| Global retail industry news |  |
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- Canadian retailers rethink big-box strategies
Online retail, mobile commerce and growing competition from new players is shaking up Canada's retail scene on a scale not seen since Wal-Mart opened its first stores there in the mid-1990s, experts say. For some, including electronics retailer Best Buy, future growth will likely hinge on closing big boxes in favor of smaller stores. Financial Post (Canada)
(01 Feb.)     
| Retail in Europe | | |
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- Kim Winser's new retail venture stresses quality
Once Marks & Spencer's youngest and first female commercial director, Kim Winser went on to lead brands including Aquascutum and Agent Provocateur. Now, at 53, she's planning to launch Winser London, an online fashion retailer focused on selling affordable, high-quality pieces. "I think we're coming full circle, to a point where women want to buy one really nice piece instead of three," she said. The Guardian (London)
(02 Feb.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
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- Chinese services sector posts strongest growth since August
Fueled by construction and retail sales, China's services sector expanded last month at its fastest rate since August. The National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing say their nonmanufacturing purchasing managers' index reached 56.2, compared with 56.1 in December, on a scale in which anything higher than 50 indicates growth. Bloomberg
(03 Feb.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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- L'Oreal Paris to debut online store in France
L'Oreal Paris will launch a website to start selling its cosmetics online in France for the first time next month. The mid-priced line has thus far only been available at department stores and other brick-and-mortar retail outlets. Reuters
(02 Feb.)
| Spotlight on Mass Merchandise | | |
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- Middleman Li & Fung feels the pinch
Li & Fung, the supplier of consumer goods to major retail chains including Wal-Mart and Kohl's, has been falling short of its goals as sales in the US and Europe slow while manufacturing costs in Asia continue to rise. The company launched a strategy two years ago to begin deriving more of its revenue from licensing and distributing branded goods, but analysts expect the company to fall short of its profit targets. Bloomberg Businessweek
(04 Feb.)
- UK factories raise hopes of recovery
UK manufacturers reported smaller growth in January than the month before, according to a report released Friday, but the modest expansion raised hopes for Britain's economic recovery. "Broadly the findings argue against the UK going into a triple-dip recession, and ... offer hope that a more sustainable recovery might be in train," said economist Philip Shaw. The Guardian (London)
(01 Feb.), Reuters
(01 Feb.)
- Surveys: Challenges ahead for Asia's manufacturing sector
Manufacturing rose in China last month, but the pace of growth showed an uneven recovery for China and other Asian countries that's likely to continue in the coming months, according to reports released Friday. "January's PMI does raise some red flags about the state of the economy," said economist Alistair Thornton. "Things look a little shaky." China Daily (Beijing)
(01 Feb.)
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- Forging the right path to international expansion
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| SmartQuote | | |
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 | To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day."
--Laozi,
Chinese philosopher
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