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Tag: Thailand

  • E-commerce market on path of growth

    E-commerce market on path of growth

    Computer and electronics, beauty and cosmetics as well as fashion are potential categories for e-commerce in Thailand. The Thai e-commerce market in 2014 was valued at Bt2.03 trillion, with business-to-business (B2B) deals worth Bt1.23 trillion, business-to-consumer (B2C) valued at Bt0.41 trillion and business-to-government (B2G) valued 0.31 trillion.

    Surangkana Wayuparb, the chief executive officer of Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), said that the agency has spent seven months conducting the e-commerce survey, covering all industries in Thailand, representing 502,676 people from eight sectors: manufacturing, retail and wholesale, transport, accommodation, information and communication, insurance, art, entertainment and recreation as well as other services.

    B2B e-commerce was valued at Bt1.230 trillion, a contraction of 0.33 per cent over 2014, while B2C was valued at Bt474,648.91 million, a growth of 15.29 per cent over 2014 and B2G was valued at Bt402,883.74 million, growing 3.96 per cent year on year.

    “It is a huge opportunity for e-commerce business in Thailand since the new Thai generation believes in shopping via online channels. The 4G will also be a factor in driving the growth of the e-commerce market in Thailand,” said the CEO.

    The e-commerce market in Thailand was worth Bt2.03 trillion in 2014 of which B2B was worth Bt1.234 trillion or 60.69 per cent, followed by B2C Bt411,715 million or 20.25 per cent and B2G valued Bt387,552 million.

    In 2015, the top three industries expected to generate the most e-commerce are accommodation services, worth Bt658,909.76 million or 38.4 per cent, followed by manufacturing, valued at Bt350,286.83 million or 20.4 per cent, as well as retail and wholesale industry, valued at Bt325,077.48 million or 19 per cent.

    She also said that the top three industries that |gained the highest e-commerce value in 2014 were accommodation services valued at Bt530,159.13 million or 38.1 per cent, followed by manufacturing valued at Bt440,614.78 million, gaining 26.6 per cent, and information and communications valued at Bt264,863.74 million, growing 19.11 per cent.

    Computer and accessories, cosmetics and beauty as well as fashion are the three top categories for online retail and wholesale business.

    Art and entertainment business, games online, music and e-movies are the main categories in the online entertainment business.

    Surangkana said that the global and domestic economies are factors in driving the e-commerce market in Thailand and the government incentives or tax privileges will play a part in driving the e-commerce market of the country as a whole.

    She said that the top four online transactions for e-commerce business in 2014 were e-banking at 54.25 per cent, followed by credit and debit card 22.39 per cent, mobile payment at 14.53 per cent, and others at 8.83 per cent.

    However, mobile payment has high potential for growth because the modern lifestyle will mean using mobiles to pay transaction fees in the near future.

    She said that the total US B2C e-commerce market was valued at US$359.3 billion in 2014. Meanwhile, China’s B2C market was worth $322.1 billion. Japan and Korean were valued at $118.59 billion and $25.4 billion, respectively.

    Thailand and Malaysia had B2C market valued at $11.7 billion and $9.6 billion respectively.

     

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  • Echelon Thailand addresses the unique struggles of women in business

    Echelon Thailand addresses the unique struggles of women in business

    It may come as a surprise that Thailand not only boasts one of the world’s largest number of women entrepreneurs. It is also one of the few countries in the world where there are as many female business owners as there are male.

    At Echelon Thailand 2015, we are dedicating a panel solely to female entrepreneurs — their struggles, their drive, their rise in participation in business and why female entrepreneurs are here to stay. The discussion will include, but is not limited to, female entrepreneurship in different cultures around the world, existing policies and their issues and more.

    Araya Noo Hutasuwan is currently Vice President at Ardent Capital, an operator VC based in Bangkok with 15 companies in portfolio across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. She is focussed on advising current portfolio companies on their business strategies, helping drive subsequent funding rounds and potential M&As, sourcing potential deals, due diligence and making investment recommendations.

    Prior to working at Ardent, Araya co-founded several fashion retail brands with a presence in the US and Thailand, spent time setting up a factory in Myanmar and spent four years in Investment Banking at Phatra Securities with a focus on M&A.

