Retail News CRM

Tag: Malaysia

  • Parkson closes Puchong store after just 18 months

    Parkson closes Puchong store after just 18 months

    Malaysian department store operator Parkson has closed its store in Puchong just 18 months after it opened.

    The closure follows its exit from Suria KLCC in downtown Kuala Lumpur after 20 years.

    A Parkson spokesperson said the Puchong store had not met sales expectations.

    “The retail market is very dynamic. Store openings and closures are part and parcel of our business. In Malaysia, shopping malls are mushrooming everywhere and the demographics are ever-changing. Understandably, we are always cautious and selective when choosing new store locations. However when sales do not meet expectations, we have to cut losses and move on,” the spokesman said.

    The Parkson Puchong store was located in M Square Mall at Millenia City. It opened in January last year, with 32,516sqm of retail space.

    While store closures appear to be an ongoing story within Parkson – it has shuttered multiple stores in Vietnam as well during the last two years – there are some positives to be taken from the company’s recent results. In the nine months to March 31, the company achieved sales growth above 5 percent – double the rate of Malaysia’s department-store sector, according to Malaysia Retailers Association data.

    Despite store closures, revenue in the March quarter rose by 2 percent year on year to RM788 million (US$187 million).

    Parkson currently operates 43 stores, one more than it had in 2015 but two fewer than in 2017.

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  • Goxip expands into Singapore as APAC push gains pace

    Goxip expands into Singapore as APAC push gains pace

    Hong Kong and Malaysian mobile fashion-and-beauty marketplace Goxip will launch in Singapore on August 19. The service has more than 600,000 active monthly users in Hong Kong alone and counts luxury retailers such as Net-a-Porter, Farfetch, and Asos as well as brands like Nike, Alexander McQueen and Topshop among its partners and advertisers.

    As part of the launch, Goxip will invest in offline/online media and influencer marketing, leveraging its RewardSnap KOL monetization network.

    The launch will follow a whole redesign of the website and app’s look and feel in order to appeal even more to Singaporean consumers. It aims at educating Singaporeans on how Goxip is used to search, compare and shop products from global retailers in a few clicks.

    “I believe Singapore to be an extremely good opportunity for Goxip to expand its user base and sales,” said Goxip co-founder and CEO Juliette Gimenez.

    “We reached over 15 million in sales in Hong Kong in the last two years, with over 600,000 monthly active users and close to 1 million downloads of our app globally. Singaporeans and Hong Kongers are very similar in terms of purchasing behavior, expat demographics, and internationalization. This tops our confidence to scale further and reach new heights in Singapore!”

    The expansion is part of Goxip’s strategy to penetrate more APAC countries on top of its home base of Hong Kong. Goxip gained significant traction in Hong Kong since its launch in 2017 and plans to expand to further areas such as the Middle East and Oceania. Goxip’s team is also increasing in size to allow its business to grow and launch new features for its website and app.

    “We are building a strong team in Hong Kong to support Goxip expansion and improve performance further,” said Goxip’s VP marketing Michele Tardelli. “Our brand is well-known in Hong Kong and our track record proves that product/market fit is there. Now it’s time to get Singaporeans to know us, engage with our website/app and shop. We have a holistic marketing plan to make this happen.”

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  • CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust profits down

    CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust profits down

    Introducing fresh retail concepts and organizing more shopper-centric initiatives weren’t enough to prevent a 5.7 percent fall in net property income (NPI) for CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust (CMMT) in the first half of this year.

    CapitaLand Malaysia Mall REIT Management (CMRM), which manages the trust, (US$25 million) for the period, down from 110.4 million ($26.8 million).

    The company said Gurney Plaza, East Coast Mall and Tropicana City Office Tower turned in stronger performances that partially mitigated lower contributions from the Klang

    Valley shopping malls Sungei Wang, 3 Damansara and The Mines.

    But David Wong, CMRM’s chairman, was positive about the trust’s future prospects despite the decline.

    “Amid a challenging operating environment, we are optimistic that the underlying strength of CMMT’s portfolio of quality malls will continue to deliver sustainable income distributions for unitholders in the long term.

    “We continue to reinforce our efforts in strengthening the appeal of CMMT malls through proactively managing lease renewals, introducing fresh retail concepts and organizing more shopper-centric initiatives.”

