Department stores in China November 2013 Table of Contents ! Introduction 3 Market overview 4 Competitive landscape 10 Major headwinds and challenges 14 Key highlights 19 Conclusion and implications 31 Appendix: Store location of major department stores in China 34 Department stores in China 2013 Introduction 2013 has, so far, been another difficult year for China’s department store sector. Major department store operators witnessed a significant slowdown in sales last year, and growth should continue to slow over the coming year. The fierce competition from shopping malls, specialty stores and online retailers is key. At the same time, the concessionary model provided by many department store operators has led to poor differentiation in the market, making it harder for operators to compete with retailers in a variety of segments. To survive in a highly competitive marketplace, some department store operators are working hard to differentiate themselves. Major initiatives include enhancing in-store experiences by launching new service offerings and incorporating more entertainment elements and catering services. These also include refining market strategies and segmentation in the market, developing private labels and increasing the proportion of direct sales, while building synergies across various sales channels. In this report, we take an overview of China’s department store sector and assess the competitive landscape. There is also a review of the sector’s major challenges and latest developments. " Market overview # Department stores in China 2013 Department store sales growth slackens off over 2012 Relatively weak economic sentiment, changing consumer shopping behavior and fierce competition led to significant sales slowdowns for department stores in 2012. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), total sales revenues for department stores grew 0.8% to 325.2 billion yuan in 2012. Growth rates for sales declined by 20 percentage points (ppts) as compared with 2011 (see Exhibit 1). Exhibit 1: Department store total sales revenues, 2003-2012 billion yuan % Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China China Commerce Association for General Commerce 1 also reported that its 81 department store members’ total sales increased by 8.9% year-on-year (yoy) to 228.3 billion yuan in 2012 (see Exhibit 2); the growth rate was far lower than the average annual growth rate of 16.5% recorded between 2006 and 2011. Exhibit 2: Performance by 81 department store members of the China Commerce Association for General Commerce, 2011-2012 2011 2012 yoy changes % Total sales of goods (million yuan) 209,586.0 228,274.5 8.9 Operational income (million yuan) 19,742.3 20,717.8 4.9 Operational expenses (million yuan) 19,991.8 22,062.5 10.4 6,403.7 6,010.7 -6.1 3.9 3.1 -20.2 12,926,749 14,084,062 9.0 Total profits (million yuan) Profit margins Operational area (sqm) Source: China Commerce Association for General Commerce 1 Source: 2012 China Department Store Report $ At the same time, it is believed that the new Chinese leadership’s eagerness to curb government spending on luxury items has slowed gift-giving and posed a negative impact on sales of high-end department stores. Most department stores operate under a concessionary model Currently, most department stores in China adopt a concessionary business model. They lease designated store areas to concessionaires a n d re c e i v e a p e rc e n t a g e o f t o t a l s a l e s proceeds from such arrangements. Exhibit 3 shows concessionary rates for selected department store operators. These have been falling over recent years, particularly so in 1H13. This was due partly to the fact that sales in product categories carrying lower concessionary rates – such as gold and jewellery – grew faster than those in other categories for 1H13; there has also been an adjustment to accommodate new stores that command lower rates or offer more promotional activities. Exhibit 3: Concessionary rates for selected department stores, 2011-1H13 2011 2012 1H13 Golden Eagle 19.6% 18.6% 17.2% Intime 17.2% 17.4% 17.3% New World 18.5% 17.0% 17.8% Parkson 18.7% 18.4% 17.6% Source: Company annual reports and interim reports By operating under the concessionary model, department store operators do not involve themselves in brand operations and only control brand selection to a limited extent. Furthermore, as department store operators rely on popular and major brands to attract pedestrian traffic, the merchandise mix is poorly differentiated. As shown in Exhibit 4, about 90% of selected department stores’ gross sales were generated from concessionary deals; most attract only limited direct sales from proprietary brands and brands which were directly purchased. Having said that, some players have started to develop their own private labels, hoping that this will help increase product differentiation. % Department stores in China 2013 Exhibit 4: Sales breakdown of selected department stores, 2012 Source: Company annual reports #Note: Direct sales, concessionary sales, rental income and other income as a % of total gross sales processed; other income includes management fees and rentals Stores engaged in multiple formats, tapping other business sectors Competition in China’s department store market is fierce, and many department store operators are seeking to diversify their income streams. Many players among the top 100 retail chain operators (the “Top 100s”) in 2012 operate in other retail formats that include supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, shopping malls and discount outlets. At the same time, some have also tapped into other business sectors such as food and beverage, commercial property, logistics, finance, hotels and entertainment. For instance, Dalian Dashang Group runs a specialist wine retailing business and has over 100 chain stores located in cities in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Henan, Shandong, Sichuan, Shanxi, Guangxi provinces2 The group also opened a movie theatre chain business in 2011 and its cinemas can be found in major cities across the north-eastern part of China. Another example is Liaoning Xinglong Big Family Business Group. It operates a holiday resort business in Panjin, Liaoning province3. Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporated Company also owns Home Mart, a home improvement chain retailer4. It is noteworthy that when compared with foreign players, domestic department store operators are more flexible in running other retail formats. Exhibit 5 shows the top 40 department store operators in 2012. 2 http://dsnew100.com/company2-2.php 3 http://www.xinglongstore.com/cyqyjj.asp?news_id=71756 4 http://www.shfriendship.com.cn/introductOrg.asp & Exhibit 5: Top 40 department store operators, 2012 Enterprise Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporated Company* Sales value (million yuan) 57,000.0 2 Dalian Dashang Group Co., Ltd.* 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Ranking 1 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Total yoy change 3.6% Number of stores 2012 49 37,275.0 4.7% 170 Chongqing Department Store Co.,Ltd. Yingzuo Group Changchun Eurasia Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Rainbow Department Store Co., Ltd. Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Jiangsu Wenfeng Great World Chain Store Development Co., Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Limited Hefei Department Store Group Co., Ltd. 33,399.7 32,031.2 24,145.0 21,574.4 20,373.5 19,723.6 19,490.6 18,669.2 16,900.0 11.5% 16.3% 21.3% 7.4% 7.5% 20.1% 0.8% 13.6% 14.2% 286 104 58 28 59 48 995 28 190 Zhenghua Group Intime Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. New World Department Store China Ltd.* Beijing Capital Retailing Group Co., Ltd. Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Beijing Caishikou Department Store Co., Ltd.* Liaoning Xinglong Big Family Business Group 16,425.7 16,308.7 16,000.0 14,374.3 12,948.7 12,700.0 12,518.1 -8.2% 19.3% 3.2% 4.4% 24.1% 8.9% 11.2% 109 30 39 17 39 15 30 Zhengzhou Dennis Department Store Co., Ltd. Wanda Department Store Co., Ltd. Shijiangzhuang Beiguo Group (department store part) Anhui Commercial Capital Co.,Ltd. Guangzhou Grandbuy Co., Ltd. Liqun Group Co.,Ltd (department store part) Hunan Friendship and Apollo Co., Ltd. Nanjing Central Emporium Group Stocks Co., Ltd. PCD Stores (Group) Ltd.* Jinan Hualian Commercial Group Wuhan Zhongnan Commercial Group Co.,Ltd Beijing Cuiwei Plaza Shopping Center Charter Group Holdings Limited Handan Sunshine Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Shunyi Guotai Commercial Building Xinyulou Department Store Group Co., Ltd.* Xiongfeng Group Co., Ltd. Guangxi Nancheng Stores Joint-stock Co., Ltd. Nanning Department Store Co. Ltd. Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Ltd. JiaHua Stores Holdings Ltd. 12,200.0 11,178.3 11,054.1 10,992.9 10,569.8 8,858.5 7,440.6 6,800.0 6,340.7 6,113.3 5,770.2 5,556.6 5,280.0 5,212.0 4,911.8 4,618.5 4,200.0 3,295.3 3,262.5 3,060.0 2,389.4 2,093.8 543,055.7 13.0% 61.3% 24.6% 5.0% 13.5% 10.7% 19.4% 23.6% 12.7% 11.1% 8.2% 2.6% 10.0% 13.1% -1.7% 2.4% 11.1% 15.0% 8.6% 15.1% -7.8% -2.8% 10.3% 144 57 198 65 30 35 8 8 16 26 9 6 4 132 6 14 21 143 31 9 22 12 3290 Source: CCFA, company websites, company annual reports, modified by Fung Business Intelligence Centre ' *Estimated by CCFA Department stores in China 2013 yoy change 14.0% Supermarket !" 0.0% ! 5.5% 15.6% 16.0% 12.0% 15.7% 4.3% 0.5% 7.7% 2.2% ! Other retailing format Shopping Electronic Convenience mall specialty store Outlet store ! ! ! ! !" ! ! ! ! Other major operating business Trading; Restaurant; Home improvement; Retailing Restaurant; Cinema; HOPSCA " ! ! ! ! Hotel; Wine; Property development ! 11.2% 3.4% 0.0% 0.0% 2.6% 25.0% 0.0% ! ! ! ! ! 45.5% 42.5% 48.9% 6.6% 3.4% 6.1% 14.3% 14.3% 23.1% 8.3% -10.0% 20.0% 33.3% 9.1% 0.0% 0.0% 16.7% 10.9% 14.8% 0.0% 29.4% -36.8% 8.4% ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Trading; Restaurant; Home improvement; Retailing; Trading; Commercial property; Hotel ! ! ! ! ! ! Commercial property ! ! Hotel ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Place of origin Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Malaysia Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Hong Kong Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese Mainland ( Competitive landscape )* Department stores in China 2013 Domestic players Region-focused with strong local support Most domestic department store operators are regional players, and they generally have a better understanding of local consumers’ needs and stronger connections with local suppliers and distributors. Moreover, many are state-owned and can obtain valuable support from local governments. …but some are seeking to widen their footprints Having said that, some domestic department store players have been actively widening their footprint over recent years. Wangfujing Department Store is a case in point. As of June 2013, Wangfujing operated a total of 30 stores in China covering two municipalities and 14 provinces. Intime Department Store, on the other hand, has announced plans to open more stores in tier 3 and 4 cities across the country. Foreign players Expanding at a slower pace Foreign department stores have been involved in the China market for many years and have developed wider national footprint. Compared with domestic players, foreign stores have not been doing well over recent years; some have either had to suspend aggressive expansion plans and focus on revamping existing stores or close unprofitable stores and withdraw from certain cities (see Exhibit 6). Increasing pressure from domestic players, a lack of understanding of consumer needs and inadequate product differentiation are the major reasons behind poor performances. )) Exhibit 6: Selected examples of foreign department store closures Department Store Store location City Closing date Opening date Isetan Taiyuan Street branch Shenyang Jun-13 2008 Ito-Yokado Wangfujing branch Beijing Jan-13 Nov-05 New World Taizhou branch Taizhou, Jiangsu Nov-12 Jan-09 Ningbo branch Ningbo, Jiangsu Feb-12 Nov-04 AEON Chaoyang branch Beijing Mar-12 Jun-10 Parkson Shijiazhuang branch Shijiazhuang, Hebei Aug-13 