Tag: Ecommerce

South Korea – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has partnered with E-Mart Inc. to establish a joint venture, combining their South Korean e-commerce operations in a strategic move to compete more effectively in the country’s growing online retail market.

According to Bloomberg, E-Mart’s stock exchange filing confirmed earlier reports that AliExpress International and Gmarket are forming a 50-50 joint venture. The companies reportedly plan to make additional investments in the venture, which will hold full ownership of Gmarket. 

Sources familiar with the situation told Bloomberg that the new entity might be worth about $4 billion.

The joint venture aims to strengthen the companies’ position against local competitors such as Naver Corp. and Coupang Inc. Additionally, Alibaba has reportedly been focusing on expanding its international footprint to offset slower growth in its core Chinese e-commerce operations.

Alibaba’s domestic e-commerce growth remained sluggish in the September quarter, weighing on financial results despite gains in its cloud and international businesses, including Lazada and AliExpress. Facing fierce competition from PDD Holdings and ByteDance, the company has pivoted under CEO Eddie Wu to streamline core operations and prioritise high-growth areas, Bloomberg reported.

Alibaba, under Jiang Fan’s leadership, is integrating its domestic and international e-commerce operations while shedding non-core assets. Last week, the company sold its Intime department store business to Youngor Fashion for $1b, marking a $1.3b loss on its initial investment.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg also reported that E-Mart shares rose 5.5% in Seoul, boosting its market value to $1.4 billion. Alibaba’s American depositary receipts climbed 2.1% in New York, bringing this year’s gains to over 11% and valuing the company at $206 billion. 

E-Mart has been expanding its e-commerce presence through organic growth and acquisitions, including a 2021 deal to acquire a controlling stake in eBay’s South Korean marketplace for $3 billion.

Singapore – Majority or 88% of consumers in Southeast Asia rely on AI-driven content and product recommendations for purchasing decisions, with 83% willing to pay more for AI-enhanced shopping experiences, reveals a whitepaper jointly developed by Lazada and Kantar.

The report reveals that nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) in Southeast Asia perceive AI as widely adopted in online shopping, with more than half identifying AI chatbots (63%), translations (53%), and visual product searches (52%), as key recognised features in ecommerce.

In terms of actual adoption, however, usage of these features remains below 50%—47% for AI chatbots, 40% for visual product searches, and 40% for translations. The report also indicates that only one-third of respondents found these features helpful in meeting their needs.

According to the whitepaper, the gap between perceived and actual effectiveness of AI features highlights an opportunity for ecommerce platforms to leverage AI and data insights, bridging this divide to boost customer satisfaction.

Interestingly, while only a few respondents found AI features in online shopping helpful, the report reveals a strong trust in AI-powered platforms. The majority rely on AI for personalised recommendations (92%) and product summaries (90%), with 88% making purchasing decisions based on AI-generated content and suggestions.

When examining consumer motivations for using AI in online shopping, over half of SEA respondents (52%) cited convenience as a primary reason for adopting AI in their personal lives. Similarly, 51% prioritise product and seller reviews, highlighting an opportunity to enhance review depth, relevance, and authenticity through AI technology.

Furthermore, a substantial majority of shoppers (83%) are willing to pay more for AI-powered shopping experiences. This willingness is linked to the positive benefits shoppers perceive, with nearly half of respondents (49%) indicating that AI enhances discovery, customer service, and overall enjoyment during online shopping.

James Dong, chief executive officer of Lazada Group, elaborated, “The launch of our inaugural whitepaper marks a pivotal moment in understanding how AI is shaping the future of eCommerce. As technology evolves, so do consumer expectations. This whitepaper explores the transformative potential of AI and provides insights into how businesses in Southeast Asia can harness it to create personalised, seamless, and smart shopping experiences.” 

“At Lazada, we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that AI drives both efficiency and enhanced customer engagement across all touchpoints. Going forward, we will continue to invest in AI and cutting-edge technologies to revolutionise the eCommerce ecosystem,” he added. 