    Low Peck Chen, CMRM’s CEO, said during the first half of the year Gurney Plaza and East Coast Mall continued their steady performance to chart year-on-year revenue growth.

    “Our Klang Valley malls remain affected by the growing supply of retail space. Sungei Wang and The Mines were further impacted by downtime from asset enhancement works and vacancies.

    “The Jumpa lifestyle zone in Sungei Wang is on track to open by end-September. The new retail concepts at Jumpa will complement the existing offerings in the Bukit Bintang- Kuala Lumpur City Centre shopping belt and help to revitalize and boost the appeal of Sungei Wang,” she said.

    “For The Mines and 3 Damansara, we are focusing on strengthening their tenant mix in key trade categories to enhance their positioning as necessity shopping malls.”

  • Zalora Philippines targets 50-per-cent annual sales growth

    Zalora Philippines targets 50-per-cent annual sales growth

    Fashion e-tailer Zalora Philippines is targeting 50 percent annual growth in sales over the next five-year period.

    The firm’s confidence in its target is based on the number of Filipinos embracing online shopping.

    “We will end the year with more than 50 percent growth year on year,” said Zalora Group CEO Gunjan Soni, “and we expect that trajectory to continue”.

    “We actually see that trend continuing in terms of very high double-digit growth for at least the next five years,” said ZPH president and CEO Paolo L. Campos III. “We don’t see growth tapering, we see it sustaining at the very high double-digit level.”

    Zalora also operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

  • Body Shop Malaysia and Vietnam operator to list

    Body Shop Malaysia and Vietnam operator to list

    The retailer and distributor of The Body Shop products in Malaysia since 1984 has yet to fix the issue price and the opening and closing dates of the IPO. But local news reports have suggested the IPO may raise up to MYR200 million (US$48.6 million).

    InNature has indicated plans to use any IPO proceeds for capital expenditure, working capital and new business development.

    The firm has 89 locations in Malaysia and 26 in Vietnam, including online platforms. It plans to enter Cambodia later this year.

  • Ikea Malaysia to open in new Batu Kawan mall

    Ikea Malaysia to open in new Batu Kawan mall

    Ikea Malaysia is preparing to open the first phase of a shopping centre linked directly to its blue-box home furnishing store in Batu Kawan, Northern Malaysia.

    With around 20 tenancies, the new retail destination is aiming to bring a vibrant new mix of brands to the growing Aspen Vision City. The retail extension will open at the end of the year, with 85 per cent of the space now already leased to tenants including Sports Direct, Project Rock, 7-Eleven and Harvey Norman.

    Taking up 50,000sqft, Harvey Norman is taking its concept of a flagship superstore outside the Klang Valley for the first time.

    “We are grateful for the relationships we have built with long-term partners like Harvey Norman. Together, we can live up to our mission of creating vibrant meeting places for the many people – going beyond just shopping,” said Ikea Southeast Asia MD Christian Rojkjaer.

    Five Ikea stores in the region are anchors for shopping centres.

    “We look for tenants that meet the needs of the people in our community,” explained Ikea Southeast Asia mixed-use director Christian Olofsson. “In the four months since we opened Ikea Batu Kawan, we have seen that Penangites often visit on lunch breaks and during dinner time. So, we will focus on bringing in F&B outlets and convenient grab-and-go services. We also see the opportunity for other leisure, entertainment and sporting retailers to serve the growing township of Batu Kawan.”

    The integrated retail component to Ikea Batu Kawan is part of the master plan for Aspen Vision City, a joint-venture of Ikea Southeast Asia and Aspen Group.

    “Ikea is a major catalyst, attracting other businesses that want to be part of a modern and intelligent township of the future,” said Aspen Group president & group CEO Dato’ Murly Manokharan. “We want to create a convenient destination that is at the heart of a walkable community where people can work, shop, dine, study, and create positive memories together with their loved ones.”

  • AirAsia ordered to pay at least $9.9 million to Malaysia Airports

    AirAsia ordered to pay at least $9.9 million to Malaysia Airports

    The Malaysian High Court in Kuala Lumpur has ordered AirAsia and AirAsia X to pay operator Malaysian Airport Sepang (MA Sepang) MYR40.73 million ($9.9 million) in unpaid passenger service charges after ruling in favor of the national airport operator.

