UK brand given new look

       Central Department Store Co, the local franchisee of the UK-based Marks &Spencer chain, plans to introduce a new look for all outlets to celebrate the store's 125th anniversary.
       The revamp has been launched at the new store at CentralPlaza Chaengwattana and received a good response from customers,said Nidsinee Chirathivat, Central Department Store's executive vice-president for merchandise.
       The store's new look also won an award from the parent firm as one of the top seven stores in terms of store design among its network across 30 countries.
       Central Department Store is investing 10 million baht to implement the second new concept store at Bang Na. Marks &Spencer Bang Na will have a modern look and be easy for customer to buy products, she said.
       The company will then make over its outlets on Rama III Road this year and another two at Pin Klao and Rama II next year.
       By 2010, the company expects all 10 of its current outlets will be fully modernised at a cost of 5-10 million baht,depending on store size.
       "The company expects sales of Marks & Spencer will rise by 20% after the completion of all renovation works,"said Ms Nidsinee.
       Marks & Spencer started improving its store concept last year with an aim of modernising its look for all outlets worldwide.
       Yuwadee Chirathivat, the company's president said the company has also completed a 300-million-baht facelift at Central Department Store Bang Na,aimed at upgrading the store's image to be on par with that of the Chidlom branch. At least 17 fashion brands including Next Phase and Muji were added.

PORNTHIP PLANS OUTLETS TO PREPARE FOR RECOVERY

       The nascent recovery in the Kingdom's tourism business has prompted Phuket-based souvenir and seafood-snack vendor Pornthip Co to open three new outlets along some of the country's major highways and to add 7-Eleven convenience stores to its distribution network.
       Pornthip,which recently won the Prime Minister's Award 2009 in the Otop Export Recognition category,targets total sales of at least Bt100 million this year.
       The firm expects the tourism industry to grow significantly in the fourth quarter, said managing director Wirawat Peamwiwattikul.
       "The expected global economic recovery will encourage greater numbers of tourists to visit the country.
       "To reap the benefits of this recovery, the company will open new outlets and expand its distribution channels,"Wirawat said.
       The Economic and Business Forecasting centre predicts tourism in Thailand will grow by 4 per cent in the fourth quarter.
       Last year, the company achieved sales revenue of Bt70 million. Despite this year's economic slowdown and drop in tourism,the firm is confident that the three new outllets it has planned will boost its income. Of Pornthip's total income, 80 per cent is generated from domestic sales, and the remainder from exports.
       Wirawat said new Pornthip shops will be set up at PTT petrol stations located along highways connecting Bangkok to popular tourist destinations.
       It will also start selling products at 7-Eleven convenience stores nationwide in a bid to move beyond the tourist market and reach ordinary Thai consumers.
       The firm offers more than 1,000 products under the Pornthip brand, incluuding seafood snacks,flossy and crispy baked pork, Thai desserts, OTOP(One Tambon, One Product goods, clothes, batiks and decorative items.
       Wirawat said the firm's products have received a good response from Thai and foreign travellers alike.
       He attributed this to Pornthip's attention not only to product quality, but also to innovation and packaging.
       The firm also plans to seek new export markets, including Japan and countries in the Middle East. It expects exports to account for 30 to 40 per cent of total revenue within two years. Pornthip currently exports to singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, the European Union and the US.

       WIRAWAT and his wife Pornthip show some of their food products to be sold both in its outlets and convenience stores.