With 80% of respondents using AI features on eCommerce apps at least once a week, the whitepaper urges eCommerce platforms to seize the opportunity to enhance their AI integration efforts and provide more holistic and exceptional shopping experiences.

“AI has become an integral part of the eCommerce landscape, enabling smarter decision-making and more tailored customer experiences at scale. As we dive deep into how we can enhance AI algorithms to personalise product recommendations, optimise supply chains, and enhance customer service interactions, it is clear that AI will remain a key enabler in pushing the boundaries of what eCommerce can achieve. What excites me most is how we are building robust AI systems to solve complex technical problems in ways that directly improve the shopping experience for our customers,” said Howard Wang, chief technology officer at Lazada Group.

Australia – Impressive, an Australia-based digital marketing agency, has unveiled Skailed, a cutting-edge SEO tool that automates the research and creation of SEO-optimised landing pages, offering businesses a powerful solution to enhance online visibility and drive conversions.

Skailed was conceived by Sam Makwana, Impressive’s head of SEO, who identified the need for a scalable, automated solution after a client requested the rapid creation of hundreds of landing pages. Collaborating with CEO Robert Tadros, Makwana spearheaded the development of the SEO tool over the past year, employing an AGILE-driven approach within Impressive Labs, the in-house R&D arm of Impressive, to bring the idea to life.

The launch of Skailed represents a significant breakthrough in e-commerce, enabling businesses to dramatically increase online traffic, conversions, and revenue through advanced SEO strategies. 

Impressive’s Skailed tackles one of the most demanding challenges businesses face—manually creating thousands of targeted SEO landing pages. By automating this process, Skailed enables businesses to boost SEO performance while significantly cutting both time and costs.

The SEO tool can create, optimise, and index hundreds of high-revenue-generating category landing pages in under four hours, directing high-intent shoppers to the most relevant pages based on their search queries. This capability not only drives increased traffic but also exponentially boosts conversion rates, providing businesses with an efficient, scalable solution to grow revenue while gaining a strong competitive edge—without additional spending on paid media.

Skailed is designed as a scalable solution, making it adaptable for businesses of all sizes across diverse industries. With seamless integration to Shopify, it simplifies the enhancement of programmatic SEO strategies, providing a user-friendly tool for businesses aiming to optimise their SEO efforts.

“Many agencies rely on third-party tools to solve complex problems, but we wanted to create a solution tailored to our clients’ unique needs,” Makwana said. “Skailed is a direct response to the challenges our clients face, and its success is driven by continuous iteration based on client feedback and data.”

Impressive’s recognition with the ‘AFR Most Innovative Companies Award’ for Skailed reflects its commitment to tackling complex marketing challenges with advanced technology. Unlike traditional SaaS tools, Skailed was developed by the team that uses it daily, enabling rapid feedback and ongoing enhancements to ensure its effectiveness across various industries.

“Winning the AFR award for Skailed is a testament to the hard work and creativity of our team. We are incredibly proud to be recognised for pushing the boundaries of what digital marketing agencies can achieve through innovation,” Tadros shared. 

Skailed has already shown positive results for e-commerce businesses like Space Furniture, The Memo, Mattel, and Scanlan Theodore. Impressive plans to expand the tool’s capabilities to additional CMS platforms while focussing on scalable solutions to meet the evolving demands of the digital landscape.

Singapore – The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has directed e-commerce platform Qoo10 to suspend all payment services regulated under the ‘Payment Services Act 2019’ in Singapore, following numerous customer complaints regarding significant delays in processing payments.

Effective immediately, the suspension order does not prevent Qoo10 from operating its e-commerce platform; however, the company may need to enlist a third-party payment service provider to facilitate transactions on the platform.

Between April and August 2024, MAS and other government agencies received several customer complaints against Qoo10 for delays in processing payments to these customers, who are merchants on Qoo10’s e-commerce platform. Qoo10 was asked to address these complaints, and while some were resolved, others remained outstanding. 

In early September 2024, Qoo10 notified MAS that a substantial number of merchants would experience payment delays. In response, MAS engaged with Qoo10’s management to address these issues and conveyed serious concerns regarding the situation.

