BCARD LAUNCHES FIRST LOYALTY MOBILE APP

“Loyalty is more convenient with BRewarded on the Go, campaign features 600 prizes to be won.”

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 4 ~ BLoyalty Sdn Bhd, the operator of BCARD loyalty program today achieved another milestone with the launch of the country’s first loyalty programme mobile app, “BRewarded on the Go”.  The mobile app is bringing more convenience and flexibility to suit today’s lifestyles as it revolutionizes how loyalty programmes connect with its subscribers, bringing brands even closer to consumers in real time.

In conjunction with the launch of “BRewarded on the Go,” BLoyalty also launched a “BRewarded Contest,” which encourages users to download and share the brand new mobile app with their social networks. Contest participants can win up to RM 40,000 in prizes, including exclusive holiday trips, Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphones, BPoints as weekly prizes and food & beverage vouchers as daily prizes when they download the app from December 4, 2012 to January 29, 2013.

Gary Yeoh, Director of BLoyalty Sdn Bhd with Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 finalists at the launch.

Currently, BCARD is the country’s number one multi-partner loyalty programme in terms of participating partners and is the only loyalty card that rewards its cardholders twice, at the point of purchase and at the point of redemption.

The “BRewarded On-The-Go” mobile app is available on the iOS and Android platforms allowing members to be constantly updated on the latest promotions, share these promotions with their friends, locate the nearest merchants, check their account balance and recent transactions and redeem their rewards on the go.

The latest merchant rewards and offerings are updated in real-time through the “BRewarded On-The-Go” mobile app allowing users to receive instantaneous alerts from their favourite brands. The app also features the redemption highlights from the various partner brands across multiple sectors.

“The compelling proposition with the “BRewarded On-The-Go” mobile app for users is to provide convenience and freedom for their lifestyle needs. It is truly exciting for our BCARD members, a large majority of which have embraced the digital lifestyle wholeheartedly, and navigate their daily experiences through the usage of their smartphones,” said Gary Yeoh, Director, BLoyalty Sdn Bhd.

“For our 60 merchant partners, who are already using the BCARD advantage to reach, reward and understand new and existing customers better, the BRewarded on the Go Mobile App means that they can now cultivate an even more personal and engaging relationship with their fans in real time,” he added.

The BCARD ‘BRewarded on the Go’ Campaign was launched by Gary Yeoh, Director of BLoyalty Sdn Bhd with the presence of the Miss Universe Malaysia finalists 2013. The launch presented a live walkthrough in the handling of the mobile app, as well as information on how to participate in the “BRewarded on the Go,” contest.

For more information on the “BRewarded on the Go” contest, please log on to www.bcard.com.my

U MOBILE INCREASES MARKET PRESENCE WITH RADIOSHACK STORES DEBUT IN MALAYSIA

Telco the First in the Market to Offer Products and Services at Renowned Retailer of Electronics Products

Kuala Lumpur, 25 September, 2012 – U Mobile Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s most innovative and dynamic telco, is drawing more orange dots on the map of Klang Valley as the telco widens its distribution network via a new collaboration with Berjaya RadioShack Sdn. Bhd., franchise developer for leading US-based electronics retail brand RadioShack. 

The partnership is yet another innovative and strategic initiative by U Mobile to expand its reach to a broader consumer market and provide greater convenience to consumers via the RadioShack stores in Mid Valley Megamall and Borders, The Gardens Mall. U Mobile is also the first telco to make its presence felt in the first RadioShack stores in Malaysia, which were officially launched on 20 September. 

At the two new stores, current and new U Mobile customers will be able to purchase the latest mobile devices, sign up for postpaid and broadband packages, buy prepaid SIM packs and reload coupons - all under one roof. 

Jaffa Sany Ariffin, CEO of U Mobile said, “Broadening distribution channels has always been one of our strategies and priorities, and this tie-up helps us meet customers’ needs for greater accessibility and convenience to our products and services. We are indeed honoured to be collaborating with Berjaya RadioShack Sdn Bhd as it carries some of the world’s most innovative electronic and technology products in the market and we believe both U Mobile and RadioShack will greatly benefit from this collaboration.”