2008 Dashizi branch Guiyang Jun-13 2000 Jinfenghuang branch Guiyang Dec-12 2008 Hongqiao branch Shanghai Aug-12 Dec-02 Source: News reports and company websites … and with different approaches … On the other hand, as Chinese consumers are becoming more sophisticated – especially those in key cities – a number of foreign department store operators are keen to tap the China market. To differentiate from existing players, the new ones are offering more innovative and personalised shopping experiences and bringing in new products and brands. For instance, Galeries Lafayette unveiled its first flagship store in Beijing in September 2013. Over 50% of the brands available in the store were introduced to China for the first time, and some of the merchandise is exclusively owned by the Beijing store. Galeries Lafayette also offers a free personal shopper service. Another example is Lane Crawford. After failing to succeed in China seven years ago, the high-end department store operator re-entered the mainland market by opening a flagship store in Shanghai in September 2013. The new store sells a host of fashionable products from apparel and lifestyle to cosmetics and home ware. To cater to more discerning customers, Lane Crawford has put in place personal concierges on each floor with a team of 65 personal stylists, trying to keep turn the business around. )! Department stores in China 2013 Exhibit 7 shows the store location for selected domestic and foreign department stores in China. Exhibit 7: Store location for selected department store operators in China Wangfujing Department Store New World Department Store Rainbow Department Store Parkson Department Store Intime Department Store Golden Eagle Department Store Source: Company websites, complied by Fung Business Intelligence Centre )" Major headwinds and challenges )# Department stores in China 2013 Poor differentiation remains a major concern Many department store operators have realised that relying largely on concessionary sales has led to poor market differentiation. However, most are still reluctant to change since under their concessionary model operators can reduce inventory risks and minimise efforts to source their merchandise; brand owners and distributors will be attracted to them and compete for the best in-store locations. Cost pressure undermines players’ profitability All department store operators face the challenge of rising operating costs. A survey conducted by CCFA and Deloitte 5 revealed that all 43 sampled department store operators encountered rising cost pressures, with rentals, labour costs and utility fees increasing by 17.3%, 14.8% and 18.6% respectively in 2012 (see Exhibit 8). Exhibit 9 shows the cost components of the sampled department stores. Labour costs constituted department stores’ highest expenditure, followed by rentals and utility fees. Exhibit 8: Annual operational expense of sampled department stores million yuan % Source: CCFA and Deloitte: China Power of Retailing 2013 5 CCFA and Deloitte: China Power of Retailing 2013 )$ Exhibit 9: Cost composition of the sampled department stores Source: CCFA and Deloitte: China Power of Retailing 2013 Increasing competition from counterparts in other retail segments Department stores have been facing tougher competition from retailers in other retail segments such as online retailing, hypermarkets and discount outlets, as many Chinese consumers still view the price of goods as their number one priority. In particular, the rising popularity of online shopping poses an increasing threat to department store players. According to iResearch, the total transaction value of online retailing rose to 454.8 billion yuan in 3Q2013, up 42.4% yoy, and accounting for 7.8% of China’s total retail sales. Hence, for certain product categories such as apparel, bags and accessories, consumer electronics and cosmetics products, department stores serve largely as showrooms for customers to touch and feel the products before they place an order online. At the same time, specialty stores increasingly appeal to customers as they can provide more personalized services and a unique shopping experience. Specialty stores have been expanding aggressively over recent years, driven primarily by the rapid expansion of local specialty retailers and an increasing number of international apparel players entering the China market. Some examples include Topshop, Forever 21 and Hollister. The rise of this specialty store segment also poses an increasing threat to the overall department store sector. )% Department stores in China 2013 Problems arising from online and offline integration Threatened by pure “click” retailers, many department store operators have launched their own online platforms. However, nearly all online players are making a loss. This is largely attributable to the fact that most traditional department store operators do not have a powerful enough and transparent database to support their online operations. In order to capture and analyse consumer data and understand customers’ shopping preferences, department store operators need to invest considerably more in upgrading their IT systems. Some industry experts believe that it can cost as much as 1 billion yuan in the first three months to set up an online infrastructure. Hence, the payback period is lengthy. Moreover, since stores’ online and offline channels are often operated by different teams, conflicts can arise and affect online product choice. Lack of professional buyers As mentioned earlier, some department store players are seeking ways to differentiate themselves; increasing the proportion of private labels and direct sales merchandise is often the strategy they adopt. A prerequisite is to recruit experienced buyers. This is certainly a challenge faced by many players. One example is in the apparel merchandise sector where experienced buyers not only need to have an in-depth knowledge of fabrics and upcoming fashion trends but also need good negotiation skills to deal with brand owners and distributors. Usually it takes at least three years to nurture a junior buyer and around eight years to