  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Target kicks off hiring push in Alberta
Target executives were in Alberta this week to launch a hiring campaign for the 15 stores the company plans to open in the province next year. The retailer aims to hire between 150 and 200 workers for each store, in a province where the unemployment rate has hit its lowest level since 2008. Calgary Herald (Alberta) (21 Jun.)      - World's Biggest Bookstore's fate up in the air
Indigo Books and Music may be leaning toward giving up the 64,000-square-foot World's Biggest Bookstore space when the lease expires late next year, opening up the biggest downtown Toronto retail space in about 25 years. Scores of national and international big box retailers have eyed the space, which rents for $1.5 million per year, said CBRE's Stuart Smith. "We see it as being an opportunity for a large-format suburban use that can't find traction downtown." National Post (Canada) (21 Jun.)  | Hiring exceptional talent is critical to the success of your business. Whether it’s the executive who offers visionary leadership, or the sales professional who won’t settle for less than 100%, a business needs great people to thrive. This guide provides best practices for securing the top talent you need to drive business results. |
 - Costco eyes opportunities in Europe
Costco is interested in expanding its presence in Europe in the next few years, and it's looking specifically at Germany, Italy, France and Spain, international executive James P. Murphy said Thursday. The US retailer operates more than 600 stores worldwide, including 22 in the UK. Bloomberg Businessweek (21 Jun.)  | RadioShack has a global presence and a variety of innovative products and services. With reasonable investment levels and hundreds of potential markets, a RadioShack franchise represents an exciting opportunity for you to associate with a powerful retail brand. Click here to learn more. |
 - LanMark's retail experiment finds success in India
A retail experiment that brought together 160 small merchants under the LanMark banner in Kerala, India, is poised to spread to other cities. Independent retailers sign on to sell under the LanMark brand, enjoying the benefits of bulk buying while maintaining their independent status for accounting purposes. The Economic Times (India) (22 Jun.) - China sends mixed signals to luxury brands
Global luxury retailers are getting mixed signals from China, where manufacturing has contracted for eight consecutive months. Brands including Burberry and LVMH have seen slower sales growth in mainland China, but it has been offset by sales to Chinese tourists in Europe, and Prada recently reported strong sales growth on both fronts, writes analyst Stacey Widlitz. CNBC/Consumer Nation blog (21 Jun.)  | You've heard about the switch businesses are making to VoIP phone systems but are they right for your business? With more features and lower costs, the answer is probably yes. But don't take our word for it. Read Ziff Davis' Phone Systems Buyer's Guide and Comparison Guides, FREE with your registration. |
 - Upscale shopping mall opens in Brazil
The upscale JK Iguatemi mall opens today in São Paulo, Brazil, with 189 stores including 60 international brands and the first Latin American shops for Van Cleef & Arpels, Lanvin and Topshop. The city ranks sixth in the world for high net-worth individuals, and is home to 70% of Brazil's billionaires. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (22 Jun.)  | Any business expanding globally needs to be aware of the complex and oftentimes stringent privacy regulations they'll encounter as they move into new markets. In the EU, for instance, a strict regulatory framework that could spell headaches for U.S. businesses who don't have the facts. Download this FREE eBook to avoid common pitfalls and streamline EU legal compliance. |
 | E-commerce Spotlight |  |  | | - Australian e-commerce pioneer urges merchants to work together
Australia's online and brick-and-mortar retailers have spent so much time fighting each other that they may not have noticed all the retailers from abroad poised to take their customers, said psychologist-turned-entrepreneur Paul Greenberg. "If there's a battle to be had it's crazy that we're bickering amongst ourselves, because we're being ring-fenced," said Greenberg, who founded online department store dealsdirect in 2004. Australian Financial Review (21 Jun.) | Spotlight on Fashion | | | | - Alexander McQueen in the midst of a retail makeover
More than two years since the death of its namesake designer, Alexander McQueen is moving the brand more upscale, giving stores a softer look as it shifts focus from wholesale to ready-to-wear retail. The company opened a new store in Miami this month and plans to open new locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong later this year. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (21 Jun.) - Saint Laurent to change name on ready-to-wear
Yves Saint Laurent will drop the "Yves" from the name of its ready-to-wear collection, the company said. The move comes a few months after the designer brand promoted Hedi Slimane to the post of creative director; the YSL logo will remain unchanged, but may not be used as widely in the future, a spokeswoman said. The Guardian (London) (21 Jun.) - UK's Pretty Green to debut in Japan
Menswear brand Pretty Green will open a shop in Japan this summer, the UK retailer's first foray overseas. The company, which operates 10 stores in the UK, will also launch an e-commerce website in Japan. The Retail Bulletin (19 Jun.) | NRF News | | | | - Cargo at rest is cargo at risk: Tips for minimizing theft
The FBI estimates cargo theft can be as high as a $30 billion problem for retailers every year. So how can retailers get out in front of this growing problem? In a breakout session at NRF's Loss Prevention Conference, Con-way's Chris Zook joined law enforcement officials from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, who unveiled how the two organizations partnered to uncover the crime rings responsible for high-value thefts. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (20 Jun.)
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