lundi 8 janvier 2018

A Warm Christmas for Retailers 2017 Christmas Sales Performance of the Major Markets#gerardpocquet

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A Warm Christmas for Retailers

2017 Christmas Sales Performance of the Major Markets http://www.hktdc.com/en-buyer

The run-up to Christmas marks the end of the year and the final sprint for retailers, a time when the festive atmosphere drives shoppers to purchase gifts, decorations and other supplies for both the upcoming yuletide and the imminent New Year. Every year, the level of Christmas or year-end sales in many of Hong Kong’s exports markets serves as a barometer of the economic health of individual countries and trading blocs. With 2017 having seen a continued recovery in the global economy, there has been consequently strong growth in Hong Kong’s exports. The sustained nature of this growth was borne out by a robust performance by the retail sector in most countries, a reassuring indicator that the growth momentum of the global consumer market is likely to be maintained in 2018.
United States
In the US, consumers enjoyed a ‘warmer’ Christmas this year, a consequence of the more favourable economic situation. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the November unemployment rate saw the country’s 16-year low of 4.1% sustained for a further month. Additional cheer came from the fact that the US Consumer Sentiment Index, as published by the University of Michigan, reached its highest level for almost 17 years back in October. Overall, personal consumption expenditure, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, increased by 0.6% in November (month-on-month), following a marginal increase of 0.2% in October.
Thankfully, the favourable retail environment suggested by the macroeconomic data converted into a positive sales performance for the start of the holiday shopping season. Although the overall sales figures for December – as well as for the entire holiday period – will not be released until January, the high level of spending over the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday weekend, as well as on the ever more popular Cyber Monday, provided an early indication that retailers were likely to be kept busy in the run-up to Christmas. According to the US Census Bureau, the overall growth rate of the US retail sector accelerated to 5.8% in November, up from 4.9% in October. In addition, the National Retail Federation predicted that US retail sales would show a 3.6-4% increase over the holiday season when compared to 2016. Seeming to endorse this, Mastercard estimated the year-on-year increase would be around 4.9%, the largest such rise since 2011.
In terms of actual shopping behaviour, American consumers long ago began a mass migration to online shopping in preference to in-store purchases, a trend that was clearly sustained this year. According to figures from the National Retail Federation, online (and other non-store) sales enjoyed 10.5% year-on-year growth in November.
In addition, Cyber Monday 2017 – the online equivalent to Black Friday and which fell on 27 November this year – was the biggest day for online shopping in US history, with record sales of US$6.59 billion, a 16.8% rise over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. In a similarly positive sign, data provided by Mastercard SpendingPulse showed that the level of online retail shopping has jumped by 18.1% across the entire holiday season. Deloitte’s 2017 Holiday Surveywas, again, upbeat and indicated that this year US shoppers will spend more online than in-store for the first time, with the majority of purchases made via desktop computers.
Clothing again topped the US Christmas shopping list this year, with many consumers wooed by the discounts on offer throughout the festive season. Apparel aside, there was also growing demand for consumer electronics products, especially among the more tech-savvy younger generation. With the US market now in a post-smartphone boom period, consumers have shifted their focus to smart-home devices, such as Google’s Home and Amazon’s Echo and Alexadevices. In line with this, Amazon, the global e-tailing giant, reported that its best-selling product over the holiday season was the Echo Dot, its proprietary smart home device.
Given that Christmas is traditionally a time to celebrate with friends and family, entertainment-oriented systems that allowed for a shared experience – including AR/VR headsets, video games and the Nintendo SwitchXbox One and PlayStation 4 gaming consoles – were in considerable demand. According to Mastercard, sales of electronics and appliances overall rose by 7.5% year-on-year, while several toy ranges, including LEGOStar Wars and Disney, also performed impressively. Among those who wanted to streamline their Christmas largesse, gift cards remained a popular option.
Europe
Overall, Europe enjoyed a moderate economic recovery in 2017, with the EU economy as a whole expected to have achieved growth of 2.3% this year, at least according to the European Commission’s Autumn 2017 European Economic Forecast. Despite such optimism, there remained very real concerns that terror attacks could disrupt Europe’s Christmas markets, concerns that were further fuelled by the release of a series of propaganda posters showing attacks in a number of locations, including London and the Vatican. Overall, though, the majority of European shoppers are expected to have spent lavishly this year, with the exception of the UK, where growth is expected to be slower than the EU average. In addition, UK retailers may also have to contend with the problems of higher inflation and import prices, as well as reduced consumer confidence.
While Brexit remains the biggest source of concern and uncertainty with regard to the UK economy, the conclusion of the first phase of the EU divorce talks in mid-December may have provided a degree of damage limitation and proved a boon to the retail sector ahead of the holiday season. According to the Office for National Statistics, UK retail sales edged up by 1.6% in volume terms and 4.7% in value terms year-on-year as of November, a figure boosted by Black Friday spending following a 0.3% drop in October, the first since 2013. Online sales, meanwhile, continued to enjoy rapid growth, recording a 10.2% year-on-year rise in November, a sure sign that British consumers are continuing to reduce their in-store spending. Indeed, for November, online sales accounted for 17% of all retail spending, an increase from the 16.1% recorded for November 2016.
