Foodpanda Director to focus on market digitalisation in Retail Asia forum

Christian Urban aims to share why retail businesses should transition to online marketplace.

Christian Urban, Director of Marketplace at foodpanda, will advocate for market digitalisation and better consumer shopping experience in the upcoming Retail Asia Summit on November 16, at the Furama City Centre, Singapore.

Urban said that he will ensure all retailers have the right merchants on the platform, and that consumers will experience a hassle free and fast shopping experience.

“You know, not only can retailers reach more consumers, but fundamentally, they can also take advantage of economies of scale, and be able to offer quick deliveries simply by participating in an online marketplace,” he said.

His tenure of three years at foodpanda has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of retail partners' objectives and challenges. "Having worked over time with multiple partners, I have a pretty good idea about their goals and challenges. I hope to inspire them to think more omni-channel and have an innovative retail strategy to sustain growth for their business," he added.

Urban emphasized the value of digitalization in the retail industry, saying that by participating in an online marketplace, retailers can tap into economies of scale, access a larger consumer base, and offer expedited deliveries.

When asked about the challenges faced by retailers today, Urban pointed out the difficulty in setting up infrastructure to support rapid delivery, which includes having a contemporary inventory management system, a point-of-sale (POS) system that displays real-time product availability, and efficient processes for order picking, packing, and dispatching.

“It's also about, you know, ensuring that they are able to provide resolutions for any post sales curIs or disputes for that matter. And I think these operational modifications can be expensive to put in place. We also have this experience with a lot of vendors who face these challenges, and it also requires heavy investment and manpower,” he acknowledged.

Urban advised retailers to adopt digital strategies to help overcome these challenges.

The Retail Asia Summit will host industry leaders like Urban to share their expertise and insights.