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Tag: lifestyle

  • Jollibee buys out Smashburger with big deal

    Jollibee buys out Smashburger with big deal

    Jollibee has taken full ownership and control of US fast-food chain Smashburger after acquiring an 85 per cent stake in February. The Philippine company said it paid US$10 million to acquire the remaining 15 per cent of the company and that it has made management changes.

    Tom Ryan, Smashburger founder and CEO, will take on the additional title of chief product development advisor at Jollibee Foods Corporation globally, focusing on strengthening taste and quality aspects across key brands and enhancing their relevance across global markets.

    Jose “Pepot” Minana has assumed the role of Smashburger president, including daily operations, collaborating on strategy and brand direction, and lead the continuing integration of Smashburger into the Jollibee Foods portfolio.

    Smashburger has 351 stores and accounts for 7 per cent of Jollibee’s global sales which totalled $3.4 billion last year.

  • 7-Eleven Malaysia eyes 200 new stores next year

    7-Eleven Malaysia eyes 200 new stores next year

    7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd is looking to expand the number of the convenience store chain outlets by at least 200 new stores next year. In 2017, 7-Eleven Malaysia opened 126 new stores. Berjaya Corp founder and executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun said 7-Eleven Malaysia is also looking at increasing the number of franchisees for stores in Malaysia, along with the expansion in the number of outlets.

    7-Eleven Malaysia is the largest standalone convenience store chain nationwide with more than 2,250 outlets across the country.

    Its wholly owned subsidiary 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn Bhd today entered into a memorandum of agreement with Pertubuhan Tindakan Pejuang Wanita Dalam Sosial, Ekonomi, Rumahtangga Dan Ilmu (Tiangseri Malaysia) to provide an opportunity to those interested to be franchisees to enter the ecosystem.

    Tiangseri is commissioned to recruit and recommend up to 50 potential franchisees to 7-Eleven Malaysia in the next 12 months.

    This programme also bodes well with the company’s target of increasing the number of franchisees. The first store under the programme is expected to be opened next month.

    7-Eleven Malaysia CEO Colin Harvey said the franchising programme through Tiangseri will see both partners leveraging on each other’s unique strengths and experience in retail and grassroots franchise recruitment.

    “We are fully focused on this collaboration as we believe franchising is an integral part of our long-term corporate strategy of giving back to the local community that we operate in, as it will both provide and create important life and management skills in future entrepreneurs as well as providing more job opportunities to our local workforce.”

    Harvey noted there are many potential locations for expansion, for instance in Sabah and around the Klang Valley. Meanwhile, Tiangseri president Mastura said the collaboration has already started generating interest from interested parties.

    Tiangseri will also be aiding potential franchisees in securing funding at a preferential rate from agencies such as Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd and Majlis Amanah Rakyat, among others.

  • American Eagle Outfitters India to open 25 outlets in three years

    American Eagle Outfitters India to open 25 outlets in three years

    US-based mid-to-premium denim wear brand, American Eagle Outfitters entered India in the summer of 2018 through a licensing agreement with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. The brand expects India will be its top three international markets in the next five years.

    In an interview with IMAGES Retail, Guillermo La Rosa, Vice-President, International and Business Development, American Eagle Outfitters says, “Our brand has been in India for the past few months and it has been performing well. We are learning a lot about the Indian consumer as we plan to expand within the market and as we will get these learnings under our belt, it will help us grow and offer the right products to consumers.”

    Target Customers

    American Eagle Outfitters is a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices.

    The brand is betting big on Generation Z, who are between the age group of 15-25-year-old.

    “India’s rapidly developing and vibrant economy, anchored by the world’s largest youth population, provides an exciting growth opportunity for our brands and expanding our global reach,” says La Rosa.

    Category Mix

    The category mix of American Eagle Outfitters comprises of jeans, shorts, joggers, t-shirts, tops, woven shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and hoodies along with accessories like shoes, socks and belts.

    Elaborating on this, La Rosa says, “The breadth of our assortment is global; however, the category mix varies from location to location. For example, in DLF Promenade, the penetration is around 60 percent men and 40 percent women products whereas in Mall of India, it is 50-50.”

