body to the federal trade minister.

    Both online firms have defended the sales festivals, claiming they offer best value for money to consumers and help small-scale retailers reach broader markets.

    India forbids foreign investors from direct involvement in inventory-driven models of e-commerce in order to protect the country’s retailers who are unable to compete on price.

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  • AliExpress launches free-returns program in 8 markets

    AliExpress launches free-returns program in 8 markets

    Alibaba Group’s global online marketplace AliExpress is to offer free return and refund for participating categories across eight countries.

    Buyers in main areas of eight pilot countries including Russia, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia will be first to participate in the new program.

    Products participating in the new program range from consumer electronics, jewelry, shoes to cosmetics products. Under the new policy, customers in the eight countries with an eligible address will see a “free return” sign on the webpage of the eligible products. Customers can request a free return and refund for those products within 15 days of receiving their order.

    According to the return and refund policy, products must be returned in new and unused condition. In addition to products such as mobile phones, underwear, food categories, and customized products, products priced over US$1000 are excluded from the program.

    Customers can go to local post offices to return unwanted products and expect to receive their refund in as little as three days. The processing time varies depending on the payment solution they used to buy the product.

    Cheer Zhang, the head of Global consumer and market operation at AliExpress, says the objective of the new policy is to improve the shopping experience and give consumers more confidence to explore the platform’s wide range of brands and products.

    The new “free return” program is an upgrade from a previously launched “local return” program that had been operating in seven countries. Under the previous plan, customers had to cover the delivery fee for the return orders.

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  • Domestic online E-commerce spending up

    Domestic online E-commerce spending up

    Online spending on local sites has strengthened in July and helped to boost the country’s total online retail sales compared to the previous corresponding period.

    Spending on New Zealand sites rose 18 percent compared to the previous year – again driven by food and grocery categories in recent months.

    New Zealand’s total online retail spending in July was 9 percent higher than a year ago. Excluding the food and liquor sectors, annual online spending was equivalent to 11.1 percent of retail sales, according to both Statistics New Zealand and Bank of New Zealand’s indices.

    Spending growth at offshore sites fell slightly in July, with online spending down 3 percent on July last year.

    Spending on entertainment media among international e-commerce companies grew strongly but was offset by broad-based softening across most other categories at offshore sites.

    Gary Baker, director of institutional research at Bank of New Zealand, said annual online spending across the retail categories they cover is running at just over $4.6 billion, excluding GST.

    “This is equivalent to 8 percent of total retail sales reported in Statistics NZ’s Retail Trade Series (RTS), comparing like-for-like categories,” Baker said.

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  • Crabtree & Evelyn stores closed and brand moves to E-commerce

    Crabtree & Evelyn stores closed and brand moves to E-commerce

    Beauty-products brand Crabtree & Evelyn halved its losses in the first half of the year as parent, Hong Kong-listed Nan Hai Corporation continued its transformation from offline to online.

    Since January, Crabtree & Evelyn has closed all of its 150 traditional retail stores across eight countries, shifted its manufacturing and distribution to third-party providers and sold its Australian warehouse.

    Nan Hai Corporation CEO Liu Rong said that while traditional retail companies continue to struggle or close, “Crabtree & Evelyn is now ahead of the market in meeting the challenges of the current and future business environment”.

    Crabtree & Evelyn is the only retail activity business by Nan Hai Corporation, whose principal areas of focus are cinemas, news media, and property investment.

    The brand’s sales for the six months to June 30 reached HK$166.5 million (US$21.2 million), down from $288.5 million during the same period last year. The brand lost $185.1 million, down from $363.5 million.

    Liu said the decrease in revenue but lower loss were due to the effective execution of the innovative business restructuring initiated last November.

    Crabtree & Evelyn’s new focus on direct e-commerce drove online revenue to approximately $64 million, an increase of 69 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.

    Sales in Mainland China increased to approximately $8.2 million, up 93 percent year on year.

    Liu says Crabtree & Evelyn’s new strategy is to transform its business from one of traditional retailing to an “OMO operating model”, (which we believe refers to Open Market Operations), starting from e-commerce.

    In the current half-year, Crabtree & Evelyn is rolling out its new branding and business model internationally which comes off the back of two years’ research and development.

    “All of these products have been manufactured by third-party partnerships, the first result of a faster, more flexible, and lower cost global supply chain,” said Liu in Nan Hai’s half-yearly results analysis.

    “A new global digital platform with full e-commerce and social functionality will be introduced in 35 markets, with corresponding investment in internal teams and capabilities. The new products will also be launched on online shopping malls via exclusive arrangements with Tmall global, Amazon, and Feelunique. Initial feedback from both the new millennial consumer and retail partners has been extremely positive.”