    The LCC was also ordered to pay MYR972,381 and MYR24,000 for late payment and lawsuit fees, respectively.

    In retaliation, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes took to Twitter and posted photos of beehives at the airport, as well as uneven parking aprons at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2, known as KLIA2. Since moving to KLIA2 in 2014, AirAsia has been very unsatisfied with terminal design and facilities.

    MA Sepang, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) first sued AirAsia and AirAsia X in December 2018 for unpaid passenger service charges after the former raised the charges from MYR50 to MYR73. AirAsia refused to charge its passengers the increased rate as it said the facilities at KLIA2 were sub-standard. The LCC later countersued MAHB in January 2019 for losses and damages incurred by both airlines because of operational disruptions at KLIA2.

    The High Court also dismissed AirAsia’s appeal against the Malaysian Aviation Commission for failing to mediate the issue between the two parties, as regulations stipulate.

    “We will continue to fight the battle on behalf of all Malaysians and travelers to Malaysia,” Fernandes said in his posts, adding he hopes MAHB will act like a partner.

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  • Fave Wants to Be Merchant Super App

    Fave Wants to Be Merchant Super App

    Singapore-based Fave is onboarding merchants quickly to distinguish itself, as competition in the mobile rewards and mobile wallet space heats up.

    Fave has recently moved into the fringes of financial services, with a pilot project to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) obtain micro-loans from financial institutions. The move appears to follow similar moves by lifestyle apps such as Grab, that offer micro-loans to consumers in other parts of Southeast Asia.

    There are all these consumer super-apps, but then, actually we are like a merchant super-app platform,» said Fave’s chief executive Joel Neoh.

    Fave distributes coupons for the merchants while rewarding customers with cashback. After its launch in 2017, Fave acquired the Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia units of Groupon. Neoh was the founder of Fave Malaysia (originally GroupsMore) and previously led Groupon’s Asia-Pacific business.

    So far, the platform has more 25,000 merchants on its platform in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, where the company had acquired the units of Groupon. In September 2018, Fave raised $20 million in Series B funds from existing investors Sequoia Capital India, SIG Asia Investments and venture capital firm Venturra Capital, which is backed by Indonesia’s Lippo Group.

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  • AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    Malaysia’s High Court has dismissed applications made by AirAsia and AirAsia X seeking a judicial review of the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (MAVCOM) decision not to mediate a dispute between the carriers and Malaysia Airports (MAHB).

    Both carriers acknowledged that their application was dismissed “with no costs,” and they will review the decision with their legal counsel.

    The judicial review application was made in mid-May, with the airlines arguing that MAVCOM “has a statutory duty to decide on the dispute once mediation between parties has failed, or is deemed to have failed”.

    The dispute was first sparked in December, when MAHB filed a MYR36.4 million lawsuit against the airlines the month before for failing to remit higher passenger services charges since 1 January 2018.

    That was followed by a MYR480 million counter-claim by AirAsiaand AirAsia X against MAHB relating to economic losses and poor service levels at the KLIA2 terminal it operates from at Kuala Lumpur International airport.

    A subsequent mediation offer made by the airlines to MAHB was rejected by the airport operator.

    AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes has repeatedly complained about high charges and poor infrastructure at the KLIA2 terminal. The airline has resisted a regulatory ruling that it should pay the same passenger charges as airlines using the main terminal at KLIA, arguing that the terminal is a low-cost facility and should be charged as such.

    MAHB maintains that KLIA2 is not a low-cost terminal and provides more capacity at the airport.

  • Lazada brand refreshed with New Slogan and Tagline

    Lazada brand refreshed with New Slogan and Tagline

    Southeast Asian e-commerce platform Lazada has launched a new brand campaign – Go Where Your Heart Beats.

    This is the first refresh of the Lazada brand in five years, representing an attempt to elevate the role of the company beyond a transactional shopping platform to a “lifestyle destination”. The move is underpinned by the brand’s “shoppertainment” strategy to enhance the shopper experience, its seller empowerment efforts and ongoing engagements with local community segments.

