Gulf Marketing Group (GMG) appoints Etaily as exclusive Partner for Digital Commerce, Managing Vans, Columbia, Timberland, and The North Face in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia

Etaily, a digital-native retail platform for Southeast Asia, has been appointed by GMG, a Dubai-based global well-being company, as its exclusive operating partner for marketplace and direct-to-consumer (D2C) digital commerce across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Under this mandate, Etaily will execute and scale online operations for GMG's portfolio of global athletic and lifestyle brands, including Vans, Columbia, Timberland, and The North Face, across multiple markets within the region.

The partnership represents a strategic shift in how multinational brands operate in Southeast Asia: instead of managing separate vendor setups in each country, GMG is consolidating its e-commerce operations under a single regional operator that combines centralized data visibility with localized execution.

The Scale and Strategic Importance

GMG's aggressive expansion in Southeast Asia—targeting 400+ stores across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong by 2028-2030—has created operational demand that fragmented, single-market vendors cannot efficiently meet. By consolidating marketplace operations, digital shelf optimization, performance marketing, and localized execution under one partner, GMG reduces organizational complexity while improving execution velocity across brands and geographies.

"This partnership reflects the reality of how multinational brands must operate in Southeast Asia today," said Alexander Friedhoff, Etaily CEO/ Founder. "The region is no longer a collection of separate markets—it's a unified commerce ecosystem. Brands that consolidate their operations under a single regional operator gain speed, data visibility, and the ability to capitalize on cross-market opportunities. GMG recognized this early, and we're honored to be their partner in building a scalable, regionally-integrated digital commerce operation."

Why Consolidation is Strategic in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia's e-commerce market is projected to exceed $150 billion by 2025, driven by marketplace adoption (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop) and emerging social commerce channels. However, this growth masks a critical operational challenge: the complexity of managing profitable, multi-market e-commerce operations.

Most global brands approach Southeast Asia as three separate markets—each requiring separate teams, separate inventory systems, and separate marketing strategies. The result: duplicated costs, slow decision-making, inventory misallocation, and inability to capitalize on regional trends that require coordinated, multi-market execution.

Under this mandate, Etaily will provide GMG with:

• Unified data architecture: Real-time visibility across sales, inventory, returns, and customer behavior across all markets and channels

• Synchronized logistics and inventory management: Single inventory pool serving multiple marketplaces and D2C channels, reducing stockouts and cancellations

• Consolidated performance marketing: Media budgets allocated based on real-time product availability and sell-through potential, improving return on ad spend

• Localized execution: Market-specific strategies for pricing, promotions, platform-specific features (livestreaming, group-buying), and regulatory compliance

• Multi-channel integration: Coordinated operations across Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, brand D2C, social commerce, livestreaming, and affiliate networks

Validation of Etaily's Regional Operating Model

The GMG appointment validates Etaily's thesis: Southeast Asia's most sophisticated brands are moving away from fragmented vendor models toward integrated operating partners who can manage complexity across markets and channels.

Since launching its integrated commerce platform, Etaily has built a roster of global and local consumer brands across sectors—from athletic wear to consumer packaged goods—all operating on a unified infrastructure. This mandate represents Etaily's largest enterprise appointment to date and reinforces its position as the region's leading provider of integrated e-commerce infrastructure for multinational brands.

The partnership also reflects confidence from institutional investors. Etaily's 2023 Series A funding round, led by Taiwan's SKS Capital and Singapore's Pavilion Capital (a private equity firm under Temasek Holdings), was raised specifically to deploy infrastructure and capital across Southeast Asia. The GMG partnership represents that capital deployment in action.

About the Partnership

Etaily will assume responsibility for:

• Marketplace operations and optimization across Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore

• Digital shelf management and competitive positioning

• Performance marketing strategy and execution, with real-time optimization based on inventory and demand data

• Localized content creation, pricing strategies, and platform-specific campaigns

• Customer service and returns management across all channels

• Consolidated reporting and data analytics across all markets and channels

The partnership is effective immediately.

About Etaily

Etaily is a digital-native retail platform for Southeast Asia. The company builds, operates, and scales consumer brands across the region. Etaily provides end-to-end e-commerce and retail support—including marketplace operations, D2C, social commerce, livestreaming, digital and affiliate marketing, studio production, and customer service.

Etaily follows an online-first, offline-to-follow approach. The platform enables global brands to enter Southeast Asia and helps local brands expand across multiple markets. The company operates in the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, combining operations technology, retail expertise, and a unified distribution framework.

Etaily's growth has been supported by a range of prominent investors, including major conglomerates like Ayala Corporation, Southeast Asia's oldest conglomerate, as well as the Gokongwei Group, Landmark's Cheng family, and the Po family behind Century Pacific Food Corporation. In 2023, Etaily raised its Series A funding round, led by an investment from Taiwan's SKS Capital and Singapore's Pavilion Capital, a private equity firm under Temasek Holdings. Other investors include the Magsaysay Family, Kaya Founders, Japan's SBI (formerly Softbank) ICCP Fund, and Foxmont Capital.

About GMG

GMG is a Dubai-based, global well-being company operating since 1977, focusing on retail, distribution, and manufacturing across sectors including sports, everyday goods, and health. With 10,000+ employees, GMG manages brands like Sun & Sand Sports and operates across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

GMG is aggressively expanding its sports retail footprint in Southeast Asia, aiming for 400 stores by 2028-2030, following over 200 stores acquired or opened since 2021. Focusing on Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, GMG operates key brands including Nike, Columbia, and its own Sun & Sand Sports retail platform.