| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  |
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| Retail in Europe | | |
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- Are bookstores disappearing from UK high streets?
Britain's high streets boast 1,878 bookshops, less than half of the 4,000 that were up and running in 2005, and nearly 400 closed this year alone, according to a new report. UK e-book sales hit £261 million this year, up from £138 million in 2011, according to Mintel, and the rapid rise in digital sales coupled with the economic downturn have more brick-and-mortar bookstores struggling. The Telegraph (London) (tiered subscription model)
(26 Dec.)     
| Retail in Asia | | |
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- IKEA's prospects brighten in India
IKEA's plans to open stores in India took another step forward when a key minister indicated the Swedish furniture giant would likely win approval of its $2 billion proposal. The approval may come without conditions proposed by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board that would have limited what the retailer would be able to sell, said Trade Minister Anand Sharma. The Wall Street Journal
(26 Dec.)
| E-commerce Spotlight | | |
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- Authors chide Amazon for new review rules
Amazon has begun deleting book reviews by authors who write in the same genre in the wake of high-profile cases of fake reviews by writers looking to boost their own sales. The crackdown prompted a backlash by writers who say authors' reviews carry more weight with readers. "One thing authors are able to do is articulate about books. They tend to read about books and their opinions ... are listened to," said British author Joanne Harris. The Telegraph (London) (tiered subscription model)
(26 Dec.)
| Spotlight on Consumer Electronics | | |
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- Sales of MP3 players wane as phones get smarter
Sales of iPods and other MP3 players dropped 22% in 2012 compared to 2011, and they're on track to halve again in the next five years as more consumers turn to their smartphones to play music as well as make calls and access the Internet, according to Mintel. “The convenience of a smartphone is greater than an MP3 player because it is always with someone," said IHS analyst Ian Fogg. The Telegraph (London) (tiered subscription model)
(26 Dec.)
| NRF News | | |
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- One Kings Lane CEO lays out 5 key trends to e-commerce success
A 300% rise in revenue from 2010 to 2011 speaks volumes to One Kings Lane's e-commerce success. But which approaches set this company apart in the online marketplace? At Shop.org's Online Merchandising Workshop in San Diego earlier this year, CEO Doug Mack provided a look at the guidelines that helped catapult the home décor site into an e-commerce juggernaut, and merchandising tools retailers can use to refine their online approach. Read more.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | People who lean on logic and philosophy and rational exposition end by starving the best part of the mind."
--William Butler Yeats,
Irish poet and playwright
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