TV home-shopping group O Shopping Thailand expects its sales to triple to about THB5 billion (US$150 million) annually in the next three to five years, up from the THB1.7-1.8 billion targeted for this year.
CEO Sung Nakje of GMM CJ O Shopping, which runs the business, says the company’s growth ambitions dovetail with the government’s goals for the Thailand 4.0 initiative to promote small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
However, he says that as not every SME can enter the modern retailing system, TV home shopping can serve as a distribution and market-testing channel for them, as well as providing direct sales to consumers.
“We provide opportunities for Thai SMEs with fewer conditions and lower investment, so this makes it more accessible for them,” says Sung.
GMM CJ O Shopping is a Thai/South Korean JV established in 2012 that sells products on TV and via an e-commerce platform. “TV home shopping focuses on women between 35 and 55 years, while the e-commerce side focuses on younger age groups.”
Sung says that as part of its growth goals, O Shopping has also sought to promote the expansion of its business partners. Rather than focusing on competing with rival TV home-shopping rivals, it has instead sought to increase the overall size of the business pie.
Meanwhile, GMM CJ O Shopping has decided to continue its corporate social responsibility campaign O Hug, aimed at encouraging children to play sports. Sung says the company has been supporting major taekwondo events such as this year’s fifth Kukkiwon Cup Thai-Korean Choi Young Seok Taekwondo Championship, which drew more than 1000 Thai and international athletes.