  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Pick n Pay plans to open new distribution centres: South Africa's Pick n Pay plans to sell its Franklins chain of supermarkets in Australia, using the proceeds to open new distribution centres. The retailer is bracing to cope with increased competition as Wal-Mart Stores enters South Africa. "We have a huge program that's going down in South Africa with all these distribution centers we are building, putting new point-of-sale into the business, we've just launched our smart card, all of which takes a lot of cash," said Gareth Ackerman, chairman of Pick n Pay. Reuters (26 Aug.)
      - Poundworld to expand Discount UK chain
Poundworld is planning to expand its chain of Discount UK stores to fill the gap left by Woolworths' closing. "Woolworths offered variety and value and when it closed we felt we could step into its shoes with a modern multi-price format," said Chris Edwards, founder of Discount UK. The Guardian (London) (26 Aug.)  | The business phone system market is constantly changing. Vendors are battling for your business with expanded feature sets and competitive pricing. How do you know which system is right for your enterprise-class business? Focus Experts have just completed a comprehensive guide for 2011 to help you assess your needs and choose a phone system that fits. |
 - Indian retailers face slowdown in consumer spending
Consumers in India are being forced by rising prices to rein in discretionary spending, which is hitting retailers' revenue. The situation is exacerbating retailers' struggles with rising interest rates, climbing rental costs and inflation. "We saw volume contraction during the just concluded quarter, signalling that the growth momentum has slowed down," said Sangeeta Tripathi, senior equity research analyst at ShareKhan. "There will be another one or two quarters of moderation in revenue for retailers and by then people will readjust their spends, making our views for the long-term bullish but short-term pain." LiveMint.com/The Wall Street Journal (India) (28 Aug.)   | ERP & BI: When 1 + 1 = 3
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 | Spotlight on Mass Merchandise |  |  | | - Ikea optimistic as it prepares to open Melbourne store
Ikea is about to open its largest store in Melbourne, Australia, during a challenging time in the retail environment, but the Swedish company is optimistic. "We've had four to five years of continuous comparable growth year on year -- we've been in pluses right through the [global financial crisis] to this year," said Ikea Australia Managing Director David Hood. "Australia is a fairly young country with young families, good disposable income, a lot of renovations going on and many new houses being built, so someone needs to furnish them. We want a piece of the action." The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (29 Aug.), The Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) (29 Aug.) - Shareholder wants dispute over control at MediaMarkt to end
Haniel, a shareholder in German retailing giant Metro, is seeking an end to the dispute over control over the consumer electronics chain MediaMrkt-Saturn. "We hope the shareholder meeting will clear the way for a sensible working relationship," said a spokesman for Haniel. Metro owns a 75% holding in MediaMarkt-Saturn, while the remaining shares are held by founders Leopold Stiefel and Erich Kellerhals. Reuters (29 Aug.) | NRF News | | | | - Does your company sell online? Don't miss the digital retail event of the year!
Over 3,500 digital retail executives are expected to attend Shop.org's Annual Summit, Sept. 12 to 14 in Boston. Featuring keynotes from executives at Google, Rue La La, Charming Shoppes and Columbia Sportswear, the conference is considered the best educational and networking opportunity of the year for online retailers. Register by Sept. 9 and save $100 off the on-site rate. Learn more.
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