    Liu said he expects the relaunch of Crabtree & Evelyn will inject new vitality into the brand. “We have prepared for this relaunch with the brand communication, product portfolio, digital communication and distribution model, and the transformation of the operating model along with business restructuring required to attract more users to become loyal customers.”

    Previously, the company had said it planned flagship stores in major cities in the future, but this was not referenced in the half-year results summary.

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  • Everlane launches on Chinese Tmall Platform

    Everlane launches on Chinese Tmall Platform

    US fashion brand Everlane has opened a store on Alibaba’s cross-border e-commerce marketplace Tmall Global.

    The Tmall Global store will offer Chinese consumers access to Everlane’s latest products, including womenswear, menswear, shoes, and accessories. It is the San Francisco-based label’s first sales channel in China, apart from its own site.

    The brand is known for championing sustainable practices and its ethos of “radical transparency,” revealing the costs behind each product – from materials and labor to transport and duties – and offering it to consumers at a price below the traditional retail markup. When shoppers look at the Tmall Global product page for its Day Market Tote, for example, they will see the leather bag costs about RMB807 (US$112.9) to make and is sold at RMB1514 – nearly half the traditional market price, according to Everlane.

    “China is one of the most thoughtful and sophisticated consumer markets in the world,” said Everlane’s founder and CEO Michael Preysman. “The Chinese consumer cares about beautiful quality at a great price and cares about the planet and their impact on the world. We want to help support their vision and offer beautiful basics that are also ethically made.”

    “As the consumer demand for ethical clothing and sustainable products grows, we believe Everlane will welcome a new era of shopping on the platform,” said Tmall Global deputy GM Yi Qian.

    “Everlane has pioneered the idea of radical transparency in their supply chain by showing their costs and factories, and we look forward to partnering with them closely to bring their products and stories to Chinese consumers.”

  • Shopee app Singapore’s most downloaded

    Shopee app Singapore’s most downloaded

    The Shopee app has emerged as Singapore’s most downloaded shopping app.

    The Sea company platform had 2.8 million visitors per month on average during the second quarter, with an 11 percent increase compared to the previous quarter. It is currently the most-used app of its kind throughout the whole of Southeast Asia, while rival firm Lazada remains the most actively used e-commerce app within Singapore itself.

    “Apps by Alibaba such as Taobao and AliExpress remained prominent among Singaporean consumers probably due to the increased popularity of Chinese products and Chinese language proficiency in the country,” read a report by iPrice Group.

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  • Tmall designers line up for New York Fashion Week

    Tmall designers line up for New York Fashion Week

    Alibaba Group’s B2C platform Tmall has announced its lineup of designers that will hit the runway at New York Fashion Week this September.

    In addition to the runway shows, Tmall will host a pop-up exhibition featuring cross-over collaborations riding the “China Cool” trend. Featured brand collaborations will include Chinese confectionery company Hsu Fu Chi and clothing brand Tyakasha; Chinese snack brand Qinqin and fashion brand Mukzin; Dove Chocolate and Hefang Jewelry; and home furniture brand Ziinlife and Chow Tai Seng jewellery.

    “The concept behind our ‘Tmall China Cool’ pop-up exhibition is a celebration of the design and creative powerhouse that China is becoming today. ‘China Cool’ is a trend we are seeing that blends the cutting-edge of fashion and innovation with a respect for authenticity and heritage,” said Tmall and Taobao marketing GM Bo Liu. “We have worked with both Chinese and international brands to pioneer new experiences and cross-over collaborations that are at the forefront of this trend and will be showcased in this New York Fashion Week exhibition.”

    The “Tmall China Cool” showcase will take place Wednesday, September 4 – the first day of NYFW: The Shows – and will feature a slate of Chinese designers including Peacebird, Threegun, RiZhuo and emerging designers Songta and I-am-chen.

    Tmall’s partnership with NYFW: The Shows aims to cultivate and showcase fashion talent and creative culture in China.

    “We are thrilled to be back at New York Fashion Week with another exciting line-up of Chinese design talent this year,” said Tmall Fashion GM Jessica Liu. “Tmall has always been a gateway to renowned international brands and retailers that are looking to access China. At the same time, we have empowered homegrown talent from China to grow their brands and develop their creativity and originality.

    “This year, we are also working with brands to leverage our new trend forecasting capabilities so they are able to strengthen their position as innovative brands and capture consumer interest. Today, the fashion scene in China is more vibrant than ever and we look forward to showcasing the spirit of innovation as well as the creative talent of our ‘Tmall China Cool’ designers at New York Fashion Week.”

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  • Alibaba Hong Kong IPO postponed due to city unrest

    Alibaba Hong Kong IPO postponed due to city unrest

    The planned US$15 billion Alibaba Hong Kong IPO has been postponed due to continuing political unrest in the city.