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    Shannon Kalyanmitr is superwoman: Entrepreneur, women’s advocate, World Connector, Thai-American and Mother of Siamese-Viking Twins. She is also the Founder and Group CMO of MOXY, the shopping destination in Southeast Asia focussed on women.

    Coming from a long line of business development roles from Investment Banking (Lehman Brothers and PwC) to Television and Media (Singha Beer & Building a Digital TV Station from Scratch) – to Social Development (Tsunami Humanitarian work) and now Tech, Shannon has been able to marry the best of all her global experiences into MOXY, along with carrying on her passion for women’s development and entrepreneurship.

    An international marketing and communications professional with over 20 years experience, Pacharee Pantoomano-Pfirsch delivers winning solutions for some of the world’s most influential brands. From brand management to direct marketing to internal communications and community relations, her proven expertise and solid grasp of market communications come together with stellar results for leading-edge marketing strategies for her clients around the globe.

    Today, in addition to serving her clients at Brandnow, she is also the Chairwoman for the Bangkok Now, an organisation she founded in 2003.

    Juliette Gimenez, is highly passionate, a serial entrepreneur and currently Co-founder of Goxip, the mobile-first app that allows users to search, discover and shop fashion by image recognition and celebrity stylefeed. Gimenez has extensive experience in starting up companies and driving multi-million dollars sales growth in e-commerce, particularly from an early stage level onwards in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong at companies such as Cdiscount Thailand and LivingSocial. Previously, she was a VP at ubuyibuy, which got acquired by Groupon.

    Linh Thai is Founder and CEO of Stitch Appeal, an online fashion brand that creates custom tailored women’s fashion.

    Prior to this, she was a Director at DFJ VinaCapital, a leading venture capital fund based in Ho Chi Minh City. Before that, she was an Investment Banking Associate at Bank of America Securities in New York City, where she worked on equity, debt and M&A deals. Her experiences also include roles in marketing and operations at Internet startups in the US.

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  • Nissan begins X-Trail Hybrid SUV production in Thailand

    Nissan begins X-Trail Hybrid SUV production in Thailand

    Nissan Motor has started manufacturing and selling its X-Trail Hybrid in Thailand, hoping to tap demand among the country’s well-heeled customers.

    The Japanese automaker began churning out the sport utility vehicle in October at a factory in the central province of Samut Prakarn, expecting to deliver the first locally produced batch this month.

    Nissan aims to sell 5,000 units in Thailand in 2016. With retail prices starting at 1.24 million baht ($35,000), the company plans to tout its relative affordability. Nissan expects the model to account for 60% of X-Trail series sales in Thailand, where luxury vehicles continue to draw solid demand despite slumping new-auto sales.

    The company is producing the hybrid overseas for the first time, as it previously was shipped from Japan. Nissan hopes Thailand will serve as a hub to export the vehicle to Southeast Asia.

    Toyota Motor and Honda Motor also produce and sell hybrids locally: the Camry and the Accord, respectively.

  • Zilingo gains seed funding for mobile-first e-store

    Zilingo gains seed funding for mobile-first e-store

    Thai startup Zilingo gives market traders an international eCommerce gateway.

    Zilingo is a mobile-first online marketplace that allows merchants to list their inventory, set their prices, and fulfill online orders. Users can browse through available stores and products, then order and pay with their credit card, according to a report on TechInAsia.

    Zilingo’s services include shipping, packaging, payment options, an analytics dashboard for mobile, order tracking, refund and cancellation options, and consultation on pricing strategy. The app also provides chat, through which a customer can get directly in touch with a merchant.

    The concept was created by Ankiti Bose and Dhruv Kapoor, who saw an opportunity for themselves when they visited the country on vacation. Bose is an ex-McKinsey consultant from Mumbai, India, who later worked for global venture capital firm Sequoia. Together with IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) graduate Kapoor, they decided to create a way for these retailers to find new customers online.

    The startup doesn’t charge merchants for listing, or any other fees, providing most of its services for free. It only takes a cut out of successful sales, wanting to encourage adoption and to “only charge for things that actually add value to the [merchants’] business.”