    In the Indian market, Denim is the Number 1 category for both men and women followed by other categories like woven shirts, polo shirts, fleece and sweaters.

    “In India, there have been a lot of learnings for us, like in the women’s category, the customer prefers more of bootcut whereas outside India it is more about skinny and super skinny. Skinny and super skinny is little bit slower than what we had anticipated. Similarly, in the men’s category, slim and skinny are very important globally whereas here in India it is more of slim and straight denim. It seems like here in India the customer wants more clean-cut denims. We will continue with what the consumer wants as we grow,” he adds.

    Decoding the Store

    The average size of the American Eagle Outfitters’ store spans across 2,500-3,500 sq. ft. in India.

    According to La Rosa, the store size of the brand in India is smaller as compared to that in the US. “In the US the store size ranges from 4,500 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft.,” he says.

    Despite the smaller spaces, the brand is hoping to launch more stores in more cities soon. Apart from this, the brand will also launch bigger flagship outlets.

    “We are looking forward to opening more flagship stores in key cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru and these stores will be bigger than the average store. In addition to this, after the launch of Aerie in India, we expect to have bigger stores,” he adds.

    Aerie is a lingerie retailer and intimate apparel sub-brand owned by American Eagle Outfitters. In the US, Aerie targets the 15- to 25-year-old female demographic.

    Expansion Plans

    At present, the brand has three operational stores spread across Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh. Apart from this, it is available through its own website and also on fashion portal Myntra.

    “By this year-end, we are looking to open six to nine more outlets. In the next three years, we are looking at a total of 25 locations. For some of the new stores, we have got locations in Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and we are also exploring other options,” La Rosa reveals.

    “We are not here to be in every single mall and exploit the brand. We want to be very meticulous and calculative in the partnerships that we have with malls. We will be launching the Mumbai outlet in the upcoming months,” he adds.

    The brand may also look at having a presence through multi-brand stores and in Tier II markets in the future. It will also open Aerie stores across India in partnership with the Aditya Birla Group.

    “We believe that in the next five years India could emerge as the top three markets outside the US,” La Rosa asserts.

    American Eagle Outfitters merchandise also is available at more than 190 international locations operated by licensees in 24 countries.

  • LOL launches digitally customisable fashion platform Cozmic Lab

    LOL launches digitally customisable fashion platform Cozmic Lab

    Malaysian apparel brand LOL has launched an innovation platform called Cozmic Lab. The concept is a collaboration between LOL and Brother, an international printing and imaging technology brand. “Moving beyond the ready-to-wear apparels, Cozmic Lab offers customers an exciting, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly avenue to co-create or customise their own apparel,” said Joey Chong Yan Kit, CEO of Super Gem Resources, the parent of LOL.

    Using digital technology, customers are able to select the apparel’s design, quality, quantity, types and location to collect the final product. And budding entrepreneurs are invited to create their own fashion products using Cozmic Lab.

    “We are bringing a unique blend of fashion and technology to LOL fans,” said Chong.

    “Blending fashion and technology is a global trend and being a fashion-forward brand, LOL believes that Cosmic Lab is a powerful way for us to connect to our customers and engage them through a distinct, innovative and customisable way to shop and experience our brand.

    “Cozmic Lab is also revolutionising the way fashion retail brands do business; we are inviting other entrepreneurs to use the platform to create their very own range of products,” Chong added.

    Exclusive collaborations

    Cozmic Lab has a series of designer and international brand collaborations to enable customers to create apparel unlike anything currently available at LOL. Iconic characters and brands like Doraemon, Peanuts, Sega’s Sonic and Nasa will be among more than 200 visuals customers can choose from – and people can also upload their own creation.

    The Brother digital garment printer takes just one minute to print one item of apparel. Selected footwear and accessories can be custom printed as well.

    Cozmic Lab is available now at the LOL store in IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, and will be opening at LOL stores in Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Velocity, Berjaya Times Square and Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, this month.

    Fast-growing LOL was founded in November 2015 as a joint venture between Superb Apparel Supply and Parkson Retail Asia. In June this year, the founders acquired Parkson’s 70 per cent stake in the company.

    Currently, LOL has more than 200 employees and 15 stores across Malaysia, including 10 in the Klang Valley, two in Johor Bahru, two in Sarawak and one in Melaka. It plans to open five more next year, most in the Klang Valley.

