Retailers on the rebound with the help of enhanced IT

THE South-east Asian region is very much on the rise. In terms of economic growth, the 10 countries that make up the Asean trading bloc are equivalent to the world's ninth largest economy. From 2010 through 2020, Asean GDP growth is projected to reach 5 per cent: Vietnam is set to grow by 6.8 per cent on average over the decade, with Indonesia clocking in at 5.5 per cent.

This region's burgeoning economic health is also apparent in the steady rise in disposable income levels, creating a critical and fast-growing mass of youthful, urban, middle-class consumers who are hungry for the best digital retail experience technology can offer.

By 2020 the majority (60 per cent) of the world's millennials will live in Asia. Being digital natives, millennials rely on mobile devices to meet all their needs - making purchases, doing research, hailing a cab, or booking a flight. About 230 million Southeast Asian individuals are relying on digital means to purchase products and services, helping the region's Internet economy to balloon to more than US$50 billion. Over 60 per cent of people research online before buying in-stor…