The Knowledge to Decide

The price of coffee is set to reach a record high by 2018, which is why coffee shops are hoarding coffee beans to meet consumer demand. While sales of hot coffee fell by 3% due to rising summer temperatures, cold coffee market sales were up by 80% over the previous year. It takes about 0.2 kilograms of beans to brew a gallon of hot coffee, while cold coffee takes only a pound. Production shortages in Vietnam and Brazil along with crop issues in Colombia are likely to raise prices for coffee beans this year, further fueling the trend towards cold coffee. Will most consumers start to consume their coffee cold? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/cold-coffee-cannibalizing-cold-drinks/

On 16 December 2016, Spire and Yamada Business Consulting (YBC) jointly held a seminar on Go-To-Market strategies for effective channel management. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting and Rajiv Seth, Senior Director (Go-To-Market Practice) at Spire, addressed the session. Rajiv shared his experience of executing disciplined channel and sales force management strategies to improve results. Seminar attendees asked questions and shared their own views on issues like designing incentive structures for channels, when to switch channel partners and how to demarcate sales territories among partners . YBC and Spire offer Go-to-Market Optimization consulting across the Asia-Pacific. . https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-and-ybc-host-breakfast-seminar-on-effective-channel-and-sales-force-management-in-asia/

The ability to read e-books through smartphones is soon catching on. With less time on their hands – consumers constantly look for convenience for size and screen clarity. Recent research findings indicate that the percentage of e-book buyers – especially smartphone readers – surged from 30% in 2012 to 41% during the first quarter of 2015. This trend pushes publishers to engage readers in new ways by means of enhancing the mobile-reading experience. This year, Penguin Random House introduced free excerpts (of e-books) on Amtrak’s Acela Express trains. Moreover, Colleen Saidman Yee gave away her books – Yoga for Life – for free at Time Square’s yoga festival in New York in June. Are smartphones the future of digital reading? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/phone-reading-to-drive-books-sales/

As Southeast-Asia’s leading car-manufacturing exporter, Thailand is all set to increase its production of cars and light commercial vehicles from 1.9 million in 2014 to 3 million by 2024. Despite that, domestic sales remain low due to tighter credit and weak purchasing power. Will Thailand’s auto sector still maintain its competitive edge? Japnit Singh, Senior Director at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. Despite frequent political unrest, Thailand is home to 18 of the biggest names in global car manufacturing. This has enabled Thailand to establish a solid car ecosystem and sustained momentum for the sector’s growth. Singh pointed out that this network of global brands is strengthened by a network of local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME’s) coupled with abundant supply of skilled labor force and favorable excise policies. Singh noted that exports will help counter low domestic sales which occurred primarily due to

Mobile business in India has never been better. According to studies, Micromax, Lava and Intex – prominent Indian smartphone brands – expect a whopping 100% year-on-year revenue growth from 2015 to March 2016 due to surge in smartphone sales and rising average sale prices. Moreover, the rise of Made-in-India brands such as Micromax, Karbonn, Lava and Zen are taking the smartphone market in India by storm as they emerge as the top five smartphone brands across the nation. For instance, Micromax expects a 50% growth in sales from INR10,949 crore in 2014. Catering to the whims of consumers who now demand cost-effective models with high-end features, market players are making a beeline for India’s market. Will Indian handset manufacturers be able to compete against global, established players? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/made-in-india-handset-market-continues-to-grow/

Has China’s smartphone market reached its saturation point? As more consumers switch to touchscreen smartphones, growth in the market is becoming upgrade-oriented. Shipment volumes to China fell by 4% during the first quarter of 2015 with a total of 98.8 million devices shipped – the lowest in six years. This drop reflects the changing nature of the country’s smartphone market – most consumers already own a smartphone and will switch only if there is an upgrade. Industry players now rely on tech-savvy consumers who hit the stores right after an upgrade is launched. They must now focus on innovative ways of locking in their consumer pool to maintain sales figures. Will China’s smartphone market bounce back? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/chinas-smartphone-market-reaches-saturation-mode/