While many UK retailers were confident that Super Saturday (23 December), the last full shopping day before Christmas, would see a flood of last-minute shoppers, they still had a number of concerns. Most notably, consumer confidence weakened in December, dropping to its lowest level for four years. UK households also had to contend with inflation climbing to 3.1% in November, its highest level for nearly six years, while average weekly wages grew by just 2.3% over the three-month period ending October 2017.
In another change, the import of the Black Friday concept from the US has inspired UK consumers to begin their holiday shopping well in advance of Christmas, rather than spending in a more concentrated period. One casualty of this has been the country’s traditional Boxing Day sales, with receipts expected to be down this year. When combined with the increasing popularity of online shopping, the UK’s shopping centres and high streets have inevitably seen a decline in overall footfall. Shoppers are also expected to spend a higher proportion of their income on groceries, a consequence of stalled salary levels and increasing food prices.
With the memory of last year’s attack on Berlin’s Christmas market receding, the German economy enjoyed robust growth over the last 12 months, with the country’s retailers confident that this will be reflected in their Christmas takings. At present, German unemployment is at its lowest level since 1990, with October seeing an adjusted unemployment rate of just 3.6%. In light of these favourable economic conditions, the German Retail Federation (HDE)expects sales over the Christmas period to rise by 3%, taking the total to a record high of €94.5 billion (US$112.9 billion).
In the case of France, its domestic economy has improved in line with the gradual expansion of the overall European economy. As with its German counterpart, the French economy expanded at a relatively rapid pace throughout the year, with the country’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) anticipating overall growth of 1.9% for 2017. According to the Commerce Federation (Fevad), French shoppers are also expected to spend more online this year, with total e-commerce sales expected to be around €15.8 billion, a 13% year-on-year rise. As a whole, December 2017 has already proven to be a record month for credit and debit card transactions.
For Europe as a whole, electrical and household electronic appliances – including smart TVs, computers, smartphones and tablets – are expected to have made the largest contribution to overall sales levels this year, with video games and other entertainment-related electronics items also likely to have proved popular. A significant number of present-buyers, however, will still have opted for gift vouchers, while sales of clothing and toys are also expected to have enjoyed steady growth in the run-up to Christmas. 
Asia
Switching the wider focus to Asia and to Japan in particular, the country’s holiday shopping peak season is expected to start a little later than in the west, with Black Friday gaining increasing traction, though yet to compete with the hugely popular New Year sales. Overall, though, Japan’s retail sector is expected to have a good Christmas, an outcome buoyed by general upturn in consumer sentiment.
Overall, September marked the 11th month of consecutive retail sales growth, although October did see a minor drop of 0.2% year-on-year. Despite this hiccup, November saw the highest level of consumer confidence since September 2013. In terms of products, consumer electronics and electrical household appliances are expected to have been the most in demand in the run-up to Christmas, while entertainment-oriented electronic products, such as the Nintendo Switch and other gaming consoles, were also expected to have proved popular, as were a number of daily use items, including facial massagers and bath salts. The inclement weather that struck Japan throughout December, meanwhile, was expected to provide a boost for sales of warmer clothing.
Turning to China – and despite the fact that Christmas is not officially observed in the country – many consumers have a pronounced inclination to shop as the year-end approaches, with November / December retail sales jointly accounting for around one-fifth of the annual total. While recent unconfirmed reports that Christmas is to be officially banned may have dampened sales in certain cities, there is no real expectation that overall retail activity will have been notably curbed. A number of shoppers, however, are expected to postpone much of their festive / gift shopping until January 2018, largely as a consequence of the longer than usual interval between New Year and the Lunar New Year (16 February).
Sales conditions overall remain favourable, with the China Consumer Confidence Index – a quarterly gauge of job prospects and spending intentions across the mainland, conducted by Nielsen – reaching an all-time high in the third quarter of 2017. In line with this upturn in consumer confidence, the November level of retail sales in China showed a 10.2% year-on-year increase. For 2017 as a whole, total retail sales are likely to have maintained double-digit growth, with an average increase of 10.3% already recorded for the first 11 months of the year.
Turning to China’s online retail sector, this has enjoyed robust growth. Between January and November 2017, the level of online sales across the mainland grew by a massive 32.4% year-on-year. In total, online sales accounted for 14.8% of all retail spending for the first 11 months of 2017, a significant rise over the 12.6% in 2016.
Singles’ Day – the annual November 11 event held to celebrate the single life – is now seen as kicking off China’s holiday shopping season. This year, Alibaba alone notched up RMB168 billion in sales in the run-up to this unofficial festival, with its 39% year-on-year upturn in sales reflected in the performance of many of China’s other e-commerce giants. For Alibaba, though, its 2017 Singles’ Day sales marked a new record for the company since the launch of the first Singles’ Day back in 2009 with sales of 52 million RMB. In addition to Singles’ DayBlack Friday is also gaining traction as one of China’s major retail events, a development that has been driven by the rise in cross-border e-commerce.
In terms of the items likely to have proved the best-sellers across the mainland this year, smartphones – a staple of the everyday life of many mainlanders – are set to take the number one slot, followed by a number of household electrical appliances, most notably smart TVs, washing machines and other small household appliances. Sales of clothing and outdoor/sports fittings, too, are expected to show steady growth.
Other Emerging Markets
