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Tag: Thailand

  • Bangkok 18th most attractive retail city

    Bangkok 18th most attractive retail city

    Bangkok ranks 18th in terms of international retailer attractiveness, just ahead of Las Vegas, in a new report from real estate consultant JLL. “The Destination Retail 2016” report also revealed that Asia boasts five out of the 10 most appealing destinations for international retailers globally.

    According to JLL’s report, which for the first time provides a global ranking of 140 cities by their appeal to cross-border retailers, Hong Kong is second only to London in popularity. Also among the top 10 are Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo.

    Boosted by rising income levels and growing tourism numbers from across the world, Bangkok has attracted many international brands, such as H&M, Zara Home, Pull & Bear and Victoria’s Secret. Recently, retailers such as Dior Homme, Pierre Herme, A Bathing Ape and Tiffany & Co have started trading in the city. The Ratchaprasong area is Bangkok’s retail centre and attracts many locals as well as tourists, thanks to its central location and adjacent skytrain. It houses 11 shopping centres, including Siam Paragon, CentralWorld and Siam Square One.

    The recently completed EmQuartier, Central Westgate and CentralFestival EastVille, all outside the city centre, are providing new attractive opportunities to international retailers.

    Bangkok’s retail landscape continues to diversify, with renovations at Siam Discovery and several suburban CentralPlaza retail stores, the opening of HaHa Market and the continued success of Asiatique The Riverfront, a combined shopping centre and night bazaar.

    Cities in Asia-Pacific are the most appealing destinations for luxury retailers to set up shop. Seven Asia-Pacific cities are among the global top 10: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Osaka and Taipei.

    “Hong Kong remains Asia’s leading luxury shopping destination with many retailers using it as a springboard for expansion into China,” said James Assersohn, retail director for Asia-Pacific at JLL. “While there has been a noticeable slowdown in luxury sales due to China’s slowing economy and the government’s anti-corruption crackdown,Hong Kong continues to attract many high-spending Chinese tourists,” he said.

    More broadly, the dominance of Asian cities in the index highlights the attractiveness of the region to retailers, thanks to its burgeoning middle-class and growing levels of affluence, said Mr Assersohn.

    Tokyo, which takes fourth place globally, has seen a revival in luxury retailer’s demand for high quality real estate as a result of an improving economic climate and rising tourism numbers. The yen, which has devalued by nearly 30% since 2012, has made Japan a magnet for retail tourism across the region. International visitors to Japan rose 47% in 2015 with the largest contingent from China. A weaker yen is also encouraging Japanese to make the most of their luxury purchasing power at home.

    Shanghai, meanwhile, at number six in the ranking, is catching up fast on Hong Kong to become one of Asia’s leading luxury retail destinations and remains China’s premier shopping destination.

    “Thanks to a diverse economy and wealthy consumer base, Shanghai has become a favourite place for international brands to test the Chinese market and gain brand exposure,” said Mr Assersohn.

    (Original article from BangkokPost)

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  • Index Living Mall sets plan for Asean market

    Index Living Mall sets plan for Asean market

    Thai home-furnishings manufacturer and retailer Index Living Mall has set a strategic plan to open at least one store in a new Asean market every year.

    The company expects the sales contribution from Asean countries to increase significantly from the 6 to 7 per cent estimated for this year to 10 per cent within three years.

    MD Kridchanok Patamasatayasonthi says the expansion is in line with its vision to be the No. 1 player in Southeast Asia in terms of brand awareness in its segment.

    In Thailand, Index Living Mall opened a branch in Nakhon Pathom in February with 7500 sqm of retail space, and another store will open in Chachoengsao next month covering 5500 sqm.

    “We also plan to open another store in Bangkok next January,” says Kridchanokshe.
    Index Living Mall has also opened stores in Malaysia and Vietnam.

    Malaysia’s first store is in IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, followed by another outlet at Aeon Mall in Shah Alam in March, and at Aeon Mall in Kota Bahru last month. The expansion in Malaysia is through a joint venture with Japan’s Aeon Group, and the fourth store will open in Johor Bahru next year.

    In Vietnam, where the brand has had a presence for four years, the company has appointed a new local franchisee to expand its network. The first Index Living Mall in Vietnam under the new partnership, at Vincom Mega Mall in Ho Chi Minh City, opened in January, followed last month by a store at Hanoi’s Vincom Mega Mall.