train a merchandise manager. However, some department store operators are not willing to invest the time and money to train their buyers: They worry that the buyers they train will move to another company in view of the country-wide shortage of experienced in-house buying personnel. Impact of anti-gifting policy on department stores is evident China’s new leadership has increased efforts to curb corruption. The new regulations prohibit government agencies from purchasing luxury goods for gifting. It is expected that the government’s anti-gifting campaign will hit the sales of high-end goods and affect the profitability of high-end department stores. )& Furthermore, since a significant percentage of total sales of many Chinese department stores come through the prepaid card channel, sales of high-end department stores have already been negatively affected by the regulations put forth by the State Council in 2011; these require prepaid card issuers to register the identities of customers with purchases of 10,000 yuan or more. Prepaid card purchases are likely to be deterred by the extra hurdles that have been imposed. As shown in Exhibit 10, it is notable that same store sales growth (SSSG) for major department stores has been decelerating since 2011. Exhibit 10: SSSG for selected department stores Source: Deutsche Bank )' Department stores in China 2013 Key highlights )( Enhancing the in-store experience To survive in a highly competitive market, some department store operators differentiate themselves by launching new service offerings and incorporating more entertainment features and catering services, hoping to provide a more personalized shopping experience. Examples include spas, beauty and hair salons, kid’s playgrounds and lifestyle cafés. Such offerings are designed to not only attract customers but keep them in the stores longer. This type of “department store plus shopping mall” business model is becoming increasingly popular. For example, Shimao Department Store has revamped its store in Fuzhou by reducing its floor area for apparel retailing from 80% to 20%, and increasing the floor areas for catering and entertainment to 20% and 60% respectively 6 . Sogo Department Store in Beijing is reportedly intending to rent out part of its floor space to tenants and operate under the shopping mall format7. Meanwhile, Golden Eagle Department Store is eager to turn some of its existing stores into“lifestyle” outlets by adding entertainment facilities such as cinemas and ice-skating rinks, as well as other services amenities such as food and beverage offerings and children’s educational facilities. 6 http://fj.house.sina.com.cn/news/2013-08-16/084776188.shtml 7 http://www.bjbusiness.com.cn/site1/bjsb/html/2013-10/09/content_230168.htm?div=-1 !* Department stores in China 2013 Refining market strategies and segmenting the market Some department store operators have refined their market strategies to cater to specific customer demographics. For instance, Rainbow Department Store owns two retail brands: “Rainbow” targets the mass market while “Dream-on” targets high-end customers. Dalian Dashang has also opened Kingson Department Store to attract trendy youngsters, while its Mykal Department Store targets the high-end market. Some industry experts believe that department stores with distinct themes and positioning, and those with refined strategies will be the clear winners amid intensified competition. Developing private labels and increasing the proportion of direct sales Almost every department store operator realises the importance of increasing the proportion of direct sales merchandise and developing private brands. Although it takes times to train a professional buyer and requires a large investment to develop private labels or launch proprietary brands, some department store operators are actively working in this direction. It is expected to take a lengthy period of time to for them to reap the benefits. F o r e x a m p l e o f p ro j e c t s u n d e r w a y, N e w Wo r l d Department Store introduced an exclusive lifestyle home ware collection, LOL (or Love Original Life) in its stores. Ito Yakado Department Store launched private labels pbi (or petit bonheur inatendu) ,a apparel collection, and IYB, a homeware collection in China. Wangfujing Department Store is reportedly to launch its first collection of private labels by the end of 2013. !) Strengthening merchandise categories To stand out from competitors, some department store operators have started to develop “uniqueness” by focusing on certain categories, hoping to differentiate themselves and attract different customer groups. Realising that customers now pay more attention to home decorations, Wuhan Zhongbai Commercial Group has teamed up with home product designers from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong to offer unique collections. At the same time, eyeing an increasingly elderly population, Guangzhou Guangbai has launched a comprehensive range of products and services aimed specifically at an older clientele. Building synergies across sales channels Over recent years, department store players have been facing a growing threat from pure “click” retailers. Having said that, many department store operators believe that both online platforms and physical stores can co-exist; customers now not only go for lower prices but also shopping convenience and experience. Some department store operators are actively working on online and offline integration plans. !! Department stores in China 2013 Department store operators are starting to look more deeply at “omni-channel retailing”, and trying to pull together multi- and cross- channel offerings, including physical stores, online platforms, mobile platforms, and social media, in the hope of providing seamless cross-channel experience for customers. Intime Department Store is one of the forerunners trying to develop a strategy that can seamlessly integrate all sales channels while taking into consideration the entire customer experience. Intime set up its online platform, Yintai.com in late 2010. It has also launched its flagship store