New tour firm enters e-commerce

       4P Plus, a newly established tour operator, is moving into e-commerce by launching four websites to capture the fastgrowing Free Individual Traveller (FIT) and corporate groups.
       The company was formed in the middle of last year by Pruet Narathuschan, youngest son of Vithaya Narathuschan, who has been running the Dynasty Hotel Bangkok for more than two decades and is also a jewellery exporter.
       With Bt3 million in registered capital, the company began operations by concentrating mainly on inbound business from the United Kingdom and China, where Pruet's school friends are.
       However, the business was hit hard by the airport closures in Bangkok late last year and the general political turmoil in the Kingdom. the number of clients dropped significantly.
       "The company is revising its strategy to focus on domestic tourism, FIT and outbound instead," siad Pruet.
       The company has set up a telemarketing team to approach companies and organisations for small-group and outdoor meetings and conference trips and other types of activities such as promotions, public rrelations, educational seminars and staff parties.
       Meanwhile, it has launched four websites: www.tforthailand.com support inbound business, www.thehipexperience.com is aimed at high-end group, www.mushroomtravel.com is for outbound business and the latest www.tourscan.com is designed to draw FIT travellers.
       "We're one of the few tour operators providing one-stop services for information, air tickets, hotel rooms and tailormade packages with a lowest-price warrantee to fit the client's budget," Puret said.
       "Our philosophy is to render the highest quality service to our clients and offer a full range of services t meet their travel requirements."

Giant retailers bank on card schemes for customer loyalty

       Leading hypermarket chains are competing in the launch of loyalty card programmes to retain customers amid the current economic recession.
       The move follows changes in the behaviour of shoppers who have less loyalty to any particular store and prefer to switch their purchases to other stores depending on special promotions.
       Jariya Chirathivat, vice peresident, marketing and communications, Big C Supermarket, said the competition among hypermarket chains is more intense as their retail sites are located in close vicinity. So, individual shoppers are able to switch from one store to another easily.
       "Amid the current economic difficulties, consumers are switching to hypermarkets along with their temporary promotional campaign. What we [Big C] want to do is to launch a loyalty programme to retain our customers and prevent them from switching to the other stores.
       "Under the loyalty programme, our existing clients will not be tempted by any temporary promotion launched by our retail rivals," said Jariya.
       Big C Supercentre yesterday unveiled the 'Bigcard' to best satisfy consumers with uniquely remarkable benefits featuring 'Instant Money Back and Monthly Crazy Price' that give consumers up to 1 per cent cash back with Bt5 for any purchase over Bt500 and monthly price promotion on a wide variety of mass consumer items.
       Holders of Bigcard will also benefit from special discounts at Mini Big C, Pure and other leading participating retail shops; and 'Extra Bt5' when purchasing a Bt100 food coupon at Big C food courts.
       In the past three years, Big C has gained insights into consumer behaviour through the collection of data on customers' spending habits. Based on the study, the three main reasons that motivate coustomers to shop are: price, assortment, and convenience. Any loyalty programme needs to answer and emphasise on these three criteria.
       "We expect to have about 4 million members by the end of this year, and up to 5 million members next year," Jariya said.
       She added that the card programme will increase Big C's sale by 15 per cent. The loyalty-card programme will help boost the basket size of shoppers.
       Prapapan Ploysaengngam, marketing manager at Carrefour, said the company has launched its loyalty card programme - "Carrefour I Wish - for almost one and half years, and now has about 1.6 million members.
       The company has designed various promotions and privileges exclusively for its members, including special price promotion and cash coupon.
       She said that based on the company's study, shoppers prefer immediate discount or money-back promotions rather than any point collection campaign, which takes a certain period of time for redemption.
       Yupadee Srisilapa, Tesco Lotus, senior marketing manager, Clubcard, said: "Our clubcard programme aims to give full flexibility and benefits to our customers. This is why there is no requirement on minimum spending for Clubcard holders for them to receive points. There is no expiry date for the points accumulated. The longer you stay a costomer, the more the number of points accumulated. There is also no lomit on the number of points per day. The more you spend, the more your points. Once your points have been converted to cash vouchers, they are valid for one year," she said.
       Tesco Lotus said its 'Clubcard' has received an enthusiastic response from Thai customers across the country and is more than half way towards reaching the target of 4 million customers in the first year.
       Less than three weeks after its launch, which was made late last month, more than 2 million customers have signed up for and have used their own Clubcard to start collecting points.