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  • Convenience stores a haven for most Saigon youth

    Convenience stores a haven for most Saigon youth

    Increasing numbers of Saigon residents are visiting convenience stores, and most of the youth hangout there. A survey by market research firm Q&Me in December found 80 percent of Saigon residents saying they patronize convenience stores. Of these, 61 percent are youth who also hangout in the stores, using in their eat-in space, attracted primarily by the air-conditioning.

    Fifty-four percent of customers said they use the eat-in space because it is a good place to stay for a short time, while 51 percent said they come for the wifi, said the survey, which polled 500 people aged 16-39 online and 721 visitors at 110 convenience stores in Ho Chi Minh City.

    The majority, 63 percent, of eat-in space customers are estimated to be in their 20s. Those in their 30s account for 16 percent, and teenagers, 15 percent.

    Those who age in their 40s and 50s account for only two percent of eat-in space users.

    Forty-four percent of customers use the eat-in space to drink, and 38 percent to eat and drink. Popular activities are chatting with friends, using their mobile phones and relaxing.

    The most popular foods at eat-in spaces are snacks, instant cup noodles and single customer hotpot. Instant cup noodles are popular during lunch and dinner time, while snacks are taken irrespective of timing.

    The eat-in space is most occupied during lunch time, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m, with half of the seats taken, on average. The period between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. also sees a high occupation rate of 33-37 percent.

    The survey found VinMart+ has the highest number of stores at 805, followed by Circle K with 261 and Family Mart with 160.

    Family Mart is the most popular store with 87 percent of respondents saying they have visited it earlier and 12 percent said they recognized it.

    VinMart+ comes next with 84 percent participants visiting and 15 percent recognizing, while the figures for Circle K are 76 percent and 17 percent, respectively.

    The least popular stores are Shop & Go, 7 Eleven and GS25. Forty-two percent of respondents said they recognized Seven Eleven but have never visited a store. This ratio is 36 percent for GS25 and 30 percent for Shop & Go.

    The number of convenience stores in Vietnam has increased by 21 percent year-on-year to 1,819 as of May, the survey found. Most of them are based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

    A previous report by market research firm Nielsen Vietnam had said that Vietnamese people have been going to convenience stores more often in recent years. It said that an average Vietnamese shopper make 4.5 trips a month to convenience stores this year, three times that of 2010.

    Since 2012, the number of convenience stores in the country has nearly quadrupled, Nielsen said.

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  • 7-Eleven tests facial-recognition technology

    7-Eleven tests facial-recognition technology

    7-Eleven Japan has opened an experimental concept store in Tokyo offering payment through facial-recognition technology developed by NEC. The trial is a precursor to a planned rollout of unmanned convenience stores in locations such as office buildings, car parks and factories allowing consumers to purchase essential items where it may not be commercially viable to operate a full-scale staffed store.

    The test store is located inside a building which is home to companies from the NEC group and can be accessed only by employees.

    Facial-recognition technology identifies shoppers when they enter the store and again when they make payment. The cost of purchases is deducted from their salaries.

    Rival retail groups including Aeon and FamilyMart have already adopted self-service payment checkouts and Lawson is trialling a scheme using barcodes scanned by smartphones.

  • Vive cake boutique launches hot beverages this winter

    Vive cake boutique launches hot beverages this winter

    Embracing the joyous holiday season, celebrity-loved Vive Cake Boutique launches a selection of luscious winter drinks specially curated by Founder, Ms Vivien Lau, to pair with VIVE’s delectable sweet treats. A selection of premium organic teas sourced from Taiwan are also introduced to add to its repertoire of beverages.

    “The holiday season is one that inspires the sharing of love and joy between family and friends,” says Vivien Lau. “Our new hot drinks are ‘warm, comforting and the perfect thing to cozy up with as the weather gets colder. Pair them with our signature cakes; it is soul-warming.”

    The new non-alcoholic So Grape-ful (HK$68), is a sophisticated yet whimsical libation designed to emulate mulled wine. Made with grape juice, tangy orange and lemon zest, a dash of cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, this warm drink not only brings to mind a winter wonderland classic, but also inspires a sense of playfulness with its presentation in a classic Christmas bauble sitting in a Martini glass.