    Zilingo has only recently gone live, and is available to buyers and merchants across Thailand. Within November 2015, buyers from Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong will also have access to the platform’s Thai sellers. Other Southeast Asian countries will follow, according to the startup. Bose says there are currently more than 300 sellers on the site, Ankiti says.

    The company has already raised external funding, to the tune of US$1.88 million from Sequoia India, Teru Sato of Beenext, and Freecharge’s Kunal Shah and Sandeep Tandon.

    “We are delighted to back Ankiti and Dhruv, a highly talented and committed founding team, in their efforts to build a mobile-first marketplace for Thailand,” says Shailendra Singh, Sequoia India MD.

    “We liked the team and their mobile-first product so much, that we agreed to invest at the concept stage. It’s early days for the company, but we’re excited about the prospects for Zilingo.”

    Thailand’s retail sector is expected to be worth US$179.2 billion in 2016. Despite growing smartphone and credit card usage in the country, however, a lot of retailers haven’t jumped on the eCommerce bandwagon yet, leaving a lot of opportunity on the table.

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  • Siam Paragon and Siam Center to welcome festival of happiness

    Siam Paragon and Siam Center to welcome festival of happiness

    World-class shopping center Siam Paragon and Siam Center, The Ideaopolis—shopping destinations in the heart of Bangkok forever beloved by Thais and tourists—is throwing a big year-end campaign “The Season of Siam Celebration”, offering unrivalled promotions to boost spending during the festival of happiness. The campaign allows shoppers to select the right gifts for their beloved ones and to have a chance to win a number of world-class prizes worth over 5 million baht, from 19 this November to 10 January 2016.

    Chanisa Kaewruen, executive vice president to Marketing and Business Relations of Siam Piwat Co., Ltd, says, “Each year marketing promotion campaigns during the yearend and the upcoming new year are one of the biggest promotional activities and every shopping center will launch its own smart strategies to attract local and international shoppers to spending during high season. This year Siam Paragon and Siam Center is launching “The Season of Siam Celebration” campaign, offering the most desirable year-end promotions. Aiming to bring happiness to shoppers, this campaign has great support of AEON credit card, Millennium Auto Company Limited, True Corporation Public Company Limited and Muang Thai Life Assurance Public Company Limited. The highlight of the campaign is a range of world-class prizes which will be easily given away to customers. Simply spend every 2,000 baht to have a chance to win a grand prize: a luxurious BMW 320i M Sport and many other prizes such as Siam Gift Card and Club 21 Gift Card. Members of Platinum M Card, VIZ Card, AEON credit card, True, and Muang Thai Smile Club will be granted a double coupon.”

    Furthermore, a series of prizes will be given away as part of a sales boost throughout December. Spending of 30,000 baht and more instantly gets an exclusive gift from renowned brands in Siam Paragon and Siam Center—a quota of 200 available. From 25 this December onward shoppers will have a chance to win a one-of-a-kind prize, first ever made in Thailand, a Limited-Edition Snow Globe. Those spending 50,000 baht and more at Siam Paragon instantly get a Limited-Edition Siam Paragon-Patterned Snow Globe. And those spending 30,000 baht and more at Siam Center also get a Limited-Edition Siam Center-Patterned Snow Globe. The exclusively made snow globes are limited and will attract a lot of interest from local and international shoppers.

    “Siam Paragon and Siam Center also give a sense of importance to customers who also join membership of ours. That is to say, the first fifteen members of Platinum M Card with top spending will be granted an exclusive trip to Japan with luxury accommodation and a Michelin-star dining experience. The first six members of VIZ Card with top spending will win an iPhone 6s as well.

    “The company is confident that shoppers will enjoy “The Season of Siam Celebration” campaign, which encourages them to spend during the year-end festival. It is expected to attract over 150,000 shoppers per day to spend at Siam Paragon and Siam Center. As a result, shops in the two shopping centers will get agreeable sales—as planned definitely,” says Siam Piwat’s executive vice president.

