In total over 6,300 delegates from nearly 3,000 companies in the global duty free & travel retail industry attended the annual trade show which took place in the Palais des Festivals, Cannes from Sunday 20th to Friday 25th October. This visitor figure represents a +4% increase on the previous year and of the total 34% were key duty free & travel retail operators and landlords, up 8% on 2012.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64139-duty-free-travel-retail-industry-world-exhibition
Travelers are not only enjoying modern conveniences in the new terminal B connector at Boston Logan International Airport, they’re discovering a shopping and dining destination like no other. AIRMALL® Boston, the developer of the retail concessions program, has fashioned a splendid array of shops and eateries in United Airlines’ new connector. From local legends to farm house originals, the colorful additions showcase the bounty of the region.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7217051-airmall-retail-for-travelers-at-boston-logan-international-airport
The Las Vegas Strip got a whole lot sweeter today as the Hershey’s Chocolate World retail experience opened at New York-New York Hotel & Casino. The West Coast flagship store, which occupies two floors and boasts an eye-catching 74-feet high Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar that visitors can walk through, provides guests with an experiential concept that immerses them in more than 800 candy and chocolate offerings, including iconic brands they love: Hershey’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s, Ice Breakers, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers and more.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/7236351-hershey-s-chocolate-world-las-vegas-flagship-store-unwrapped
Ulmart’s stunning growth continues unabated as sales for the first six months of 2014 were up 31% in a year-on-year comparison. Sequential quarterly growth increased by 47%.
Ulmart’s half year results put the company at just below GMV of $610 million (VAT included). The company is forecasting GMV of $1.6 billion for the whole year which would put year-end sales at 33% higher than 2013.
Ulmart’s hybrid model which allows customer access to company’s fulfillments centers (currently there are 29 in the European part of Russia) continues to be a disruptive element in e-retail. Due to the particularities of the Russian infrastructure, reliance on last-mile delivery, the obsession of so many other world e-commerce leaders, is simply not a profit-creating option in Russia.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7276256-ulmart-sales-grow-ecommerce/
After three decades of service to the duty free & travel retail industry, Tax Free World Association (TFWA) can take satisfaction in the knowledge that it has contributed to a 1000% growth in global sales, from USD $6 billion in 1985 to USD $60 billion last year, and supported the industry through some extremely challenging times.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72762513-30th-duty-free-travel-retail-summit/
TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference 2015, the 20th event for the duty free & travel retail industry in Asia Pacific, closed on 14th May in Singapore after a very successful week.
With occupied exhibition space topping previous years at 9,118 m2 – up 9% on 2014 - and 292 exhibiting companies present (+12%), of which 73 were new to the show, there was a huge variety of products on display for the benefit of visiting buyers and agents.
Visitor numbers were considered satisfactory by organisers TFWA in a year which has been challenging for the duty free and travel retail industry, with aviation accidents, a new approach to gift giving and luxury consumption among the all-important Chinese travellers, financial instability and political tension in several countries and the resulting slowdown in the growth of air passenger traffic.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7484951-20th-duty-free-travel-asia-summit/
Klarna, Europe’s leading payment solutions providers, today announced the official launch of commercial operations in the U.S. with Overstock.com as its first major retail partner. According to Overstock.com, this partnership will bring a simplified buying experience on mobile devices, enabling Overstock.com shoppers the ease of buying from their smartphone or tablet with just one tap.
“We’re incredibly excited to launch Klarna in the U.S. To do so together with a partner of such a massive scale as Overstock gives us a huge boost into the market”, said Brian Billingsley, CEO of Klarna North America. “U.S. consumers are looking for a simpler and safer way to buy and retailers are looking for better ways to engage their consumers and increase their checkout conversion. The early success we’ve had with Overstock show the massive opportunity to turn more browsers into buyers.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7600151-klarna-launches-overstock-u-s/
Over 6,700 of the most influential people in the duty free & travel retail community converged on Cannes on the French Cote d’Azur last month for the annual TFWA World Exhibition & Conference.
This global trade summit is a not-to-be-missed event in the industry’s calendar and even severe flooding in the city just prior to the event could not deter the 3,000 companies from sending their representatives to the event.
Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President. “The fact that TFWA World Exhibition & Conference opened on schedule just two weeks after the appalling flooding in the city, with virtually all facilities laid on as planned, is thanks to the energy and commitment of our partners in the city.”
However, the fact that the overall attendance was actually two per cent lower than in 2014 is testament to the difficult trading conditions which prevail this year with various geopolitical and economic challenges impacting global travel, tourism and retail.
