KUNMING , CHINA - Media OutReach - 21 November 2019 - A.S. Watson Group is delighted to announce the grand opening of its 3,800^th Watsons store in China, an important milestone for its market leadership in the country. Located in Kunming, the largest city in Yunnan Province with GDP growth of 8.9% last year, the store is designed to provide one-on-one beauty services to customers, with fully integrated digital experience.

Malina Ngai (2^nd from left), CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe) and Kulvinder Birring (right), CEO of Watsons China officiate at the opening ceremony

Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe) officiated at the grand opening ceremony, "Celebrating the opening of Watsons China's 3,800^th store is a significant milestone for A.S. Watson Group, as both '3' and '8' are the luckiest numbers in Chinese culture, representing liveliness and prosperity."

"Our extensive physical store network provides unique touchpoints in over 470 cities in China, connecting us to customers through in-store experience and digital engagement. All stores provide 30-minute 'click and collect' service and 60-minute 'click and delivery' service which are widely used and appreciated by customers. Including China, this year A.S. Watson is on plan to open 1,300 new stores globally. That is, on average 1 new store every 7 hours."

Serving Customers One-On-One

Watsons China has launched VIP programme to ensure our highest-spending members enjoy the premium privileges, which make the shopping experience a real pleasure for those who are the top 10% highest spending customers.

Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are demonstrating increasing spending power in Mainland China. Watsons is rejuvenating its business model to best meet the demands of this rising segment. Spanning over 2,000 square feet, the new store is equipped with "StyleMe 2.0", an Augmented Reality technology to offer different mix-and-match trendy looks. "Scan & Go" is available so customers can scan QR code with their mobile phones to purchase the products directly without waiting at the cashier.

The new store also features the pioneering "One-on-one Beauty Consultation Service". Customers can enjoy this personalised service by connecting with the store staff via the Watsons China WeChat account. If the selected product is not available in a specific branch, Watsons staff will help customers to place an order through the system. Customers can choose to have their order delivered through courier, "Click & Collect" or the "1-Hour Flash Delivery" service.