    “We are negotiating with a potential joint-venture partner in the Philippines and a potential franchisee in Indonesia for partnership deals expected to be finalised next year,” says Kridchanok.

    Index Living Mall posted THB2.5 billion (US$71.242 million) in sales revenue in the first quarter of this year, a 10 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. The company targets THB10 billion in sales this year, up 10 per cent over 2015.

    It has also opened a concept store at Don Mueang International Airport, Sky Living by Index Living Mall – 400 sqm of retail space showcasing its products and accessories.

    After the renovation of the airport’s Terminal 2 to accommodate the growing number of domestic passengers, Index Living Mall aims to create direct customer experiences by providing a premier passenger lounge designed around a variety of room settings, as well as a Kids’ Zone.

    The first Index Living Mall store opened more than 20 years ago, and there are now 26 retail locations throughout Thailand.

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  • Princess of Thailand’s Sirivannavari to Debut Pop-up at La Rinascente

    Princess of Thailand’s Sirivannavari to Debut Pop-up at La Rinascente

    Sirivannavari, the women’s label founded by Sirivannavari Nariratana, the Princess of Thailand, is debuting a pop-up shop at Milanese department store La Rinascente.

    A look from Sirivannavari spring/summer 2016 collection

    Opening from May 18 to June 14, this will be located on the store’s fourth floor dedicated to women’s wear.

    The pop-up shop will carry the latest collection of the luxury Thai label, which was founded in 2005. For spring, Nariratana, who studied fashion at Paris’ École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, was inspired by the Versailles Castle to design a lineup incorporating a range of art references from the Romantic and Impressionistic periods. The collection is focused on the combination of rich graphics and details with sculptural shapes. It includes a tulip dress; a blazer with rounded shoulders; a gown with a bodice embroidered with 3-D flowers, as well as a bolero jacket showing gooseberry-like embellishments.

    Sirivannavari operates a flagship at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon shopping mall.

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  • Line Thailand expansion plans include business

    Line Thailand expansion plans include business

    Mobile platform Line Thailand has announced bold plans, targeting business uses.

    Part of Korea’s Naver internet service company, Line sees Thailand as its second-largest strategic market following Japan.

    Line Thailand MD Ariya Banomyong says the company aims to boost its presence not just as a mobile messenger but as a smart portal providing innovative and “useful” services.

    Banomyong says many businesses are wondering how to access customers seeking specific answers, and that ultimately Line would be more than just a message service. Already the company has launched a mobile delivery agent service, Line Man, and established a joint venture with Bangkok’s mass transportation business BTS, Rabbit Line Pay, which supersedes the Line Pay mobile payment business started last June.

    “I believe we definitely need to dominate the mobile food-delivery business because street foods are a very important part of Thai life,” says Banomyong. “Before Line Man, only a few restaurants offered a delivery service.”

    Banomyong aims to start localised services that can be adopted in major Line markets like Korea and Japan. “The Thai subsidiary will boost co-operation with startups here to seek new business opportunities.”

    Line services launched in Thailand in 2012, so far attracting 33 million subscribers – nearly half the country’s population. Line has added such services as official accounts, sponsored stickers and a content creators’ B2B market.

    For the offline-to-online sector, the company has started Line Shop, Line Gift Shop and Line At, an official account service for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

    “Only about 500,000 out of 2.8 million SMEs in Thailand are online,” says Banomyong. ”To offer them a broader online environment, we provide a simple yet effective platform with lower costs.”

    In December, the company also started the television content-streaming service Line TV in collaboration with media groups such as GMM. Its Line Music service has recorded more than 7 million cumulative downloads.

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  • Hong Kong mars Estee Lauder Asia result

    Hong Kong mars Estee Lauder Asia result

    Beauty giant Estee Lauder says its Asian sales rose in every country except Hong Kong in the last quarter.

    Estee Lauder Asia achieved double-digit growth in Korea, Japan, Australia and Taiwan and achieved “solid” constant currency sales gains in China and Thailand.

    “The higher sales in China reflected sales gains in most brands due to continued distribution expansion and increased online activity,” the company said in an earnings statement.

    “In Hong Kong, the reduction in tourism from China continues to negatively impact business, particularly for the Estee Lauder, Clinique and La Mer brands. The company remains cautious of the near-term slower growth there.”

    Foreign currency translation unfavorably impacted reported sales by 5 per cent with the largest impact affecting China, Korea and Australia.