THE TRADITION THAT STAYS AFLOAT

       It's scenario familiar to everyone in Thailand, if not the foreign tourists: floating market thrives in simpler, quainter times; declines with the advent of the automobile; is revived as a tourist attraction; becomes so commercial that all the old charm is lost forever.
       The market at Damneum Saduek is a case in point - still popular and photogenic, but hyped beyond recognition of its original appeal.
       Elsewhere, though, the story's not so dismaying. Amphawa, Bang Nam Phueng and other floating markets are flourishing in the central region, and their ties to the farming community remain strong.
       Bangkok's Taling Chan Market, perched on the Khlong Chak Pra Canal and fresh with fruit trees and orchids, is still the area's main destination for farm produce. The choice is bountiful on both sides of the streets and on the boats that punt and putter about.
       The market itself is smaller than many, making it perfect for short strolls and careful browsing. You can taste a lot of the food on your way to the canal, where the tour really begins.
       All of Taling Chan district waits to be discovered by boat, and it's an interesting, relaxing sightseeing excursion among the old houses, orchid gardens, fruit farms and temples.
       The Taling Chan weekend market was the first to be established in suburban Bangkok. The district office and local farmers set it up in 1987, using five large bamboo rafts. A dozen years later there were 11 rafts, by then made of steel rather than bamboo.
       These days the market is open at 8.30am and keeps going through the afternoon. Getting there early is best so that you can have a look around the district and visit other markets that have popped up more recently.
       The same district has the Khlong Lad Mayom floating market, just three years old but already quite popular among weekenders and families. Its founder was farmer Chuen Choochan, known as Uncle Chuen.
       "As the city expanded I could see the farm landscape and the environment declining day by day," Chuen recalls. "I thought, with the market, at least I could introduce a new direction in the development, something more desirable."
       He began by cleaning out the canal, paddling along and collecting trash. Then he recruited his fellow farmers to open a small weekend market. They brought in their produce and set up stalls on the canal bank.
       As well as extra income for the, the market has boosted citizens' appreciation of their own neighbourhood - visitors have been full of praise for its charm and serenity.
       As at any other market, the food is the big draw. You can keep munching all the way along, sampling fresh fruit and vegetables and finger snacks between purchases of crafts, souvenirs and other goods, or sit down for a plate of grilled prawns in a spicy dip.
       At one end of the market is Suan Jiem Ton, a small farm that welcomes visitors. You can see how things are done on a real farm.
       And not far from Khlong Lad Mayom is yet another new floating market, at Wat Saphan. From small beginnings in the grounds of the 200-year-old temple, it's grown into an appealing destination of its own, crowding along a bank of the Bang Noi Canal.
       Basically a small gathering of boatstalls in a square "marina" in front of the temple, it's great reminder of the good old days when the neighbourhood wat was the centre of life.
       The hungry locals mill in with the visiting curious at lunchtime and stroll around in search of their favourite meals. Once they've ordered a dish, they find a spot in the shade and wait for it to be prepared.
       The Wat Saphan market was established purely for tourists, to bolster the local income and liven things up. Merit making is popular with visitors. After filling their stomachs, they enter the temple hall, pay respect to the big Buddha images and onate some money.
       So here's weekend getaway that not only involves a soothing, nostalgic trip to the suburbs but a chance to get inside a temple, if you haven't been in a while.
       A little spiritual succour certainly won't hurt, before you head back to that big concrete zoo.