The store openings were officiated by His Excellency Paul W. Jones, the U.S. ambassador to Malaysia who was accompanied by Tan Sri Vincent Tan, Chairman of U Mobile Sdn. Bhd and Jaffa Sany Ariffin.

The collaboration signals yet another addition to the company’s existing partnership with non-traditional distribution channels including Giant (GCH Retail Sdn Bhd), Singer, 7-Eleven and Cosway, making the telco’s total distribution channels more than 22,000 outlets nationwide.  

In conjunction with the collaboration, U Mobile offered great in-store promotions on the opening day where customers who signed up for a postpaid or a broadband service were entitled to a lucky draw. Attractive prizes such as a Blackberry Playbook 64GB, Nokia Lumia 800 and other U Mobile premiums were up for grabs.  

RadioShack is a leading American national retailer of innovative mobile and technology products, services and accessories. In Malaysia, the franchise is owned and managed by Berjaya RadioShack Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of franchise developer Berjaya Retail (Cayman) Limited. At least three more stores are scheduled to open by end 2012.

For more information on U Mobile’s products, services and the latest promotions log on to www.u.com.my.

RadioShack officially opens in Malaysia, Southeast Asia with unique twist

KUALA LUMPUR, September 20, 2012.

Malaysians can now take pride not only in the fact that Malaysia is the first country in Southeast Asia where leading US-based electronics retailer RadioShack is now officially open, but also in the fact that it has been given an unconventional twist by being housed in a bookstore.

The American brand with a 90-year heritage, offers innovative mobile technology products and services, as well as products related to personal and home technology and power supply needs, all under-one-roof. The first RadioShack locations debuted with a stand-alone store in Mid Valley Megamall and a store-in-store in Borders, the Gardens Mall.

The grand launch was jointly officiated by the American Ambassador to Malaysia H.E. Paul W. Jones and retail magnate Tan Sri Vincent Tan who is the major shareholder of Berjaya Retail Berhad. In full force to support the grand launch was Berjaya Corporation’s Chairman and CEO Dato’ Robin Tan, Berjaya Retail Berhad’s Director Tan U-Ming and RadioShack Corporation, USA’s vice president of franchise Martin B. Amschler.

RadioShack entered into a master development agreement with Berjaya Retail Berhad in March to grow the franchise in 10 Southeast Asian countries. The Malaysian grand launch marks the activation of the agreement; 3 more RadioShack outlets are expected to open in the coming months – a stand-alone store at Berjaya Times Square and a store-in-store in urban bookstore Borders at The Curve and Tropicana City Mall.

Yau Su Peng, Chief Operating Officer of Berjaya RadioShack Sdn. Bhd. which owns the RadioShack franchise, explained that this unique approach of placing a RadioShack in Borders, a bookstore, is a first for both brands. Yau who is also the Chief Operating Officer of Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd, the franchise owner of Borders said, “We want to make the buying of personal technology and electronics a pleasant and enjoyable
experience whereby one is able to comfortably browse without feeling rushed or intimidated, not unlike book shopping.” The Berjaya Retail “connection” affords them the ability to deliver this combination, and convenience, as a lifestyle retail destination.

Whilst its American heritage delivers on quality and transparency - you get what you pay for - RadioShack sets itself apart by being more approachable and engaging with its customers. They do this by hiring staff who are passionate about technology yet understand that not everyone is as savvy as they are. Yau elaborated “This allows us, to take the mystery out of the complexities of technology in the language that the customer understands – from layman to tech-savvy to geek-speak. But more importantly it builds
trust; not only of getting genuine, dependable products that will not let you down but also value for money solutions that suit your budget”.

“We’re excited to see the RadioShack brand expand to our 33rd country outside the United States with the new locations opening in Malaysia,” said Martin B. Amschler, vice president of franchise for RadioShack Corp., based in Fort Worth, Texas.