on Tmall, with more than 300 brands and 60,000 SKUs. The retailer has launched two mobile apps for consumers to shop via their smart phones. Like many other retailers, Intime is using Sina Weibo9 and WeChat10 to reach out to customers. To achieve better online and offline integration, Intime shares client database between the online and offline platforms; it also carries out promotions on the two fronts. Crossutilization of its large VIP customer database enables Intime to provide tailor-made services for each VIP customer. Recently, Intime sought to further integrate its online and offline business by forming a strategic partnership with Tmall, whereby the retailer participated in China’s Single Days event 11 . Intime redecorated and updated its online store at Tmall and its 35 physical stores also supported the Single Day’s event by displaying cartoon boards demonstrating Tmall image and posters; customers could purchase Intime’s online products at Tmall by screening product codes when shopping in Intime’s physical stores. 9 A popular Chinese micro-blogging site 10 A multi-media communication mobile phone application which also provide services include social sharing, gaming, making payment, etc. 11 http://www.intime.com.cn/zgs/2013/20131018gsdt.pdf !" Exhibit 11: Multi-channel strategies of selected department stores Department store Physical store Brand proposition Online platform Intime Mid- to high-end yintai.com Online yintai.tmall.com Online platform brand proposition High-end to luxury ; Flash sales High-end to luxury ; Flash sales Marketing and promotion Application Yintai.com Intime flash sales Golden Eagle Mid- to high-end goodee.cn Parkson Mid- to high-end parkson.com.cn Mid- to high-end Zizhong store Wangfujing Mid- to high-end store wangfujing.com Mid- to high-end Wangfujing mobile Rainbow Mid- to high-end tianhong.cn Mid-end None New World Mid- to high-end xinbaigo.com Mid-end New World mobile Better Life Mid- to high-end None None None Maoye Mid- to high-end None None None Source: Company websites, modified by Fung Business Intelligence Centre !# Mobile Goodee mobile Department stores in China 2013 Social media Function Function Social media For mobile purchase WeChat; Weibo For mobile purchase WeChat; Weibo Provide personalized and distinguished service information Marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion WeChat; Weibo WeChat; Weibo None WeChat; Weibo WeChat purchase For mobile purchase WeChat; Weibo Marketing and promotion; Making payment through WeChat None WeChat; Weibo Marketing and promotion None WeChat; Weibo WeChat purchase WeChat; Weibo Marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion Marketing and promotion Multi-channel initiatives Fully integrate online and offline stores. n/a n/a Working with IBM to study and propose how to develop multi-channel/omni-channel retailing. Teamed up with Tencent to launch pre-paid cards to Store allow customers to top-up and pay with WeChat accounts for online and offline purchases. Teamed up with Tencent to launch pre-paid cards allowing customers to pay, refill, accumulate and use VIP points and receive store promotions via WeChat accounts. Launching online platform; planning to fully integrate online and offline stores. Teamed up with Tencent to allow customers to purchase and pay online via WeChat accounts and pick up at offline stores. !$ M&A activities continue to accelerate Over recent years, rising numbers of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) between department store operators have been noted in China. For many players, M&A is a fast way to expand their footprint and step into other retailing formats. Exhibit 12 lists the major M&A activities in China’s department store sector over 2012 through 2013. One prominent case was the acquisition of PCD Stores by Wangfujing Department Store earlier this year. Wangfujing Department Store acquired PCD Stores, which operates 18 department stores and three discount outlets in China, with a view to expanding market share and geographical coverage in the country; Wangfujing will now also be able to tap into a discount outlet retailing format and increase its proportion of self-owned properties. Exhibit 12: Major M&A deals in China’s department store sector, 2012-2013 Deal Deal announcement value Bidding company Target company date (US$ million) Beijing Cuiwei Tower Co.,Ltd. Beijing Modern Plaza; 17-Sep-13 n/a Beijing Ganjiakou Plaza New World Department Store Shanghai Huizi Department Store 16-Oct-13 47 Beijing Wangfujing International PCD Stores Group., Ltd. 24-Jan-13 257 Century Sunshine Commercial 28-Aug-12 21 15-May-12 1 Commercial Development Co., Ltd. Baoji Retailing 19.73% of total share Nanjing Central Emporium (Group) Lianyungang Central Department Stocks Co., Ltd. Store Source: China Venture; related news reports !% Department stores in China 2013 Tier 3 and 4 cities are on the radar of department store players Lower-tier cities have shown huge growth potential over recent years. According to McKinsey12, smaller cities with populations of less than 1.5 million will become China’ s major driving force over the coming years and can form formidable clusters with huge economic potential. It is estimated that this grouping will contribute 40% of China’s total urban GDP growth through 2030. McKinsey13 has also forecast that the proportion of China’s middle class households in Tier 3 and 4 cities will comprise 40% in 2022, up from 18% in 2002. Many players have already made forays into tier 3 and 4 cities and will continue to pursue their aggressive expansion in such cities. For instance, over 80% of Golden Eagle and Intime’s pipeline stores are located in lower tier cities (Exhibit 13 and Exhibit 14) Exhibit 13: Golden Eagle Department Store- pipeline stores Store Province Date Changzhou Jiahong Additional Jiangsu 2013 Xian Shaanxi 2013 Nanjing XJK Phase2 iangsu 2014 Kunshan Jiangsu 2014 Yancheng Jiangsu 2014 Nantong Jiangsu 2014 Hefei Jiangsu 2014 Danyang Jiangsu 2014-2015 Jiangning (Nanjing) Jiangsu 2015 Ma’anshan Anhui 2015 Wujiang Jiangsu 2015 Xuzhou Additional Jiangsu 2016 Hexi (Nanjing) Jiangsu 2016 Suzhou Flagship Jiangsu 2016 Changzhou #3 Jiangsu 2016 Changzhou #4 Jiangsu 2016 Source: Morgan Stanley, CIMB 12 McKinsey Insights China: What’s Next for China? 