Sekong authorities have placed four districts under lockdown including Lamam, Thateng, Kaleum, and Dakcheung, following one new case of Covid-19 recorded in the province yesterday.
A.S. Watson Launches Foundation Finder AI Tool To Help Customers Find the Perfect Match
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 August 2021 – A.S. Watson Group, the world’s largest international health & beauty retailer, has announced the launch of its Foundation Finder in its mobile app to help customers identify their perfect foundation colours and shade.
Launched firstly in Watsons Hong Kong and Malaysia, the flagship health & beauty brand of A.S. Watson, Foundation Finder will later be rolled out to other Asian markets including the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan. A.S. Watson is also exploring the possibility to launch in Europe. It is now offering customers up to 700 foundation products from over 30 brands. The function will first appear on the Watsons mobile app and then will extend to digital gadgets in-store.
According to Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe), “Most beauty lovers struggle to find the right shade as normally we apply foundation tester on hands. In most cases, the skin colour on hands is slightly different from the face. We know this is the pain point of customers and this inspires us to work on a solution. Our eLab digital team developed this together with Watsons makeup artists. I’ve tried it, and am confident that our customers will love it.”
Technology Enhances the O+O Retail Shopping Experience
Developed by A.S. Watson’s own in-house digital agency eLab, the Foundation Finder offers a seamless O+O retail shopping experience to its customers, thanks to its Advanced Facial Analysis Technology. The state-of-the-art technology helps customers to find the right foundation that matches perfectly to the customer’s skin type and skin tone.
Customers can simply take a selfie and answer a few simple questions about their skin conditions and makeup style preferences, and the app will recommend foundations that best suit the customers’ needs. It also gives the option for customers to then choose a lighter or darker shade based on their individual preference. The function is digitally connected to the Watsons online store, so customers can immediately order their recommended products and have it delivered to their homes or pick up in stores. They can also save the recommendation via email for later reference when visiting the stores.
Innovation Makes Shopping Fun and Easy
Ngai shares her experience, “We all have foundations at home which we’re not happy with the colour as they don’t give a perfect match. Making use of AR technology, we can help our customers to find a much closer match to give a perfect look.
“In fact, we’ve been pioneering the application of AR technology in our O+O experience for beauty lovers. Simply using our Watsons app on their smart phones, they can try on different colour cosmetics and hair colour. Customers are now addicted to their phones, and being able to build a relationship with them involves both our physical store touch point as well as digital is the essence of our O+O strategy. And being relevant and fun is key to add value to our customers’ daily lives.”
Greater Bay Area commercial real estate market turns vibrant
Forecast total transaction volume to exceed RMB50 billion in 2021 Investors eye on tier 2, 3 cities with appetite for Industrial logistics, cold chain, data centers
- Transaction volume in Guangzhou and Shenzhen exceeds RMB50 billion for four consecutive years, forecast similar volume for 2021 while transactions extend to tier 2 cities in the region.
- Foreign investors increase investment in the Greater Bay Area especially low value assets in Southern China for geo-strategic asset allocation.
- Though transactions are still dominated by traditional industries, the mature transport network favours the development of new property types, with industrial logistics, cold chain, and data centers preferred by investors.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 August 2021 – Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield announces Greater Bay Area Commercial Real Estate Investment Market Review and Forecast 1H 2021 today. The rapid development of the Greater Bay Area in recent years, coupled with a maturing transport network, has driven industrial transformation and shifts in real estate investment in the region. Apart from Shenzhen and Guangzhou, investors also set eyes on tier 2 cities. Investment portfolios are increasingly diversified to include new types of properties such as industrial logistics, cold chain and data centers, in addition to traditional office buildings and shopping malls.