Singapore’s online retail market grew from SGD717 million in 2010 to about SGD1.08 billion in 2014, and is projected to reach SGD2.06 billion by 2019. Will traditional retailers change their business strategies in response? Japnit Singh, Senior Director of Spire Research and Consulting, Singapore and India, shared his insights on Channel News Asia – Today Online. As online retail continues to record increasing sales in Singapore, traditional retailers are struggling to keep up with the fierce competition. As the retail sector is a major component of Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), this results in money and tax revenue flowing out of the Republic, since e-commerce is dominated by overseas merchants. Many Singaporeans now prefer online shopping. Singh highlighted that out of the estimated SGD4.5 billion generated in the e-commerce space, 55% involves cross-border transactions. The obvious benefits include Goods and Services Tax (GST) savings as well as lower prices, b

With the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) due this year, competition in the IT industry is set to intensify. Will Indonesia’s IT sector thrive under these conditions? Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in Kompas News – a leading newspaper in Indonesia. Personal computer (PC) shipments, tablet computers, ultra-mobile and mobile phones are expected to reach global sales of 2.5 billion units in 2015 – a rise of 3.9% in comparison to 2014. While PCs are still growing in developed markets such as the US, weak growth of PC’s in developing markets is attributed to strong demand for smartphones and table computers. Nonetheless, the IT industry in Indonesia will continue to charge ahead. Bahar highlighted that the highest sales in Indonesia are seen in tablet computers and smart phones. Within ASEAN, Indonesia offers the greatest market opportunities for consumer IT. The nation is expected to reac

In spite of attracting 8.8 million international tourists in 2013, Indonesia has the lowest tourism rating in the region – 17th in Asia and 70th worldwide. As more hotels and resorts start to integrate social media and mobile technology into their operations, what untapped opportunities lie in Indonesia’s hospitality sector? Taking that as the keynote, the Bali Technology Conference, Indonesia 2014 brought together professionals from the hospitality industry to discuss technology trends and potential business opportunities. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, was amongst the prestigious list of speakers at the Bali Technology Conference 2014 held in Bali, Indonesia. In his presentation, Bahar emphasized the vital importance of hotels integrating mobile technology and social media to reach out to tech-savvy tourists who are increasingly making decisions using online content. He opined that the rise in domestic trips and increased spe

Retailers might just use chocolate scent to induce shoppers to linger on in their bookstores to boost sales. Researchers in Belgium discovered that potential customers are more likely to end up with purchases if the store is filled with the scent of chocolate. Such pleasant scents can improve the store environment and lead the customers to explore stores more; often resulting in purchases. Marketers could strategize by exploring different scents to lure customers. The scents used should correspond to the products on sale for more impact. For instance, a surf shop can consider having the scent of the salty smell of the sea to provide its customers a whole new shopping experience. Which scent are you most drawn to?

A majority of businesses are very keen on adopting online platforms for increased revenue sales in India. Over 54% of businesses reported a growth of more than 20% since going online in revenue sales. These were the findings from a research study conducted by strategic market research consultancy Spire Research and Consulting spanning from August to October 2014. The full report is also available upon request. The research study aptly titled, ‘India’s E-Tailing Industry – Seller’s Perspective’ was released at a press conference held in New Delhi today. The study was conducted across 13 states in India spread over 300 retailers in 3 sectors consisting of apparel, consumer electronics and food. These insights concentrated on current online shopping trends and its effect on sellers. Furthermore, the data was gathered through one-on-one, online and telephonic modes of communication. More businesses are going online and using it as an extension of their brand As shown in Table 1

With intensifying levels of competition, there is a need for brands to have a strong recall factor, using effective messages that resonate with customers. Inspired by Spire Research and Consulting’s in-house publication,  SpirE-Journal , Marketing Magazine Indonesia invited Spire to comment on the factors that are crucial in establishing as well as maintaining brand recall. No doubt, consumers are spoilt for choice in today’s markets. As brands vie for customers’ attention, it is vital to have strong recall so that your brand gets to the consideration stage – especially since consumers may be influenced to visit websites or social media pages of brands at the point of consideration. And the key to strong recall is a message and positioning that resonates with the consumer. As long as customers are able to connect with the brand, there is a high possibility of an effective brand recall amongst competitors in the same product category. There are various methods that help market