    Lovers of sweetness and tradition will enjoy the classic S’mores (HK$50) concoction. A classic hot chocolate topped with roasted marshmallows, featuring butter cake crumbs, the smooth and satisfying drink conjures the classic Christmas moment shared by family and friends in front of a fireplace.

    The chilly winter season need not only be a time exclusively for indulgences. VIVE introduces a repertoire of three organic premium teas personally sourced by Vivien Lau from Taiwan, unrivalled for its high quality teas.

    Each of these teas is recommended to be paired with VIVE’s repertoire of signature desserts. The long-lasting, mellow sweetness of the Golden Honey Black Tea (HK$42) which invokes a scent of honey, floral, fruity, and milky aroma is recommended to be paired with Berry Jolly (HK$58), a layered sponge cake with mascarpone mousse and strawberry fillings. The slight astringency of black tea will make that mascarpone mousse really sing.

    The sweet, floral, and honey-fragrant Oriental Beauty Tea (HK$42) with its unique flower and honey aroma is best paired with the Berry Almond Tart (HK$48), made with seasonal fruits set atop an almond cake base and a crisp, sweet tart shell.  The tea is light enough to not overpower the fruits, but flavorful enough to make this simple sweet treat shine.

    Tea lovers who fancy the classic clean and grassy aroma with a tinge of roast, will love the mellow and brisk taste of Alpine Roast Oolong Tea (HK$42), which leaves tea drinkers with a lingering sugar cane sweetness. This tea is best paired with Treasure Hunt (HK$58), a rich caramel glazed cake, layered with dark chocolate sponge, caramel & chocolate mousse, set on a crunchy base.  The fragrant florals of lightly oxidized oolongs will bring out the fruity and earthy flavors of dark chocolate.

    Tea-ophiles may also take these naturally grown, chemical-free teas home with them. Tea connoisseurs may enjoy Golden Honey Black Tea for a natural caffeine boost, Alpine Roast Oolong Tea, and Oriental Beauty Tea at the comforts of their own homes. The packaged tea box with priced HK$218, including 15 individual tea bags (each flavour of 5), is a perfect personal or corporate gift.

    Vive Cake Boutique has proved a roaring success story since being launched with online orders in 2014 by founder and creative director Vivien Lau, who discovered her passion and talent by chance, making her first cake for a friend’s birthday. Her signature ‘handmade with love’ cakes, cupcakes, macarons, cookies, confectioneries and tailor-made cakes for weddings and special occasions, are all made from scratch from finest ingredients sourced from all over the world.

    VIVE’s widespread acclaim includes Time Out’s listing among the “crème de la crème of Hong Kong’s bespoke dessert makers” – with a massive celebrity and socialite following including Aaron Kwok, Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Niki Chow, Sharon Chan, Miki Yeung, Ella Koon, Myolie Wu and more.

  • Vietjet boosts the business by opening new route

    Vietjet boosts the business by opening new route

    Vietjet continues to solidify its presence in Vietnam this holiday season with the announcement of its newest route connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Van Don (Quang Ninh Province). Bridging the gap between Vietnam’s largest city and the attractive island district in Quang Ninh Province, the new route will serve to meet the growing travel and trade demands of locals and tourists alike.

    Starting 20 January 2019, passengers will be able to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Van Don (and vice versa) with flights operating every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. With a flight time of 2 hours and 15 minutes per leg, the flight will depart from Ho Chi Minh City at 07:00 am and arrive in Van Don at 09:15 am. The return flight takes off from Van Don at 09:50am and lands in Ho Chi Minh City at 12:05 pm.

    In celebration of the new route, Vietjet is currently running a three golden day promotion starting 20 to 22 December 2018. 2.2million tickets priced only from MYR0 (*) will be available for booking during the promotional time between 1.00pm to 3.00pm (Malaysian time) via the website. The promotion is applicable on all domestic flights within Vietnam and the travel period is from 20 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 (excluding public holidays).

    Located in close proximity to Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Van Don Islands District is an attractive tourist destination comprising of over 600 large and small islands. Van Don has a unique beauty that boasts serenity and wilderness. It is home to many famous destinations such as Bai Tu Long National Park, Dua Islet, Thien Nga Islet, Quan Lan Island, Minh Chau Island, and Ngoc Vung Island.

