Shop Global Thailand, a TV home shopping operator, has teamed up with the Thai Cosmetic Cluster under the aegis of the Industrial Promotion Department to promote SME beauty products.
Boonsithi Chokwattana (centre), chairman of Saha Group, celebrates the partnership with Shop Global and the Thai Cosmetic Cluster.
Sorchote Ambhanwong, the company's chief operating officer, said Shop Global recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Thai Cosmetic Cluster to sell small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) cosmetic products via Shop Channel, the company's TV shopping channel.
The Thai Cosmetic Cluster was created by the department, under the Industry Ministry, in 2014, aiming to create a network that would innovative and cooperate with related organisations globally.
Under the collaboration, SMEs will be allowed to introduce their cosmetic products via Shop Channel, aired on the PSI satellite network, TrueVisions and GMM Z, as well as through omnichannels of Saha Group including online, membership and catalogue.
"With globalisation and consumers' changing lifestyles, looking for more product information from several channels, competition is fiercer," Mr Sorchote said.
Naohisa Yagi, chief executive of Shop Global Thailand, said: "Products that will fare well in the market are those that are limited and difficult to find, but affordable and have a unique identity. Many Thai products produced by SMEs meet those conditions and have the potential to sell via Shop Channel's network in Japan."
Shop Channel broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is operated by Jupiter Shop Channel, in which Sumitomo Corporation has a stake. It is Japan's No.1 TV shopping company, offering a wide variety of items such as jewellery and fashion goods, beauty and weight-loss products, fitness products, home and interior products, home appliances, and food.
Shop Global Thailand was set up five years ago through a joint venture between Sumitomo Corporation of Japan and Saha Group, with holdings of 57% and 43% respectively.
Thailand's cosmetic market is estimated at 300 billion baht. There are about 2,000 cosmetic companies registered with the Commerce Ministry, of which 68% are small-scale operators, 29% are middle-range companies and 3% are large-scale cosmetic companies.
Thailand is the largest exporter of cosmetics in Asean and ranks as the third largest in Asia, following Japan and South Korea.
Shop Global currently sells four product categories comprising jewellery, fashion, health and beauty, and home appliances, with sales of 360 million baht last year.
The company aims to increase its sales by 40% this year.