    The campaign kicked off yesterday with a series of films following the personal journeys of three individuals made possible through Lazada, and introduced the firm’s new brand identity that reflects a more youthful, energetic and dynamic look and feel. It features a new heart logomark, typeface and new palette of Lazada colours.

    “As this region’s e-commerce pioneer, we first introduced Lazada in Southeast Asia to provide effortless shopping online,” said Lazada Group CEO Pierre Poignant. “Seven years on, we are the e-commerce leader that aims to serve 300 million customers by 2030.

    “We are elevating the role of Lazada beyond just a transactional shopping platform, to a lifestyle destination that can enable and progress hopes, dreams and desires – whether you’re a seller or a shopper.”

    The new Lazada brand identity was developed by Superunion Singapore and the accompanying campaign was conceptualised and developed by Wunderman Thompson Singapore.

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  • E-commerce platform Shopline Arrives in Malaysia

    E-commerce platform Shopline Arrives in Malaysia

    Hong Kong-based e-commerce hub Shopline has established a Kuala Lumpur office as a first move into the Malaysian market.

    Malaysia is Shopline’s second Southeast Asian market following Vietnam, where it already has a Ho Chi Minh City base and where 98 per cent of internet users reportedly made online purchases in the past year. Malaysia’s internet penetration stands at 78.3 per cent, heading off Indonesia and the Philippines, and will hit an e-commerce market value of $3.91 billion next year.

    The firm, which has more than 150,000 registered users with online stores trading on its platform, shipped merchandise to more than 200 million customers last year. It has successfully raised US$2 million in funding from CDIB Capital Group and Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund.

    Shopline will bring cross-channel O2O solutions to the Malaysian market, and offers several targeted features to extend retailer’s reach as well as an analytics dashboard and a cloud-based point-of-sale payment system.

  • NEXEA Launches Startup-Corporate Pilot Program

    NEXEA Launches Startup-Corporate Pilot Program

     NEXEA Angels Sdn. Bhd. (“NEXEA”), a leading startup investment firm today announced the launch of its Startup-Corporate Pilot Program that aims at bringing together local technology startups and corporations for the purposes of identifying and exploring potential collaborations among them. The program is held in partnership major organizations namely Digi, HELP University, Rhombus Connexion and Spritzer. Through the program, startups will get an opportunity to explore pilot projects with these organizations, validate business with feedback from them, explore real-world product testing and build up traction by having these organizations as potential customers. In addition, startups will also get support from mentors from NEXEA and have an opportunity to get funded by NEXEA and its co-investment partners. Startup-Corporate Pilot Program will start in July and run in parallel with NEXEA’s startup accelerator program.

    The Startup-Corporate Pilot Program is open to Malaysia-based startups ranging from ideation stage all the way to pre-series A. Applications to join are now open and will be closed on 24 June 2019. NEXEA is looking to enroll startups in the areas of connectivity, fintech, Internet of Things, SME solutions, F&B’s, education, healthcare and home services.

    Ben Lim, Managing Partner of NEXEA said, “Startup-Corporate Pilot Program is bridging the gap between startups and industry players. Many startups desire a working relationship with corporate entities but many too are unable to attain it due to various reasons. So, this year, besides running our regular Startup Accelerator Program we are bringing something different to the ecosystem – a platform where startups have direct access to corporations so they can explore potential collaborations. We are delighted that Digi, HELP University, Rhombus Connexion and Spritzer join in on our mission to help provide expert insights and opportunities for startups in our program.”

    Experienced entrepreneurs, CEOs and heads of innovation from the participating organizations will get involved in the program. With this approach to collaborations, NEXEA hopes to accelerate corporate innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).

    NEXEA has, in its team, experienced mentors where most of them are entrepreneurs, half of them have held C-level positions like CEO and some of them have successfully brought companies to initial public offering (IPO).

    Alex Foo, Head of Strategy and Transformation at Digi said, “We share a common belief with NEXEA that Corporates and Startups have a big role to play to foster the growth of innovation and innovators in Malaysia. By partnering with NEXEA’s Startup-Corporate Pilot Program, we hope to play a role in building the local startup ecosystem by sharing our knowledge and expertise in building businesses, while exploring collaborative opportunities with startups and jointly bring new innovations to market.”

