In a hyper-competitive retail landscape, scaling isn’t just about selling more — it’s about selling smart.
On 21 August 2025, VLAN Asia hosted another Tribal Monthly session at Le Meridien PJ, bringing together a closed-door group of retail leaders for an open, peer-driven discussion on the real challenges and opportunities in the industry.
Forget conference halls and keynote speeches. This was a roundtable of experience, where executives and founders across fashion, F&B, and retail tech came together to speak candidly from TikTok wins to inventory headaches.
Why These Conversations Matter?
While the retail world evolves at lightning speed, from live commerce to AI-powered decision-making, leaders are often left juggling old-school systems with new-school expectations.
That’s where the Tribal Monthly comes in: A space for shared learning, hard truths, and practical solutions.
Key Themes from the Roundtable
1. The Rise (and Reality) of TikTok Shop
Several attendees shared jaw-dropping success stories, including million-ringgit turnovers in just one hour. But the honeymoon phase is over.
The cost of selling on TikTok has surged, with some businesses facing 14–15% platform fees. That’s nearly on par with traditional retail expenses.
“I used to think TikTok was just for dancing… now I’ve got uncles selling bras.”
Despite the growth, brands are rethinking long-term margins and asking:
Is virality sustainable or just expensive visibility?
2. Digital Price Tags & Operational Efficiency
One recurring pain point: manual price updates across thousands of SKUs.
With 7,000–8,000+ products, keeping prices consistent is a nightmare. The solution?
Digital price tag systems, allowing real-time updates, better accuracy, and reduced manpower stress.
If you're still updating tags by hand, it's time to rethink your backend.
3. Social Commerce Isn’t Optional Anymore
From hot food to fashion, live selling and convenience models (BOPIS, express delivery, etc.) are dominating consumer behavior.
Retailers who “wait and see” risk losing market share to agile players already on TikTok, Shopee Live, and beyond. The key?
✅ Speed
✅ Personality-driven selling
✅ Efficient logistics
4. The Generational Gap in Leadership
One of the most powerful moments came from a conversation on generational alignment within organizations.
Most decision-makers today are in their 50s–60s.
But the buying power, and workplace innovation, lies in the 20s and 30s.
“If your first-line managers can’t relate to Gen Z… you’ll always be behind, no matter how good your data is.”
The message: Promote younger leaders. Empower them to make decisions. Stop assuming yesterday’s mindset works for today’s market.
5. Cold Chain, Fresh Food & the Last Frontier
Fresh food retail remains one of the few areas that hasn’t fully transformed digitally. Why? The logistical complexity of cold chain, it’s expensive, risky, and easy to get wrong.
Still, attendees see it as the last big e-commerce opportunity. Those who crack the code will lead the next wave of growth.
Top 3 Key Takeaways
1. TikTok is hot — but costs are catching up, make sure your margins are built for scale, not just hype.
2. Digitize your backend — not just your marketing. From pricing to fulfillment, operational clarity is your growth engine.
3. Empower the next generation — The best insights about younger customers? They often come from your youngest team members.
A Thoughtful Reminder from the Host
“We talk about AI, data, tools, but at the end of the day, business is about people.
If you don’t understand your customers, if you can’t engage your own team, no amount of technology will save you.”
The Tribal Monthly isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress, made possible through honest dialogue, hard questions, and shared knowledge.
What's Next?
As one participant put it:
“I thought I was doing enough… turns out, I’m just getting started.”
Stay tuned for the next Tribal Monthly as we dive into new topics, from China’s growing footprint in Southeast Asia, to next-gen retail innovation.