13 McKinsey - Mapping China's Middle Class !& Exhibit 14: Intime Department Store - pipeline stores Store Province Date Hangzhou Hubin Zhejiang 2H 2013 Hangzhou Chengxi Zhejiang 2H 2013 Tangshan Xinhua phase II Hubei 2H 2013 Hefei Intime City Anhui 2H 2013 Haining Intime City Zhejiang 2H 2013 Huzhou Aishan Zhejiang 2H 2013 Wuhan Wuluo Intime City Hubei 2014 Hangzhou Zhongda Zhejiang 2014 Liuzhou Intime City Guangxi 2014 Wenzhou Yueqing Zhejiang 2014 Baotou Gaoxin Inner Mongolia 2014 Shaoxing Haiman City Zhejiang 2014 Huzhou Dongwu Zhejiang 2014 Wenling Intime City Zhejiang n/a Baoji Intime City Shanxi n/a Wuhao Wuluo Hubei n/a Wuhu Intime City Anhui n/a Taizhou Jiaojiang Zhejiang n/a Source: Haitong report, 21 March 2013 In diversification, the shopping mall format is gaining in popularity As previously mentioned, many department store operators are diversifying their retail businesses by engaging in multiple formats. In particular, the shopping mall format is favoured by department store operators and investors. Some store operators have started to do this by either actively investing in commercial properties or working with property developers to develop and operate their own shopping malls. For instance, Wangfujing Department Store formed a joint venture with Taubman Asia14, a renowned international real estate player engaged in developing and managing shopping malls, to develop malls in China; the first project will be located in Xi’an. Intime Department Store is also actively developing shopping malls, representing nearly 50% of Intime’s pipeline projects15. The retailer’s latest shopping mall, Yintai City, began trial operations in September and attracted more than 200,000 shoppers16. 14 http://xa.winshang.com/news-171002.html 15 Haitong research report, 21 March 2013 16 http://news.winshang.com/news-189528.html !' Department stores in China 2013 Shopping malls are winning appeal, but the investment boom has led to some oversupply Shopping malls are increasingly the preferred places to visit and shop, so many property developers or department store operators in China are eyeing the commercial property market. However, the investment boom fuelled by this interest in the sector has led to an oversupply of shopping malls in certain cities. According to CBRE17, China was by far the most active shopping mall market in the world in terms of mall space completed. In 2012, seven cities among the global top 10 most active shopping mall markets are in China (see Exhibit 15 below). Also, among CBRE’s 180 surveyed cities, half of all shopping centre space under construction is located in China. Exhibit 15: Top ten most active shopping centre developments, 2012 Source: CBRE research, April 2013 Note: Cities with more than 100,000 sq m of new shopping centre space in 2012 As indicated in a report18 by Deloitte and CCFA, as at the end of 2011, China had a total of 2,812 shopping centres open for business, with an aggregate total commercial building floor space of 177 million sqm. The total commercial building floor space for shopping malls is expected to reach 250 million sqm by the end of 2013. Facing intensified competition, many retailers are slowing expansion plans and focusing on revamping their existing stores. As a result, shopping mall vacancy rates in China remain high. According to Knight Frank19, in 1H13, the average vacancy rate in China’s tier 1 cities reached 8.1%, up 0.2ppt yoy; at the same time, the average vacancy rate in China’s tier 2 cities was 9.7%, a fall of 1.3ppt compared with that of 1H12. 17 CBRE Global Viewpoint, April 2013 18 Mall China Information Centre, Deloitte, China Chain Store and Franchise Association 19 Knight Frank: 1H 2013 China Retail Property Market Watch !( Due to the softening retail market, an oversupply of commercial properties is likely to continue over the coming year and developers will find it difficult to recruit new shopping mall tenants. Exhibit 16: Vacancy rates in prime shopping malls in China, 1H13 Source: Knights Frank – 1H 2013 China Retail Market "* Department stores in China 2013 Conclusion and implications ") Competition is fierce in China’s department store sector. To cover this, both existing and potential department store operators are advised to keep a close eye on the following issues: Department store or shopping mall? The content matters It is observed that when Chinese consumers shop at physical stores, they are generally looking for a chance to bond with family or friends. Hence, the right proportion of catering, shopping and entertainment facilities is one of the most important elements for success. The increasing popularity of shopping malls is partly attributable to their successful tenant mix. Most feature various retail brands, but now also include a host of restaurants that offer an international cuisine, cinemas and spas, kids playground, and so on. Department store operators are advised to select the tenant mix carefully to maximise foot traffic. Supply chain management is a must Nowadays, more and more department store operators realize the drawbacks of the concessionary model – low profits, poor differentiation of brands and products, and low customer loyalty to name but a few. They are now aiming to adopt a differentiated business model by direct merchandise sales and by launching private labels. To be successful, department store operators need to have an in-depth knowledge of supply chain management and build up an enhanced management system. On the one hand, this allows retailers to source, make order, and arrange delivery with manufacturers in a more efficient and transparent way when developing their private label products. On the other hand, a sound supply chain management system also allows department stores to share inventory and sales information between individual stores, and thus enables retailers to better assess customer demand for their direct merchandise products or private labels. At the end of the day, customer