    In Asia-Pacific, operating income decreased, with lower results reported primarily in Hong Kong and China.

    “The lower results in Hong Kong were primarily due to the lower sales, and in China were attributable to increased marketing, selling and store operations costs. These lower results were partially offset by higher operating income in Japan and Singapore,” the company said.

    In its outlook for the full 2016 year, now nine months complete, Estee Lauder said it expects the global prestige beauty market  to continue to generate solid growth.

    “However, volatility and economic challenges are expected to continue to negatively impact Hong Kong and some emerging markets challenged by weak currencies. The company’s growth has outpaced global prestige beauty and is expected to continue growing faster than the industry, demonstrating the company’s ability to successfully navigate volatility. The company expects to increase targeted investment spending in the fiscal 2016 fourth quarter compared with the prior year, behind areas with good momentum or with opportunities for share gains, as well as in capabilities to sustain future growth.”

    Globally, net sales for the company’s third quarter to March 31 totalled US$2.66 billion, a 3 per cent increase compared over the $2.58 billion in the prior-year quarter. Net earnings were $265.6 million, down on the $272.1 million of last year.

    Meanwhile, Estee Lauder has revealed plans to save between $200 million and $300 million a year through a series of job cuts, retraining and restructuring initiatives.

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  • New Road Freight Service from Singapore to Bangkok

    New Road Freight Service from Singapore to Bangkok

    Bolloré Logistics recently introduced its new road service from Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand. The key objective is to offer customers the fastest door-to-door transit time for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) cargo on a weekly basis.

    This new service uniquely compliments our already existing set of transport and logistics offers and will especially serve sectors such as retail, aerospace, or healthcare. The twice-weekly departures and the speed of the service (3.5 days door-to-door delivery) at a very competitive price make this service almost thrice as fast the traditional LCL, and very comparable to the airfreight door-to-door transit time, while at a reduced cost.

    Security System

    The cargo is transported via secured vehicles equipped with GPS tracking systems. The vehicles are also under the supervision of a 24/7 command center, CCTV integrated with GPS installed inside the containers. Also taking automatic pictures once the container’s doors are opened, those will be sent in real time via GPRS network to the server.

    Equipped with enhanced security features such as an E-lock security mechanism located inside the container door, an immobilizer, a panic button, hearing-in devices, and alarm buzzing, our customers’ cargo is safe and secure. Furthermore, the E-lock security mechanism can only be locked and unlocked by SMS, barcode scanner, or a unique keypad.

    IT Features

    This service also offers full traceability with the Proof of Delivery (POD) inputted directly in our system: LINK, bringing customers full visibility and control over their shipments.
    Value-Added Services

    Bolloré Logistics’ value-added service options at Bangkok’s warehouse before delivery include features allowing the cargo to be cleared directly at our Bonded Container Freight Station (CFS) facilities in Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia in order to avoid customs blockage and delays at the border and to facilitate lift-on, lift-off (LOLO) & customs issues.

    “We are excited to offer this new service to our customers. With regular shipments and LINK’s full traceability out of Singapore, this service is a very attractive offer,” states Franco Montalbano, TSL Worldwide Director at Bolloré Logistics.

    “This is a great solution for customers looking for an alternative which is both faster than LCL ocean shipments and cheaper than regular airfreight shipments,” adds Yves Laforgue, Director for South East Asia at Bolloré Logistics.

  • Gaysorn Property announces super luxury condominium “TELA Thonglor” in Bangkok

    Gaysorn Property announces super luxury condominium “TELA Thonglor” in Bangkok

    High-end and luxury property developer Gaysorn Property today announces expansion of its luxury property portfolio in Bangkok’s prime locations. TELA Thonglor, a super luxury condominium, is set to be a new landmark of Thonglor. This 4.1-billion-baht project will seamlessly weave city lifestyle with every community, true to its definition as “The Landmark Residence on Thonglor”. Offering five exclusivities in terms of design and facilities, the project highlights the aesthetics of living under “Canvas of Life” concept, where the residents are inspired to craft a unique living and pursue their unique lifestyle. The company expects to sell 75% of TELA Thonglor by the end of this year.