Source: Cushman & Wakefield
Chart 1: Transaction value of CRE investment in the Greater Bay Area in recent years
Chart 2: Ratio of domestic and foreign investment
Chart 3: % of CRE transactions by property type in Greater Bay Area
Chart 4: Some of the transactions in warehouses, logistics and data centers in the Greater Bay Area in 2020 and 2021
Commercial real estate investment transaction value in the Greater Bay Area
The launch of the Greater Bay Area initiative in 2017 has drawn immediate attention from owner-occupiers, private investors and funds. Commercial real estate (CRE) investment transactions have turned vibrant, with Guangzhou and Shenzhen recording annual transaction value of over RMB 50 billions for four consecutive years. Such transactions include headquarters purchase by corporations such as Li Ning, Qiaodan Sports, and Shenzhen Expressway in Shenzhen. Driven by TMT (technology, media, telecom) companies, small scale single-block buildings in Guangzhou have also attracted owner-occupiers.
“Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” was officially announced in 2019, setting a major development milestone for CRE investment market in the Greater Bay Area.With more CRE investment opportunities emerging in other Greater Bay Area cities, investors have been drawn to cities other than Guangzhou and Shenzhen since 2019. The transaction valule has increased from RMB2.7 billion (4% of the total) in 2019 to RMB3.4 billion (7% of the total) in 2020. Over RMB200 million (1% of the total) of such transactions were recorded in 1H21. Total transaction volume for the full year of 2021 is expected to exceed RMB 50 billion, proving investors’ persistent interest in the region. (Chart 1)
Distribution of investors in the Greater Bay Area
Capitals in the Greater Bay Area used to be predominately domestic, accounting for over 80% of the investment considerations. Yet foreign investors also pay close attention to this market and their investment activities are increasing year after year, especially in Guangzhou. With an outstanding macro-economic performance and strong spending power, coupled with low availability of quality mixed-use commercial portfolio in core locations, Guangzhou has become the investment target of foreign investors.
Ms. Queeny So, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Capital Markets, China, shares, “Foreign investors have strengthened their investment in the Greater Bay Area since 2018 and 2019. By 1H21, ratio of foreign investment has surged from below 20% in the past to 25% (Chart 2). We believe foreign investors have used to hold fewer assets in southern China. Yet CRE investment in the Greater Bay Area, as a key strategic zone of China, creates a golden opportunity for geo-strategic asset allocation, leading to a surge of such transactions. We believe foreign investors will continue to look for new investments in various Greater Bay Area cities. “
Types of CRE investment in the Greater Bay Area
Strong consumption power of the Greater Bay Area drives frequent CRE transactions (Chart 3). Of the various CRE types, traditional asset class like office buildings and shopping malls in the Guangzhou-Shenzhen area constituted the most transactions. With CRE asset value softened, many occupiers and private investors are acquiring their current rental premises and turn them into their headquarters. Key investments into major transactions are still dominated by insurance capital For instance, the biggest transaction in Shenzhen was the RMB6.6 billion purchase of Vanke Yuncheng project by Ping An Insurance. Number of CRE transactions in Shenzhen is expected to be record-breaking this year, with total transaction volume similar to that of previous year. Average transaction volume may decline to around RMB1 billion per transaction, slight drop from year 2020.
In Guangzhou, the scarcity of high-quality office buildings in core locations has steered investors to other projects such as shopping malls. In 1H21, the ratio of such transactions therefore rose to over 30% of overall CRE transactions. For instance, Link REIT acquired Happy Valley in Guangzhou this year at RMB 3.205 billion. Meanwhile, occupier-type investors are more drawn to single-block office properties.
As the public transport network in the Greater Bay Area matures, not only has commute time and distance greatly reduced, but it also results in industrial transformation and population influx. This has driven the rise of economy in tier 2 and 3 cities, resulting in new CRE investment types such as industrial logistics, cold chain, data centers, etc., all of which are favored by investors and have recorded perpetual transactions (Chart 4).
Mr. Alva To, Cushman & Wakefield’s Vice President, Greater China, concludes, “Domestic investors in the Greater Bay Area and cash-rich real estate funds have turned active and kept close eye on opportunities in the market, resulting in an upsurge in CRE transactions in 1H21. However, as transport and infrastructure facilities in the region gradually complete and coupled with policy supportother Greater Bay Area cities are getting more traction from investors. We believe investors will turn to opportunities in tier 2 cities outside Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Investment projects will also extend from traditional office buildings and shopping malls to logistics, cold chain, and data centers, resulting in a more diversified CRE market in the region.”