Fortunately for the 482 exhibiting companies which were showcasing their products on the 21,500m2 trade floor, the number of key buyer companies - duty free & travel retail operators and landlords of airports, airlines, ferry, cruise, border and downtown concerns – was actually four per cent above last year’s figure.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7628051-the-duty-free-travel-retail-global-summit/
The everyday life we all lead is frenetic and overcome by millions of stimuli; there is never enough time or peace. Zazen Bear, a new Zen retail concept store at 497 Broome Street, wants to help New Yorkers find their moment of inner peace.
Through a carefully crafted collection of products that range from jewelry to home furnishing, Zazen Bear offers a unique retail experience that starts when entering the 2,400 sq. ft. store. Spread out on two floors, connected by an open staircase and a harmonious live-plant vertical garden, visitors are lead through the three interlocked circular rooms into a voyage of discovery and sensory exploration.
Inspired by the idea that everything and everybody is connected, each item is carefully crafted to evoke a sense of harmony, relaxation and tranquility when touched, worn or used to decorate the home. Incorporating precious materials like diamonds, sapphires, gold and silver the jewelry collection spans from the Connected Ring Series (starting at $213.00 to $354.00) designed to represent the connection of the mind and the universe where our inner self intersects with the world around us; the Zazen bear monogram earrings featuring the iconic bear that represents harmony and inner peace (starting at $118.00 to $306.00); the Posey Bracelets of Balance, Meditation and Calm designed as a reminder to seek these three elements in the day (starting at $815.00); the Inner Stellar necklace a reminder to embrace the constellation of stars that represents our dreams and aspirations (starting at $538.00 to $931.00).
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7656031-zazen-bear/
Sephora, the leader in global beauty retail, has launched Sephora Virtual Artist, a revolutionary new addition to the Sephora to Go mobile application that allows users to instantly try on thousands of lip colors, anywhere at any time. Available today for download on the Sephora to Go App on iTunes.com, it is the latest in a series of digital innovations pioneered by the Sephora Innovation Lab to customize the beauty retail experience.
Sephora Virtual Artist utilizes a smartphone’s camera to precisely map lip location and shape using technology developed by ModiFace, a leader in facial visualization and skin analysis. Clients can swipe through over 3,000 lip colors by brand, format or shade family, and instantly see how each one looks on their own lips, no matter if they are on the go, at home or in a Sephora location. Using a state-of-the-art 3D Live view that moves with them like a mirror, clients can virtually try on lip colors through an interactive digital overlay on their own lips. Sephora’s extensive color library is inclusive of all lipsticks and lipglosses available at SEPHORA, each individually color matched by hand by Sephora experts to ensure a true representation.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7749651-sephora-virtual-artist-to-go-app/
BJ’s Wholesale Club announces today that Members now have the option to “pick up and pay” at all of its 213 locations along the east coast. Stock up on seasonal necessities, set aside the best new electronics and tech accessories, or save the trouble of moving large, bulky items around the Club – this new service is aimed at Members who prefer to shop online, but favor the convenience and immediacy of in-Club pick up.
In fact, in its annual year-end survey, the National Retail Federation found that while 86 percent of online shoppers find free shipping important, a significant 66 percent want the option of picking up their purchase at an actual store.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7792951-bjs-wholesale-pick-up-and-pay-service/
Walt Disney Records is set to release a new hologram vinyl version of the original motion picture soundtrack for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With score conducted and composed by five-time Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams and liner notes by the film’s director, J.J. Abrams, the double LP features a 16-page booklet on 180 gram vinyl. This one-of-a-kind vinyl set, hand etched by Tristan Duke (Jack White’s Lazaretto) of Infinity Light Science, offers a 3D hologram experience featuring the Millennium Falcon on Disc 1/Side B and a TIE Fighter on Disc 2/Side B. For optimal viewing, use a direct light source or simply hold a mobile phone flashlight above the vinyl to view the holograms.
Tristan Duke founded Infinity Light Science in 2008, a research laboratory with an emphasis on laser holography, interferometry, light-field imaging, hand-drawn holography, and relativistic imaging.
The must-have vinyl album also features Direct Metal Mastering (DMM) for an optimal listening experience. Disney Music Group has joined forces with Pro-Ject Audio Systems to showcase this unique, next-level advancement in holographic vinyl technology with the Elemental turntable, a combination of minimalist design and maximum performance from the world leader in high fidelity turntables. The two brands will collaborate on co-promotions at retail, online, and radio.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7847351-star-wars-the-force-awakens-vinyl/
