| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Red tape slows IKEA's global growth, CEO says
New IKEA store openings that used to take two to three years from start to finish now take twice the time, as bureaucracy grows in many markets, CEO Mikael Ohlsson said. "We need to learn how to deal with it by having more projects on the go. But I also think there's room for improvement from the authorities' side, as well." The Wall Street Journal
(22 Jan.)     
| Retail in Europe | | |
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- UK co-ops move away from department stores
A changing retail scene and the shift to online shopping has fueled a decision by the Midlands Cooperative Society to exit its eight department stores in the next six months. Two other co-ops have made the same decision in recent years, including the Anglia Co-op, which sold its 19 department stores in 2011. The Grocer (U.K.)
(22 Jan.)
| Retail in Asia | | |
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| Retail in Latin America | | |
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- If they build it, will Brazilians spend?
Retailers in Brazil aim to come back from a lackluster 2012 with an aggressive plan to add new stores this year -- the nation's 40 largest retailers plan to open 720 stores in 2013, a plan some analysts question. Household consumption grew at its lowest rate in nine years in 2012, and household debt has doubled since 2005, leading some to doubt whether consumer spending will keep the country out of recession. Reuters
(22 Jan.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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- German retailer Tengelmann funds Lazada
Southeast Asia-based online marketplace Lazada has raised $20 million from German retail group Tengelmann, bringing the total raised to $86 million. Lazada, which offers a place for smaller merchants to sell their goods online, now operates in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. TechCrunch
(22 Jan.)
| Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | |
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- Ultra-luxury watchmakers' time has come
Niche watchmakers are feeding a growing demand for small production runs of ultra-high-end timepieces like Century Time Gems' jewelled watches that can cost as much as $481,000. "Because we only make them in small numbers, customers really bond with our watches," said Antoine Martin CEO Bruno Jufer. The Wall Street Journal
(21 Jan.)
| NRF News | | |
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- Pinterest vs. Facebook: Which site wins at shopping engagement?
As one of the newest social media darlings, Pinterest has established itself as the dominant source for visual inspiration, with questions now focusing on e-commerce comparisons vis-à-vis Facebook. In a white paper posted in the Shop.org library, Bizrate Insight tackles how shopping conversions and product inspiration measure up between the two channels, and how activities with brands and retailers vary by each platform. Download the white paper.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself."
--Michel de Montaigne,
French writer
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