Please click HERE to download the official photo and slide deck.
Photo captions:
Photo 1: Mr. Alva To, Cushman & Wakefield’s Vice President, Greater China(Left), and Ms. Queeny So, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Capital Markets, China (Right)
Photo 2: Mr. Alva To, Cushman & Wakefield’s Vice President, Greater China(Left), and Ms. Queeny So, Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Director, Capital Markets, China (Right)
About Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global real estate services firm that delivers exceptional value for real estate occupiers and owners. Cushman & Wakefield is among the largest real estate services firms in the world, with approximately 50,000 employees in over 400 offices and 60 countries. In Greater China, a network of 22 offices serves local markets across the region, earning recognition and winning multiple awards for industry-leading performance. The firm had global revenues of $7.8 billion in 2020 across core services including valuation, consulting, project & development services, capital markets, project & occupier services, industrial & logistics, retail and others. To learn more, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com or follow us on LinkedIn (
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cushman-&-wakefield-greater-china)
#Cushman&Wakefield
Mothercare Supports Local Partners & Parents With SG Cribs 2021 Competition
Through partnerships with local businesses, Mothercare Singapore invites the community to share stories on parenthood and family for a chance to win a nursery makeover in their 2nd annual SG Cribs Competition. One lucky family will see their nursery revamped for their expecting or newborn child, ensuring assistance and support for parents in need.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 12 August 2021 – Leading baby retailer Mothercare is inviting its customers and community to share stories about parenthood and family life for a chance to win a complete nursery makeover. The SG Cribs programme was first started in 2020 by Mothercare to give relief to parents in Singapore, both familiar and new, while supporting local business partners at the same time.
As many families in Singapore have been affected by the changing economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mothercare is using SG Cribs to create a positive social change by giving back to the community, one project at a time.
Assisting Mothers and Families in need
Couples who are expecting or have just welcomed a new arrival into the family will often want to dedicate a space in their home as a nursery for their newborn. The SG Cribs programme is aimed at helping mothers and families in need who do not have the resources to build and furnish their child’s nursery the way they want to.
“I grew up in a low income family, whereby both my parents are unfit for work [due to health problems]. Given our family circumstances, we received support from the government and charity organisations,” shared 29-year-old Rong Rong back in 2020 before she became the first winner of the SG Cribs competition.
Recollecting her own memories of growing up in a low income family and using hand-me-downs, Rong Rong wished for her baby girl Kate, then eight months old, to enjoy a more comfortable childhood than her own.
“I hope this contest will allow my girl to experience a different childhood by having a room, a beautiful and nice room that she will be happy to come home to,” she added. Find out more about her story here.
By sharing such narratives about parenthood with Mothercare, parents stand a chance to win a nursery makeover including decor, soft sheets and swaddle, playmats, and crafted toys coordinated by a professional stylist. At the same time, Mothercare’s partnership with local businesses helps to showcase popular items and services from these brands that can enhance the nursery experience for both parents and the baby.
Sponsors for SG Cribs 2021 include:
- Hello Circus
- Enstories
- Soft Spot
- Wander Mats
- Med Karlek Inc.
There are no requirements to enter the contest, although entrants can increase their odds of winning if they follow the listed sponsors on their Instagram accounts.
Register now for a Chance to Win
Interested parents can fill in an online form to share their stories of parenthood and family for a chance to win SG Cribs 2021. Friends and family can also join in and show their support by nominating someone they think deserves a nursery makeover. Registration is open until 16 Aug 2021 (Mon) and the winner will be announced on Mothercare’s Instagram account on 20 Aug 2021 (Fri).
About Mothercare
Mothercare has been a leading baby retailer worldwide for over 50 years, offering a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and advice to support parents through the experience of raising a family. Mothercare first opened in Singapore in 1984, and now has 11 stores islandwide including a flagship and Experience Store at Harbourfront Centre, Level 3. Mothercare’s products are carefully curated to meet the highest standards in quality, safety, and innovation to support parents and children throughout the years. Find out more at https://www.mothercare.com.sg/
https://www.instagram.com/mothercaresg/
https://www.facebook.com/mothercaresg
#Mothercare
Laos Confirms 202 New Cases of Covid-19, Clarifies Ninth Death
Laos has confirmed 202 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 9,363.