    Mr. Fafuen Temboonkiat, Managing Director of Gaysorn Property Co., Ltd., said: “With previous success from property projects such as luxury condominium Domus Sukhumvit 16 and 18 and high-end low-rise condominium Mode Sukhumvit 61, we have proven our quality, our dedication, and our attention to detail in offering a unique lifestyle under our DNA of Refined Quality Living. This is a key drive of our business alongside our endeavor to develop properties on prime locations that connect lifestyles and communities in a perfect fashion. Most recently, we have launched our new super luxury condominium TELA Thonglor with a project value of 4.1 billion baht. It is located on a high-potential spot in the heart of Thonglor, which is a promising residential area as it is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and facilities for every lifestyle need.”

    TELA Thonglor, located at the front of Soi Thonglor 13, is a 32-floor condominium designed under “Canvas of life” concept to give its residents a freedom to create their lifestyle masterpieces. Only 84 units in four types of suites are offered on its land plot of 1-3-63 rai. The 2-bedroom “Tela Sienna” and “Tela Amber” types, 40 units in total, offer 111 square metres of functional space. The 3-bedroom signature type “Tela Legacy Suite A & B”, 40 units in total, come with either 201 or 202 square metres of space. The 3-Bedroom Duplex “Signature Suite”, only two units available and already taken, offers 230 square meters of space. The 3 Plus 1 Bedroom Duplex “Sky Duplex Suite”, two units on offer, comes with 338 square metres of space. The project’s communication is targeted at families that lead a luxurious life, especially those who prefer urban living and highly prioritise privacy.

    Fafuen added, “There are five elements that make our project unique and outstanding.

    • “Strategic Location” The location offers seamless connectivity between city lifestyle and the community. The residents have access to various lifestyle choices and are conveniently connected to other lifestyle areas, thanks to nearby community malls, restaurants, as well as the quick and convenient bridging to a nearby BTS station.
    • “Ultra-Low Density Living” More space and more privacy are offered here. There are only 84 units in total, four on each floor, so each unit is blessed with a panoramic view. Each suite, with floor-to-ceiling height of 3.20 metres, allows the residents more spacious feel and greater freedom to create an individual style of luxurious living within their unit.
    • “Crafted Space” The space has been well-designed to cater to all lifestyle needs. With a unique, 17-metre “Paronamic Adaptive Bolcony”, the living room and all bedrooms in “Tela Legacy Suite A & B types are interconnected while the double-glazed sliding glass doors of this balcony helps protect heat and can greatly improve ventilation in the rooms.
    • “Secured Private Lift Lobby” The lift at the lobby takes the residents straight to their designated floor as if they have a private lift. It is equipped with a CCTV Monitoring & Control system, which is monitored in the control room round-the-clock for maximum security of the residents.
    • “Iconic Design” The exterior was exquisitely designed and built to exude its timeless appeal. The touch of quality and luxurious details continue into the interior with fixtures including Italian-made kitchen cabinets by BINOVA and electrical appliances by BERTAZZONI. Marble slabs with designer bathroom fittings are designed by globally recognized designers, making TELA a contemporary pride of Gaysorn Property.”

    Mr. Firm Hongsananda, Business Development Manager of Gaysorn Property Co., Ltd., said: “TELA Thonglor offers a unique experience our company is always known for. We present luxury in every aspect, from the well-designed space to every single detail. Only the finest materials and the best designs are used to offer the Refined Quality Lifestyle. Façade design adds dimension to the exterior when in contact with light, and the lighting has been designed to create the right ambiences day and night. Greenery Wall embraces the lower part of the building, blending harmoniously with our lush green landscape. In terms of facilities, we have Lapis Deck, a family-friendly 25-meter salt water pool; Pulse Fitness and Pause Spa which is equipped with the most modern equipment with private area for spa and beauty salon; and 84 Saletta Residential Club, a dedicated area for the residents to host parties or other social functions.

    For outstanding management, Gaysorn Residential Services (GRS) assures the residents of three promises. “Value Services” are focused on addressing the needs of the residents to quickly and effectively resolve their issues and provide helpful assistance to them. “Best Practice Facility Management” is focused on facility management planning and budget control to ensure efficient maintenance of equipment and assets in common ownership, complete with performance evaluation of the services. “Quality Assurance” by the company’s customer service team closely provides consulting to the condominium’s committee and management. The team is experienced in servicing customers and managing property under the company’s DNA of “Refined Quality Living”.

    TELA Thonglor super luxury condominium is currently under construction with scheduled completion by the end of 2019. The average price is 300,000 baht per square meter. The company is confident to close 75% of the project sales by the end of 2016.

    Contact sale office of TELA Thonglor, a super luxury condominium, at 02-612-5959 or visit www.telathonglor.com.