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  • Iconsiam joins hands with TAT to create a splendid Loi Krathong Celebration Festival

    Iconsiam joins hands with TAT to create a splendid Loi Krathong Celebration Festival

    Iconsiam, an iconic new national landmark in Thailand and a symbol of national pride for the country in collaboration with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) cordially invite both local and international travelers to celebrate one of the kingdom’s most impressive and popular annual events organized on the Chao Phraya river in  “the Delightful Colors of the River, Loi Krathong Festival 2015”. On this charming festival, there will be a spectacular display of illuminated boat processions with a length of more than 250 meters being lit up and launched into the Chao Phraya river where the main highlight will be ICONSIAM’s illuminated vessel under the theme of “Mahajanaka’s boat, the symbol of remarkable perseverance”, from “The Story of Mahajanaka” written by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.  In addition, you will be amazed by many other memorable activities dedicated to Loi Krathong festival on the Chao Phraya river and at Nakrapirom Park from 20 – 25 November.

    Mrs. Chadatip Chutrakul, Executive of ICONSIAM, said, “With a strong determination to create a new sensational mega-development of Thailand on the bank of the Chao Phraya river, the River of Kings on which has carried Thailand’s greatest legends and most resplendent civilizations, to become the most compelling and must-see destination of Thailand drawing visitors from around the world and from around Thailand.  We then proudly support one of the most prestige cultural heritages and traditions of Thailand by joining hands with Tourism Authority of Thailand in organizing “the Delightful Colors of the River, Loi Krathong Festival 2015” to revitalise Bangkok’s world-renown Chao Phraya river and let it illuminate for the world to admire. We aim at bringing happiness, impression and confidence for those who join the event and also to the world through the country’s most spectacular and unique time-honored culture and tradition portrayed along the glorious Chao Phraya river.”

    07 Ship-Parade-06

    Highlights of the event will be divided into 2 periods, the 1st period starting from 20 – 22 November between 6.30 – 10.30 pm at ICONSIAM pier on the bank of the Chao Phraya river, ICONSIAM’s illuminated vessel being decorated with beautiful arrays of splendid lights under the theme of “Mahajanaka’s boat, the symbol of remarkable perseverance” will be on display for those who commute via waterway to enjoy at the first time. “Mahajanaka’s boat, the symbol of remarkable perseverance” is contained in “The Story of Mahajanaka” written by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Dhamma in this royal book is an encouragement for everyone to face problems with courage and perseverance in all circumstances like His Majesty the King said on the preface of this royal book “May you be blessed with pure perseverance, sharp wisdom, and complete physical health.”  National artist Mr. Chalermchai Kositpipat  gives the great honor to ICONSIAM by providing his masterpiece of the gracious illustrations drawn for the royal book Mahajanaka to decorate on this illuminated vessel with a length of more than 30 meters.  The ICONSIAM’s illuminated vessel will be elaborately adorned with beautiful arrays of magnificent lights and sounds together with decorative effect of brilliant fountains for the whole vessel to make it the most magnificent.

    The 2nd period starting from 23 – 25 November between 5.00 – 9.00 pm at Nakrapirom Park in Bangkok, under the moonlight on the full moon night of the 12th lunar month visitors will be brought back into the charming old Thai atmosphere where they will take part in a lot of interesting and fun-filled cultural activities while the Chao Phraya river will be shined with colorful krathong floating on the rippling waters. Throughout three nights, there will be an illuminated boat procession to light up the River of Kings with 6 illuminated vessels and additional impressive ICONSIAM’s illuminated vessel with a length of more than 250 meters, set to run from Bangkok Bridge to Rama VIII Bridge.  Moreover, visitors will experience Loi Krathong ceremony in ancient Thai style by releasing beautifully decorated krathong down the Chao Phraya river to express gratitude to the river goddess. Meanwhile, there will be several cultural activities related to Loi Krathong festival. In addition, on the night of 25 November at 6.00 pm onwards, the extravaganza colorful fireworks display and the krathong floating ceremony of Rattanakosin period scheduled to take place to make it a memorable night.

    Those who are interested in joining “the Delightful Colors of the River, Loi Krathong Festival 2015” will be able to appreciate the beauty of ICONSIAM’s illuminated vessel at ICONSIAM pier on the bank of the Chao Phraya river and also along the Chao Phraya river while participating in Loi Krathong celebration festival organized at Nakrapirom Park in Bangkok between 20 – 25 November. For more information, please call Public Relations Department of ICONSIAM at 02-658-1000 ext. 8202, 8230.