With the overall European economy expanding rapidly over the course of the last 12 months, much of this was buoyed by the healthy retail markets in many of the formerly Soviet nations. In Russia, for instance, consumers were notably less pessimistic with regards to the domestic economy. This was highlighted by the six consecutive rises in the Consumer Confidence Index recorded by the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) in the third quarter of 2017. With the 2018 World Cup set to be staged in 11 cities across Russia in the June-July period of next year, the country’s retails sector is all but assured of a windfall from both local and overseas supporters.
Turning to Hungary, it has enjoyed solid economic growth throughout the year, with retail sales recording a 6.3% year-on-year rise as of October. According to the country’s National Commerce Association (OKSZ), December’s retail sales should easily notch-up a 4% rise when compared to last year. In Poland, if anything, the figures are even more promising. According to the Bank Millennium, one of the country’s largest commercial banks, Poles are expected to spend some €5.24 billion over the 2017 Christmas period, a 9.3% year-on-year rise. In the Czech Republic, its Christmas sales hit a high on 11 December, with online spending alone exceeding CZK 1 billion ($46.6 million), according to the country’s Association for Electronic Commerce.
Moving some 11,000 km to the southwest, the overall Christmas sales results in Latin America are expected to be a little more mixed. On the upside, Brazil’s Retailer Confidence Index showed a 10.6% year-on-year rise in November, according to figures released by the National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC). In line with this improving confidence, Brazil’s retail sales over the Christmas period are expected to enjoy a 5.2% year-on-year rise.
By contrast, Mexican and Chilean consumers are expected to be little more moderate when it comes to their 2017 Christmas expenditure, a consequence of the poor performance of the two countries’ economies. In Mexico, things appear relatively less promising, with its economy having shrunk by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter of 2017, its first contraction for nearly two years. Mirroring this, October saw its retail sales drop for the third consecutive month, signalling an overall year-on-year decrease of 0.1%.
A Hearty Welcome for 2018
Overall, the global retail market enjoyed healthy festive growth over its traditionally busiest period. It was also clear that many retailers were keen to begin the seasonal sales period as early as possible, with shoppers also happy to make advance purchases in order to avoid the crowds and supply shortfalls likely to be found as the holiday proper approached. In the US, for instance, discounts ran from Black Friday right through to Christmas, with several areas also reporting a number of pre-Thanksgiving promotions.
Similar structural shifts in the holiday shopping season was also observed in many other countries, including Germany, Italy and China, an indication that the peak holiday shopping season is no longer solely restricted to the immediately pre-Christmas period, but now extends back into November. Indeed, the 2017 holiday season started briskly with bustling Black Friday sales in the west, record takings on China’s Singles’ Day and a number of other retail milestones being exceeded elsewhere in the world, prior to an all-round uptick in the final few shopping days leading to Christmas.
For 2018, the improved holiday sales performance in many of the major markets indicates the likelihood of a positive consumer spending environment and an overall optimistic outlook for the global economy over the near term. In particular, the positive retail sales growth witnessed towards the end of 2017 suggests that the traditional markets are now on track for growth, while the emerging economies are also picking up speed.
In the case of the US, its economy is expected to maintain its growth momentum well into 2018, with consumer confidence, which has finally regained its pre-financial crisis level, set to drive retail spending. With the exception of the UK, the prospects for many of the European countries, with their recovery continuing apace, again seems positive. The biggest question mark hanging over the region, of course, remains the likely outcome of the ongoing Brexit negotiations which will finalise the divorce agreement between the UK and the other 27 EU-affiliated nations.
Overall, Asia is expected to remain the primary driver of global economic growth. In the case of China, the rapid growth of its domestic purchasing is seen as indicating that moves to re-balance the economy have clearly proved successful, with the country now on course for continued growth. In Japan, by contrast, its economy seems set for only moderate economic growth, even given the likely boost stemming from Tokyo’s successful bid to stage the 2020 Olympics. In terms of the country’s retail sector, the consumption tax hike proposed for 2019 may see a surge in luxury product purchases in 2018 as shoppers bid to buy before the new levy is imposed.
Over in Europe, the emerging central and eastern economies are likely to benefit from the continuing recovery of their more developed neighbours to the west. By contrast, over in Latin America, many of its constituent countries – with the possible exception of Brazil - may face a tougher time, with each needing to address the particular challenges that are impacting on their economic development.
Looking at the lessons to be learnt from the 2017 holiday season, it is clear that the online market remains the frontline for many global retailers, with the growth of e-commerce revenue continuing to outpace the growth in overall retail sales in many of the major markets. This, however, does not necessarily sound the death knell for bricks-and-mortar retailers, instead it shows a clear change in shopping habits and a shift to the online-to-store shopping model. As a consequence, it is now not unusual for shoppers to browse products in a store, compare prices via a mobile device and then make the final purchase from a desktop system.
All in all, the ubiquity of omnichannel purchasing opportunities will continue to transform the global retail industry, resulting in both new challenges and new opportunities for Hong Kong exporters. With the global economy taking a clear upturn, though, there has never been a better time for Hong Kong exporters to review their strengths and weaknesses as they look to maintain their overall competitiveness.
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China’s Green Shoppers: Preferences and Satisfaction Levels#gerardpocquet