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  • ZALORA Ties the Knot with Customers through Oracle Marketing Cloud

    ZALORA Ties the Knot with Customers through Oracle Marketing Cloud

    ZALORA, the largest e-commerce fashion company in Southeast Asia, has extended its partnership with Oracle Marketing Cloud. ZALORA has relied on Oracle Marketing Cloud technology since 2013 to send its customers targeted and personalized marketing communications at scale.

    ZALORA is the fastest growing online fashion retailer in Asia, operating across eight countries (Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia & Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Taiwan). The e-commerce platform works with a good mix of over 500 international and local labels, providing consumers with a diverse range of apparel, footwear and accessories, tech products, beauty essentials, sporting equipment and more.

    “We are happy to have achieved the success we have today, and want to continue offering the best-in-class customer experience across our digital channels. For us it is not just about understanding our customers preferences, but making sure we listen and respond to their digital body language to develop a personalised dialogue with each and every customer,” said Joshua Tan, Head, Regional CRM, ZALORA.

    ZALORA communicates with more than 10 million app users, 7 million Facebook fans, 500,000 Instagram followers, 120,000 Twitter followers, and over 2.2 million email, call and online chat requests. Today, the platforms cater to the varying customer profiles where ZALORA provides individualized experiences for each of their customers’ interests.

    “Our earlier marketing efforts were batch and blast, but as the business evolved, we saw the need to respond to increased expectations from our customers for a personalized dialogue. Being able to orchestrate individualized communications and make informed, data-driven decisions is key. Having the right tools makes our job much easier, that’s why we chose to extend our investment in Oracle’s Marketing Cloud technology,” said Mr. Tan.

    With Oracle Marketing Cloud, ZALORA is able to speak to customers in a relevant and personalized way. Automated programmes equip ZALORA with the ability to analyse customer behaviour and better understand how to incentivise customers.

    ZALORA has since managed to half the time needed for lead conversion to capture a larger customer base, which has resulted in a multifold increase in revenue. Oracle’s marketing cloud technology allows ZALORA to create automated programmes that have helped reduce the resources previously required.

    “ZALORA is an innovative company that appeals to a young, constantly engaged audience. We are happy that Oracle Marketing Cloud is able to support their marketing organisation with a platform that allows them to intelligently and creatively communicate a cohesive brand message across channels, and deliver a world-class customer experience,” said Paul Cross, Group Vice President, Customer Success, Oracle Marketing Cloud Asia Pacific.

    ZALORA currently has 10 automated programmes in place and has plans to expand the number of triggered touchpoints with customers, to further enhance cross-channel marketing and grow their customers into strong brand advocates.

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  • Deals just got personal

    Deals just got personal

    A GoPro costs the same for everyone? Wrong. Having a MasterCard might easily save a shopper additional 50 dollars on the best price. Because with many big online-shops like Lazada, that MasterCard allows the shopper to use special coupon codes for an extra discount.

    “In the last 6 months, we have slowly seen the death of the one big “blockbuster deal” for everyone.”, explains Dealsheep co-founder David Appold. “More and more, the best deals and promotions are restricted: You can only get them if you fulfill certain conditions.” Needing a master card is just one possibility; extra savings might also hinge on whether you have phone provider A rather than phone provider B, an account with a specific bank, or having installed payment apps like LINE Pay on your phone.

    ds 2

    Online shopping used to be so simple: Price comparison found best deal for everyone.

    The downside: Finding the best deal has become a lot more complex. “Instead of just comparing the prices at different shops, shoppers now need to take into account which promotions and coupon codes they can and cannot use.”, said Pomme Upaiboon, co-founder and head deal hunter at dealsheep.com.

    But people are unique and so is the “best deal”: It might look different from one person to the next.

    The startup’s solution: Help users figure out which deals are available to them personally. “The best and cheapest deal does not help you, if you do not actually have meet the conditions for buying it.”, added Ms. Upaiboon. “So we figured we should give our users an easy way to see which deals work for them.”

    “For the user it is actually quite simple.”, explained Mr. Appold. “They set up what we call their ‘privilege portfolio” on our platform: The credit cards, bank accounts, and phone providers they have. That takes around 30 seconds.

    From then on, we do the rest and know exactly which deal works for the user and can tell him or her which discount coupon code and shop is the cheapest for the product they want. Of course, we do not need their actual credit card numbers and other personal information. All we need to know is whether they have that MasterCard or dtac phone or not, because that is what determines which coupon codes work for them.”