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  • Groupon woes continue

    Groupon woes continue

    Groupon – which has exited three Asian markets this year – continues to struggle globally with ts flawed discounting model.

    Operating on wafer thin margins in the first place, the company has taken a severe hit from currency exchange fluctuations in the third quarter.

    Globally, gross billings grew by six per cent when the exchange rate impact is excluded; similarly, global revenue increased by a more positive seven per cent on a constant currency basis.

    But after taking into effect the strengthened value of the US dollar against foreign currencies this year, Groupon saw its net losses grow by some $6.4 million to $27.6 million.

    As reported by Inside Retail Asia in September, the listed US eCommerce business has closed its doors in Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan. Outside Asia it has already exited Greece and Turkey and will now close operations in Panama, Morocco, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.

    Neil Saunders, CEO of Conlumino, says the impact of currency fluctuations is worsened by the fact that the company operates off relatively low margins, especially outside of its North American heartland, and as such does not have much of a buffer against their deleterious effect.

    “The margin position is partly down to the multiple systems that Groupon operates across the globe which increase complexity and do not allow for economies of scale. While this is something the company has been remedying by moving to a common platform, we believe that the benefits have, so far, been fairly modest.”

    Saunders says margins are also held back by a further issue, arising from Groupon’s revenue mix.

    “At present, the company divides itself into three main segments: Local, Goods, and Travel. Local is concerned with deals from service providers like restaurants, events and activities. Goods is focused on consumer products like jewellery, electronics and apparel. And Travel is about holiday, flight and accommodation deals.

    “Recent growth in the more mature Local part of Groupon’s business has slowed considerably. Indeed, in Q3 growth was just under eight per cent. Comparatively, Travel and Goods have both seen strong growth, up 20 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively. This rebalancing of the revenue mix has diluted margins, mainly because Goods are far less profitable for the firm.”

    Saunders says gross profit as a percentage of gross billings for Goods is 13 per cent compared to 30 per cent in Local and 18 per cent in Travel.

    “To be fair, the margin performance of Goods has improved over the past year – but not by much. Over future quarters, we see the prospects for margin gains to be slight given that Groupon has to work harder on Goods deals in a market that remains very promotional.”

    Saunders believes there is little comfort ahead for Groupon in the fourth quarter.

    “Groupon is forecasting that revenues will come in at $865 million, at best. This is quite some way below the $883 million generated last year.

    “In our view, such anemic numbers do not paint a rosy picture for future profits. They also bode badly for the start of the new fiscal year – an issue the new CEO, Rich Williams, who is replacing Eric Lefkofsky who’s stepping into the role of chairman, will have to deal with,” Saunders concluded.

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  • Uber to triple number of drivers, launch ‘UberPool’

    Uber to triple number of drivers, launch ‘UberPool’

    Uber is set to expand its pool of drivers and will launch “UberPool”, a carpooling service, in Bangkok next year.

    The private car company will increase the number of its drivers from 30,000 to 100,000 by next year as currently it can only serve around 85 percent of customers with an estimated wait time of 5.5 minutes. 

    Uber also plans to launch “UberPool”, a carpooling service on the Uber app that matches customers with fellow riders heading in the same directions to split costs, The Nation reported.

    About 2 million Bangkokians have taken an Uber ride since its launch last year. The company wants to cut its pick-up time to three minutes, said Chan Park, general manager for Southeast Asia.

    The areas with the highest demand for Uber are Ratchaprasong Junction, Sathorn road, and Suhkumvit road. 

    For the cheaper UberX, the business has grown 12-fold since its launch six months ago. 

    “Thailand is a huge potential market. The firm’s business focus will be consumer-centric so that it will create business opportunities in Thailand. It also has plans to expand to big cities,” said Barry Levy, acting managing director of Uber Thailand. 

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  • 360° Divers prepare to open up new underwater worlds in Asia Pacific

    360° Divers prepare to open up new underwater worlds in Asia Pacific

    360° Divers, the revolutionary virtual reality underwater video capturing service that is said to be the only app a diving enthusiast will ever need, has announced its upcoming release to be within next month (December 2015). 360° Divers is currently shooting amazing 360° underwater landscapes, shipwrecks and liveaboards around Asia Pacific. According to our interview, they are still looking for more dive locations and dive centers to collaborate with. The most outstanding dive centers and dive locations will be listed in the app complete with maps, dive spots and useful information regarding liveaboards.