“RadioShack is known worldwide for helping customers find the right solution for their technology needs through industry-leading service and a thoughtfully selected assortment of technology products,” Amschler said. “Berjaya is a great partner and has a demonstrated track record of expanding the presence of leading U.S. retail brands in the region. We are pleased with the speed by which they have seized upon the RadioShack opportunity since we signed the franchise agreement in March.”

RadioShack’s core targets include professionals, students, mothers and their families who want to stay connected and be abreast with technology. The brand also seeks to appeal to electronics hobbyists, a niche group that appreciates the fun in building and creating.

To get Malaysians excited about the launch and draw them into the brand, RadioShack will be giving out products both on-ground as well as on-line via social media. A total of RM35,000 worth of rewards of which RM30,000 are in the form of gifts with purchase will be given out commencing from the grand launch right up to 31st October or while stocks last.

The RadioShack Grand Launch Giveaway runs through 31st October 2012 while stocks last. Customers will be rewarded according to the level of spend:

Spend RM60 and above, receive an AUVIO® Earbud (worth RM29.90)
Spend RM120 and above, receive an AUVIO® Pearl Buds with Mic (worth RM59.90) in random colours
Spend RM250 and above, receive an AUVIO® Concert Class Stereo Headphones (worth RM129.90)

There will also be contests on social media and those interested to participate should join its facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/RadioShack-Malaysia/190072054459031 or refer to #radioshackmalaysia on Twitter.

CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY FOR 80 ACER ASPIRE S3 i7 ULTRABOOK CUSTOMERS AT SPECIAL LAUNCH

Acer Fans Started Queuing from 4am for the Acer Aspire S3-951-2634G24 Special Launch Offer of RM1, 000 discount for the first 80 customers

Kuala Lumpur, 19 December 2011 - Hundreds of Acer fans crowded at the entrance of Berjaya Times Square early on a Saturday morning on 17 December 2011. Although the sale officially started at 11am, the queue started at 4am as fans patiently waited to snap up the latest Acer Aspire S3 i7 Ultrabook with Solid State Drive (SSD). This is the second Ultrabook from Acer since their first launch in early Oct this year. The current version of Acer S3-951-2634G24 powered by Intel(r) 2nd Generation Core(tm) i7 processor with SSD was offered to the first 80 Acer fans at a RM1, 000 discount (Normal retail price is RM 3,999), together with 2 tickets to the Lee Hom Live in KL Concert worth RM298 each and a Limited Edition Lee Hom Music Man Figurine.Self-employed Wong Wei Ching, 28-year-old, arrived at the queue as early as 4am and queued for 7 hours to become the first customer to leave Berjaya Times Square with the new Acer Aspire S3 i7 Ultrabook. "The Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook is my first Acer gadget. It's instant on features attracted me as I will be using the notebook for my business and I am always on the road. I need a notebook that is responsive and offers me a shorter waiting period. I decided to queue up for the Acer Ultrabook because I realized that the launch promotion is truly worthwhile!" shared Wong happily after she settled the payment for her first Ultrabook.
Another Acer customer in the queue was 27-year-old Kuan Teck Seng. The business executive has been an Acer fan and user for the past 10 years and started queuing at 7am. "I missed the Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook with i5 processor promotion in October. It's light and thin features were very attractive. When I knew about today's promotion, I told myself that I must not miss it this time. This would be the 4th Acer notebook for me. I started using Acer from my schooling days and I like Acer products for its innovations and affordability!"
Commenting on the special launch offer, General Manager of Acer Sales & Services Sdn. Bhd., Mr. Ricky Tan said, "We are pleased to introduce to Acer fans in Malaysia the second addition to the Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook family. In celebration of this joyous season of giving, we seek to treat our customers with this special launch offer of RM1, 000 discount. The key features of the Acer Aspire S3 such as the Instant On, Instant Connect, and long battery life remains, with a boost of power from the Intel(r) 2nd Generation CoreTM i7 processor and Solid State Drive. We hope Acer customers would enjoy this early Christmas gift from Acer Malaysia!""Together with our partner, Intel Malaysia, we are very proud to be the sponsors for the Lee Hom Concert that will take place on 3 March 2012 in Malaysia. As a leading personality in the music and film industry in Asia, Lee Hom has carved a successful career as a singer-songwriter, producer, actor as well as film director. He uses his talents and creativity to constantly keep his fans captivated. Similarly, Acer together in collaboration with partners like Intel strive to offer our customers a complete range of innovative mobile products with a time-to-market advantage." added Mr. Tan.