is the king – omni-channel approaches Today, Chinese consumers are becoming more discerning and they treasure the shopping experience more than ever before. At the same time, they are more familiar at optimizing their shopping experience across different channels, including physical stores, online platforms and social media. Tech-savvy Chinese consumers prefer to obtain "! Department stores in China 2013 product information and peer feedback from Sina Weibo or WeChat prior to buying the product; they like to shop anytime, anywhere and on any device. After placing the order, they expect retailers to accept a variety of payment methods. When it comes to product delivery or refund, they expect this to be done easily. The newly-purchased product is expected to be delivered to a specified address or picked up at a customer’s preferred store or pick-up locker; when there is a need for a refund or exchange, they prefer to do this with minimum effort, by either bringing it back to store of their choice or by having someone pick up and deliver the product back to the store for them. To win in today’s highly competitive marketplace, department store operators need to take account of consumers’ rapidly evolving shopping preferences, and to explore various aspects of an omni-channel strategy. Capturing the Big Data Indeed, omni-channel strategies are likely to work only if department store operators can seamlessly track and share customers’ shopping habits across all sales channels in a timely manner. The appropriate use of Big Data allows operators to spot trends and better adapt to consumers’ changing needs. Moreover, they can adjust product and service offerings to suit customers’ changing needs. The key is to have in place an advanced information technology system that can access and share customer information across all channels. "" Appendix: Store location of major department stores City South Guangzhou Shenzhen Dongguan Huizhou Shantou Zhuhai Shunde Zhaoqing Jieyang Zhongshan Heyuan Maoming Foshang Zhanjiang Conghua Zengcheng Guigang Nanning Wuzhou Liuzhou Yulin Hechi Baise Yizhou Guigang Guilin Xiamen Fuzhou Yongan Jinjiang Zhangzhou Putian Ningde Quanzhou East Shanghai Hangzhou Huzhou Jiaxing Changshu Ningbo Zhoushan Wenzhou Jinhua Cixi Yiwu Zhuji Shengzhou Shaoxing Nanjing Suzhou Wuxi Nantong Lianyungang Yangzhou Xuzhou Jining Taizhou Taizhou Huaian Yancheng Changzhou "# Province Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporatd Yinzuo Company Group Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangdong Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Guangxi Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Fujian Changchun Eurasia Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Rainbow Department Store Co., Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Eagle Hefei Intime New World Department Department Department Store Group Zhenghua Store (Group) Store China Co., Ltd. Group Co., Ltd. Limited Beijing Capital Retailing Group Maoye International Holdings Ltd. 1 26 7 2 6 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 22 Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Zhejiang Jiangsu Jiangsu jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Jiangsu Wenfeng Great World Chainstore Development Co., Ltd. 4 1 1 1 1 1 10 9 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 4 1 2 2 1 7 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 Beijing Caishikou Zhengzhou Department Liaoning Dennis Store Xinglong Department Co., Ltd. Big Family Store Department stores in China 2013 in China Wanda Department Store Co., Ltd. 2 Shijiangzhuang Beiguo Group (Department store part) Liqun Anhui Group Hunan Commercial Guangzhou Co.,Ltd Friendship Capital Grandbuy (Department and Apollo co.,Ltd. Co., Ltd. store part) Co., Ltd. Nanjing Central Emporium Group Stocks Co., Ltd. PCD Stores (Group) Ltd.* 13 Jinan Hualian Commercial Group Wuhan Zhongnan Commercial Group Co.,Ltd Beijing Cuiwei Plaza Shopping Center Charter Group Holdings Limited Handan Sunshine Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co., Ltd. Xinyulou Nanning Department Xiongfeng Department Store Group Group Store Co., Ltd.* Co., Ltd. Co. Ltd. Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Ltd. JiaHua Stores Holdings Limited 5 14 1 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 5 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "$ City Suqian Zhenjiang Liyang Jintan Kunshan Jiangyin Taicang Hefei Ma'anshan Bangbu Tongling Huangshan Huainan Liu'an Haozhou Chaohu Wuhu Shucheng Xuancheng Huoqui Chuzhou Chizhou Ningguo Suzhou Wuwei Yeji Nanling Huaibei North Beijing Tianjin Hohhot Baotou Erdos Taiyuan Qingdao Yantai Weihai Zibo Linyi Jinan Dongying Laiwu Taian Binzhou Rizhao Tengzhou Anqiu Weifang Heze Xintai Liaocheng Xingtai Qufu Zhangqiu Jining Dezhou Zaozhuang Hebi Leling Kenli Niaonan Jimo Laizhou Rongcheng Jiaozhou Laixi "% Province Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Jiangsu Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Anhui Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporatd Yinzuo Company Group Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia Shanxi Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Changchun Eurasia Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Rainbow Department Store Co., Ltd. Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Jiangsu Wenfeng Great World Chainstore Development Co., Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Eagle 1 Hefei Intime New World Department Department Department Store Group Zhenghua Store (Group) Store China Co., Ltd. Group Co., Ltd. Limited Beijing Capital Retailing Group Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Beijing Caishikou Zhengzhou Department Liaoning Dennis Store Xinglong Department Co., Ltd. Big Family Store 1 1 2 3 7 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 2 1 1 6 4 7 5 2 5 6 3 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 8 13 1 13 5 1 1 1 1 2 2 6 1 5 1 Department stores in China 2013 Wanda Department Store Co., Ltd. Shijiangzhuang Beiguo Group (Department store part) Liqun Anhui Group Hunan Commercial Guangzhou Co.,Ltd Friendship Capital Grandbuy (Department and Apollo co.,Ltd. Co., Ltd. store part) Co., Ltd. Nanjing Central Emporium Group Stocks Co., Ltd. PCD Stores (Group) Ltd.