On September 14, The Straits Times (ST) reported that the Singapore Police Force has started investigating complaints filed against Qoo10 and its logistics partner, Qxpress. According to vendors who spoke to ST, Qoo10, which operates in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Hong Kong, has allegedly failed to make timely payments. 

ST also reportedly reviewed documents indicating that vendors using Qxpress for shipping goods to and from Singapore have been facing delays since July. 

In an official statement, MAS said, “MAS provided opportunities to Qoo10 to remedy these concerns and required the company to take steps to satisfy MAS that it would be able to meet its obligations to merchants on an ongoing basis, including engaging a third-party payment service provider to offer the covered services.”

However, to date, Qoo10 has failed to provide adequate assurance of its resources and systems to meet its payment obligations to merchants in a timely manner, prompting the financial regulatory authority to issue the suspension order.

“MAS has had to carefully consider the potential disruption the suspension could cause to Qoo10’s e-commerce platform or other services that are integrated with the covered payment services,” MAS explained. 

“However, permitting Qoo10 to continue providing covered payments services would expose more merchants using Qoo10’s covered payment services to risks of larger outstanding obligations and potential losses. Qoo10 will be permitted to make payments to satisfy outstanding claims by such merchants but may not take on new payment obligations,” MAS added. 

According to MAS, the suspension will only be reconsidered when Qoo10 demonstrates its ability to effectively resolve the payment delays and ensure the ongoing protection of its customers’ interests in Singapore.

It is important to note that when the PS Act was introduced on 28 January 2020, existing payment service providers were granted exemptions to continue their services while their license applications were under review by MAS, ensuring that these services remained uninterrupted. While Qoo10 is not licensed by MAS, it was allowed to continue offering payment services during the review process of its application.

MAS advises merchants facing payment delays to raise their concerns with Qoo10. If these issues remain unresolved, merchants are encouraged to use established commercial dispute resolution processes, including filing a civil claim. Additionally, those experiencing cash flow difficulties due to these delays should reach out to participating financial institutions listed on Enterprise Singapore’s website to apply for the Enterprise Financing Scheme (working capital loan).

According to ST, reports of Qoo10’s issues first surfaced in July, revealing that TMON and WeMakePrice—two South Korean e-commerce platforms owned by Qoo10—had failed to pay their vendors, leading to an investigation by South Korean authorities. 

In addition, reports in August indicated that Qoo10 had reduced its workforce in Singapore by approximately 80%. The Ministry of Manpower announced that the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation is monitoring the company’s retrenchment efforts.

Japan – Nearly one-third of consumers in East Asia cite the ability to “order at any time, from anywhere” as a crucial factor driving their online shopping habits, a report by Euromonitor International revealed. 

The report highlights that increased high-speed internet availability and rapid urbanisation in East Asia have fuelled a strong demand for quick and efficient shopping solutions, significantly shaping the region’s evolving e-commerce landscape.

Sachi Kimura, consultant at Euromonitor International, said, “The demand for quick and efficient shopping solutions in the region is being driven by the tech-embracing, fast-paced nature of daily life in these three countries. E-commerce platforms are continuously evolving to meet the increasing need for convenience among consumers in East Asia.”

According to the report, East Asia remains a major player in global e-commerce, with China, Japan, and South Korea accounting for 87% of Asia Pacific’s e-commerce sales value and 40% of global sales value in 2023. Despite being mature markets, these countries are also projected to retain 85% of the region’s retail e-commerce sales by 2028.

As the ‘home of health and beauty,’ East Asia has demonstrated a strong presence in the online health and beauty sector. Notably, four of the top ten beauty and personal care companies, as well as six of the top ten consumer health companies, are based in the Asia Pacific region.

Moreover, the food and drink industries, which currently have lower online penetration, are experiencing growth as their e-commerce channels are still emerging and have significant potential for expansion.

The report found that South Korea experienced double-digit growth in 2023, driven by the relaxation of online retail regulations for traditional alcoholic products from local small breweries. In Japan, online retail of soft drinks grew by 14%, reflecting rising demand for bulk options and sustainably packaged bottled beverages.

