Online Retailing
Baidu quietly testing its own group buying site
Latecomer to the highly saturated group buying space, Baidu is testing the market through a “quiet launch” of its own group buying site. The site, managed by Baidu’s LBS division, is only available in Beijing initially.
E-Commerce Asia to open in HK this month
E-Commerce Asia will open on 27-28 March 2013 at Asia World-Expo in Hong Kong. Forty-five prominent e-commerce players and pioneers of digital marketing will spearhead two conferences featuring 45 seminars dedicated to digital & mobile marketing, e-commerce & m-commerce, e-payment & m-payment, and fulfilment & delivery in Asia in the event.
Digital Marketing Technology Conference Asia 2013
Walmart connects shoppers with products of women-owned businesses
A section in Walmart.com is now devoted to unique and interesting products produced by women-owned businesses around the world.
Andrea Thomas, senior vice president, Walmart, said the project called "Empowering Women Together, is a simple concept. With each purchase, shoppers help lift and empower the women behind these products and help them create new jobs and improve their lives.
At launch, Empowering Women Together will offer shoppers more than 200 items from 19 businesses in nine countries.
India's IRCTC eyes e-commerce space
From food and online tickets at present, to books, footwear and mobile phones in future – the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) plans to spread its wings far and wide. IRCTC Managing Director R.K. Tandon told Business Line, they are discussing with existing firms in the e-commerce space to thrash out the details.
Portrait of China’s online shopping phenomenon
China’s busiest shopping mall is not one found on a trendy metropolitan street. In fact, it has no square-footage at all because it is the Internet. In 2012, China’s online retail sales increased by 55 percent to USD194 billion. Many industry researchers predict the Chinese e-commerce market value will surpass that of the US in 2013 to become the world’s largest at USD265 billion, up another 37 percent.
Apple’s Tim Cook, Jimmy Iovine discuss new music service
Apple has held talks with Beats Electronics, the audio technology firm co-founded by influential hip-hop producer Dr Dre and music mogul Jimmy Iovine, on a potential partnership involving Beats’ planned music-streaming service, three people familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook met with Beats chief executive Jimmy Iovine during a visit to Los Angeles in late February to find out more about Beats’ “Project Daisy”, a music subscription service the company announced in January but with scant detail, the sources said.
Mango apologises over "slave style" necklace description on website
Mango has had to apologise after a necklace sold on its website was described as “slave style”, which it blamed on a translation error.
Japan's online fashion store Zozotown opens new online boutique
Japan's online fashion store Zozotown.com opened a new online boutique, Zozoconnect, on Friday. The new multi-brand online shop seeks to bring Asian designers and brands to global customers and promote the latest fashion trends in Asia.
Zozotown currently ship their products to 82 countries worldwide and offers over 700 brands from Tokyo. The new Zozoconnect will be initially offering men's and women's clothing and accessories from five Korean brands. The company said other Asian fashion brands will follow shortly.
Australia online sales growth rebounds in Jan
Online sales in Australia rebounded in January, a survey showed on Monday, with growth remaining far above that of the traditional bricks and mortar sector,
Annual growth in National Australia Bank's index of online sales accelerated to 27 percent in January, from 23 percent in December. The actual index level dropped to 202.2, from 227.0, but that was entirely due to the Christmas effect in December.
Seal for online selling sites being developed
The Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines (DCOM) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are coming up with a seal to be placed on online selling sites which comply with certain rules covering service given to consumers in line with the promotion of growth of e (electronic)-commerce transactions.
DCOM president Jack Madrid said during the DCOM Summit 2013 on Friday that the group is currently in discussions with the DTI on a seal to be placed on online selling sites based on certain criteria.