* Jinan Hualian Commercial Group Wuhan Zhongnan Commercial Group Co.,Ltd Beijing Cuiwei Plaza Shopping Center Charter Group Holdings Limited Handan Sunshine Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co., Ltd. Xinyulou Nanning Department Xiongfeng Department Store Group Group Store Co., Ltd.* Co., Ltd. Co. Ltd. Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Ltd. JiaHua Stores Holdings Limited 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 9 5 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 "& City Wendeng Penglai Rushan Wuan Fengfeng Yongnian Zhucheng Shexian Chengyang Hengtai Laiwu Qinghuangdao Baoding Shijiazhuang Tangshan Wuan Handan Zhangjiakou Gaocheng Zaoqiang Zhaoxian Cangzhou Jinzhou Huanghua Qingxian Hejian Lixian Qianghe Botou Diaobingshan Langfang Shenyang Dalian Anshan Wafangdian Jinzhou Benxi Dandong Tieling Paijin Fushun Fuxin Chaoyang Yingkou Huludao Gaizhou Xingcheng Xinmin Liaoyang Changchun Jilin Yanji Huichun Quanyang Harbin Shuangyashan Daqing Qiqihaer Qitaihe Yichun Mudanjiang Jixi Heihe Tuohua Jiamusi Xingji "' Province Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Shandong Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Hebei Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Liaoning Jilin Jilin Jilin Jilin Jilin Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Helongjiang Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporatd Yinzuo Company Group Changchun Eurasia Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Rainbow Department Store Co., Ltd. Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Jiangsu Wenfeng Great World Chainstore Development Co., Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Eagle Hefei Intime New World Department Department Department Store Group Zhenghua Store (Group) Store China Co., Ltd. Group Co., Ltd. Limited Beijing Capital Retailing Group Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Beijing Caishikou Zhengzhou Department Liaoning Dennis Store Xinglong Department Co., Ltd. Big Family Store 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 7 1 1 3 5 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 Department stores in China 2013 Wanda Department Store Co., Ltd. Shijiangzhuang Beiguo Group (Department store part) Liqun Anhui Group Hunan Commercial Guangzhou Co.,Ltd Friendship Capital Grandbuy (Department and Apollo co.,Ltd. Co., Ltd. store part) Co., Ltd. 1 1 1 Nanjing Central Emporium Group Stocks Co., Ltd. PCD Stores (Group) Ltd.* Jinan Hualian Commercial Group Wuhan Zhongnan Commercial Group Co.,Ltd Beijing Cuiwei Plaza Shopping Center Charter Group Holdings Limited Handan Sunshine Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co., Ltd. Xinyulou Nanning Department Xiongfeng Department Store Group Group Store Co., Ltd.* Co., Ltd. Co. Ltd. Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Ltd. JiaHua Stores Holdings Limited 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 8 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 "( City Central Zhengzhou Luoyang Xinxiang Luohe Xuchang Xinyang Kaifeng Puyang Jiaozuo Pingdingshan Nanyang Anyang Shangqiu Shouguang Sanmenxia Wuhan Ezhou Xiangyang Xianning Suizhou Xiantao Jinmen Huanggang Shiyan Xiaogan Yichang Changsha Yueyang Loudi Huaihua Shaoyang Hongjiang Jishou Zhuzhou Changde Chenzhou Ganzhou Nanchang West Chongqing Chengdu Dazhou Mianyang Leshan Guangan Luzhou Yuechi Zigong Guiyang Liupanshui Kaili Renhuai Qingzhen Tongren Bijie Zuny Xi’an Xianyang Kunming Lanzhou Xining Yinchuan Urumqi Total Province Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Henan Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hubei Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Hunan Jiangxi Jiangxi Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Sichuan Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Guizhou Shaanxi Shaanxi Yunnan Gansu Qinghai Ningxia Xinjiang Shanghai Friendship Group Incorporatd Yinzuo Company Group Rainbow Department Store Co., Ltd. 1 1 Parkson Retail Group Ltd. Jiangsu Wenfeng Great World Chainstore Development Co., Ltd. Golden Eagle Retail Group Eagle Hefei Intime New World Department Department Department Store Group Zhenghua Store (Group) Store China Co., Ltd. Group Co., Ltd. Limited 1 Beijing Capital Retailing Group Maoye International Holdings Ltd. Beijing Caishikou Zhengzhou Department Liaoning Dennis Store Xinglong Department Co., Ltd. Big Family Store 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 4 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 4 1 1 1 25 41 As of November 2013 Source: Company websites #* Changchun Eurasia Group Co., Ltd. Beijing Wangfujing Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. 1 29 2 2 1 61 1 53 3 2 9 25 1 1 1 16 25 37 40 8 21 13 28 9 Department stores in China 2013 Wanda Department Store Co., Ltd. Shijiangzhuang Beiguo Group (Department store part) Liqun Anhui Group Hunan Commercial Guangzhou Co.,Ltd Friendship Capital Grandbuy (Department and Apollo co.,Ltd. Co., Ltd. store part) Co., Ltd. 2 1 Nanjing Central Emporium Group Stocks Co., Ltd. PCD Stores (Group) Ltd.* Jinan Hualian Commercial Group Wuhan Zhongnan Commercial Group Co.,Ltd Beijing Cuiwei Plaza Shopping Center Charter Group Holdings Limited Handan Sunshine Department Store (Group) Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Friendship Group Co., Ltd. Xinyulou Nanning Department Xiongfeng Department Store Group Group Store Co., Ltd.* Co., Ltd. Co. Ltd. Shirble Department Store Holdings (China) Ltd. JiaHua Stores Holdings Limited 14 14 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 3 1 75 12 16 22 29 7 7 14 4 9 5 4 9 7 15 3 4 #) Fung Business Intelligence Centre 10/F, LiFung Tower, 888 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: 2300 2470 Fax: 2635 1598 Email: lfdc@lf1937.com http://www.funggroup.com/ © Copyright 2013 The Fung Business Intelligence Centre. All rights reserved. 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