    Aiming to be a Consumer Airline, Vietjet has continually opened many new routes, added more aircraft, invested in modern technology, while offering more add-on products and services to serve all demands of customers.

    Vietjet has been a pioneering airline, winning the hearts of millions of passengers thanks to its exciting promotions, entertainments, especially during the festive seasons. With high-quality services, diverse ticket classes and reasonable airfares, Vietjet offers its passengers flying experiences on new aircraft with comfy seats and delicious hot meals served by beautiful, dedicated and friendly cabin crews, and many more enticing add-on services.

  • PM for Men by Pomelo is launched

    PM for Men by Pomelo is launched

    JD.com-backed fashion brand, Pomelo Fashion, is launching a menswear label called Pomelo Man (PM.). The label will be making its debut in Thailand, launching exclusively on the App available on both iOS and Android. PM aims to offer a new shopping experience to the modern man, transitioning from the online to offline world, on-the-go seamlessly.

    Customers can now walk into a PM location, get measured by the store crew and never have to bother about sizing while shopping on the App again. Addressing one of the biggest drawbacks of online shopping – sizing, the brand aims to innovatively take it out of the equation altogether. Through technology, PM helps customers find what they call their unique ‘Perfect Fit’. With key items like t-shirts, chino pants, hoodies, and accessories, the brand will become a one-stop shop for every man’s daily fashion needs. PM takes it up a notch by providing all men with a ‘Man Lounge’ complete with free Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, and video games, all of which can be enjoyed by customers and everyone else alike.

    Opening its pop up store to customers at Siam Square One on December 20th, 2018, PM will offer affordable, yet premium clothing ranging from 390 THB to 1,590 THB. For customers that download and register on the App – the brand will be giving away free t-shirts in their ‘perfect size’. The first collection consists of wardrobe essentials such as t-shirts, pants, outerwear, and accessories in expansive size options, available at the stores for a fitting and to be purchased on the Pomelo App. Going further, PM would roll out monthly drops composed of not only everyday essentials, but eventually branching out to polos, shirts, and a mix of both formal and informal styles.

    David Jou, Pomelo’s CEO, commented: “With PM we wanted to re-imagine men’s fashion. We wanted something classic, yet fresh and contemporary, combined with the latest technology to create an effortless shopping experience.”

    He added, “PM has no sizes. It’s built for the urban gentleman who is always on the go and seamlessly traverses between the digital and physical. We wanted to start with a focused and approachable collection that will grow over time as the brand itself grows. The PM app is at the center of the experience.”

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  • AEON Thailand Foundation donation proceeded

    AEON Thailand Foundation donation proceeded

    Last week, Mr.Kiyoyasu Asanuma (4th from left), Chairman of AEON Thailand Foundation, and Ms.Suporn Wattanavekin (3rd from left), Vice Chairman of AEON Thailand Foundation, together with Mr. Nuntawat Chotvijit (2nd from left), Director of Marketing, AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Company Limited and Mr.Veerawat Ariyaviriyanant (left), President & CEO of Data Products Toppan Forms Ltd. donated 1,000,000 Baht from the “AEON Charity Bowling Competition You are a HERO” to Ramathibodi Foundation in support of “New Innovation for treatment of cancer ” program. The donation was received on behalf of the foundation by Prof. Dr. Suradej Hongeng (4th from right), Executive Director of Ramathibodi Foundation and the research team from the Ramathibodi Hospital.

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  • Now tourist can claim VAT refund in downtown Bangkok

    Now tourist can claim VAT refund in downtown Bangkok

    According to the announcement by the government’s Reveue Department regarding ‘Downtown VAT Refund for Tourist’, the campaign has kickstarted an initiative to set up counters in numerous locations across central Bangkok to help tourists proceed with VAT refund upon shopping at permitted VAT refundable retailers. VAT refund will be returned to tourists in the form of cash in Thai Baht, encouraging them to continue shopping in Thailand with ease and convenience. Apart from helping tourists, the campaign is initiated to promote growth and balanced income distribution to small businesses.