Besides the special launch offer for the Acer Aspire S3-951-2634G24 Ultrabook, Acer also feted customers and fans with exciting on-ground activities throughout the day. Finalists of the "Acer Aspire S3 Music-Fan Challenge" came for the final voting by the crowd. The winner, Choo Chin Hoong, 26-year-old walked home with 1 unit of the Acer Aspire S3 (i5) and two Lee Hom concert tickets. Dancing performances and a fashion show kept the crowd entertained while Lee Hom fans stood a chance to win Lee Hom merchandise and concert tickets through activities such as the "Best Fan Club Cheer" competition and guessing the name of Lee Hom's songs.

The joy of Saturday, 17 December 2011 will not stop there. Acer is extending the Acer Aspire S3 promotion from 18 Dec 2011 to 13 Jan 2012 for all customers nationwide who purchase the Acer Aspire S3 (i5 or i7). These customers will be entitled to redeem two Lee Hom concert tickets worth RM298 each upon purchase of the Acer Aspire S3 through www.laptopsperfected.com.my/S3i7. Total of 170 sets up for grabs.Further enquiries, please call Acer Product Infoline at 1800-88-1288 (9am - 6pm Mondays to Fridays).

Malaysia is catching up in Group Buying market

New player “JackCow” is confident to increase its market share with incredible offers to consumers

Malaysian has always been adverse to online shopping but the trend is definitely changing now with the Online Group Buying gaining great momentum and popularity in Malaysia. Believe it or not, the new e-commerce business model is spreading like wild-fire across the globe which originates from United States in 2009, had also created a huge impact and crafting a niche in its own right on buying habit landscape of the future.

JackCow.com, a new player started its operation since March 2011 had been experiencing steady growth in this highly competitive Malaysian Online Group Buying industry. JackCow brand is owned by Forum Digital Sdn Bhd, a fully subsidiary of Qinetics Solutions Berhad. “Our strong strategic alliances with Berjaya Group of companies and affiliation to 24Quan.com, currently one of the China Group Buying leader, will eventually spearhead JackCow in its mission to be among the top players in the region,” said Wong Sui Ting, JackCow’s CEO. Malaysia will follow suit as one of the fast paced one as prominently noted in the US and China.
All these made possible with our very own exponential growth fuelled by internet revolution especially on social networking. There were 16,902,600 internet users in Malaysia (representing 58.8% of the population), according to Internet World Stats in August 2011. This represented 1.8% of the Asian population. In South East Asia, Malaysia ranked second behind Philippines in digital consumers who have connected/interacted with brands, products or companies via social media in the past 12 months. Todate, based on the market research from Dealshelve.com, Online Group Buying has grown to sustainable 6Mil-8Mil market per month, which has developed into an industry and prominent market by itself.

JackCow is a Malaysian “Deal-of-The-Day”, website which offers dozens of slick deals everyday for many top brands in Malaysia, such as Kenny Rogers, Station One, Skin Renew, Bizzy Body, APT Saloon, KL Bird Park etc., pushing the limits up to even 90% discounts! Deals offered online are mainly on food and beverage, beauty and wellness, leisure activities and many more. All you need to do is to BUY the DEAL offered, SHARE the awesome deal with a minimum number of people and then ENJOY at a super low price! Elevate your lifestyle in a brand new way with JackCow.