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Environmental awareness is on the rise in China, and so is the demand for green products. Consumer focus group discussions conducted by HKTDC Research [1] show that mainland consumers’ consumption of all kinds of eco-friendly products is growing. The green items they buy most frequently are food and drinks, followed by household cleaning products. The green products they are most satisfied with are food and drinks, personal care products and electrical home appliances. There are marked differences in the preferences and consumption patterns of consumers in first- and second-tier cities and between different age groups.
Preferences for Different Types of Green Products
Green consumer goods have become an essential part of household consumption on the mainland. Participants in the survey rated which categories of products they bought most frequently. Food and drinks was the most popular category, followed by household cleaning products. Clothing and accessories was joint third in the list, along with personal care products. Then came baby and child products [2], electrical home appliances, furniture and furnishings, and office  appliances.
Respondents also rated the categories of product according to the importance they gave to environmental factors when making a purchase. Again, food and drinks came top, followed by furniture and furnishings. Personal care products, baby and child products and household cleaning products were all rated joint third, with clothing and accessories, electrical home appliances and office appliances following on behind.
Respondents then rated the categories of product by customer satisfaction. They were most satisfied with food and drinks, personal care products and electrical home appliances, but were not so happy with office appliances.

Food and Drinks
According to the views expressed in the focus group discussions, mainland consumers seem to be quite satisfied with green products in the food and drinks category. However, they raised a number of concerns, such as the excessive premium paid for organic food, a lack of authoritative certification for green products, and the lack of a traceability system for production and circulation processes.
There are several aspects of the existing green food and drinks market that respondents are satisfied with. These include:
  • Green products are safe and healthy with no use of pesticides.
  • The taste, texture and colour of organic vegetables and fruit are better than those of ordinary products.
  • The rich variety of products and clear labelling mean consumers get a wider choice.
They are not satisfied with:
  • Prices being high; the price of organic food, in particular, is several times higher than that of non-organic equivalent products.
  • Products having short best-before dates (most food products with long best-before dates contain preservatives); they are difficult to keep fresh during transportation (freshness of food may be affected by the duration of transportation).
  • The production process not always being traceable or transparent and it not being possible to make inquiries about the process.
  • Having to rely on claims made by manufacturers about whether food items are truly green and/or organic.
Areas for improvement:
  • The origins of food products should be made traceable and the procedures of production, processing inspection and quarantine should be made more transparent.
  • Supervision should be further strengthened and more authoritative certification marks should be used to help consumers make purchasing decisions.
  • The price of organic products should be made more affordable. These items now account for a significant part of household spending.

Household Cleaning Products
There is a growing demand for green household cleaning products as more people become familiar with terms like “phosphate-free” and “fluorescent whitening agent”. The main problems that consumers face when looking to buy such products are the lack of uniform certification marks and clear product identification, and the failure by manufacturers to publicise their products enough.
The main aspects of this market that respondents are satisfied with include:
  • Green household cleaning products are better for health and the environment – they do not harm or irritate the skin and allow users to feel the effects with their hands. Less foam is visible.
  • The products provide functional satisfaction – for example, being able to re-use green batteries and rechargeable batteries.
  • The products have a higher price-performance ratio.
They are not satisfied with:
  • The cleaning power of green products not being as good as ordinary products, with no way to tell whether there are residues.
  • The lack of variety and the failure of many brands to publicise their eco-friendly qualities.
  • The high price of some green products. For example, unbleached paper costs more than bleached paper.
  • The lack of purchasing channels. Some green products are only sold in high-end supermarkets.
Areas for improvement:
  • There should be more distribution channels for green household goods.
  • Prominent eco-labelling should be added to product packaging to help shoppers identify the products.
  • Manufacturers should take part in more community service activities and increase publicity about green household cleaning products.

