Tag: Malaysia

  • Money increase for iprice comparability idea

    Money increase for iprice comparability idea

    Iprice Group, a Malaysia-based on-line worth comparability service for consumers, has acquired a $550,000 money funding from an angel investor enterprise capital group.

    Based solely final October, the enterprise is already lively in its residence base Malaysia, together with Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. The corporate says its on-line visitors is greater than doubling each month.

    The US$550,000 in funding was invested by from Asia Enterprise Group, a Malaysia-based angel investor, which needs to assist Iprice create “the most important on-line buying group in Southeast Asia”.

    Iprice co-founder Heinrich Wendel says the thought of the web site is to create “a pleasant on-line purchasing expertise” by giving buyers an intuitive and visible option to uncover merchandise.

    “Whereas different websites within the area are all about evaluating costs, we give attention to narrowing down the huge quantity of merchandise to your private choice. Regardless of you’re on the lookout for a blue and black gown, three-inch excessive heels, a strong backpack or a basic Chesterfield couch, we’ll present you the place you will get one of the best supply.”

    Because the younger Web inhabitants within the area is rising by greater than 50 per cent inside the subsequent three years – based on a report by UBS – it can drive eCommerce quantity no less than five-fold by 2020. Tapping into this potential, the web site already provides greater than three million merchandise from over 10,000 native and worldwide manufacturers, sourced by way of trusted on-line shops.

    Consumers flick through the hundreds of thousands of merchandise by classes, manufacturers, fashions and hues, amongst different attributes, to get inspiration. All merchandise are mechanically linked to particular promotions and coupons which might be provided by the respective eCommerce shops. Sooner or later, the corporate says it’ll double down on its machine studying algorithms to additional enhance the “sensible search” and supply particular person suggestions in response to the consumer’s searching behaviour.

    Working from its Kuala Lumpur headquarters, the corporate employs expertise from throughout Southeast Asia, enabling them to deal with the wants of every native market individually.

    For eCommerce shops, iprice supplies invaluable experience in on-line advertising, serving to them to increase their attain to new markets and develop their buyer base. Tito Costa, Zalora Group MD, says he recognises iprice as a robust affiliate associate.

    “Iprice helps internet buyers to seek out what they’ve been on the lookout for and to find new merchandise. They ship excessive changing visitors to Zalora throughout the Southeast Asia area and drive our income considerably,” he stated.

  • AirAsia X cuts frequency to optimise capacity

    AirAsia X cuts frequency to optimise capacity

    AirAsia X Bhd (AAX), the long-haul, low cost airline affiliate of the AirAsia Bhd flew a total of 914,970 passengers in the first quarter, down 15% from 1.08 million passengers in the same quarter in 2014.

    According to AAX’s preliminary operating statistics released yesterday, the carrier recorded a load factor of 74% for the first quarter ended March 31, down 12 percentage points from a year ago.

    AAX said it had implemented frequency cut on certain routes, mainly China and Australia, and concurrently terminated loss-making routes – Adelaide and Nagoya – to optimise capacity in line with its turnaround strategy.

    It said the excess capacity from capacity management had been re-deployed to short-term wet lease and charter operations, to maximise revenue.

    AAX said its passenger traffic, as measured by revenue-passenger-KM (RPK), declined 17% year-on-year to 4,431 million in the first quarter from 5.34 billion in the same quarter last year, while available-seat-KM (ASK) capacity decreased by 3% to 6.02 billion.

    This was due to capacity management and slowdown in marketing activities during the first three months of this year with respect to the QZ 8501 incident in December 2014.

    “Consequently, year-on-year load factor during the quarter dropped 12 percentage points to 74% against 86% in the same period last year.

    “Current bookings trends are in line with expectations for a recovery in the second half of 2015,” the carrier said.

    In terms of fleet movement, AirAsia took deliveries of two A330-300s on operating lease during the quarter, bringing its total number of A330-300s to 25, compared with 19 a year earlier.

    On the associate companies, Thai AirAsia X registered strong loads of 82% for its first quarter, with 155,961 passengers carried, implying continued positive pick-up for the popular routes between Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

    Thai AirAsia X currently operates 3 A330-300s while Indonesia AirAsia X has two A330-300s serving Bali-Taipei and Bali-Melbourne respectively.