“It is truly an exhilarating and unforgettable experience to enjoy great value from JackCow’s deal with your loved ones, with great saving by no digging deep into your pockets, thanks to JackCow! ” testimony from one of their many satisfied subscribers. Dining at expensive restaurants or owning the latest gadgets at knock-down price are really no big deal now. Gift giving this Christmas for someone special can be a breeze. With JackCow, it is stress free shopping and uncomplicated. The possibilities is endless, Now everyone can buy…Moore..savings!!

Smart and savvy consumers is catching up rapidly, thus setting another wave of revolutionary buying habits especially in urban areas. JackCow is not mere presenting deals. It is also a gastronomy, leisure and travel guide with a difference. Deals offered are of better quality, up-market products and at unbeatable prices!

“Subscriber recommending JackCow will be rewarded under our Referral Programme. Recommend your favorite deals to your friends to get rewards credited to your account which entitles you to get even greater discount on your next deal. You also get to experience it with those who matter to you most! There are a number of ways to recommend JackCow such as Facebook, Twitter and also through downloaded MyKouponz App for Android and iPhone,” said Justin Liew, its key Marketing Executive.

When asked about the key success factors of a group-buying company, JackCow’s CEO, Mr. Wong Sui Ting said “The key to success of a group-buying website lies on important factors, what I call as Win-Win Formula: Quality of the deal, quality and quantity of the member database. The onus of Quality of the deal is equally important in order to differentiate and compete among competitors. Thus, special deal that gives them great value will be bought in the end.”

On the branding, JackCow is one of the few Malaysian Group Buying sites that did not adopt any words that are relevant to the business nature. Unlike other websites that uses the popular words, e.g. deals, vouchers, coupons and discounts. JackCow, is a catchy name that will be easy to remember. It will also raise questions when mentioned. Those whom had heard JackCow for the first time were puzzled and curious on the nature of the business makes it really stands out from the rest of their competitors.

Wong revealed on his expansion plan, “To date JackCow had established its operation in Klang Valley, Penang and JB. Our next target will be Malacca and Kota Kinabalu by 2012. The Company expects to have close to 1 million subscribers by 2013, at present our subscriber database stands more than 250,000 registered users and 69,500 Facebook fans and growing rapidly on daily basis.

Asking about the future of JackCow in the market and how they can compete with the “big boys” such as Groupon Malaysia, Wong has added that “Although we are the youngest among the top 5 players in the industry, being the youngest among them clearly demonstrate that we are aggressive being able to deliver such result within the shortest time and certainly well position to be a prominent player in the market.” On the future expansion plan, Wong shared that “It could be divided into Business Development plan and Marketing plan.

Firstly for Business Development, besides growing the daily deals business through our strong market footing and penetrating our existing market more in depth, we also plan to open up new market by looking into travel & hotel deal, products and items deal, we believed is JackCow’s blue ocean. On Marketing plan, besides expansion into new geographical market, JackCow will aggressively reach out in depth of each market to more customers by sharing our attractive deals through online marketing on Google, Facebook and bloggers’ site, together with offline marketing, like media exposure, events and roadshow etc.”

JackCow had also initiated a noble cause to donate RM1 for every support shown by our members. We had donated the proceeds to ‘The Red Cross’ Emergency Disaster Relief of Japan as part of our CSR effort, as well as donation to our local cancer foundation” proudly announced by Wong.

Online Group Buying is definitely a strong and sustainable business model, because it is based on a triple-win concept for all three parties, being the merchant, which benefits from the free advertising and great opportunity to upsell their products and services while the Consumer benefits by getting attractive discounts and lastly, the group-buying website, benefits by profit share from the total sales generated and eventually gained even larger customers database. “Maintaining a good relationship with the merchants is the key the success in this industry.

JackCow’s USP is total customer satisfaction, including friendly customer policy such as 48 hours refund and JackCow customer friendly Support team providing helpful, clear and quick response to achieve total customers satisfaction. Lastly, we believe in building a Brand for JackCow, building a Business for the merchants and building great relationship with our customers,” Wong added. The Company has confidence in increasing its market share and promised to provide even more incredible offers to consumers.