    The firm’s stance towards the issue is being taken by observers as indicative of the general mood of both mainland businesses and the Beijing administration towards Hong Kong.

    Alibaba made the decision at a board meeting last week noting financial and political instability in the area. A new schedule for the listing has yet to be established, pending an improvement in the situation.

    “It would be very unwise to launch the deal now or anytime soon,” said an anonymous source familiar with the board’s thinking on the matter. “It would certainly annoy Beijing by offering Hong Kong such a big gift given what’s going on in the city.”

    The Alibaba Hong Kong IPO would likely be the world’s largest listing this year when it proceeds. It follows the sale of an 11-per-cent stake in Alibaba by Yahoo offshoot Altaba earlier this year.

     

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  • KrisShop marks rebranding by taking to the ground

    KrisShop marks rebranding by taking to the ground

    Singapore Airlines’ inflight and online travel retail store KrisShop has revamped its brand and launched a new website.

    To mark the launch, KrisShop is curating a pop-up exhibition in downtown Singapore, divided into several experiential zones, each showcasing a different retail feature of the new site. KrisShop.com now sports a cleaner look with a new interface that includes more intuitive features for swift and smooth navigation.

    KrisShop has also introduced multiple initiatives for convenient payment and pre-order and delivery services, aiming to provide personalised experiences to suit the varying lifestyles of customers. It is targeting both travellers and non-travellers.

    “Over the years, the travel retail industry has experienced a radical disruption driven by digitalisation,” read a statement from the firm on the rebranding. “KrisShop seeks to embrace a holistic omnichannel approach to deliver an integrated shopping experience that engages its customers at every step of the journey – both online and offline.

    “Advancing beyond a retail catalogue, KrisShop.com aims to re-invent itself as the go-to lifestyle e-commerce website that caters to the needs of all shoppers, whether they are travelling or not.”

    In the coming months, the firm will progressively roll out the site’s new features, including multiple payment options, pre-ordering up to 60 minutes before flight, hotel delivery, in-flight entertainment, and self-collection at PopStations.

    “Beyond being a retail e-commerce site, KrisShop seeks to establish itself as a one-stop shopping destination, and is continually evolving to meet the needs and demands of today’s consumers,” said KrisShop CEO Chris Pok. “Leveraging our expertise in retail, we are proud to unveil the new Krisshop.com that aims to modernise the consumer shopping journey.”

    The KrisShop popup is located at Raffles Hotel’s Palm Ballroom, and will be open to the public from August 23 to 24.

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  • JD may list Dada-JD Daojia in the US Store

    JD may list Dada-JD Daojia in the US Store

    Chinese e-commerce giant JD is considering a share listing in the US, according to a Reuters report.

    The firm has entered into early-stage discussions with bankers about a deal that could raise US$500 million for the firm’s joint venture in the territory, Dada-JD Daojia.

    According to Coresight Research, Dada-JD Daojia was created in 2016 through the merger of JD’s supermarket business and the crowdsourcing delivery service Dada Nexus, with a 10-per-cent stake owned by US retailer Walmart.

    Dada-JD Daojia provides a one-hour professional delivery service for more than 74 million users, working with more than 5000 retailers including Walmart, Carrefour, Vanguard, Yonghui supermarket and Watsons.

    The JV has already secured roughly the same amount in funding last year with investments from JD and Walmart.

    JD itself has just come off a solid second quarter thanks to strong online sales in recent months.

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  • JD exceeds Show Fantastic Growth Numbers

    JD exceeds Show Fantastic Growth Numbers

    Chinese e-commerce giant JD exceeded revenue expectations in the June quarter, net sales up by 23 per cent to 50.28 billion yuan (US$21.28 billion).

    The company has cited forays into the convenience-store sector and supermarkets, as well as the harnessing of artificial intelligence in its advertising and logistics operations for the improved result, as it tries to be less reliant on its core online retail platform for growth.

    Net income for JD reached 618.8 million yuan ($90.1 million), a significant turnaround from the 212.4 million yuan net loss of the same period last year.

    Significantly, the company’s logistics business broke even during the quarter.

    Discussing the results during an analyst briefing, a senior executive said the company was now turning its attention to lower tier Mainland China cities for growth, hoping to broaden its customer base. That strategy has been working for JD’s archrival Alibaba to date.

    Other plans afoot include developing more private-label products and improving its WeChat interface to increase customer engagement there.

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  • E-Mart posts first-ever loss ; restructuring lures

    E-Mart posts first-ever loss ; restructuring lures

    Korean discount chain operator E-Mart has posted its first-ever net loss, amid growing competition from online shopping rivals and e-commerce giants.