State Enterprises to Be Reformed Under New Plan
State enterprises in Laos are to be reformed under a new plan outlined by the government that could see top executives sacked.
Riot Games Southeast Asia Announces Challengers Playoffs for VALORANT Champions Tour 2021: Stage 3
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 August 2021 – Due to emergent COVID-19 developments in our key tournament markets, the group stage of the VCT Stage 3 – Challengers SEA – Playoffs will be pushed back by one day and will now take place between 13 – 16 August. This change does not affect the Playoffs finals dates which remain from 19 – 22 August, and the overall tournament format and our roster of casters will remain the same.
The health and safety of our teams and crew are our top priority. Given these recent developments with the pandemic, we are opting to hold a more streamlined event that will ensure the safety of all participants while delivering an exciting viewing experience to fans across the region.
VCT STAGE 3 – CHALLENGERS SEA – PLAYOFFS OVERVIEW
16 teams in the VALORANT Champions Tour Stage 3 – Challengers SEA will meet for two intense weekends of competition on 13-16 and 19-22 August as the region’s best teams compete for one of two slots to represent Southeast Asia at the upcoming Masters 3: Berlin in September 2021, where they will play shoulder-to-shoulder with the best teams from North America, EMEA, Brazil, LATAM, Japan and Korea. These teams are also competing for championship points that will count towards qualification at VALORANT Champions, the final event of the 2021 VCT.
WHICH TEAMS ARE QUALIFIED?
16 teams have proven their mettle against hundreds of participants during the VCT Stage 3 Challengers Qualifiers period that took place throughout the month of July. The following teams have demonstrated strong regional performances and have earned their country slot in the VCT Stage 3 Challengers Playoffs through the qualifier tournaments. Here are the qualified teams –
GROUP A ● Bren Esports (PH) ● CBT Gaming (TW/HK) ● EGO (VN) ● Sharper Esports (TH)
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GROUP B ● Onic Esports (ID) ● Full Sense (TH) ● Five Aces (TW/HK) ● Paper Rex (MY/SG)
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GROUP C ● X10 Esports (TH) ● Galaxy Racer (PH) ● Team Big BAAM (VN) ● BOOM Esports (ID)
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GROUP D ● UwU (MY/SG) ● Alter Ego (ID) ● Cerberus Esports (VN) ● Oasis Gaming (PH)
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Teams have been segmented into groups based on regional performance at previous events throughout 2021. Given Vietnamese teams were unfortunately unable to participate in the VCT Stage 1 competitions back in March 2021, Riot has allotted 3 seeds to Vietnam for the Stage 3 Playoffs in Pool 3 providing Vietnamese teams with an opportunity to gain circuit points in this playoff round.
HOW DO THE VCT STAGE 3 – CHALLENGERS SEA – PLAYOFFS WORK?
Playoffs will take place over two weekends. In the 1st weekend (13-16 August), teams will be drawn into 4 groups that will play single round robin, best-of-2 matches where they will be awarded points based on the best-of-2 results. Groups in this first weekend cannot have two teams from the same region. Points in this group stage will be awarded along the following outcomes:
- A 2-0 result would provide the winner with 3 points
- A 1-1 draw will award 1 point to both teams
- Tiebreakers will be decided by head-to-head scores based on maps and then rounds
The 2 best teams from each group will then move on to the Playoff finals in the 2nd weekend (19-22 August). These teams will be drawn into an 8 team, double elimination bracket with the added rule that teams from the same group cannot meet each other in the first round. 2 teams will emerge victorious and will move on to represent Southeast Asia in Masters 3: Berlin in September 2021.
All 16 teams will be competing for a combined prize pool of USD 100,000 and a total of 260 championship points.
