| Global retail industry news |  |
- South African union aims to keep Wal-Mart from buying Massmart
The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union plans to picket the country's competition regulator's offices in an effort to prevent or alter Wal-Mart's takeover of Massmart. "We will tell the Competition Tribunal that we believe it is not in the best interest of South Africa for Walmart to be allowed into our country," said Bones Skulu, the union's general secretary. Reuters (22 Mar.)       - Apple to launch iPad 2 in dozens of foreign markets
Apple has struggled to meet demand in the US for its latest iPad, but the company plans to stick with its Friday launch of the popular device in the UK, France and several other foreign markets. "We're experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the U.S., and customers around the world have told us they can't wait to get their hands on it," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "We appreciate everyone's patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone." Reuters (22 Mar.)  | Keep business cards and notes together — Everyone has experienced the frustration of returning from a meeting, trade show,
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 - Sainsbury reports 1% increase in like-for-like sales
J Sainsbury, the third-largest supermarket group in the UK, reported a 1% rise in like-for-like sales, excluding petrol, over the recent 10-week period ending March 19. Sainsbury CEO Justin King noted that the retailer is outperforming the market, but he warned about challenges ahead. "We expect the consumer environment to remain tough, with our customers facing fuel price inflation, uncertain employment prospects and government spending cuts," King said. Telegraph (London) (23 Mar.), Bloomberg (23 Mar.)  | Retail in Asia |  | | | - Germany's Metro plans to open outlets in Indonesia
Metro Group, one of the largest retailers in the world, announced this week that it plans to launch a Metro Cash & Carry outlet in Indonesia by next year. "The presence of Metro Cash & Carry in Indonesia will create great momentum for our business expansion in the Asian market," said Eckhard Cordes, CEO of Metro Group. If Asia's economic conditions remain stable, the company plans to open about 20 such locations. The Jakarta Post (Indonesia) (23 Mar.), Jakarta Globe (Indonesia) (22 Mar.)  - David Jones to carefully ramp up online presence
David Jones, the operator of upscale department stores in Australia, sought to assure investors that its efforts to step up its online presence would be controlled. "We see our online business as a growth opportunity in the medium to long term," said David Jones CEO Paul Zahra. "We are working to become a multi-channel retailer with an integrated digital market plan." The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (23 Mar.) - Play.com notifies customers about security breach
Online retailer Play.com has been contacting its customers to let them know that their names and e-mail addresses have been stolen following a security breach. "We would also like to reassure our customers that all other personal information (credit cards, addresses, passwords) are kept in the very secure Play.com environment," said Play.com CEO John Perkins. BBC (22 Mar.), The Guardian (London) (22 Mar.)  | Create a winning social-media strategy
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 | Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | | | - Luxury retailers struggle to find right space in India
UB City in Bangalore and DLF Emporio in Delhi emerged as India's first luxury malls when they opened in 2008. Luxury retailers welcomed the developments, as they had struggled to find appropriate spaces for open shop. However, luxury malls have faced significant challenges in India, and retailers continue to seek the perfect property. "Retail real estate is a huge challenge in India. Positioning is the primary factor for any luxury retailer. This is a brand building exercise for us in India right now," said Kalyani Saha, an executive at Christian Dior Couture India. LiveMint.com/The Wall Street Journal (India) (23 Mar.) | NRF News | | | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Whenever the world throws rose petals at you, which thrill and seduce the ego, beware."
--Anne Lamott,
American writer  |
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