    As one of the founding parties of VAT Refund Center (Thailand) Co.,Ltd, Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. is proud to be the official partner and the representative to assist tourists with VAT refund processes in these 5 locations across Central Bangkok; Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, Central Chidlom, Robinson Sukhumvit,  and The Emporium. As one of the partnering department stores, Siam Paragon has completed all preparations to help and service incoming tourists at the highest capacity.

    Senior Executive Vice President for Siam Piwat Co., Ltd. retail business development division Charnchai Cherdchoowongtha-nakorn said, “Siam Paragon is delighted to fully support the government’s policies and work with the Revenue Department. ‘Downtown VAT Refund for Tourist’ is set up to be a key area on G Floor where tourists can find conveniently, as it is located by one of our entrances connected to BTS Skytrain and taxi stops. Additionally, adept, knowledgeable and service-minded staff have been assigned to accomodate tourists with paperwork and essential procedures in order to fully and successfully comply with policies from the Revenue Department.”

    “Not only will shopping tourists of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery find it convenient to proceed with VAT refund at Siam Paragon, all tourists who have purchased goods, in accordance with all policies by the Revenue Department are welcomed to complete all necessary procedures at our department stores. The convenience of VAT refund at Siam Paragon is extremely helpful for those who have purchased in the popular shopping destination Siam as hundreds of SME businesses, small retailers and corporations are located in the area, covering an vast space of 2,000,000 sqm, with over 20 hotels to accommodate international tourists in more than 3,000 rooms available – with extra support from Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain system, connecting Ratchathevi and National Stadium to Siam station.”

    “According to statistics, out of 400,000 – 500,000 shopping tourists per day at One Siam, an average of 938 VAT Refund Form ( P.P. 10) have been filled each day from shops and retail spaces in Siam Paragon, totaling to a signification amount of 342,494 applicants.”

    “Based on Siam’s all-round advantages, we are confident that our VAT refund counter on G Floor of Siam Paragon will be the key point of service for all international tourist groups. Not only will these counters help tourists in making better decisions about visiting Thailand, the amount of amount refuned back to them will potentially be spent on additional purchases in Thailand. Consequently, it would help boost our economy. I can see this initiative having positive influence on the number of Thailand-bound tourists – more by volume and frequency,” Charnchai stated.

    The initiative of establishing VAT refund counters directly impacts the tourism industry on multiple levels: 1. Amount of retained money which tourists have spent after receiving VAT refund helps small retailers and businesses, which, in turn, strengthens Thailand’s economy; 2. The growth in sales volume and sales value is proportional to the rate of economic growth and revenue from tourist spending; 3. A significant decline in VAT refund at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang Airport reflects positive a sign of service improvement; 4. VAT refund for tourists promotes better opportunities for local retail shops to generate more sales.

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  • Visa and The Mall Group collaborate to drive the future of retail in Thailand

    Visa and The Mall Group collaborate to drive the future of retail in Thailand

    Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, and The Mall Group, Thailand’s leading retail and entertainment complex developer, last week announced a new long-term partnership set to drive the future of retail in Thailand.

    Building on their existing relationship, this partnership will see The Mall Group and Visa develop personalised shopping experiences for consumers, using Visa’s capabilities and exploring new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), biometrics, as well as data analytics to understand changing consumer behaviours.

    Chris Clark, Visa’s Regional President for Asia Pacific, said: “We believe payment technology can be a key differentiator for The Mall Group helping it to deliver a faster, more convenient and more personalised shopping experience for consumers. We’re looking forward to working together to drive payments innovation at The Mall Group’s expansive locations across Thailand.”

    Supaluck Umpujh, Chairwoman of The Mall Group, said: “The partnership with Visa represents a significant step into a new era of retail where customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is to explore and leverage the latest innovations that will add value to our business. This will consequently benefit our shoppers and help strengthen our position as a world-class shopping destination among both local and international visitors.”

    Studies have shown that by 2020 AI will be responsible for managing 85 percent of retail customer interactions and as many as 100 million consumers will use AR to create a more novel shopping experience.

    For decades, Visa, together with its merchant partners, has consistently invested in growing electronic payments in Thailand. This has included educating consumers and merchants on the benefits of electronic payments, expanding the acceptance of electronic payments, and introducing new technologies to enhance the payment experience and make it more secure, such as EMV, contactless payment technology, tokenisation, and Visa QR payments.

