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Reebonz Mobil brings luxury goods to clients

Reebonz (Thailand) Co, an online shopping provider for luxury fashion products, is breaking new ground by offering a mobile unit filled with over 50 brands where fashionistas and can shop without having to negotiate their way through heavy traffic to the central business district.

Reebonz’s mobile unit sells over 5,000 products from 50 famous brands at prices 20% lower than overseas boutique shops or other international channels.

Chief executive Somkiat Chaisuparak said the company invested 30 million baht to bring Reebonz Mobil, an eye-catching boutique store-on-wheels in a 40-foot-long container truck, from Singapore to Thailand.

It claims to be the first of its kind in Bangkok and will make its first sales stop at the Crystal Design Centre (CDC) on March 23-24 before moving to other locations in Bangkok until April. After that, it will travel to major cities such as Chiang Mai and Phuket in May and July this year.

Sales through the Reebonz mobile unit in its first five months of service are expected to reach 18-20 million baht.

Reebonz Mobil is air-conditioned with soundproof safety glass walls on both sides and features shimmering light from a decorative chandelier.

It provides over 5,000 products from about 50 famous brands like Chanel, He{aac}rmes, Gucci, Prada, Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Tods, Celine, Coach, Kate Spade to Mulberry.

Prices are about 20% lower than overseas boutique shops or other international channels.

Moreover, it will offer customers a no-interest option for 10-month installments via credit cards.

Additionally, all brands come with warranty certificates issued by the manufacturers. Every brand-name item is imported legally from Reebonz's main warehouse in Singapore.

"The pop-up mobile truck will help increase shopper confidence more than online shopping," said Mr Somkiat.

He came up with this mobile strategy because he believes existing channels, both online at www.reebonz.com and offline at its first flagship gallery, Reebonz Thai Space, at Italthai Tower, are insufficient to meet the demand of Thai shoppers.

Reebonz Thailand was launched last July through a joint venture with Reebonz in Singapore and Thai partners.

The Thai affiliate has 80,000 members but aims for 150,000. Most of its online customers are wealthy.Several Thais are still not confident about shopping online because of security concerns, he added.

Average spending at the website is 23,000 baht per transaction. The company aims for overall sales of 260 million baht this year.