  • Microsoft Malaysia builds phone store network

    Microsoft Malaysia builds phone store network

    Microsoft Malaysia will convert 39 Nokia retail stores into a network of Microsoft authorised reseller smartphone shops.

    The company’s GM of mobile devices sales for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Bruce Howe, revealed the plan during the opening ceremony of the first Microsoft Malaysia store at the Suria KLCC shopping centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

    Malaysia is the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to see the new telco store format and the conversions are scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.

    “This transition is a big leap for our brand besides giving opportunity in terms of scaling up the retail footprint and widen the Microsoft range in Malaysia,” he said at the launch..

    Microsoft Malaysia chief marketing and operation officer Rukmani Subramaniam described the launch as a “significant development” for the brand.

    “We get feedback from Microsoft customers that its hard to find Microsoft stores in Malaysia, so we ran this transition to give more chances for them visit and learn how to make the most of Microsoft technology,” she said.

    Microsoft, the world’s largest computer software company, acquired the Finnish Nokia telecommunications technology company’s devices and services division business in April 2014, forming a wholly owned Finland-based subsidiary Microsoft Mobile Oy. That company has the rights to use Nokia branding on some phones, but not on the popular Lumia range, which is now sold as a Microsoft handset.

  • Belif Malaysia makes debut

    Belif Malaysia makes debut

    Korean cosmetics brand Belif has opened its first store in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur’s Sunway Pyramid Mall.

    Belif Malaysia has been introduced by listed jewellery retailer Tomei which has the rights to other markets in the region but plans to focus on Malaysia for the time being to fully assess its potential.

    Between three and five stores are planned initially.

    Belif is marketed as a herbal lifestyle cosmetics brand based on recipes dating back to Britain in the 1860s and combined with modern day Korean skin science.

    The brand distinguishes itself with packaging which is honest about its ingredients. Each of its products addresses diverse skin types and concerns with formulas that are free of mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, synthetic preservatives and animal origin ingredients.

    The debut store in Kuala Lumpur is on Sunway’s ground floor near the Tomei jewellery store.

  • Growing prospensity among Malaysian consumers to shop online

    Growing prospensity among Malaysian consumers to shop online

    Malaysians are joining other South-East Asian consumers in a growing propensity to shop online, particularly for personal care items.

    In a statement today, Nielsen said based on its Global Survey on The Future of Grocery, at least one third of the 518 respondents intended to buy items such as body wash, shampoo and conditioner online within the next six months.

    Other top 10 grocery items which Malaysian consumers would purchase online in the next six months included laundry detergent, dish soap and hand or body lotion, it said.

    It said 16% of the Malaysia consumers would remain vigilant with their online orders for home delivery or using online/mobile coupons for their online shopping (16%).

    Nielsen said only 9% of Malaysian consumers were willing to use a virtual supermarket for their grocery shopping.

    It said the survey also revealed the growth in modern retailing channels such as hypermarkets and supermarkets, putting open-air/wet markets at their expense.

    “Malaysian consumers prefer the modern channel with only 18% keen to patronise open-air or wet markets when buying food and groceries in the next 12 months.

    “A quarter of Malaysians feel that grocery shopping in the retail store is a fun way of spending time with one-self or the family where 24% find grocery shopping to be an enjoyable and engaging experience,” it said.

    Nielsen’s executive director of client service in South-East Asia, North Asia and Pacific, Kaushal Upadhyay, said savvy retailers would look to provide digital strategy that included interaction at each point along the path to purchase.

    “The connected commerce era has arrived where the most successful retailers and manufacturers will be at the intersection of the physical and virtual worlds, leveraging technology to satisfy shoppers however, wherever and whenever they want to shop,” he said.

     

  • Royal Selangor to open in Chelsea, London

    Royal Selangor to open in Chelsea, London

    Malaysia-based pewter brand Royal Selangor is to open its first standalone store in the UK.

    It chose the upmarket London suburb of Chelsea for its debut, a site adjacent to the Designer’s Guild at 261 Kings Rd.