Personal Care Products
Mainland consumers’ main environmental concerns regarding personal care products are about the personal health benefits of such products, rather than the effects they have on the environment. They value concepts such as “plant-based” and “no additives”. However there is a lack of authoritative green certification standards. Most green personal care products on the market are to do with skin care, which means that there remains great potential for other green personal care products.
Respondents are satisfied with the following aspects of green personal care products:
  • The effects of plant-based shampoo are obvious and can be felt.
  • The difference of not having chemical additives can be directly felt.
  • Some of the sanitary napkins are made of pure cotton and not non-woven fabric.
  • Most of the products have big names and eco-labels, and have no additives or scent in their ingredients.
They are not satisfied with:
  • Limited choice with too few eco-friendly series. For example, eco-labels are rarely found on products like mouthwash and toothpaste.
  • The relative lack of cosmeceuticals (cosmetics with purported medicinal benefits) compared to other skin care products.
  • Most companies putting greater emphasis on the functions of their products than their green benefits.
Areas for improvement:
  • The ingredients of skin care products should be made clearer.
  • Supervision of purchase channels should be further strengthened and greater efforts should be made to crack down on counterfeits.
  • There should be more brands for consumers to choose from.
  • Eco-labelling should be made clearer.

Baby and Child Products
Respondents with children all set much store by the green qualities of baby and child products, equating “green” with “safe” and “healthy”. There is great demand for green baby and child products in both first- and second-tier cities. However, the focus group discussions found that consumers in first-tier cities tend to prefer international brands.
These are the aspects of the green baby/child product market that respondents are satisfied with:
  • Great varieties; clear labelling of raw materials and ingredients; clearer labelling than adult brands.
  • The effects of green products on babies’ skin can be felt directly.
  • Multiple and convenient purchase channels; salespeople are able to give clear explanations for products.
  • Green products give consumers peace of mind and can better ensure children’s health.
They are not satisfied with:
  • The high price of products of international brands.
  • Insufficient safety testing being done by domestic brands.
  • The lack of second-hand channels for the recirculation of used toys.
Areas for improvement:
  • Testing should be more strictly carried out and products should be further classified.
  • There should be a wider choice in terms of specifications, styles and packaging.

Clothing and Accessories
Mainland consumers can largely only identify eco-friendly clothing by checking the components and the A/B classification shown on the label. Authoritative green certification standards are lacking. Consumers also say there is not enough guidance and education on the green aspects of clothing.
The aspects of this market that respondents are satisfied with are:
  • Pure cotton clothing is comfortable to wear and one can directly feel whether the fabric is comfortable.
  • The labelling is very clear and one can tell at a glance whether the clothing is made of pure cotton.
  • There is a rich variety of brands and a lot to choose from.
They are not satisfied with the following aspects:
  • The lack of publicity about formaldehyde being found in clothing and the lack of guidance from manufacturers about how to deal with this problem.
  • The lack of government regulation of the clothing sector; the quality of the goods made by many small workshops is not dependable.
  • Clothing labels do not show the presence of harmful substances.
  • The ink used in printing on clothing may be harmful to the body.
Areas for improvement:
  • Eco-labelling should be added to clothing items. Existing labelling only shows the components and cotton content but does not indicate whether the product is eco-friendly. The name of certification authority should also be shown.
  • There should be unified standards for different consumer groups, such as products for children, men and women.

Electrical Home Appliances
Energy labels are widely recognised by mainland consumers. The respondents are generally quite satisfied with electrical home appliances bearing energy labels, such as refrigerators, washing machines and air-conditioners. Choosing appliances with low energy consumption has become a general trend. Mainland consumers hope to see unified energy consumption standards for small home appliances.
The aspects of this market that respondents are satisfied with are:
  • Energy labels are very clear.
  • Different brands of good-quality home appliances are available on the market and there are a lot to choose from.
  • The home appliance industry is relatively well-regulated and most of the appliances are products of famous brands.
They are not satisfied about:
  • The price of appliances bearing Grade 1 energy label being quite high.
  • Manufacturers’ claims for energy consumption possibly being exaggerated. Energy consumption is likely to increase significantly after a period of time.
  • The energy label for small home appliances not being clearly shown and it being difficult to identify appliances with low energy consumption.
Areas for improvement:
  • Small home appliances such as soy milk machines, rice cookers, egg cookers, egg boilers and microwave ovens should all come with energy labels.
  • Energy consumption standards should be made more transparent and precise. For example, some appliances claim they only consume 1 kWh of electricity a day but actually consume more than 2 kWh.