    RadjaAmpat

    360° Divers have an innovative application that offers edutainment (education plus entertainment) by being an immersive application, taking its users in an immersive 360° underwater journey in all of Southeast Asia’s best dive spots so they may almost realistically view through the app and decide on their next adventure. Practicality wise, the application will also be offering access to the latest and updated information on every dive location in Asia and the Pacific. Beginning from dive lodgings to dive locations and liveaboards. It uses the latest Virtual Reality techniques and offers special headsets and wearables to be able to explorer the underwater world  by yourself at home and see where liveaboards go. Cardboard headsets can be ordered on the website and it seem they ship around the world for less then 10$.

    cardboard-final-640x640-640x640The said app is founded and built with the leadership and clever insights of the company’s founder. The app will be made available in the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Windows Store. It will be working in both iOS and android-run devices. Whether there will be a desktop version or not is still unknown and much awaited. The app will be free to download while the dive content will be under a subscription fee says Imelda Samaria, part of the dive team and script writers.

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  • e27 returns to Bangkok, Thailand with Echelon Thailand 2015 on November 26-27

    e27 returns to Bangkok, Thailand with Echelon Thailand 2015 on November 26-27

    Connecting entrepreneurs to tomorrow’s Mekong, e27 presents Echelon Thailand 2015, a two-day intensive conference this November to bridge the best of the Mekong region’s burgeoning technology startup community with over 1,000 regional tech entrepreneurs, startup founding teams, investors and industry thought leaders.

    While the tech scene in the Mekong region has been synonymous with just Bangkok so far, at Echelon Thailand 2015, active startup communities from around the region will be featured as well. Community delegation groups representing Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos ecosystem will be in attendance.

    With Echelon Thailand 2015, expect two full day of high-level keynotes, rigorous breakout fireside sessions, interactive workshops, structured networking opportunities and panel discussions on the key issues driving the Mekong region’s tech ecosystems.

    This year’s Echelon Thailand, the third of its kind, features the likes of Ariya Banomyong of LINE Thailand, Jeffrey Paine of Golden Gate Ventures, Guillaume Sachet of MediaCorp, Adrian Vanzyl of Ardent Capital, Vineet Tanwar of Google Play, Krating Poonpol of 500 Tuktuks, Jon Sugihara of RedMart, Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, Managing Director of founder of Rakuten TARAD Co,. Ltd. and many more.

    Speakers will headline a variety of keynotes, panels, firesides and workshops on a range of issues from EdTech to E-Commerce, Investing in Female-led Entrepreneurship to Investment Opportunities in the Mekong region and beyond.

    The highly-anticipated search for Asia’s top startups also returns with Echelon Thailand’s Startup Launchpad pitching segment and showcase arena. The e27 team will shortlist the top 10 startups to pitch their products and services in a closed-door session on the first day, before the judging panel shortlists a further top 5 to take to the main stage on the second day. The ultimate winner will clinch the title of Most Promising Startup and walk away with a prize from Microsoft worth over US$120,000.

    Tech Alley returns as a conference mainstay with a mix of startups and top technology firms showcasing their innovations to delegates – forming sustainable partnerships, generating leads, securing scaling opportunities and getting first hand insight into the latest technology trends.

    To top it off, e27 aims to bring people together through structured networking sessions in Echelon Thailand. Selected startups will be given opportunities to pitch and raise funds from attending investors, scout for new talent and form partnerships with other entrepreneurs in attendance. At the same time, investors can seek their next venture, get macro-level insights from our speakers and build their funding portfolios.

    “We take pride in building one of the highest quality tech startup conference series – and bringing it across Asia,” says Roy Ang, General Manager of e27, “After two years of conferences in Thailand and partnering with community groups across the region, we are excited to take the first step in formally connecting even more stakeholders across the Mekong region’s tech community with Echelon Thailand 2015.