    The company’s quarterly results showed a net loss of KRW26.6 billion (US$24.7 million) between April and June, its first negative result since it was spun off from Shinsegae Group in 2011. The loss stands in comparison to a net profit of KRW94.8 billion ($77.7 million) during the same period last year.

    The company says it plans to raise 1 trillion won (US$820 million) by selling assets and will buy back stocks worth some 100 billion won to boost shareholder value.

    E-Mart says it expects its losses will to continue into the next financial period.

    “Online archrivals, such as Coupang Inc and other major e-commerce operators are forecast to expand their food category later in the year,” said Hana Financial Investment expert Park Jong-dae, “which could further weigh down E-Mart.”

  • Amazon country manager Rocco Braeuniger leaving the office

    Amazon country manager Rocco Braeuniger leaving the office

    Amazon Australia’s country manager Rocco Braeuniger is leaving after just two years in the job to take a “senior international role within Amazon”, a spokesperson for the e-commerce company said.

    Braeuniger arrived in Australia in 2017 to oversee the launch of Amazon’s marketplace and retail offering Down Under.

    Since flipping the switch in December 2017, Amazon’s offering has grown to include more than 125 million products across 29 categories, as well as key services such as Fulfilment by Amazon and Prime. The company recently brought its startup incubator program, Launchpad, to Australia.

    In April, Amazon Australia reported $106.26 million in revenue from retail sales in 2018, and an additional $4.32 million in revenue from subscriptions services, that is, Prime.

    But Braueniger disputed the comments and reiterated to the AFR Amazon’s previous statement that its launch in Australia was its most successful launch to date.

    Braeuniger will be replaced by Matt Furlong, from October 1, 2019, who has held a range of roles at Amazon in North America over the past seven years.

    Furlong’s current title, according to LinkedIn, is director and technical adviser of Amazon North America. Previously, he was director and general manager of the home improvement, tools, major appliances and smart home category, and before that, category leader of musical instruments.

    “In his new role, Matt will bring invaluable experience from his time in US retail leadership roles and we look forward to him continuing to lead the team in bringing great selection, every day brilliant value, convenience and fast delivery to customers across Australia,” the Amazon spokesperson said.

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  • Amazon targets SMEs with Launchpad

    Amazon targets SMEs with Launchpad

    Amazon has brought its small business-focused Launchpad initiative to Australia.

    Launching on Tuesday, the program aims to help startups and entrepreneurs sell in a wider market. Over 150 local and international brands are already on board.

    As part of the program, brands will be featured on customized product pages, receive marketing support and gain access to Amazon’s fulfillment services including unlimited deliveries through Amazon Prime.

    “Australian investors and entrepreneurs are responsible for some of the most innovative consumer products in the world, from the electric drill right through to Vegemite,” Amazon Australia country manager Rocco Braeuniger said.

    “We know that product creation is only one part of the equation in launching a product and that marketing, logistics and finding an audience can be just as challenging.

    “With Amazon Launchpad, we have a program that will help ease some of these challenges for startups and entrepreneurs alike, allowing them to focus on growing their business and freeing up time for future innovation.”

    Sugar-free drink business Nexba, Beach House Group’s skincare brand Marlowe and sunglasses retailer Soda Shades are some of the local brands participating in the program at launch.

    According to Josh Miller, co-founder of Soda Shades, being featured in the program allows the brand to reach a wider audience.

    The program was initially launched in the US in 2015 and has resulted in thousands of products being launched across several categories. It is now available in eight countries: the US, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, India and Australia.

  • Online fashion retailer Boohoo ready to buy Karen Millen and Coast

    Online fashion retailer Boohoo ready to buy Karen Millen and Coast

    Fast-growing pure-play online fashion retailer Boohoo is preparing to acquire the Karen Millan and Coast brands.

    According to sources quoted by Sky News, Karen Millen will be placed in administration as early as today, UK time, in what is termed a “pre-pack administration” where the new buyer acquires the assets relatively unencumbered.

    The deal – assuming it proceeds – is remarkable in that it reflects the power of new-generation online retailers being in a place to pounce on struggling brands like Karen Millen, itself an icon of the high-street fashion scene.

    Boohoo Group, listed on AIM, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange, owns a controlling share in PrettyLittleThing. Last month, thanks to an association with reality TV series Love Island and high-profile celebrity endorsements, Boohoo overtook Asos as the most valuable online fashion retailer in the UK, its valuation touching £2.35 billion. Its share price has surged 29 percent this calendar year.

    According to Sky News’ sources, Karen Millen is about to appoint Deloitte as administrator of the business, preparing the way for Boohoo to proceed with the purchase.

    The two fashion labels have been on the market for six weeks during which management attempted to secure a sale of the business while it remained solvent. Karen Millen bought Coast out of administration last October. Karen Millen and Coast were both previously owned by Icelandic bank Kaupthing.

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