World Retail Congress says – 'Rethink growth strategy'

Recognising the increasing trend of smartphone use and customer expectation of convenient shopping in emerging Asian markets, Tesco launched its mobile grocery shopping app this January and it became the country’s fastest downloaded app in just its first week.

“This is a world of hyper-speed choice, global connectivity, and you fail the moment you stand still,” Clarke said.

Communicating with customers on a personalised, individual level continues to be a key topic for Asian retailers. Hong Kong jeweller Chow Tai Fook’s managing director Kent Wong said the brand is enhancing the shopping experience by launching megastores with one-to-one service areas in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as providing intensive customer relationship training across all staff levels.

Facebook’s e-commerce lead South East Asia Deepesh Trivedi added social media has created a platform for retailers to have direct and real-time influence on consumers, as “everyone wants to know what matters to them”.

Personalisation is also taking centre stage in e-commerce as Justin Chen, vice-president of Tmall.com, described online shopping in China is shifting from a sales platform to a consumer connection platform to allow tailored products based on consumer demands.

“Like it or not we’re getting more and more involved in social networking tools. More and more the social aspect is becoming more important in the retail experience.”

Motorola Solutions’ director of retail industry Southeast Asia Anand J Mehta told delegates that physical stores were not working hard enough for retailers as consumers now want information and service whenever and wherever they prefer. Retailers, he said, have to develop channels to deliver individual experiences within the store and through the individual’s preferred media.

But Asian retailers who are tackling online and offline integration are seeing results. Chow Tai Fook opened an online store two years ago and Wong said the sales platform had grown three-fold annually, and that it also helps drive consumers to visit the stores to experience the products.

“I believe the online platform is not only a new sales platform but it’s a way to build up a connection with the consumer,” Wong said.

Just as offline stores need to integrate to a digital product, online channels need to become more personal places to shop. Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has been operating its platform as a “virtual marketplace full of experts”, said senior executive officer and director Toru Shimada, to make the digital connection more humanised.

WGSN