Furniture and Furnishings
Eco-friendly furnishings, paints and furniture have become increasingly popular on the mainland. However, the main problem consumers face is the lack of authoritative environmental certification.
These are some of the qualities of the products that respondents are satisfied with:
  • It is easy for consumers to feel the difference between them and other products that are not eco-friendly.
  • Formaldehyde content is within a safe range one month after decorating the house with eco-friendly materials.
The aspects they are not satisfied with are:
  • Manufacturers may make false claims. For example, some products claim to have zero formaldehyde content when in reality they only have relatively low formaldehyde content.
  • There are no specific environmental standards for furniture and furnishings.
  • Indoor air pollution by decoration is unavoidable. It is impossible to truly achieve zero-pollution.
Areas for improvement:
  • Component labelling should be added.
  • Sales links and channels should be made more open and transparent to minimise chances of consumers being cheated or misled.
  • The varieties of eco-friendly furniture should be increased and they should all bear eco-labels.
  • Furniture and furnishings should come with product identifiers, through which consumers can make direct enquiries and trace specific product information.

Appendix
Background
Environmental pollution and food safety issues have been prevalent on the mainland for some time. As educational and income levels go up and living standards improve, Chinese consumers’ environmental awareness and demand for green products are also on the rise. Meanwhile, the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan also supports green consumption. In order to help Hong Kong companies tap the mainland market, HKTDC Research commissioned a series of consumer focus group discussions to gauge the attitudes and preferences of mainland consumers about green products.
Methodology
The study was conducted in Shanghai and Guangzhou (first-tier cities) and in Wuhan and Chengdu (second-tier cities) in March 2017. A total of eight consumer focus group discussions were held in these cities (two in each city). The aim of the discussions was to achieve a deeper understanding of the attitudes of mainland consumers towards green products.

Focus Group Design
Surveyed citiesShanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu
Number of groups64 participants divided into eight groups. Two for each city.
Grouping divisionGroup 1 (eight people, aged 25-35)
Group 2 (eight people, aged 36-45)
Profile of participants:- Has lived in the city for at least one year
- Has bought green products in at least two categories in the past six months
- Principal member of the family in buying green products
- Has higher awareness and better understanding of green products
- Monthly household income:
  Shanghai and Guangzhou: RMB15,000 or above
  Chengdu and Wuhan: RMB9,000 or above
Other demographics:Among the 64 participants:
- Women (58%); men (42%)
- 50% have children aged 0-6
- 69% have university education
- 38% have monthly household income of RMB15,000-20,000;
  33% have monthly household income of RMB20,001-30,000



[1]  See Appendix for details of the focus group discussions.
[2]  Respondents with children aged 0-6 made up just 50% of the total number of focus group participants. Those without children are less likely to attach importance to green baby/child products, which affects how this category has been rated in this survey. When only the responses of those with children are considered, the importance of buying green when purchasing baby/child products rates far higher. Virtually all respondents with children were inclined to buy eco-friendly baby and child products.
Content provided by Picture: Billy Wong

Visa bloque les cartes bancaires de Wirex, TenX, Bitwala, Cryptopay#gerardpocquet

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Visa bloque les cartes bancaires de Wirex, TenX, Bitwala, Cryptopay…

Alors que les cartes bancaires permettant d’utiliser son portefeuille de cryptomonnaies dans le commerce ou d’accèder aux bornes de retraits bancaires (ATM) se multiplient, à l’instar de Wirex, TenX, Bitwala, Cryptopay, Visa vient de mettre un terme à l’utilisation d’une dizaine d’entre elles, en demandant à leur opérateur bancaire WaveCrest de cesser toute opération sur les cartes délivrées.
Ainsi des millions d’utilisateurs ne peuvent plus utiliser leurs cartes bancaires depuis le jeudi 4 janvier, Visa considérant que WaveCrest ne respecte pas différentes clauses de son contrat.

800 000 clients sans carte bancaire

De nombreuses sociétés, dont TenX ou Wirex, déclarent avoir anticipé cette situation, sachant que WaveCrest ne respectait pas son contrat avec Visa depuis plusieurs mois. Les deux sociétés devraient proposer une solution à leurs clients dans les prochains jours en choisissant un nouvel opérateur et en leur envoyant de nouvelles cartes bancaires. Cela étant, ce sont tout de même 200 000 clients pour TenX et 600 000 clients pour Wirex qui ne peuvent plus utiliser leurs cartes.
Pour certaines de ces sociétés, les mois à venir risquent d’être difficiles, l’intégration d’un nouveau fournisseur nécessiterait en effet de 6 à 18 mois de développement.
De son coté, Visa déclare ne pas vouloir interdire les cryptomonnaies et continue à accepter des programmes de cartes bancaires convertissant bitcoin et ether en dollars ou en euros pour peu que leurs opérateurs respectent leurs engagements contractuels.
Tags

Comment changer son assurance de prêt?#gerardpocquet

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 Comment changer son assurance de prêt?

En 2017, la loi Bourquin fut promulguée pour rendre possible la résiliation du contrat d’assurance et de prêt immobilier pour chaque emprunteur, et cela chaque année à partir du 1er janvier 2018. En effet, jusqu’à présent, les clients n’avaient l’opportunité de changer de contrat d’assurance qu’au cours des 12 premiers mois suivants la signature du prêt, grâce à la loi Hamon de juillet 2014. Aujourd’hui, il leur est possible de résilier le contrat d’assurance chaque année à date anniversaire du prêt immobilier, à condition de prévenir la banque en respectant un délai de préavis de minimum.