    The 1317 sqft store is due to open as early as June.

    Established in Malaysia in 1885, Royal Selangor is now a global family business with stores in more than 20 countries.  Its UK flagship on King’s Rd will stock customised and designer homewares, as well as ornaments and personalised gifts, all made from pewter. In addition, Royal Selangor’s two complementary brands Selberan jewellery and the 350-year-old sterling silver brand Comyns will both be available in store.

    Royal Selangor is famous for its exclusive collaborations with international designers including Denmark’s Erik Magnussen, Freeman Lau from Hong Kong, and champagne houses Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Dom Perignon and Krug. Royal Selangor has also created trophies for numerous Formula One races, the Shanghai ATP 1000 Masters, as well as the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Golf Tournaments.

    Peter Coleman, MD of Royal Selangor UK, said the company wanted to launch its first store in a destination that reflects its quality and heritage.

    “The King’s Rd met our requirements perfectly due to the great mix of brands that share a similar ethos to our own and the cachet it holds as one of London’s most significant retail addresses.”

    Richard Everett, estate manager at Sloane Stanley, who brokered the lease deal, said the company is committed to creating a unique mix of retailers with a certain style on the King’s Rd, and the arrival of Royal Selangor is consistent with this strategy.

    “They will appeal to residents and visitors alike, reaffirming the King’s Rd’s position as one of the most important retail streets in London.”

  • Malaysian customs urges small retailers to invest in GST-compliant sales system

    Malaysian customs urges small retailers to invest in GST-compliant sales system

    Installing a point-of-sale (POS) system to issue printed receipts as part of implementing the goods and services tax (GST) will only be a one-time investment, the Malaysian Customs Department’s GST division told operators of small businesses on Thursday.

    GST division director Datuk T. Subromaniam said the system will be usable for a long-term basis and would help businesses identify standard and zero-rated items, adding that adopting POS would cost between MYR3,000 (USD828) and MYR4,000.

    He also said tax deductions were available under Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for businesses on purchases of information communication technology equipment, hardware and training.

  • Starbucks Malaysia earns employer accolade

    Starbucks Malaysia earns employer accolade

    Starbucks Malaysia has earned top honors for its employment practices at the Aon Hewitt Best Employers of 2015 Awards.

    The Best of the Best award was presented to Starbucks Malaysia at the Awards Presentation and Learning Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

    The Aon Hewitt Best Employers Award is one of the most prestigious awards recognising companies with strong employee engagement, high-performance culture, effective leadership and a compelling brand. Aon Hewitt’s research is conducted over nine months and is active in a dozen Asia Pacific markets, including China, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia. The Malaysian survey was completed in partnership with TalentCorp Malaysia.

    Sydney Quays, MD of Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei, called the honor “one of the most significant recognitions that a company could get in validation to its human resources practices and talent management initiatives”.

    “We’re known for our coffee, but our people make us famous,” Quays added.

    A substantial part of Starbucks recognition was related to the company’s efforts to retain, engage and motivate partners.

    “Retention starts from hiring the right talent,” said June Beh, partner resources and compliance director for Starbucks Malaysia and Brunei.

    “We also highly invest in the training of every partner (employee) empowering them with the necessary skills and knowledge.”

    Starbucks store manager Desmond Soon was given the opportunity last year to lead a district for the company. “This allowed me to create a lasting connection with the community, to be involved in company programs, and to share our amazing stories with customers,” Soon said.

    Starbucks Malaysia opened in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and today has more than 190 stores across the country.

  • Aeon Malaysia plans two new malls

    Aeon Malaysia plans two new malls

    Aeon Malaysia will build two new malls this year, at a cost of 450 million Ringgit (US$121 million).

    Aeon Malaysia currently has 23 malls across the country, 29 Aeon hypermarkets and four smaller stores branded MaxValu.

    The two new centres will be built in Klebang in Perak and in Shah Alam in Selangor, part of greater Kuala Lumpur.

    “This has always been part of our expansion plan here,” explained Aeon Malaysia MD Nur Qamarina Chew.

    “Malaysia has shown resilient growth despite the ongoing economic challenges.”