Meanwhile, China showed a strong e-commerce presence in most fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) spending, recording double-digit penetration online.

“Low penetration can suggest the product’s nature, and consumers’ preference is to shop in person. However, convenience seeking is pushing these categories towards online channels, with many opportunities lying ahead,” Kimura noted. 

Euromonitor’s report reveals that, in contrast to e-commerce leaders like the US and the UK, marketplace platforms dominate the East Asian e-commerce landscape. In China, the top two retailers, Tmall and Douyin, have together captured over 70% of the health and beauty online sales market share over the past two years.

Additionally, nearly half (47%) of consumers in China view social media influencers as a trusted source of health information, significantly higher than the global average of 34%. Furthermore, 27% of Chinese respondents reported that social media influenced their decision to take dietary supplements in 2023, compared to the global average of 16%.

Marketplaces also lead the health and beauty online sales in Japan and South Korea, with the top two e-commerce retailers—Amazon and Rakuten in Japan and Coupang and Naver in South Korea—maintaining a stable presence over the past two years.

The report highlighted significant growth potential in other online channels, particularly health and beauty specialist shops. For example, in South Korea, Olive Young is emerging as one of the leading health and beauty lifestyle platforms, offering exclusive brands and competitive prices. The retailer is also working on enhancing its consumer trust through rigorous merchandising standards.

Yang Hu, insights manager for health and beauty Asia at Euromonitor International, commented, “Digital marketplaces are constantly evolving. Through various channel sales, businesses can gain dynamic insights into market trends, consumer preferences, pricing strategies, and promotional tactics. This knowledge enables brands to identify gaps in the market, differentiate their offerings, and refine their own approach to stand out in a crowded digital landscape.”

Manila, Philippines – Huskee Digital, a local creator commerce marketing agency specialising in transforming stories into sales on TikTok and other platforms, has launched ‘TRENDS’, its official training arm designed to empower brands to harness TikTok’s full potential for business growth.

Drawing on years of expertise and a commitment to innovation, Huskee Digital’s ‘TRENDS’ equips brands with crucial technical guidance, cutting-edge content creation strategies, and valuable consumer insights. The program features intensive workshops tailored to elevate marketing strategies and propel business success on TikTok.

‘TRENDS’ addresses the need for businesses to adapt to evolving social media trends, including social commerce, short-form video, and affiliate marketing. It will offer two key programs: ‘Become TikTok-Ready’ and ‘Launch Your Brand On TikTok Shop’.

‘Become TikTok-Ready’ provides an assessment of the business’ marketing funnel and equips them with skills to unlock the “media-first” potential of TikTok. Meanwhile, “Launch Your Brand on TikTok Shop” provides a clear understanding of the power of social commerce. From comprehensive guidance on setting up your TikTok shop to implementing strategies that boost sales and drive significant growth on the platform,.

The programs are designed to empower businesses to win on TikTok. This includes SMEs, established corporations, and brands across the B2B and B2C sectors.

As a TikTok agency partner, Huskee Digital collaborates with TikTok’s regional office to launch and optimise high-performing marketing campaigns. The agency will utilise their insights from managing successful case studies as the foundation for their training, allowing brands to implement effective TikTok marketing campaigns and drive measurable results after finishing the courses.

Huskee Digital sees ‘TRENDS’ as a key driver of business growth on TikTok, from boosting store traffic and launching successful TikTok Shops to improving employer branding. With TikTok being the second-largest social media platform in the Philippines, Huskee Digital predicts TikTok Shop will lead the country’s marketplace in the next three to four years.

‘TRENDS’’ launch comes amid increasing recognition of TikTok as a platform for driving business growth and how it revolutionised content creation for brands. 

The training program launches on June 20 and will be available on the Huskee Digital website. Businesses can enrol in workshops or customise training plans. The first program, ‘Become TikTok-Ready,’ offers a select group of business owners and marketers an exclusive preview of intensive TikTok mastery training.

Speaking on the launch, Miggy Azurin, managing partner of Huskee Digital, said, “We are thrilled to launch ‘TRENDS’ and share our marketing insights on a larger scale. Our work on TikTok over the last few years has been significant for our clients, and our goal is to help more brands become media powerhouses on TikTok.”