Les avantages pour changer d'assurance de prêt
Cette nouvelle disposition présente de nombreux avantages d’ordre économique, mais permet également la mise en place d’une meilleure couverture de prêts sur le long terme. Cette flexibilité permise par le nouvel amendement permet au client, non seulement de négocier son taux d’intérêt avec l’assurance, mais aussi de comparer les prix des offres, afin de choisir celle qui lui convient le mieux. Grâce à cette méthode, des réelles économies sont possibles, qui, selon le Sénateur Martial Bourquin, peuvent atteindre les 700 euros par an, pour des contrats pouvant aller jusqu’à 25 ans. De plus, les courtiers sont à dispositions pour conseiller les clients au cas par cas, et leur proposer les solutions les mieux adaptées en fonction des profils.

La procédure à suivre
Il faut toutefois respecter certaines conditions pour pouvoir bénéficier des avantages de ce nouvel amendement. En effet, il n’est pas possible de résilier son assurance de prêt à n’importe quel moment. La première condition consiste changer d’assurance seulement à la date anniversaire du prêt en question, avec un préavis de deux semaines, et ce à partir de la première année de prêt, tandis que deux mois de préavis sont nécessaires à partir de la deuxième année de prêt. Il est même possible dans certains contrats de résilier une assurance au 31 décembre de chaque année, mais ces cas sont plus rares.
Ensuite, les emprunteurs devront demander à la banque de confirmer que les garanties du nouveau contrat couvrent au moins bien celles du contrat d’assurance actuel : c’est ce qu’on appelle l’équivalence de garanties. Ainsi il est important de bien s’informer afin de suivre les procédures correctement et de s’y prendre à temps.
Enfin, il est nécessaire de présenter à l’avance le nouveau contrat d’assurance choisi ainsi que ses conditions générales pour obtenir l’accord de la banque qui vous a octroyé le prêt immobilier. Car ce n’est qu’une fois l’accord de la banque donné concernant l’équivalence de garantie qu’il sera possible de demander une résiliation à l’assureur initial, pour ensuite adhérer au nouveau contrat.

Changer pour optimiser
Ainsi, changer d'assurance prêt, c’est se donner la chance de trouver une assurance plus personnalisée, adaptée au profil de l’emprunteur, qui peut dès lors se voir faire des économies sur la totalité de ses prêts. C’est aussi l’opportunité d’obtenir une meilleure assurance avec des taux d’intérêt beaucoup intéressants. L’amendement de janvier 2018 laisse donc entrevoir de belles perspectives.

Pascal VEREANO


Amazon’s Best of Prime 2017 Reveals the Year’s Biggest Trends —More than 5 Billion Items Shipped with Prime in 2017#gerardpocquet