    Keeping track of all relevant coupon codes and their conditions can be overwhelming.

    The startup first premiered the new feature during the Mobile Challenge Asia Pacific (MCAP) held on Hawaii, USA, where the team represented Thailand. Since then the team has refined the feature which appears to be new-to-the-world and has so far not even been attempted by more mature players in the deal hunting and coupon code space in the US and elsewhere. Dealsheep plans to go live with the deal personalization within May.

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  • Asia Pacific Premium OTT Market Will Experience Exponential Growth Despite Challenges

    Asia Pacific Premium OTT Market Will Experience Exponential Growth Despite Challenges

    Vindicia, the leader in enterprise-class subscription billing, and Ooyala, a leading video, analytics, and advertising technology provider, today announced key findings from a study that explores the Asia Pacific (APAC) market opportunity for premium over-the-top (OTT) services. Conducted by top research and strategy consultancy, MTM, the findings reveal significant challenges to expansion due to broadband infrastructure and content localization, revenues are expected to grow strongly between now and 2019.

    The report explores the evolution of premium OTT in APAC, focusing on three key territories: Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. Over 80 participants, including a broad range of senior industry professionals, provided their perspectives on current and future market trends and developments.

    The study’s central finding was that despite challenges, APAC’s premium OTT market will undergo rapid growth by 2019: from around $85M in 2015 to $230M in Australia; from $7M to $40M in Indonesia; and from $8M to $45M in Thailand. Local service providers will own a significant portion of the market and will dominate in Indonesia and Thailand, while Netflix will be the dominant player in Australia.

    The study highlights three main challenges to premium OTT market expansion:

    • Broadband infrastructure. Industry executives believe broadband infrastructure challenges and limited access to affordable fixed-line services are significant barriers to growth. In Australia, the average connection speed is 8.2 MBps, about half that of the UK and US. Thailand has a similar average of 9.2 MBps, but only 9 percent of consumers subscribe. In Indonesia, there is only 1 percent broadband penetration with an average speed of 3.9 MBps. Participants view APAC as a mobile-first market.
    • Content localization. Despite the appeal of international content, respondents believe local-language programming is essential to the proliferation of premium OTT services in Indonesia and Thailand. Furthermore, they expect stiff competition among local pay-TV providers over licensing of existing local content libraries.
    • The Netflix Factor. While the presence of Netflix will drive OTT market expansion in general, consumers will struggle with Netflix’s one-size-fits-all offering. Because of this, there will be a period of uncertainty as consumers choose between standalone Netflix and competing offerings from local content providers, whose multiplatform and bundled packages ultimately may prove more appealing.

    “There’s no doubt that Asia Pacific is a hotbed of premium OTT service expansion that will evolve based on regional nuances, tastes and economics,” said Bryta Schulz, Vindicia senior vice president of marketing. “The next 12 to 24 months will function less as a test of whether or not premium OTT will take off, but more as a measure of how it will penetrate popular appetites. Among the creative and flexible approaches to generating reliable revenue, service providers will need platforms that can accommodate a range of content delivery and payment preferences. This is where solutions from Ooyala and Vindicia become vital.”

    “Intensifying OTT competition and major market consolidation, like what we’re seeing in Australia, are key identifiers of an industry on the crux of a massive opportunity,” said Vice President and General Manager of APAC for Ooyala, Keith Budge. “APAC OTT providers must build a rich, personalized user experience with unique content offerings that are competitively priced, and further, have a data-driven approach to understand audience behavior and preferences. Having analytics and insights will be a major differentiator to drive revenue and reduce churn as new OTT services launch into the market.”

    “The study provides a snapshot of industry perspectives about the prospects for premium OTT across the region. Local executives are positive and excited about future market prospects – and expect local players to perform strongly, especially in Thailand and Indonesia,” said Jon Watts, managing partner and co-founder at MTM. “International providers will need to find ways to partner with local pay-TV providers, telcos and ISPs to gain traction with local customers.”

  • BreadTalk to open in Myanmar next year

    BreadTalk to open in Myanmar next year

    Myanmar’s growing group of middle-class consumers can now look forward to Singapore bakery giant BreadTalk’s pastries and baked goods as the home-grown bakery brand will soon be available in Myanmar.