HOW TO WATCH & STAY UPDATED
The action starts on Friday, August 13th, with matches commencing from 11:00am GMT+8 during the two tournament weekends. Twitch will continue to be the English broadcast partner for VCT Challengers Stage 3. Full details of the schedule can be found on VALORANTesports.com or on our local partner pages, with broadcasts for the following languages –
- English: PPGL Twitch, VALORANT Twitch
- Tagalog: PPGL Facebook, PPGL YouTube
- Thai: VALORANT TH Facebook, ESL TH Twitch, ESL TH YouTube, ESL TH Facebook
- Bahasa Indonesia: VALORANT ID Facebook, VALORANT Esports ID YouTube (operated by One Up)
- Mandarin: Talon Esports Twitch
- Vietnamese: VALORANT VN Facebook, VALORANT VN YouTube, VALORANT Esports Vietnam Facebook (operated by VNG)
#RiotGames
Online Rich establishes a cross-border e-commerce startup ecosystem to help Hong Kong’s original brands enter the global market
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 August 2021 – The coronavirus pandemic has brought upon unprecedented challenges to Hong Kong’s economy. With a high unemployment rate, making the situation more challenging for many Hong Kong people. Online Rich, an e-commerce system founded by Good Timing Holding Ltd (Asia’s leading e-commerce solutions company), has launched a new and innovative e-commerce operation model, committed to assisting Hong Kong’s brands to go worldwide and creating a global cross-border e-commerce ecosystem. Online Rich’s innovative e-commerce business model provides potential entrepreneurs a low-cost and automated cross-border platform to create business opportunities without any geographical and time restrictions.
Online Rich – introducing the new model for low-cost E-SHOP. Provides one-stop service with dropship newbies
Online Rich innovative e-commerce business model
The Online Rich platform provides a one-stop entrepreneurial system for zero-experience entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises with limited operational risk costs. Online Rich has a team of professionals using big data to prudently select and analyse a wide range of products for the targeted markets, which allows the entrepreneurs to easily hand-pick a large range of hot-selling products at cost prices and lists automatically on their own online store. Online Rich handles the sales for the entrepreneurs, so they do not have to worry about warehousing or keeping inventory. In addition, Online Rich has a local and an international professional team to provide comprehensive support and assistance to e-commerce novices, including onboarding services, tailor-made localized content for social media, other e-commerce platforms, which greatly improves the success rate of starting an online business.
Online Rich automatic integrated sales system
Online Rich’s new automatic sales system combines product selection, sales and customer service functionality to simplify traditional and cumbersome management procedures. After the user completes the design of the online store, s/he only needs to add the products to sell on the platform, and the professional team of Online Rich will handle the inventory and logistics. Users can use the Online Rich App to monitor the real-time sales and profits at any time. The system can also help entrepreneurs to capture more leads and increase the conversion rates by sending emails regularly to customers, broadcasting new product information, keeping tracks of purchased customers, etc. Online Rich’s professional assistance and its automatic integrated sales system enable users to focus on products launch and marketing. It is simple and easy to operate, suitable for entrepreneurs with zero experience.
Break all boundaries and be the first to enter overseas markets
The local online business is highly competitive, yet the market is small. Online Rich is committed to establishing a barrier-free cross-border e-commerce platform for entrepreneurs, helping users to enter overseas markets smoothly by minimising the “language barriers” and “cultural differences”. Online Rich’s professionals assist in tailor-designed for brand websites, creating marketing content that caters to local culture and promoting sales via social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to accurately target customers overseas such as Europe and North America.
Online Rich’s innovative e-commerce business model is well differentiated from the high cost and high threshold of entrepreneurship in the past. It is suitable for novice entrepreneurs to establish e-commerce business with low cost and low risk, and for SMEs which are looking for solution to turn loss into profit.
About Online Rich
Online Rich was established in 2018. Within 3 years, it has successfully helped more than 260 entrepreneurs to establish their e-commerce stores internationally. Among them, more than 119 have successfully established their own brands, accounting for a total sale of c. US$50 million.
For more information, please visit: https://online-rich.com/landing
#OnlineRich #ecommercesolutions