Page 41 - CRC_One Report 2021_EN

Business Overview and Performance Corporate Governance Financial Statements Enclosure

Central Retail has always been Thailand’s pioneer of innovation for consumers in retail business, as Central Retail
was the developer of Thailand’s first department store and also the first to open lifestyle shopping centers and
specialty stores catering to shoppers in second-tier provinces such as Supersports and Power Buy, which began as
unbranded sections within department stores and later nurtured into retail banners, and finally as specialty stores.
The innovative retail concepts, including omnichannel and online strategies, comprise of well-considered multiple
factors that truly impact the lifestyles of the consumer. This includes weather and traffic conditions, real estate
prices, residential areas and macro-trends in consumer lifestyles.

In addition, Central Retail has continually developed new formats and distribution channels to expand their business
to markets or areas with potential and growth opportunities, especially in the provincial areas of Thailand. For this
purpose, Central Retail has launched new formats under various brands of all business types under Central Retail,
such as go! WOW, go! Power, Tops Vita, CHEF YIM Application, CHO YIM Application, THE BAKER, PET ‘N ME,
Baby & Me, etc.

Having various retail brands and store formats under Central Retail can provide a different shopping experience and
satisfy customers’ tastes as well as the needs of customers in each area where Central Retail’s stores are located. For
example, Central Retail has high-end retail stores located in the city to serve the customers with high-purchasing
power, stores under the retail brands for the mass market located in the suburbs, small shops located in urban areas
that have limited space, and large plazas located in provincial areas. In this regard, when the needs of customers,
the competition conditions or the laws of each area are changed, Central Retail always promptly responds to such
changes by offering new retail brands or new formats in the area, or even quickly switching to a more suitable retail
brands or store formats. For instant, Central Retail has changed the operating structure of the department store
business in Thailand by transforming Robinson Department Store into Central Department Store at Mega Bangna
store and Udon Thani store in 2020, and at Khon Kaen store in 2021. In addition, there will be more potential stores
to transform in the future, which are under consideration, in order to responding the changing in local customers’
demand. Furthermore, Central Retail will be able to select from a variety of their retail brands, concepts or store
formats that is responsive and best suited for that area when it expands its business to the new region or market.

Central Retail has a proven ability to engage a diverse and
evolving customer base within its retail ecosystem through
innovative technologies. Central Department Store has
had a dedicated its webstore since 2012, and Central
Retail currently has 12 webstores for its all-retail banners.
In 2020, it has launched the full e-commerce websites
of Rinascente Department Store – www.rinascente.it,
and of Thai Watsadu – www.thaiwatsadu.com, to serve
as selling channels for a wide array of products and
facilitate for customers. In addition, it also has 5
mobile applications which are: Central Application,
Tops Application, Supersports Application, OfficeMate
Application, and GO! Application (launched in 2021)
to better facilitate their customers. There are also 11
webstores that the company is a distributor, such as
Dyson and Clarins, etc. In 2016, Central Retail launched
Click & Collect, an omnichannel feature that allows
the customer to make purchases online and collect
the products at their preferred store location or other
collection point. In 2017, it has launched the “Rinascente
ON DEMAND” service for Rinascente and the Chat &
Shop for Central Department Store, which integrates

Annual Report 2021 (Form 56-1 One-Report) 41