    Echelon Thailand 2015 will take place on November 26 and 27, from 8:30 AM to 5.30 PM with an exclusive Afterparty that runs till late. The event will be hosted at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), located at 88 Bangna-Trad Road (Km. 1), Bangna, Bangkok 10260.

  • One-Day Global Sale Sees Online Shopping Soar in Thailand

    One-Day Global Sale Sees Online Shopping Soar in Thailand

    WearYouWant, Thailand’s leading online fashion & beauty marketplace has become part of the global success story of Singles Day 2015, the world’s biggest online shopping day held on November 11th each year.

    Figures just in overnight reveal a staggering +1000% increase in turnover for WearYouWant compared to the same Wednesday last month, while order volumes soared to a growth of over 700%. Proof that Thai consumers are not only eagle-eyed when it comes to spotting big fashion brand discount, but are fast-becoming a growing e-commerce market to be reckoned with within the ASEAN Economic Community.

    WearYouWant retails high-profile international and local-designer brands from its Bangkok base, and recently received Series B funding from Japanese digital fashion marketplace StartToday.  During the run-away success of Singles Day, Thai consumers took advantage of discounts on over 14,000 fashion and beauty products. With 65% of the one-day shoppers being female, shoes, beauty and women’s clothing topped their online shopping lists.

    Singles Day Sale has been embraced  by e-commerce market globally, especially within the fashion-related  industry.

    This is the first year WearYouWant held this online sale nationwide, offering discount on their products from 11 am until 11pm. This Chinese ‘bare sticks holiday’, so-named because of the date’s single digits, is a day for singletons to celebrate and in more recent times to look for love. The Singles Day sale has become a huge global e-commerce extravaganza, with Chinese consumers alone spending more than USD 4 billion in the first hour of 2015’s sale.

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  • Jollibee eyes seven new nations

    Jollibee eyes seven new nations

    Jollibee, Asia’s largest fast food restaurant operator, is planning to enter seven new markets over the next two years.

    According to a report in The Standard, Dennis Flores, VP for international operations of Jollibee, has revealed the company plans to take its mainstay Jollibee burger restaurant brand Jollibee into the UK, Italy, Canada, Malaysia and Oman in 2016. Forays into Australia and Japan will follow in 2017.

    The news follows last month’s investment of US$100 million for a 40 per cent stake in a fast-rising American burger chain, Smashburger.

    Jollibee, publicly listed in the Philippines, had been actively seeking an investment in a leading US growth brand to gain a foothold in the US, as p[art of its broader plan to become an international restaurant operator. It currently operates and franchises a network of more than 3000 restaurants worldwide under the trade names Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Mang Inasal, Burger King Philippines, San Pin Wang, and Jinja Bar. Jollibee also has a 50 per cent interest in the Super Foods Group, which operates and franchises restaurants under the Pho 24 and Highlands Coffee brands throughout Vietnam.

    According to Flores, Jollibee’s first two stores in Europe will be located in London and Milan and its first Canadian store will open in Toronto.

    Jollibee’s network outlets have reached 3,023 worldwide, with 2,393 of them in the Philippines, and 630 outlets abroad.

    As well as expanding into new markets, Jollibee plans to open 20 additional outlets in Vietnam, and another 12 in Brunei in coming months.

  • Siam Makro eyes Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia

    Siam Makro eyes Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia

    Thai retailer Siam Makro says it is keen to enter Myanmar, one of three key Southeast Asian markets it considers a priority.

    Siam Makro, which operates the Makro-branded cash-and-carry stores, has confirmed to the Bangkok Post newspaper that it has completed a feasibility study on the fast-deregulating Myanmar market.

    CEO Suchada Ithijarukul said the company had met with the Thai ambassador in Yangon to explore procedures for entering the country.

    “We have conducted a feasibility study on Makro’s market opportunities in many Asean countries, with Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia being the priority destinations,” she said.

    “Siam Makro is studying Myanmar consumer behaviour and foreign investment laws. If the regulations are clear, it is ready to open its first store immediately.”

    Siam Makro is part of the powerful Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphan Group.