    Adam Chan, Executive Director of HELP International Corporation Bhd. stated, “As HELP University embarks on its transformation plan to become an analytics-driven institution and one that provides our students with the opportunity to test their entrepreneurial acumen, working with NEXEA provides the platform for our students and graduates to embark on this journey. NEXEA has a strong program in this area and we are confident that the resources of both parties could potentially provide the catalyst to unearth the next unicorn.”

    Kent Chua, Co-Founder of Rhombus Connexion said, “In the era of disruption we face today, it is an “innovate or die” situation for corporates. Thus what better way than to work closely with brilliant young minds via NEXEA to tap on to their wild ideas and play a role in shaping and supporting the world’s future today.”

    Meanwhile, Kenny Lim, CEO of Spritzer Bhd., said, “The market is moving into AI, robotic technology, digitalization and etc., whether you like it or not, but indeed the spirit of entrepreneurship is always the first step on how an idea can be turned into conglomerate. Spritzer is a home grown brand, the entrepreneurship spirit is one of the factors that makes us to be where we are at today. One of our roles here is to share what we have learned, so others can shine.”

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  • UOB Expands SME Accelerator Program

    UOB Expands SME Accelerator Program

    UOB has announced that it is bringing its business transformation program to Malaysia, following successful editions held in Singapore (2018) and Thailand(2019), the bank announced on Friday.

    The three-month-long «Jom Transformation Program» run by UOB innovation accelerator The Finlab aims to help businesses in Malaysia adopt technology to drive productivity and growth.

    As part of the program, they will be matched with technology partners to address their concerns and to pilot the implementation of the solution. Participants will be able to gain the skills and knowledge in areas such as business process re-engineering and digital marketing, the bank said.

    Businesses will also be matched with mentors, including the Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Maxis, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and SME Corporation Malaysia, who will be able to advise them on how to increase operational efficiency, expand and scale across Southeast Asia,

    Malaysian businesses will be able to tap the combined knowledge, experience and networks of these organizations to accelerate their transformation process, Pauline Sim, co-head, The FinLab, said

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  • Xin Dau Ji expands into Malaysia

    Xin Dau Ji expands into Malaysia

    Michelin-starred Hong Kong seafood restaurant Xin Dau Ji has opened in Ekovest’s mixed development project, EkoCheras Mall in Malaysia.

    The opening in the integrated development, which features 1 million sqft of retail space, is a significant step forward for Ekovest’s F&B division Duke Dinings.

    “We are pleased to introduce this established brand to Malaysia, which is also a first in Southeast Asia,” said Duke Dinings group director Jong Wei Wei. “As Malaysia’s F&B sector is booming, it is our intention to fill the gap in the market for affordable lifestyle-driven dining concepts and Xin Dau Ji fits well with this objective.”

    “To be recognised by the prestigious Michelin Guide is a tremendous motivation and affirmation for the entire team at Xin Dau Ji,” said the restaurant’s representative Jonathan Chou. “It is our vision to make every dining experience at Xin Dau Ji truly exceptional and memorable.”

    Xin Dau Ji has been recognised for high-quality and nostalgia dishes since it opened in 1972.

  • Aeon to invest US$119 million on new Malaysian Malls

    Aeon to invest US$119 million on new Malaysian Malls

    Aeon Malaysia will spend around RM500 million (US$119.2 million) this financial year on mall renovations and new openings.

    The figure is less than the Japanese retailer’s spend last year and reflects a more focused approach on portfolio consolidation and refurbishments.

    The retailer currently operates 28 Aeon malls and 34 outlets. It is intending to open its next mall in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan this year, as well as renovating its Aeon Taman Maluri mall in KL. It will also invest in upgrades to selected Daiso and Wellness pharmacy stores.

    Aeon Malaysia’s net profit rose to RM32.64 million (US$7.8 million) in the first quarter to March 31, up from RM27.94 million in the same period last year, mainly driven by higher retail revenue and margin.

    Aeon MD Shinobu Washizawa admitted that the firm’s tighter focus serves reflects an expected weak performance this year as consumer activity remains subdued. The company has also been absorbing new costs related to the implementation of sales and services tax last year.

    “It will be a challenging year. But we are working on controlling our costs and increase operational efficiencies,” he said.