    The company targets middle- and upper-income segments of Malaysian consumers, including the expat community.

    In a separate move, Aeon Malaysia will undertake a rebranding of its portfolio as it positions itself as ‘the primary retail lifestyle hub’ in the country.

    A budget of 8 million Ringgit ($2.1 million) has been set aside to rebrand the shopping centres Aeon Mall and adopt the tagline “Do Mall”.

    The company says it will work to create new activities and events at its malls throughout the year to encourage the perception of lifestyle rather than just a destination to go shopping.

    “We celebrated our 30th anniversary in Malaysia last year and it is time to rebrand Aeon as a lifestyle destination rather than just a shopping centre as we begin our new decade here,” said Chew.

    “We also think the timing is idea with this rebranding exercise, given the ongoing economic challenges and the new GST, as we would like our customers to spend more time with us for leisure purposes and not just for shopping.”

  • Malaysia launches consumption tax despite public unease

    Malaysia launches consumption tax despite public unease

    Malaysia last week implemented a six percent consumption tax aimed at plugging a leaky tax-collection system and addressing a widening fiscal deficit, but which has sparked opposition protests over the past year.

    The government and economists say the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will help address an inadequate revenue-collection system under which income tax is currently paid by only an estimated 11 percent of registered companies and 14.8 percent of employees.

    But the GST has prompted demonstrations by opposition parties, who say consumers were being left with the bill for government mismanagement of the economy.

  • Gelatissimo seeks new Malaysian partner

    Gelatissimo seeks new Malaysian partner

    Australian gelato chain Gelatissimo is searching for a new franchise partner in Malaysia – but says its expansion strategy in Asia and beyond remains on track.

    Gelatissimo’s sole store in Malaysia, at The Gardens mall in Mid Valley, closed late last year after the partnership proved less than successful, but Carlos Antonius, the company’s international franchise development manager, says it remains committed to Malaysia.

    “We are currently in the market for a new franchise partner to capitalise on the brand equity already developed in Malaysia,” he told InsideRetail.Asia by email.

    Meanwhile, Gelatissimo operates successfully in international markets of Singapore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Philippines.

    “We are working collaboratively with our existing franchise partners to further develop our presence in these markets and are continually reviewing all aspects of our operations to drive the business forward,” said Antonius.

    “At the same time we are investigating additional market entry options into South East Asia and the Americas.”

    Gelatissimo launched in Australia with a concept store in 2002 and after quickly finding favour with customers, commenced franchising two years later.

  • Fashion-conscious can rejoice as online retailer Zalora promises to absorb Malaysia’s GST

    Fashion-conscious can rejoice as online retailer Zalora promises to absorb Malaysia’s GST

    Online fashion retailer Zalora has promised to absorb the 6% goods and services tax (GST) on all its items if customers use a special voucher code.

    Overall, it said that its prices would be lower by 5%, even with GST, because it was only raising the prices on its website by less than 1%.

    “We decided to go all in, with the new ‘GSTOFF’ voucher, prices on Zalora will be lower than they were before GST,” the online retailer’s managing director for Malaysia Giulio Xiloyannis said in a statement today.

    “Not only has Zalora decided not to increase its prices by the 6% new GST levels, with prices pre-voucher rising less than 1% across the whole website, (we) decided to also apply a storewide 6% discount available to all customers, hence actually lowering prices for all by 5% compared to pre-GST prices,” he added.

    “GSTOFF” is an online voucher that will be activated March 31, a day before the GST takes effect on a broad range of goods as part of Putrajaya’s move to increase government revenue.

    “It will be guaranteed by Zalora for the whole month of April 2015,” said Xiloyannis.

    He said the voucher would apply to all Zalora in-house labels and international brands, and to 90% of the other brands on the online retailer.

    The fashion retailer joins local hypermarket chain Mydin as one of the few retailers so far who have announced that they will absorb the GST

  • 1000 Degrees heads for Malaysia

    1000 Degrees heads for Malaysia

    US pizza company 1000 Degrees Pizzeria has chosen Malaysia as its first international market.

    The company said it would open its first pizza outlets in Kuala Lumpur, later this year in Kuala Lumpur, the federal capital, with an unidentified local partner.