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  • Aeropostale unveils more expansion in Asia and EMEA region

    Aeropostale unveils more expansion in Asia and EMEA region

    Aeropostale, Inc., an American mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel for young women and men, has announced additional expansion plans in Asia and the EMEA region. Through two new licensing agreements, Aeropostale will launch in Thailand and Egypt over the next five years, it said in a press release.

    Julian R. Geiger, CEO of Aeropostale, said, “Aeropostale’s international expansion began in Asia and the Middle East and it is with great pleasure that we announce further expansion across these key regions. Thailand and Egypt will be important markets as we continue to expand globally across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. We are confident that our partnerships with Robinson Department Store and Q and A Retail Company will ensure that the Aeropostale brand will continue to thrive and prosper internationally.”

    The company has signed a licensing agreement with Robinson Department Store Public Company Limited to open approximately 40 standalone and shop-in-shop locations over the next five years in Thailand. The first Aeropostale location in Thailand will open in the Robinson Department Store in Sriracha.

    Paresh Chauhan, Executive Vice President of International Brands at Robinson Department Store, said, “Robinson Department Store is very excited to bring Aeropostale to the Thailand market place, with the brand’s strong combination of trend-right merchandise at compelling prices. We hope to emulate Aeropostale’s success and be the leaders in teen fashion in our market.”

    Aeropostale has also signed a licensing agreement with Q and A Retail Company to open approximately 10 standalone stores over the next five years in Egypt.

    “We are eager to partner with Aeropostale to bring this iconic brand to North Africa for the first time. We are confident that the strength of the Aeropostale brand will resonate with the consumers of Egypt and we look forward to continuing our expansion throughout the region over the next several years,” said Ayman Seoudy, Director of Q&A Retail Company.

    Aeropostale’s expansion plans in Thailand and Egypt are planned to begin in early 2016, the release said. (SH)

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  • Mazda CX-3 goes on sale in Thailand

    Mazda CX-3 goes on sale in Thailand

    The Mazda CX-3 has been launched in Thailand with prices kicking off at 835,000 baht – or at RM102k, give or take, with the current exchange rate. Taking into account our previous story, where the Malaysian-spec CX-3 is expected to retail from RM130k, that is still a considerable difference.

    Thai customers will be presented with a choice of five trims in total with two engine options – a 2.0 litre SkyActiv-G four-cylinder petrol engine and a turbocharged 1.5 litre SkyActiv-D four-cylinder diesel mill. The former puts out a total of 156 PS at 6,000 rpm and 204 Nm of torque at 2,800 rpm while the diesel unit manages 105 PS at 4,000 rpm and 270 Nm of torque from 1,600 to 2,500 rpm.

    A six-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox choice offered on the Thai-spec Mazda CX-3 – an engine/gearbox combination that’s slated to be introduced for the Malaysian market, as well. As mentioned earlier, five trims are available – the base 2.0 E is priced at 835k baht while the 2.0 C and 2.0 S retail for 910k and 975k baht, respectively. The top petrol trim, the 2.0 SP, goes for 1.045 million baht.

    Mazda CX-3 4

    Sitting at the very top of the entire range is the aforementioned diesel model. Dubbed the 1.5 XDL, it goes for 1.155 million baht. As for standard equipment, the 2.0 E and C models are equipped with 16-inch wheels wrapped in 215/60 tyres while the rest of the range get 18-inch wheels shod with 215/50 rubber.

    The base 2.0 E and C are also equipped with halogen headlights while the 2.0 S, SP and 1.5 XDL get LED units with daytime running lights (DRLs). As for the interior kit, all models feature push-start button but the base 2.0 E misses out on the keyless entry system. Elsewhere, all models are also equipped with the seven-inch touchscreen and Commander Control interface save for the entry-level variant.

    Mazda CX-3 sTouring Oz 16

    Safety wise, the Thai-spec models appear well-equipped with DSC, EBD, traction control, Hill Launch Assist and an Emergency Signal System. The flagship diesel model one-ups the rest by adding on Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring, a Lane Departure Warning System, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart City Brake Support.

    Also, the Mazda CX-3 is now assembled at the AutoAlliance (AAT) Plant in Rayong, Thailand – making said country the first nation to assemble the CX-3 outside of Japan. So while we wait for the local launch to take place, why not check out our review of Mazda’s HR-V rival here.

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