| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Hudson's Bay seeks tenants for stores Target didn't take
Hudson's Bay Co. is looking for new retail tenants to sublease the 52 former Zellers stores in Canada that were not part of the deal with Target, according to regulatory filings. Hudson's Bay, which is obligated under the leases until at least 2016, aims to get at least some of them off the books in advance of a planned IPO. "They either have to pay that rent, sublet it, or make a deal with some of these landlords and try to buy their way out of some of these leases," said John Andrew, a real estate professor at Queen's University. The Toronto Star
(06 Nov.)     
| Retail in Europe | | |
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- M&S drops stars, shines spotlight on products in holiday campaign
Marks & Spencer will exclude celebrities from its holiday advertising campaign for the first time in 12 years, opting instead to focus on the products. Past campaigns featured internationally known stars including Antonio Banderas, Helen Mirren, Twiggy and David Beckham. "I think celebrities could play an important role for some things, but not for everything," CEO Marc Bolland said. The Guardian (London)
(06 Nov.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
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- Western retail chains pull back as China slows
Wal-Mart opened about half the retail space it originally planned in China this year, and Tesco has closed four stores there, signs that Western retailers are adjusting to the slower pace of China's economic growth. "China is not the obvious easy money it was a few years ago," consultant Corbett Wall said. The Wall Street Journal
(06 Nov.)
- 7-Eleven rates as Hong Kong's favourite retail brand
In a country full of designer boutiques, convenience store chain 7-Eleven rates high with busy residents. The chain was recently rated the most preferred brand in Hong Kong, according to research firm Superbrands. CNBC
(05 Nov.)
| Retail in Latin America | | |
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- H&M debuts first Mexico store, maps Latin American growth
H&M opened its first store in Mexico last week, a 44,600-square-foot space at the Santa Fe Mall in Mexico City, and it hopes to open several more in Mexico next fall, said North America president Daniel Kulle. Mexico boasts the second-largest economy in Latin America, and the country's lower tariffs make it an attractive entry point into the region. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required)
(06 Nov.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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- Rakuten to buy French logistics firm Alpha Direct
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten will acquire French logistics company Alpha Direct Services in a deal that will give the online retailer the ability to offer same-day delivery in Paris and next-day delivery in much of Europe. Ten-year-old Alpha Direct has two shipping centers near Paris with the capacity to manage about 180,000 packages daily. ITWorld.com
(06 Nov.)
| Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | |
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- Calgary's wealthy drive luxury retail growth
Calgary leads in the number of wealthy residents, and its well-to-do are richer than their counterparts in other Canadian cities, with an average net worth of $3.3 million. The trend has made the area ripe for luxury retailers; Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Burberry are among the many high-end brands to open Calgary stores in recent years. Calgary Herald (Alberta)
(06 Nov.)
| NRF News | | |
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Best practices to break through in China's online marketplace
As online retailers look to diversify revenues internationally, one of the most captivating markets is China with some forecasts projecting as much as $420 billion U.S. in total online sales by 2015. In a members-only webinar today, 7 Nov., The Luxury Club Executive Vice Chairwoman Angela Kapp will explain how online consumer behavior differs from North America and Europe, as well as the cultural distribution and other critical factors that have helped global companies thrive so far. Learn more or register.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Success is often just an idea away."
--Frank Tyger,
American cartoonist, columnist and humorist
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