| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
|
- British billionaire launches Topshop in US at a tough time
Philip Green, the billionaire British owner of Topshop, has lavished attention on his first outlet in the US. He flew in supermodel Kate Moss to open the Manhattan location in April. Green is introducing Topshop to Americans at a difficult time. Most US consumers are reining in their spending, causing a 7% year-over-year drop in total apparel sales in the first half of this year. Bloomberg
(01 Nov.)
    
- Visa to migrate from signatures to chip, PIN in Australia
Visa is planning to phase out signatures and phase in chip and PIN technology across Australia over the next four years. Chris Clark, Visa's general manager for Australia and New Zealand, said the company is working with retailers as well as financial institutions to upgrade millions of Visa cards, point-of-sale terminals and ATMs. Inside Retailing Online
(02 Nov.)
| Retail in Europe | | |
|
- UK consumer confidence hits an 18-month high
Despite concerns related to unemployment, consumer confidence in the UK has reached its highest level in a year and a half, according to the British Retail Consortium index. The BRC said the improvement in consumer confidence should encourage retailers. Retail Week (U.K.)
(02 Nov.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
|
- Fast Retailing's Uniqlo posts 35.7% surge in sales
Uniqlo, Fast Retailing's casual-clothing chain based in Japan, reported its largest sales jump in more than eight years with a 35.7% increase in October compared with the same month the previous year. Uniqlo's September same-store sales were up 31.6% compared with September 2008. The results have spurred expectations that the company will bolster its outlook. Reuters
(02 Nov.)
| Retail in Latin America | | |
|
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
|
- Column: Online retail has room to grow in New Zealand
Columnist Anthony Doesburg writes that less than half of New Zealanders made an online purchase in the last quarter of 2008. While the number actually fell during the first quarter of 2009, Doesburg attributes that to the recession rather than a peak in online retailing. He argues that there are too many reasons for more people to start shopping online for the sector to have peaked. The New Zealand Herald
(02 Nov.)
| Spotlight on Mass Merchandise | | |
|
- Report: Metro's interest in acquiring Karstadt stores has waned
Metro, one of the largest retailers in the world, is finding growing opposition among its supervisory board members to the acquisition of Karstadt stores, according to a German newspaper report. Metro previously had said it was interested in buying dozens of the stores. Karstadt is the department store division of Arcandor. Reuters
(01 Nov.)
- Pantaloon board approves spinning off value retail businesses
Pantaloon Retail, the flagship brand of India's Future Group, said it has received the approval of its board to spin off Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and other discount store chains. "Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar have gained tremendously in size and scale and emerged as a market leader in modern retail. The management believes that it now demands a focused approached for further growth and expansion," Pantaloon Retail said. Business Standard (India)/Press Trust of India
(30 Oct.)
| NRF News | | |
|
- What happened on day 2 of the Global E-Commerce Summit
On the second day of the Global E-Commerce Summit, a Tommy Hilfiger executive discussed how retailers could centralise areas to gain efficiency and brand consistency, but also addressed why it was important to keep the local flavor. In addition, the CEO of Rakuten spoke about the future of e-commerce and the MOBshop co-founder made a bold statement about mobile. Read more.
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory."
|
| |
|
