{"id":32766,"date":"2025-04-24T00:56:17","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T23:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.argonandco.com\/?post_type=event&p=32766"},"modified":"2025-04-24T00:56:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T23:56:17","slug":"retail-asia-summit-malaysia-2025","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.argonandco.com\/en\/news-insights\/events\/retail-asia-summit-malaysia-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Retail Asia Summit Malaysia 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Retail Asia Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur brought together leaders, innovators and disruptors from across the retail sector to explore how businesses can navigate the next wave of change. From unified commerce and AI transformation to evolving consumer expectations and sustainability imperatives, the summit offered a clear view of where retail in Malaysia is headed \u2013 and what it will take to stay competitive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are our top takeaways:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Personalisation Still Reigns \u2013 But with Purpose<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As Opal Wu from McKinsey & Company noted, customer experience (CX) represents a real opportunity to outperform the competitors, with 83% of consumers saying the #1 factor determining if they will shop again is their experience at the retailer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    So, companies should put customers and people first, not technology, with an effort for personalisation which isn\u2019t just about pushing product. It\u2019s about delivering the <\/span>right<\/span><\/i> experience at the <\/span>right<\/span><\/i> time for the <\/span>right<\/span><\/i> customer. Or in Opal\u2019s words:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cPersonalisation is, in essence, giving the right product to the right customer at the right time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This philosophy echoes the “7 Rs of Supply Chain” and reinforces the need for data-driven, customer-first strategies in retail.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. Unified Commerce \u2013 Rethinking Omnichannel<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Low Ngai Yuen of AEON Co. posed a critical challenge to the industry:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u201cIs omnichannel just retail\u2019s way of saying \u2018we are lost\u2019? And what is omnichannel <\/span>really<\/span><\/i>? Do customers say \u2018I had a great omnichannel experience\u2019?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Her keynote introduced the concept of <\/span>unified commerce<\/span><\/i>, where businesses centralise all customer touchpoints \u2013 digital and physical \u2013 into one central platform across all functions. It goes beyond the so-called \u201cseamless experience\u201d: it creates a 360\u00b0 view of the customers, providing them with a single journey. It\u2019s a timely evolution, especially in markets like Malaysia where consumer habits are rapidly shifting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. AI in Retail \u2013 A Business-First Approach<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        AI was front and centre in several discussions, particularly during the \u201cAI-Driven Retail\u201d panel, moderated by our very own Andrea Carnino and featuring leaders from AEON Ventures, Baskin-Robbins and Alpro Pharmacy. Across the board, there was consensus: AI is not about replacing people, but about amplifying potential.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        As shared during our panel contribution:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n