    It signed a franchise agreement with Myanmar Bakery on Tuesday (May 3), which will allow Myanmar Bakery to hold the master franchise to operate BreadTalk outlets in Myanmar.

    The first outlet is expected to open in Yangon by early 2017 in one of the shopping centres owned by the Shwe Taung Group. Myanmar Bakery is part of Myanmar conglomerate Shwe Taung Group, which owns an extensive network of real estate businesses in Myanmar.

    The deal marks the first food and beverage venture in Myanmar for the Shwe Taung Group and is also BreadTalk’s maiden foray into Myanmar.

    “With a growing middle class and rising retail consumption, there are immense growth opportunities for BreadTalk in Myanmar,” said Mr Tan Aik Peng, chief executive officer of BreadTalk’s Bakery division.

    “The Singapore team is working closely with the Shwe Taung Group to understand the Myanmar market and we promise an exciting line up with BreadTalk’s first boutique bakery in Yangon.”

    He added that BreadTalk was confident that they will “introduce a new lifestyle of bread appreciation” to Myanmar’s burgeoning middle class.

    BreadTalk operates close to 800 outlets across Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand.

    The Shwe Taung group of companies is a conglomerate involved in real estate, construction and engineering, infrastructure, hotels, entertainment, trading and investment. It also operates the Junction Centre group of shopping centres, which include malls in Yangon and in Naypyitaw, the country’s administrative capital.

    The group is also behind the upcoming Junction City, which is an integrated development in downtown Yangon which will comprise a lifestyle shopping mall, an office tower and a five-star luxury hotel scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017.

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  • WearYouWant advises start-ups to add profitability to execution strategy

    WearYouWant advises start-ups to add profitability to execution strategy

    WearYouWant, Thailand’s leading online fashion and beauty marketplace is advising start-ups to have a clear strategy toward profitability as investors are now demanding it and that the e-commerce space in SE Asia is currently experiencing an exciting time.
    At the Last Mile Fulfilment Asia (LMFAsia) Conference & Exhibition 2016 held in Singapore last month which brought together  retailers, e-commerce businesses, logistics and parcel industry professionals, CEO and Co-Founder of WearYouWant Martin Toft Sorensen said there was considerable discussion on how start-ups should focus beyond just team, product and market to become successful.
    “Start-ups should have a clear path and strategy towards achieving profitability by scaling the business without forgetting the life time value of the customer versus cost per acquisition,” pointed out Sorensen.
    “If e-commerce businesses simply follow a desire to climb user acquisition heights quickly without keeping an eye on the ROI, there is a higher risk of a greater fall. Penetration from online platforms can go far, wide and deep but the trajectory needs to be based on running a business that brings money for investors, shareholders and other stakeholders in the near future.”
    Echoing this advice is Thailand’s e-commerce guru, Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, CEO and Founder at efrastructure inc. and Managing Director and Founder of TARAD.com, who also attended the business platform event. 
    Sorensen advises that in addition to creating a viable business model that balances cost of acquiring customers with the ability to monetize the lifetime value of a customer, start-ups should also be creative in how to attract and keep customers. 
    While many e-commerce sites are reporting high sales growth, the reality is that they may not be showing any profitability, said Sorensen. 
    “In Thailand, we have yet to see any e-commerce companies proving they can scale and yet become profitable.
    The recent acquisition of Rocket Internet’s fast growing, yet loss-making e-commerce site Lazada by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and Zalora (Thailand and Vietnam) by Central Group, has definitely created waves in the e-commerce industry”.
     Martin (left) and Pawoot (right) at LMF Singapore Mar2016_RS
    Sorensen says that while Lazada will pave the way for Alibaba to penetrate into SE Asia in a market leader position, it remains to be seen whether Zalora’s acquisition by a traditional offline retailer will kick start true omni-channel experiences in Thailand.
     
    Sorensen adds that this is an exciting time particularly for e-commerce companies and start-ups in general, as well as for investors. 
  • AEON Showcase Their Product Line-Up and Other Financial Services at the 16th Money Expo Bangkok

    AEON Showcase Their Product Line-Up and Other Financial Services at the 16th Money Expo Bangkok

    AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Company Limited will join the 16th Money Expo Bangkok from May 12th to 15th 2016 at Challenger Hall 2 – 3 , Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani. AEON’s booth, B1, is inspired by the concept “Your Future Begins Today” with the beautifully laid out on the 850 square meters spread.