Singapore – AnyMind Group, a BPaaS company for marketing, e-commerce and digital transformation, has today announced two leadership appointments including Steven Tan, managing director of e-commerce enablement for Malaysia, and Koichiro Izawa, managing director of accounting and financial control.

Tan and Izawa’s appointments serve to strengthen the e-commerce business and finance department of AnyMind Group, alongside its goal of consistent global expansion.

Tan joins AnyMind Group through the acquisition of Arche Digital, a Malaysia-based e-commerce enabler that he founded in 2015, and continues to serve as managing director of the company. He also worked as a research scientist and research scholar, before taking up managerial and leadership roles in medical supplies and electronics companies.

Izawa on the other hand, joined Sakura Bank (currently Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) in 1998. After working for a major audit firm, he joined a venture company in 2005 and took it public, leading the development of its management structure after the IPO. After that, he worked as a finance director for several foreign manufacturers in Japan and Southeast Asia, where he was involved in a wide range of operations centred on accounting and finance.

On his appointment, Tan said, “As we continue expanding synergies between Arche Digital and AnyMind Group, I am looking forward to playing an active role in supporting the management of the wider group. I believe that both companies will continue going from strength to strength, and I’m keen to use my experience gained throughout my career to help AnyMind accelerate business growth in Malaysia and beyond and enhance AnyMind’s BPaaS capabilities.”

On his appointment, Izawa also mentioned, “AnyMind is a rapidly growing company in the global marketplace, and strengthening the finance department is essential to further accelerate our growth. I hope to contribute to AnyMind’s sustainable growth by leveraging my past experience to strengthen AnyMind’s finance structure. In particular, I will help AnyMind to increase the company’s transparency and credibility by improving its accounting processes’ efficiency and accuracy as well as accurate financial reporting.”

Meanwhile, Kosuke Sogo, CEO and co-founder of AnyMind Group, commented, “We have appointed two leaders to strengthen internal structures in our e-commerce business and finance department. We will continue to expand our business globally and advance a borderless world where everyone can do business more easily through our technology.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The dynamic e-commerce landscape is marked by remarkable expansion, creativity, and change. As it continues to evolve quickly, the need for continuous learning and collaboration becomes increasingly vital for enterprises to remain relevant and prosper in the current economy.

With Malaysia standing as the heart of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce hub, the demand in the market for being up to date on the latest innovations and strategies in the e-commerce realm  grows more significant with each passing day.

In line with this, MARKETECH APAC is thrilled to bring its inaugural ‘E-Commerce Marketing Series’ to Malaysia on 25 July at the Sheraton Petaling Jaya. Titled ‘E-Commerce Marketing in Malaysia 2024’, the conference aims to bring together industry leaders, digital marketing experts, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs under one roof, to explore the latest trends, strategies, and technologies shaping the e-commerce ecosystem in the Malaysian market.

The conference will encompass an array of engaging formats such as keynote presentations, panel discussions, fireside chats, and networking sessions by Malaysian industry leaders covering industry topics such as conversational marketing, AI, creative commerce, social commerce, and e-commerce media, amongst others.

Furthermore, the conference features a diverse lineup of marketing and e-commerce leaders across Malaysia who will be sharing their insights on how the industry should move forward in terms of building effective strategies and future-proofing them. They include:

  • Low Ngai Yuen, Group Chief Merchandise And Marketing Officer at AEON
  • Yau Chuan Ng, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Loob Holding
  • Jennifer Chang, Head of Marketing at MABECS Malaysia
  • Nicole Chin, Head of Marketing Technology, CRM & Product Growth at Mindvalley
  • Evelyn Lee, Head of Marketing at Secret Recipe Cakes & Cafe Sdn Bhd
  • Seong Yee Teoh, Head of CRM & Digital Marketing at StashAway
  • And more to be announced!