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Press Release
Amazon’s Best of Prime 2017 Reveals the Year’s Biggest Trends —More than 5 Billion Items Shipped with Prime in 2017
More new paid members joined Prime worldwide than any previous year
Prime members around the world used Prime digital benefits this year more than ever before
Best of Prime 2017 in the U.S. includes Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot, Prime Video: The Grand Tour, Prime Music: “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and Prime Reading: The Handmaid’s Tale
December 30 was Prime’s largest day for streaming around the world, with Prime Originals — The Grand Tour 2 and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — its top two shows
Prime members now enjoy unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 100 million items in the U.S.
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 2, 2018-- (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon today announced its Best of Prime 2017 – revealing some of the Prime member favorites of the year. Built on a foundation of fast, free delivery, more than five billion items worldwide shipped with Prime in 2017, including free same-day, one-day, and two-day shipping. Prime is designed to make members’ lives easier and more fun with a unique combination of shipping, shopping and entertainment. Prime members used their digital benefits in 2017 more than in any previous year - putting The Grand Tour on Prime Video, “Believer” by Imagine Dragons on Prime Music and The Handmaid’s Tale on Prime Reading on the U.S. ‘best of’ list for 2017. Find Amazon’s Best of Prime 2017 on Prime Insider.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005390/en/
Best of Prime 2017 in the U.S. includes Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot, Prime Video: The Grand Tour, Pri ...
Best of Prime 2017 in the U.S. includes Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot, Prime Video: The Grand Tour, Prime Music: "Believer" by Imagine Dragons and Prime Reading: The Handmaid's Tale (Graphic: Business Wire)
“From Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot to Imagine Dragons, Manchester by the Sea and even the Instant Pot, Prime members certainly have great taste! Tens of millions of members around the world enjoy the many benefits included with Prime, and in fact, more new paid members joined Prime worldwide this year than any previous year. In 2017, more than five billion items worldwide shipped with Prime and members used digital benefits like Prime Video, Prime Music and Prime Reading more than ever before,” said Greg Greeley, Vice President, Amazon Prime. “Our Best of Prime feature not only demonstrates what was trending this year, it also gives us insight into what members love, providing additional inspiration as we continue to innovate, invest and make Prime even better in 2018.”
Prime is even better with Amazon devices and Amazon devices are even better with Prime
Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot top the Best of Prime 2017 as the best-selling products purchased by U.S. Prime members from any manufacturer in any category across all of Amazon. Prime members in the U.S. embraced smart home shopping in 2017, with Prime members adding millions of new Amazon devices to their homes, including Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, Echo Dot and Amazon Echo. These devices allow Prime members to get even more from their membership by accessing music, video, photos, voice shopping and more.
Best of Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading and Twitch Prime
In the U.S., Prime offers members unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Audible Channels for Prime, Prime Reading, Prime Photos and Twitch Prime; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, and more.
Amazon Originals Were in Demand on Prime Video
  • Amazon Prime Video had a record year as a global streaming service. Customers in over 240 countries and territories around the world made The Grand Tour Season 1 and Sneaky Pete the most streamed Prime Originals.
  • December 30, 2017 was the biggest streaming day of the year around the world, and the top streamed series on Prime Video that day were The Grand Tour Season 2 and Golden Globe-nominated The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
  • Manchester by the Sea was the most watched Amazon Original Movie in the U.S.
  • Live coverage of 10 NFL Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video this season reached more than 17 million combined viewers in over 200 countries and territories.
  • Based on trailer views, among the most anticipated Prime Originals in the U.S. were Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Man in the High Castle Season 3.
Prime Music Playlists Provided Prime Members with a Perfect Soundtrack
  • “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay were top played songs on Prime Music in the U.S.
  • Some of the most played artists in 2017 in the U.S. included Luke Combs, Imagine Dragons, Shawn Mendes, Kesha, Brett Young and Halsey.
  • Prime members in the U.S. loved listening to curated playlists by Amazon Music experts, including; “Top Prime Songs,” “Uptempo Pop for Work” and “Relaxing Acoustic Pop.”
Prime Reading Unlocks What’s New and Brings Back Classics
  • Dystopian novels held the top spots on Prime Reading’s 2017 ‘most borrowed’ list in the U.S., including Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and George Orwell’s 1984.
  • When it came to magazines, food publications Clean Eating and Bon Appétit Magazine held the top ‘most read’ spots in the U.S. on Prime Reading.
  • The most popular Prime-eligible audiobook on Audible in the U.S. was No Excuses! by Brian Tracy and the most popular Audible Original Series for Prime in the U.S. was Bedtime Stories for Cynics.
More Great Entertainment with Twitch Prime
  • Twitch Prime members worldwide ordered more than five million pre-release games with a Prime discount.
  • Twitch Prime offered more than $1,100 in free gaming content in 2017 including 23 full games for free, 113 pieces of loot across 19 of the most popular games of the year. This included rare or exclusive content in Overwatch, Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, and Warframe, which were three of the most popular bundles of loot among Twitch Prime Members in 2017.
Instant Pot was Hot
A Prime Day favorite in the U.S., the Instant Pot heated things up in 2017. Instant Pot was the most gifted item on Amazon Wedding Registry and the most Wish Listed item of the year by members and the Instant Pot Cookbook was the most gifted book by members as well in the U.S. in 2017. In fact, the Instant Pot found itself a spot in homes from coast to coast as it was delivered to 27,000 U.S. zip codes.
Unlimited Fast, Free Prime Shipping
In 2017, more than five billion items were shipped with Prime worldwide. Members in the U.S. can now enjoy unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 100 million items – expanded from more than 50 million items. This is in addition to Prime FREE One-Day Shipping and Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery in more than 8,000 U.S. cities and towns, and two-hour delivery with Prime Now in more than 30 major cities.
Continued Prime Investments in Speed and Selection
With over 100 million items now eligible for free Prime shipping, Amazon continued to expand its fulfillment capacity for Prime members and the millions of small and medium-sized businesses that are able to offer free Prime shipping through Fulfillment by Amazon. In 2017, the Amazon fulfillment and shipping network increased by more than 30% in square footage worldwide. In the U.S. alone, more than 6,000 trailers and 32 Amazon Air planes were in place to serve Prime members during the year.
Every Day Made Better with Prime – Now in 16 Countries
Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Tens of millions of members around the world in 16 countries enjoy the many benefits of Prime. In the U.S. that includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Audible Channels for Prime, Prime Reading, Prime Photos, Twitch Prime; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Amazon First Reads, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping and members receive unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 100 million items, Prime FREE One-Day Shipping and Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery in more than 8,000 cities and towns, and two-hour delivery with Prime Now in more than 30 major cities. New countries that joined Prime in 2017 include Mexico, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Singapore. Prime is also available in the U.S., U.K., Spain, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, China, Canada, Belgium and Austria. Start a free trial of Amazon Prime at amazon.com/prime.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.


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