| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Can Sears Canada gain ground as Target date approaches?
Sears Canada saw its holiday season same-store sales slide 5.8% and fourth-quarter earnings forecasts call for profits to fall by half, sparking concerns about the retailer's future as Target prepares to enter the market. "[CEO] Calvin McDonald has been moving Sears to a more contemporary image in Canada that is head-on with Target," said retail consultant Wendy Evans. Financial Post (Canada)
(08 Jan.)     
- Australia sees surprise retail sales drop in November
Australia's retail sales unexpectedly fell 0.1% in November, the first decline in four months, as consumers slowed their spending on household goods and clothing, according to the Bureau of Statistics. "Households are pessimistic about the prospects for the economy, jobs and house prices, which is prompting them to shut their wallets," said economist Matthew Circosta. Bloomberg
(08 Jan.)
| Retail in Europe | | |
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- H&M to launch higher-end fashion brand
Fast-fashion retailer H&M will debut a more upscale fashion and accessories brand called & Other Stories in 10 European countries this year, focusing on higher-end shopping areas including Regent Street in London and Rue Saint-Honore in Paris, the Sweden-based company said Wednesday. "There is a lot of competitive pressure in the value segment so this is a way for H&M to tap into a different parts of the market," said analyst Jamie S. Merriman. The Wall Street Journal
(09 Jan.)
- Waitrose to sign celebrity chef to new contract
Supermarket chain Waitrose will renew its contract with Heston Blumenthal next month, but will terminate its deal with fellow celebrity chef Delia Smith on "mutual agreement." The pair has starred in several ad campaigns for the chain, most recently a no-frills holiday campaign to raise funds for charity. Brand Republic (U.K.)
(08 Jan.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
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- Apple looks to speed mobile growth in China
Apple CEO Tim Cook traveled to China this week to meet with officials, as it works to increase its market share there. China still ranks as Apple's second-largest market behind the US, but it's losing share in mobile devices to less-pricey Android gadgets from rivals including Samsung. Bloomberg
(08 Jan.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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| Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | |
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- Bond Street merchants move up to find more selling space
Luxury brands including Chanel and Christian Dior are converting the office space above their stores on London's Bond Street into additional retail space. With retail space on the high-end street in high demand, others including Victoria's Secret are negotiating for Bond Street space farther from the core shopping area. Bloomberg Businessweek
(09 Jan.)
| NRF News | | |
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- Webinar today: How to master marketing automation systems
Personalization has become the name of the game in today’s hyper-connected society, and technology-driven customer analytics plays a critical role for retailers to provide greater brand experiences for shoppers. In a STORES webinar on 9 Jan., executives from Freshpair.com and PivotLink will identify three key focus areas for customer analytics and explain how these insights are being integrated in Freshpair’s marketing campaigns to improve customer engagement and loyalty. Learn more or register.
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| SmartQuote | | |
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 | If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today."
--E. Joseph Cossman,
American entrepreneur and inventor
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