  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Rakuten aims to break eBay and Amazon's holds on Europe
Japan's Rakuten plans to use acquisitions to bolster its presence in Europe to entice consumers away from Amazon and eBay. Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet is leading Rakuten's expansion in Europe and plans to develop an online shopping mall similar to those in Japan. "We want to implement the Rakuten business model in other large European countries," said Kosciusko-Morizet. "There's a willingness to invest in growth and aggressively expand." Bloomberg (27 Apr.)        | Utilize the Zurich Enterprise Risk Management Healthcheck assessment tool to get a better understanding of your current ERM strategy with recommendations for improvement. Sign up for FREE access today! |
 - Whittals Wine Merchants buys 37 Oddbins stores
Whittals Wine Merchants, a subsidiary of EFB Group, has bought 37 Oddbins stores, securing hundreds of in-store jobs. The acquisition leaves 52 stores in the hands of Oddbins administrators. Multimillionaire Raj Chatha set up European Food Brokers wholesaling operations in 1991 and has expanded into cash-and-carry. "This represents a new dawn for these Oddbins stores, and with the well-reported financial shackles removed, it will allow for a consistent supply of stock and investment at store level for the benefit of all, most importantly its loyal staff and consumer base," Chatha said. Google/The Press Association (U.K.) (26 Apr.), Reuters (26 Apr.) - Retailers capitalise on apathy about Royal Wedding
Some retailers in the UK are catering to the indifference some Brits claim to feel about the upcoming Royal Wedding. Camila Prada says her online company Sorry But sold so many bone-china mugs inviting consumers to "commemorate your indifference" to the pending nuptials that PayPal almost closed the account. "I was just sitting at my computer freaking out," Prada said. "My account went from zero to £10,000 ($16,000) in a week and a half." Bloomberg (26 Apr.)  | Despite being a backbone enterprise application, Enterprise Resource Planning is often misunderstood. In this guide from Focus, top experts provide their suggestions and recommendations to guide you through your evaluation of the best choices. Unravel the complexities of ERP once and for all to make an informed buying decision by downloading this free white paper. |
 - Spain's Zara wins hearts of Indian consumers
Inditex brought its flagship brand Zara to India less than a year ago. Indian consumers immediately embraced the store, making the retail space near Zara highly desirable. "Zara has been selling very well over the past ten months in India," said the head of a competitor. "Its success has proven that there is definitely a market for fast fashion, especially in western women's wear." The Economic Times (India) (27 Apr.) - Retail sales in Japan down in March as quake takes its toll
Retail sales in Japan dropped in March and are expected to remain weak following the earthquake, tsunami and radiation crisis. The figures show sales declined at the fastest annual pace in more than a decade. "The worst will be over for consumption after April but it will take a long time before it returns to pre-quake levels," said Tatsushi Shikano, a senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. Reuters (27 Apr.)  | Are you keeping up with the changing world of employee health care? Get The Basics of Employee Health Care for Small Business: A Guide to Creating a Company Benefit Plan, and find out what you need to know today. There's no obligation. Click to download a FREE whitepaper. |
  | Use social media to enchant your customers
Learn how to create a smart, savvy, and enchanting social media strategy from industry expert and bestselling author Guy Kawasaki. Register today for the 2011 Social Media Success Summit where industry experts reveal all the latest techniques and proven business-building tactics you need to know to immediately benefit from social media. The event starts May 3rd, register today! |
 | E-commerce Spotlight |  | | | - Harvey Norman appears to be embracing the Internet
Gerry Harvey of Harvey Norman has long been a sceptic of online retailing, but the Australian retail giant appears to be heading in that direction. Starting in July, Harvey Norman plans to sell furniture and electronics online. "I've told my team I want them to turn over $100 million within two to three years and then take it to $1 billion within five to 10 years," Harvey said. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (27 Apr.) | Technology Solutions | | | | - Commentary: Efficiency measures give retailers a boost
Leon Kaye, founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com, explains how some retailers are using energy-efficiency measures to help compensate for narrower profit margins. Kaye explains some of the efforts retailers are making to improve the energy efficiency of their stores. For example, Ahold has gradually reduced its carbon dioxide emissions over the past few years. "Design is a large part of Ahold's energy efficiency agenda," Kaye writes. The Guardian (London) (26 Apr.) | Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | | | - Japan quake prompts luxury goods shift to China, group says
The World Luxury Association has released a report that notes the significant contraction in the luxury goods market in Japan in the weeks following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis. Luxury goods companies in Europe are trying to counter losses in Japan by targeting China. "More than 70% of the brands will try to accelerate a shift in their development focus from Japan to China this year," said Michael Ouyang, CEO of the WLA's China office. "China will take the place of Japan and become the world's largest consumer market for luxury goods." China Daily (Beijing) (26 Apr.) | NRF News | | | |
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Economic systems are not value-free columns of numbers based on rules of reason, but ways of expressing what varying societies believe is important."
--Gloria Steinem,
American journalist and women's rights advocate  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
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