Talking about the event, Katherine Sy, regional head of content at MARKETECH APAC, said, “A must-attend event for marketers and leaders looking to excel in the e-commerce marketing industry is coming your way, Kuala Lumpur! We are so excited to debut this conference, a unique platform specifically tailored to the dynamic Malaysian market. Don’t miss the chance to propel your business forward and stay ahead in the competitive world of e-commerce and learn from experts themselves!”

Later this year, MARKETECH APAC will also be bringing its E-Commerce Marketing Series to the Philippines on August 8, staying true to its mission of creating a well-connected marketing community in Asia Pacific. 

E-Commerce Marketing in Malaysia 2024 is part of the conference roadshows under MARKETECH APAC’s E-Commerce Marketing Series. To learn how to be a part of this conference, click HERE for further details.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Joven Barceñas at [email protected].

Meanwhile, please contact Jean Cabico at [email protected] for speaking opportunities; and Hans Policarpio at [email protected] for registrations.

Singapore – This Chinese New Year season, spending by Chinese and other Asian tourists surpassed that of CNY 2019, with Southeast Asia (SEA) as one of the top travel destinations globally, according to a press release by Alipay.

Notably, Alipay categorised SEA as one of the most popular travel destinations for Chinese tourists, with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore combined seeing a 7.5% increase over 2019, and a 580% leap over 2023.

Going into more detail, the global top destinations in SEA are namely, Thailand placing 4th, Malaysia (5th), and Singapore (6th). Alipay+ played a role in the rankings of the aforementioned countries, enabling new international e-wallets to be used within each country.

In Singapore, Alipay enabled the use of six new e-wallets namely, Hipay (Mongolia), MPay (Macao SAR, China), MyPB by Public Bank (Malaysia), Toss Pay and Naver Pay (South Korea), and Tinaba (Italy). 

On the other hand, Thailand also received these six options, with the addition of GCash (Philippines), Changi Pay (Singapore) and OCBC Digital (Singapore). Malaysia received these options as well, and gained access to HelloMoney by AUB (Philippines) and TrueMoney (Thailand).

Talking about this turnout, Cherry Huang, general manager of Alipay+ offline merchant services, Ant International, commented, “Based on the recent Chinese New Year spending trends, we can see that it has already far surpassed 2023 and back to 2019 levels. Other than Chinese tourists, we have also seen an increase in spending by other Asian tourists via our Alipay+ partner payment apps.”

Singapore – In the contemporary retail landscape, a customer’s experience with brands and companies has become an identifier of success. 

From being simply a transactional aspect, the customer experience (CX) now encompasses every interaction customers have with brands, from browsing through products to post-purchase support. And whether it be online, in-store, or through various touchpoints, it is undeniable that how brands service their consumers plays a pivotal role in shaping their perception of the brand and their purchasing decisions.

Recognising this, global cloud communications platform, Infobip has launched the marketing guide ‘What Customers Want (A Retailers Guide to Digital Customer Experience)’, to offer businesses a simpler way to understand what shoppers want and what solutions and tools they can utilise in order to successfully answer these needs at any given moment.

This guide is specifically designed for retailers that seek to succeed and set themselves apart in the crowded and competitive marketplace. It is also suitable for brands that look to improve the way they engage and service their customers to ensure retention and loyalty, thus driving long-term success.

Infobip found that some shoppers will not complete their purchases if they don’t feel secure online. Therefore, this guide provides businesses with new solutions they can explore to offer uninterrupted and smoother authentication processes. Additionally, it also contains informative and actionable insights that show retailers how to utilise the right tools to make personalised experiences easier for both customers and retailers.

Teddy Cambosa, deputy regional editor at MARKETECH APAC, stated, “In the ever-evolving landscape of commerce, retailers must recognize that the heartbeat of success is synchronised with the rhythm of impactful digital customer experience (CX) strategies. This guide offers a multitude of strategies which retailers can implement to promote a harmonious intersection of technology and customer-centricity.”

With this guide, businesses can have an idea of what can tick or tickle their customers and how they can effectively address this to deliver a more personalised, seamless, and satisfying experience that drives long-term success.

To access the guide, you may download ‘What Customers Want (A Retailers Guide to Digital Customer Experience)’ here.