| Global retail industry news |  |
- Carrefour enters India with cash-and-carry store
Carrefour, one of the largest retailers in the world, opened a cash-and-carry store in New Delhi. "The opening of this first store marks Carrefour's entry into the Indian market and will be followed shortly by the opening of other cash-and-carry stores," said Carrefour CEO Lars Olofsson. Indian law restricts multibrand retailers from operating retail stores, but they are allowed to run wholesale operations and provide support to domestic retailers. Business Standard (India) (30 Dec.) , The Wall Street Journal (30 Dec.) , Reuters (30 Dec.)        | Discover the 'Future of Sustainable Household and Laundry Care Packaging'. Covering home and laundry care, it outlines the major drivers and inhibitors of sustainable packaging mostly from a consumers' perspective. Find out more: |
 - HMV recruits Wolffe from ITV as finance director
HMV, the troubled music retail chain, announced the appointment of David Wolffe as finance chief. Wolffe is currently finance director of ITV Studios, the production division of ITV. "The markets in which HMV operates are clearly not without their challenges, but I have been deeply impressed with the energy and plans for change that are being driven by [chief executive] Simon Fox and his team," Wolffe said. HMV soon will update the market on the Christmas trading period. Telegraph (London) (29 Dec.) - Guernsey retailer says pricing probe could ensure value
Peter Creasey of Guernsey retailer Creasey's Ltd said a government investigation into pricing could benefit consumers. Creasey said that as the value-added tax increases in January, prices must be justifiable. "For those of us trading at the fringes and in the smaller communities we just have to try to make sure our prices are as keen as we can make them," he said. "It's not just about price, it's about the service and the shopping experience." BBC (29 Dec.)  | 14.2% of social-media strategies deemed very effective
The buzz around social media — and whether or not it is worth the effort — continues to be a leading business concern. SmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business sheds light on obstacles & opportunities in using social media to produce measurable results. SmartBrief readers get a 15% discount. |
 - Downturn prompted Future Group CEO to change direction
Kishore Biyani, CEO of India's Future Group, has long been a successful businessman, but the economic downturn forced him in a new direction. He was in the midst of a major expansion when the global financial crisis hit. Biyani cut costs and braced for the challenges. Customers are now returning to the shops and opening their wallets, and Biyani is poised to tap into India's growth. Forbes (India) (30 Dec.) - Lawson plans thousands of stores in China
Takeshi Niinami, chief executive officer at Japan's Lawson, the country's second-largest operator of convenience stores, said he plans to open nearly 10,000 stores in China over the next decade. He plans to spend a considerable amount of time in China this year. "To get a feel for daily life in China and to take risks, I've got to live there a couple of months," Niinami said. "Staying all the time in Japan, I tend to focus only on downside risks." Bloomberg (29 Dec.)  | Discover the keys to a vibrant corporate culture
Creating & sustaining a vibrant corporate culture takes strong leadership and transparency. GM's Mark Reuss shares insights into rebuilding a company's culture. DeLisa Alexander offers best practices from Red Hat's opensource culture. SmartBrief readers receive executive training for just $75. |
 | E-commerce Spotlight |  | | | - PayPal to run e-commerce center in China
EBay's PayPal has agreed with the municipal government of Chongqing, China, to establish a global e-commerce hub in the city. PayPal will help facilitate cross-border trade and boost exports from China. PayPal's center will provide telesales, foreign-exchange settlement and other services, said Dickson Seow, a spokesman for the company. Bloomberg Businessweek (29 Dec.) - Analysis: Information might be Alibaba's most valuable asset
Chinese Internet commerce giant Alibaba hasn't done much to exploit what might be its most valuable asset: data collected on spending patterns of China's emerging middle class, according to The Economist. The information could be used to help businesses anticipate what China's consumers want by identifying trends. "Given the paucity of accurate data in China, this would be extremely valuable," the magazine noted. The Economist (29 Dec.) , ChinaTechNews.com (30 Dec.) | Spotlight on Consumer Electronics | | | | - Best Buy says expansion in Britain is still on track
Best Buy, the US-based consumer electronics retail giant, recently withdrew from a property deal in northeast England, but the company said its plan to expand in the UK hasn't changed. "It certainly isn't a change of strategy. Best Buy has all the sites it needs for a roll-out next year. Analysts are earmarking up to eight more openings in 2011 [and that] remains on track," a source said. Financial Times (tiered subscription model) (28 Dec.) | NRF News | | | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Each age has deemed the new-born year the fittest time for festal cheer."
--Sir Walter Scott,
Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet  |
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