In Focus
How can duty-free win back shoppers?
How can duty-free win back shoppers?
Travel retail sales are 13% below pre-pandemic levels despite a surge in air passengers.
SM Supermalls pivots to experience-led retail with $2.6b national rollout
The group plans to open one flagship mall each year.
Spending control and rewards drive BNPL adoption in APAC
Consumers use BNPL to manage spending and protect reward access.
Fashion brands facing shift to agent-first AI commerce
Discovery moves from search engines to AI assistants.
K-Pop signed singles, photocards turn fans into investors
Premium items have appreciated like blue-chip collectibles.
Leaner menus seen as key after 2,431 F&B outlets shut
Closures have reached a near 20-year high following a wave of business liquidations.
What’s holding shoppers back from using AI at checkout?
32% remain hesitant to share personal or payment details with AI systems.
Resale growth to outpace firsthand market up to three times by 2027
Value and uniqueness fuel resale market acceleration.
Brands ditch 20m buyers for 'Crazy Rich Asians'
About 20 million consumers exited the personal luxury goods market last year.
China luxury market sinks 5% as demand evaporates
Luxury beauty products bucked the greater trend.
FairPrice AI trolleys trigger 80% surge in shopper spend
Its flagship store has raised the average basket size from $19.64 to $35.36.
Global coffee shop market set to hit $290.23b by 2032
Chains such as Starbucks, Dunkin’, Costa Coffee, Tim Hortons, and McCafé continue to lead the market.
Subdued spending, no stimulus drag Thai retail into slow Q1
Recovery is expected in Q2 as weather normalises and stimulus may arrive.
AI enters the Philippine neighbourhood store
Widespread use could generate up to $48b in economic value by 2030.
Asia’s shoppers ditch search bars for ChatGPT conversations
Referral traffic from platforms like ChatGPT grew sevenfold over the past year.
How can China’s FMCG brands move beyond discounts?
Simply increasing supply and lowering prices are no longer enough.
Southeast Asia food delivery market surges to $22.7b
Grab continues to control more than half of the market.
Commentary
How Asia’s retailers can prepare for AI-first commerce
Protecting Indonesia’s retail businesses through resilient cellular connectivity
Why e-commerce winners in SEA are rethinking operating models
Why flexible storage is the backbone of the pop-up economy
How point of sale became the hub for customer experience