    1000 Degrees says while Malaysia will be its first international market outside its US home base, talks are already underway with potential partners in Panama City, Qatar and Dubai.

    “We are excited to bring our spin on traditional Neapolitan Pizza, served in a fast-casual environment to the citizens of Kuala Lumpur,” said a company spokesman.

    1000 Degress pizza store 315

    “We feel as if this city, which is experiencing tremendous growth, is ready for something new in the name of pizza.”

    1000 Degrees has grown rapidly during the past six months and expects over 60 franchisees to be signed by the end of third quarter of 2015.

    The franchise was started in northeastern US, but quickly has gained traction in 16 of the 50 states.

    The spokesman said Malaysia was chosen for its international debut because it was “an exciting place” and the company is working with “an exciting group of experienced operators” in Kuala Lumpur.

    1000 Degrees offers both single and multi-unit operators an opportunity to serve what they feel is the best pizza in the nation, for as little as $250,000 per unit.

     

  • Ikea Malaysia confirms new store

    Ikea Malaysia confirms new store

    Ikea Malaysia is finally to open its second store – nearly 20 years after the Swedish brand debuted in the country.

    The new store will be 20 per cent larger than the existing outlet in Mutiara Damansara and is scheduled to open by December.

    Ikea Malaysia opened its first store at 1 Utama Shopping Mall in 1996. After seven years it moved to its own standalone location at nearby Damansara which, when it opened, was the largest Ikea in Asia.

    “We are excited to confirm that the Ikea store in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, is set to open by the end of 2015, located at Jalan Cochran,” said Mike King, retail director

    of Ikea Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

    “The opening of Ikea Cheras is part of our overall expansion plan across southeast Asia in order to make Swedish home furnishings that are affordable, well-designed, functional and good quality available to everyone.”

    King said construction has already begun and the company is starting to focus on the interior fittings and operational setup of the store.

    Ikea in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore is operated by Ikano Pte Ltd.

  • Malaysia retail sales slip

    Malaysia retail sales slip

    Retail sales in Malaysia fell by nearly one per cent in the last quarter of 2014 as consumers cut back spending, spooked by the looming introduction of GST.

    On April 1, Malaysia’s government introduces a goods and services tax on most items, excluding food, of six per cent.

    Sales in the fourth quarter fell 0.8 per cent year-on-year – the worst quarterly performance on record, and below predictions by the Malaysia Retailers Association (MRA).

    The poor fourth quarter lowered the full year figure to 3.4 per cent growth, compared with 4.5 per cent growth in the previous year.

    Retail Group Malaysia (RGM), in a report released this week titled Malaysia Retail Industry Report, said Christmas, lower fuel prices and the year-end sale season all failed to lift sales.

    “Furthermore, the (impending) implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) next month did not stimulate consumption during the last quarter (of 2014). Retailers used heavy discounts to encourage consumers to shop, but failed to generate higher sales. During the quarter, many retailers suffered declines in profit margin growth,” the report said.

    Department store sales fell 5.7 per cent last quarter, while hypermarket sales rose just one per cent. Fashion and accessory sales fell 2.2 per cent.

    Miscellaneous retailing – including optical products, second-hand goods, health and fitness equipment, toys, souvenirs, duty-free goods, arts and crafts, photographic equipment – and foodservice, believe it or not – performed the worst, with sales contracting 6.7 per cent.

    RGM is concerned consumers do not understand the potential impact – or lack thereof – on retail prices post-April 1.

    “Retail sales performance during the first two months of this year was below expectation as consumers were confused by different public messages on the prices of retail goods and services after March 2015,” it said.

    Possible rushed purchases – to avoid paying six per cent on big ticket items – may power sales growth in the first quarter of 2015. In the survey, MRA members said they were hopeful of a recovery, RGM estimating growth of 5.8 per cent.

    But RGM has lowered its 2015 full year prediction from 5.5 per cent growth to 4.9 per cent growth.

    “Malaysian consumers will get used to GST by the last quarter of 2015. Retail spending will return to normal again by this period. Retail is expected to recover strongly with a 6.9 per cent growth rate,” it said.