| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Nordstrom debuts international e-commerce
Nordstrom is enabling consumers in 30 countries to purchase its merchandise through its online site. The Seattle-based retailer will offer its products in foreign currencies, including the euro, pound, Czech koruna and Canadian dollar. The Seattle Times
(04 Nov.)
    
- Australian department store chains report higher sales
Australia's improving economy helped Myer Holdings and David Jones, the biggest department store chains in the country, record increased first-quarter sales. "They look like they will have a pretty good Christmas and other sectors might find it a bit tougher," said Credit Suisse Group analyst Grant Saligari. "The discount department stores benefited a lot from the stimulus payments and they will probably struggle to repeat those performances." Bloomberg
(05 Nov.)
| Retail in Europe | | |
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- M&S exec: Next UK government may need to raise VAT
Sir Stuart Rose, executive chairman at Marks & Spencer, said the next UK government may need to raise the value-added tax, which is already set to return to 17.5% at the beginning of the year. "We are skint as a country and the Treasury needs revenue, so I would not rule it out," he said. "This government and the future government have got to make some hard decisions about refilling the coffers." Telegraph (London)
(04 Nov.)
- Credit insurance firm to help retailers by boosting cover
The credit insurance company Atradius is poised to increase coverage of British firms, which likely will provide some relief to retailers. The removal or reduction of retailers' insurance coverage has added to the woes of many businesses as they attempt to cope with the economic downturn. Retail Week (U.K.)
(05 Nov.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
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- India's Reliance Webstore to sell variety of mobile phones
Reliance Webstore, a subsidiary of India's Reliance Communications, will sell mobile handsets from several manufacturers and will act as a distribution centre to other retailers. "Customers will be having more choice in our stores that will be acting as hub or warehouse for multibrand handset retailers. Till this time, no retailer has become a distributor," said Sarup Chowdhary, director and chief executive at Reliance Webstore. LiveMint.com/The Wall Street Journal (India)
(04 Nov.)
| Retail in Latin America | | |
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- Experts say Olympics will be huge benefit to Rio
As Rio de Janeiro is poised to host the 2016 Olympics, insiders and experts say the games will be beneficial to the city as well as Brazil as a whole. Eduardo Musa, head of the Brazilian sporting-goods retailer Caloi, said the games will force the government to complete infrastructure projects by a specific deadline. Latin Business Chronicle (Miami)
(04 Nov.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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- ASDA adds virtual assistant to groceries Web site
ASDA has installed a browser-based customer service representative named Amy to its groceries site. The virtual assistant can help online consumers find their way around ASDA's online offering and respond to typed queries. "We always get the thumbs up from customers for providing the best service in stores and now we're extending the service we offer them online," said Jackie Hill, ASDA's head of marketing communications. InternetRetailing.net
(03 Nov.)
| Spotlight on Consumer Electronics | | |
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- DSG battles supermarkets, online retailers with free delivery
DSG International will deliver washing machines, televisions and other products free of charge "if you can wait for a time that suits us", said Sebastian James, the company's services director. The company, the second-largest electronics retailer in Europe, has struggled for the past two years as consumers have turned to online retailers and supermarkets to purchase consumer electronics. Bloomberg
(04 Nov.)
| NRF News | | |
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- Cirque du Soleil reaches new heights at NRF's BIG Show
At NRF's BIG Show, 10 to 13 Jan., the DESiGN STUDiO will play host to the creative minds behind Cirque du Soleil's reinvented front-of-house experience. Hear about Cirque's approach to their space, its importance to the brand, the sources of inspiration used in the creation of a sky-breaking design, and how operational realities were addressed and engineered. Learn more.
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