SPAR aims for 30 hypermarkets in India in next few years

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22 August 2011 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise Global retail industry news   Global Industry Watch    Harvey Norman liquidates HP TouchPad weeks after launch Harvey Norman has decided to pull the HP TouchPad just weeks after the device was launched in Australia. The move follows an announcement from HP that it plans to exit the personal computer business, a move that includes killing off the TouchPad. The device received a lukewarm response as it struggled to compete with Apple's iPad 2 and other tablet computers. International Business Times (21 Aug.)      Canadian shoppers balk at J.Crew's raised prices J.Crew's prices on merchandise in its recently opened Canadian store and its new Canadian online site are about 15% higher than those at its outlets in the U.S. Canadian shoppers took to online forums to express their frustration over the price hikes. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (21 Aug.)      The risks associated with energy are both dangerous and profit-killing. Know the risks and learn how to protect against them with Zurich's FREE energy safety guide!   Retail in Europe  PPF Group agrees to acquire remaining stake in Eldorado The Czech private equity firm PPF Group has agreed to purchase, for an undisclosed price, the remaining 50% of Russia's Eldorado Group. "PPF is in control of all of Eldorado," said Milan Tomanek, head of communications at PPF. In addition to stores in Russia, Eldorado also has outlets in Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Bloomberg (21 Aug.)      Rich history of London's Rigby & Peller continues under new owners Bertha Rigby and Gita Peller founded Rigby & Peller, the famed London lingerie-maker, in 1939. The company has survived through a number of industry challenges, including the Wonderbra, but was recently sold in a deal that valued it at £10 million. The Guardian (London) (21 Aug.)      The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN Spending power for your business. Premium benefits for you. Access a portfolio of 30+ premium benefits, including: • Membership Rewards® points that pay for flights, hotels, and more • 24/7, 1-on-1 Concierge for help with your life and your Business • Complimentary Airport Club Access Business Platinum Card APPLY NOW   Retail in Asia    Tesco Malaysia to launch loyalty card Tesco Malaysia is striving to personalise the shopping experience by rolling out its loyalty card scheme. The Tesco Clubcard, the branchild of Tesco subsidiary Dunnhumby, allows the retailer to gather information about individual consumers' preferences. "Through the loyalty card, we know the demographics of our customers, and we can give them offers and relevant marketing tips they would be interested in, instead of an impersonal sales approach," said Michael Hawkins, general manager of Dunnhumby Malaysia. Star Publications (Malaysia) (20 Aug.)      Retailers' entry into Hong Kong might push up rents Jones Lang LaSalle said that shop rents in Hong Kong's central business district could surge, driven by the entry of Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap and other international retailers. Rents on street level shops in Hong Kong were up 7.4% in the second quarter as retail sales increased. Bloomberg (21 Aug.)      Other News Indonesia's retail sales expected to surge before Idul Fitri The Jakarta Post (Indonesia) (21 Aug.)      Kickstart your business’ marketing with FedEx Office! Save big on posters, postcards and brochures, with up to 40% off on select print products. Go to FedEx Office to take advantage of the Look Good On Paper Print Sale to get discounts on all your business printing needs.   Retail in Latin America    Retail sales in Colombia surged 11.9% in June Colombia's retail sales rose 11.9% in June compared with the same month the previous year, according to the government's statistics agency, DANE. Car and motorcycle sales helped drive the increase, while the books, paper products, magazines and newspapers sector declined 6.4%. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (19 Aug.)      3 Proven Rich-Media Strategies for Your 2011 Campaigns Today's hyperconnected consumers expect rich, engaging experiences wherever they interact with your product or service. In this report you will learn how to use rich media to: • Engage mobile audiences • Create flawless website experiences • Improve online ad performance   E-commerce Spotlight  Chinese luxury shopping site Xiu gains $100M investment Investment firms Kleiner Perkins China and Warburg Pincus invested $100 million in Xiu, a Chinese online luxury retailer that's expected to quadruple sales this year, to $156.6 million. The company plans to use the funds to add international brands, beef up staff and improve logistics. TechCrunch (18 Aug.)        Spotlight on Mass Merchandise  SPAR aims for 30 hypermarkets in India in next few years SPAR currently has nine hypermarkets in operation in India and is striving to run 30 by 2013. The retailer's ninth store, which opened late last week, features more than 30,000 products over 36,500 square feet. The Hindu (India) (19 Aug.)        NRF News  Lululemon and pixmania.com executives dissect the dos and don'ts of global e-commerce expansion If your company is considering a global e-commerce expansion with multiple new country websites, learn from retailers who have recently been there and done that. During a session at Shop.org's Annual Summit, Sept. 12 to 14 in Boston, executives from lululemon and pixmania.com will share lessons learned from their expansions and introduce custom research focusing on expansion strategy, implementation and results. Learn more.      Join NRF  |  NRF Events  |  FIRAE  |  STORES  |  Training and Certification   SmartQuote  Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." --Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist and cosmologist        This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com   Subscriber Tools       Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Grab our News Widget Publish your Press Release   Advertise Associate Publisher:  Susan W. Kim (202) 407-7877 Download Media Kit       Recent NRF Global SmartBrief Issues: Friday, 19 Aug 2011 Thursday, 18 Aug 2011 Wednesday, 17 Aug 2011 Tuesday, 16 Aug 2011 Monday, 15 Aug 2011     Lead Editor:  Liz DeHoff       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 USA     © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information