Just got this whitepaper from WPP's retail knowledge initiative - The Store titled "Retailing in the Recession". This is the 1st in a series of "playbooks" to help retailers and brand owners succeed in today’s unpredictable climate. I believe you will find this insightful although it does tend to address the US market trends - however, a number of them are applicable for Asia as well.
I have linked it here for a free download, although you will need to register on the site to access the document. When on the site, also check out the demos of the last mile effectiveness measurement tools. 