  | Global retail industry news |  |
- South Africa's Pick n Pay raises funds for expansion plans
Pick n Pay Stores sold debt to raise about $70.8 million in an effort to improve liquidity and fund its expansion. The move "will enable Pick n Pay to access short- and long-term funding, diversify its funding sources, enhance its liquidity position and provide funding flexibility," according to a statement from the South African retailer. The company is expanding in Africa as it aims to sell Franklins, its Australian operation. Bloomberg (18 Mar.)        | Three Trends Causing Paradigm Shifts in Online Retail
The growth of ecommerce is accelerating as consumers become more comfortable and confident transacting online. In this whitepaper you will learn about the three major trends re-shaping online retail.
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 - All Saints in advanced talks with 3 potential investors
All Saints, which has 63 stores and 47 concessions in the UK, Europe, Russia and the US, is working on a possible rescue deal to help secure the long-term future of the fashion retailer. The company is believed to be in advanced talks with Och Ziff, Goode Partners and another potential investor. An announcement is expected possibly as early as this week. Telegraph (London) (20 Mar.), Bloomberg (19 Mar.) - River Island chief aims to revive Chelsea Girl brand
River Island, which changed its name from Chelsea Girl a couple of decades ago, is reviving the brand, selling a "capsule" range in its stores. In this interview, River Island CEO Ben Lewis discusses the move. "First of all, vintage clothing continues to inspire fashion," he said. "We decided we'd take inspiration from our own collections in the 1970s and 1980s when we were Chelsea Girl, so it was a great place to hunt for inspiration and designs. Secondly, we have a number of customers who were saying to us, 'We love Chelsea Girl very fondly, are you going to bring it back?'" Telegraph (London) (20 Mar.) - HMV considers selling Waterstone's
HMV Group's turnaround plans could include putting its Waterstone's book store chain on the auction block. Lenders have told the company that it needs to raise £75 million in order to have its lending covenants relaxed, according to the Sunday Times. Tim Waterstone, founder of Waterstone's, is seen as a potential buyer for the chain. Google/The Press Association (U.K.) (20 Mar.)  | Keep business cards and notes together — Everyone has experienced the frustration of returning from a meeting, trade show,
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  | Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
This collection of Harvard Business Review articles examines emotional intelligence as a key component of great leadership. Improve behaviors that create connections between leaders and follower — connections that can deliver measurable results. Order this downloadable collection here. |
 | Retail in Latin America |  | | | - Starbucks opens first location in Guatemala
Starbucks has had a long partnership with Guatemala's coffee growers and now the international retailer has launched its first outlet in the country. Along with its joint venture partner Corporacion de Franquicias Americanas, Starbucks opened a coffeehouse in the Condado Concepcion shopping centre. "Starbucks sources a majority of our high-quality arabica coffee from this region so we are delighted and honored to introduce the unique Starbucks Experience to customers," said Pablo Arizmendi-Kalb, vice president and general manager at Starbucks Latin America. Drinks Business Review (21 Mar.) | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | - Suppliers at odds with Australia's online retailers, survey finds
Online retailers in Australia are optimistic about their future, but they are finding their dealings with suppliers are becoming challenging. Suppliers are trying to maintain their relationships with larger clients, which can put them at odds with smaller, online shops, according to research from eBay. "These suppliers are also working with big-name brands, and these companies know that online brands can undercut them. And so they don't want to supply to those businesses and upset their larger clients," said Jenny Thomas, communications manager at eBay. SmartCompany.com.au (Australia) (21 Mar.) | Spotlight on Mass Merchandise | | | | - Japan crises won't have "material" effect on Wal-Mart, Moody's says
Analysts at Moody's Investors Service said that the earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan recently will affect Wal-Mart Store's operations there but won't have a "material" effect on the company overall. "While Japan may be an important market for Wal-Mart, the company has other international opportunities that have more growth potential over the long term," according to Charles O'Shea, a senior analyst at Moody's. "Chief among them is China, but Wal-Mart has also turned its attention to South Africa and South America." Bloomberg Businessweek/The Associated Press (18 Mar.) - European retailers to highlight importance of emerging markets
Germany's Metro, Spain's Inditex and other top European retailers are poised to provide updates on their results. The retailers are expected to highlight the importance of expanding into emerging markets as consumer spending in Europe remains weak. Metro, for example, will update the markets on its Shape 2012 restructuring plan. Analysts will be on the lookout for more information about the company's expansion plans for Latin America and Indonesia. Reuters (18 Mar.) | NRF News | | | | - Gilt and Google talk tablet retail
As a leader in iPad retail applications, Gilt Groupe is riding high on the success of a unique tablet user experience. Thinking about launching an iPad app? In a recent Shop.org blog post, hear execs from Gilt and Google share what they've learned so far about tablet retailing -- and why the future looks bright. Read more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | The richer your friends, the more they will cost you."
--Elisabeth Marbury,
American theatrical and literary agent  |
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