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  • Lenovo achieves world records in fund raising event

    Lenovo achieves world records in fund raising event

    Lenovo achieves a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the “Most people performing the warrior I pose (yoga) simultaneously (multiple venues)” on Sunday, 16 December 2018, across three cities doing a Warrior I Yoga pose simultaneously. Taking place at Boost in Yoga Style, a fundraising event co-organised by Lenovo and Pure Yoga, the event saw a turnout of over 600 participants across Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan region. Locally, 116 participated in setting the record at the National Gallery of Singapore.

    Boost in Yoga Style aimed to increase awareness on heart wellness and cardiovascular disease, and all proceeds from the event were donated to the Singapore Heart Foundation, totaling S$4,500.

    ‘This event represents a unique partnership between Lenovo and Pure Yoga and is aligned with our shared goal of enriching and enhancing lives in the community. We are glad to see such a positive turnout today and are delighted to have achieved the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title together with Pure Yoga. We hope that the money we’ve raised goes a long way in helping patients at the Singapore Heart Foundation,’ said Eddie Ang, Country General Manager, Singapore, Lenovo. ‘Partnering with a consumer-focused brand like Lenovo is important for us to deliver a differentiated experience for our members, and Boost in Yoga Style was a great way to drive awareness by leveraging the power of yoga to benefit the community,’ said Miryam Acosta, Pure Yoga Singapore.

    The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ achievement is aligned with Lenovo’s shift toward becoming a customer-centric organisation with the belief that ‘different is better’, exemplified through partnerships that deliver better value and unique experiences to users.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  • ShopBack ventures offline with ShopBack GO

    ShopBack ventures offline with ShopBack GO

    ShopBack, the one-stop lifestyle platform that powers smarter purchase decisions, officially enters the offline space with the introduction of ShopBack GO. Launched in partnership with Visa and Mastercard, ShopBack GO enables users to earn between five to 10 per cent cashback on top of their existing card rewards at over 400 F&B brands concentrated in selected areas.

    With ShopBack GO, F&B partners will gain access to ShopBack’s existing base of over one million Singaporeans via its mobile app. The first-of-its-kind offline discovery and rewards platform in Southeast Asia fills the performance marketing gap in the ecosystem with zero disruption to business operations and consumers’ payment habits.

    “For the past four years, our core business model has succeeded in delivering cost-effective marketing for ecommerce merchants while delighting users with cashback for their online purchases,” said Vincent Wong, Country Head of ShopBack Singapore. “We have now replicated the experience offline with ShopBack GO, an omnichannel retail solution for offline merchants and rewards platform for users.”

    Partnering over 400 F&B brands from local favourites like Tiong Bahru Bakery to international establishments like Paradise Group, ShopBack GO rides on Singapore’s vibrant food scene to encourage wider adoption of cashless payment via Visa and Mastercard.

    ShopBack GO launches with a higher density of F&B brands in four areas: One-North, Buona Vista, Holland Village and Tanjong Pagar. The first three locations were selected for convenience in proximity to the office, allowing the start-up to conduct quick experiments with F&B brands in the area, while Tanjong Pagar gives ShopBack a flavour of the Central Business District crowd’s appetite.

    “Food is a part of Singapore’s DNA and Singaporeans increasingly love to dine out. Based on Visa’s data, the number of dining transactions have increased more than 30 per cent year-onyear and dining spend makes up almost 20 per cent of total card spend for Singaporeans. This partnership with ShopBack in launching ShopBack GO will drive more consumers to use digital payments for their dining purchases. More importantly, it encourages more merchants to accept electronic payments and also show their willingness to adopt digital payments. This is important as Singapore moves into a more digital and smart nation city,” said Kunal Chatterjee, Visa Country Manager for Singapore & Brunei.

    “Seven in 10 consumers are looking to find offers for their dining experience. We believe ShopBack GO’s reward-based model will appeal to the foodie in many Singaporeans who love a great deal for good food. Given how frequently local consumers dine out, solutions such as these will also go a long way to drive behavioural change towards a wider use of cashless payments in Singapore,” said Deborah Heng, Country Manager, Mastercard Singapore.

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