MAJOR STORES SPEND BIG TO CONTAIN SPREAD OF FLU

       Major retail chains such as Central Pattana and The Mall Group are taking type-A(H1N1) flu preventive measures seriously, setting long-term policies and sparing no expense to protect shoppers.
       Nataphong Kitnitchiva, group general manager for operations at The Mall Group, said yesterday that a flu protection plan has been drawn up as a long-term policy for the operator's four The Mall department stores as well as its Emporium Shopping Complex and Siam Paragon.
       "The company's board of directors has given the green light to management to spend an unlimited budget on anti-flu measures. The board sees this as an important policy to carry out without any conditions," he said.
       The company's response to the influenza outbreak was quite expensive as it has to purchase more than 1,000 litres per week of hand-wash gel for all six locations, he added.
       Sakorn Thavisin, senior manager for marketing at Central Pattana, said Central runs 35 branches nationwide, which welcome more than 1.5 million visitors per day, so it has been ready to prepare measures since the flu hit Thailand.
       Besides preparing bottles of gel at store entrances and clean shopping carts for customers, other modern trade stores such Carrefour and Big C Supercentre have also spent money for their employees to get injections.
       Seacon Square has added fresh air to its shopping mall in order to have clean air flowing throughout the day.
       Yesterday, nine retailers joined the Public Health Ministry and Thai Health Promotion Foundation to provide space near their shopping malls and modern trade stores for exercise sessions starting on Wednesday.
       The retailers are Central Pattana, The Mall Group, Tesco Lotus, Seacon Square, Future Park Rangsit and Fashion Island, Big C Supercentre and Carrefour.
       Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said those nine retailers had more than 1,200 outlets across the country welcoming more than a million shoppers per day.
       They so far have provided good care for their customers but the new collaboration will emphasise and show their commitment to protect customers from type-A(H1N1) flu as well as other seasonal flu, he added.

BOONTHAVORN HOLDS BACK PLAN FOR MORE OUTLETS

       Company watching economic trend closely before proceeding with expansion plans
       Boonthavorn, like its retail customers, has grown cautious about spending billions of baht on building up its chain of speciality stores for construction materials and home improvement products, despite the upturn in the economy.
       "Although the economy overall shows signs of recovery, we need time to be sure in which direction to go," Sitthisak Tayanuwat, commercial vice president for Boonthavorn Ceramic, said yesterday.
       The company is considering whether to speed up or put on hold its expansion plan to cover all the big cities upcountry such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hua Hin. Its provincial sales account for only 20 per cent of its total sales. A brokerage source said Boonthavorn had planned to raise funds from the public, but there has been no movement for a while.
       Instead, Boonthavorn has opted to widen its market into a younger segment by refreshing its brand and renovating its six showrooms with a five-year budget of more than Bt1 billion. This is considered its biggest overhaul in 30 years of doing business.
       The six Boonthavorns are located in the Ratchada, Rangsit, Pinklao, Suvarnabhumi and Thon Buri-Pakthor areas of greater Bangkok and in the beach resort city of Pattaya.
       Construction on the new Kaset-Navamin branch in Bangkok with total retail space of 40,000 square metres is already 75 per cent complete. When it opens next quarter it will also display furniture and lighting.
       "Changes in people's lifestyles such as the way they think or make buying decisions led us to refresh our Boonthavorn brand and showrooms to expand our target group to youngsters, who just graduated or started working, aged down to 25 years," Sitthisak said.
       "Up to the present, our target group was concentrated on middle-age customers who are more than 35."
       Customer buying behaviour is proactive, as shoppers come to Boonthavorn for the purpose of buying something. But over the past six to 10 years, what the new generations want are convenience and value for their money, he said.
       Major products carried by Boonthavorn stores are wall and tile ceramics, kitchenware, sanitary ware, paints, lighting, tools and hardware.
       Boonthavorn offers strong brands and a wide variety with 80,000 items from its suppliers and 30,000 patterns of ceramics. But, its name does not register with youngsters, he said.
       Boonthavorn's customers come in four categories - retail, regular, deep pocket and project. The company's sales were most hit by project customers since fewer real estate developments were started.
       Retail represents 25 per cent of total sales. This group was affected only slightly by the economic crisis, but individual customers are more cautious than before.
       The regular group, consisting of professionals such as architects, contractors and designers, has experienced a drop in home-building work. The company tries to retain this group by launching a CRM programme for two years.
       Recently, Boonthavorn opened a Builder Contractor and Designer Club, which now has 100,000 members, at its Ratchada showroom for architects and home-building specialists to use as a library or centre for meeting with their clients.
       The deep-pocket customers, who normally spend a large sum per bill, have largely escaped the economic contraction.
       This year the company has spent Bt200 million-Bt300 million on improving its product variety.
       Boonthavorn's workforce numbers 2,000 and has never been reduced since the wake of the economic crisis of 1997.
       The company recently lowered its sales target for this year to Bt7.5 billion from Bt8 billion set earlier. It booked Bt7.3 billion in sales last year.