    At the expo, AEON line up their various financial services including the AEON M GEN VISA Card which aims to offer the special entertainment privileges to match with customers’ lifestyle such as free movie ticket every month, exclusive discounts for M GEN Set at THB 120 and M GEN Buddy Combo set at THB 99. Moreover, AEON introduces the AEON Royal Orchid Plus JCB Platinum Card exclusively for Japan lovers which exchange every THB 20 spending to 1 mileage as well as access to our exclusive lounge and discounts to many Japanese restaurants. Exclusively for AEON customer who subscribe to any service with AEON, they will get a chance to win the luxurious 3 days and 2 nights accommodation package from Sri Panwa valued at THB 112,800 as well as iPhone 6s 64 GB valued at THB 30,700 , John Lang Ford bag valued at THB 1,290 and other various premium.

    AEON customer will also enjoy other exclusive deals such as special interest 0% installment on the Honda motorcycle or gold, special tour packages from H.I.S and insurance services. They will also be entertained with a special mini concert from Bie Sukrit, Wier Sukollawat and Kang Vorakorn. For more information, visit www.aeon.co.th.

  • BritishIndia store closes with a flourish

    BritishIndia store closes with a flourish

    Thousands of BritishIndia Malaysia customers grabbed a bargain as they farewelled the fashion store in Suria KLCC over the past week.

    BritishIndia farewell sale

    The fashion brand’s farewell sale offered 50 per cent off all items, ending its presence in the mall since 1998.

    BritishIndia farewell

    Built from scratch in Malaysia more than 20 years ago, BritishIndia now has more than 40 stores, in shopping centres in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

    There is still a presence in Malaysia, with stores in 1Utama Petaling Jaya, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Mid Valley Megamall, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Publika Kuala Lumpur, SACC Mall in Shah Alam and Sunway Pyramid.

    Meanwhile, the brand says it is seeking further expansion overseas.

    The brand has been embroiled in a long drawn-out court case with Suria KLCC management over it lease terms.

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  • Applecrumby & Fish wins $300k funding boost

    Applecrumby & Fish wins $300k funding boost

    An online boutique that offers all-natural and organic baby products, Applecrumby & Fish has obtained a fresh round of seed funding worth $300,000 from Silicon Valley’s VC 500 Startups.

    The Malaysian company aims to use the money to establish itself as the top-of-mind site for safe baby essentials, reports Tech in Asia. Founded by husband and wife Sean and Jesmine Tan in Kuala Lumpur in late 2012, Applecrumby & Fish started out with 900 products. These have increased tenfold, and free same-day delivery is offered in its home market.

    Like other parents, the Tans resorted to importing their preferred baby products. After having their first child in 2011 they fell in love with organic brands not easily available in Malaysia.

    “We are very sensitive to the needs of parents who are looking for the best they can afford for their baby, at fair prices,” says Sean.

    Applecrumby & Fish sells skincare products, toiletries, food, supplements, gear and toys. Its brands include Bellamy’s, Drypers, Enfa, Gerber, MamyPoko, Putto, Spectra, Stephen Joseph and Quinny, and there are plans to add other brands not unavailable online.

    Its new funding will help it develop an in-house brand for baby products, starting with wipes and nappies. The company also wants to boost its content marketing and gear up for its launch in Indonesia as well as Brunei.

    As well as those markets, it ships to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

    Applecrumby & Fish was among startups in the annual 10-week Distro Dojo program in Malaysia. Led by 500 Startups, the program focuses on customer acquisition, growth and distribution.

    Applecrumby & Fish graduated at the top of the program last month, increasing its site traffic by more than 200 per cent and tripling its revenue in less than four weeks.

    Meanwhile, the Tans aim to disrupt the diaper and wipes industry of South-East Asia with their inhouse brand, says Digital News Asia.

    “We have done our research and there is nothing quite like our brand in the market, not at our kind of non-premium pricing but with premium quality,” says Jesmine, who is also COO.

    She says the company has had 300 per cent year-on-year growth in terms of revenue, and aims to hit RM6 million (US$1.5 million) by the end of this year.

    Before launching Applecrumby & Fish, the Tans were property investors who also freelanced as interior designers. Despite Applecrumby & Fish sounding similar to US retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch, the name stems from their daughter’s first word at the age of six month, “apple”.

    “She would walk and crawl, dropping crumbs of food everywhere she went, hence crumby, while her favourite food was steamed fish,” says Jesmine.

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