Luxury brands in High Court battle over search terms

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20 April 2011 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise Global retail industry news   Global Industry Watch    Gap to open Old Navy store in Japan by end of 2012 Gap, which operates Old Navy, Banana Republic and its namesake stores, is planning to accelerate its global push to ease its reliance on North America. The company plans to launch its first overseas Old Navy store in Japan by the end of next year. The retail giant also plans to consolidate its international businesses under a single London-based division. Reuters (19 Apr.), The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (19 Apr.) Rona CEO Dutton optimistic about retailer's future Robert Dutton, CEO of the Canadian-owned home improvement retailer Rona, plans to use acquisitions to expand its market share from 19% to 25%. Dutton said it is possible but unlikely that a rival retailer will attempt to take over Rona. Speculation has been mounting that Rona is considering expanding beyond Canada, but Dutton declined to confirm such rumors. The Toronto Star (19 Apr.), Google/The Canadian Press (19 Apr.) Asian brands have franchising opportunities in UAE, expert says The United Arab Emirates features a demographic mix that lends itself to franchising opportunities for Asian brands, particularly those from India, according to Gaurav Marya, managing director of Franchise Middle East. "When Indian companies look at growing outside, the first market they see is the UAE," Marya said. "We have a large population who love living in the UAE, but who would also like to consume Indian brands." Gulf News (United Arab Emirates) (19 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!   Retail in Europe    New Tesco CEO acknowledges errors, promises turnaround In a departure from the management style of his predecessor, Philip Clarke, the new chief executive officer at Tesco, acknowledged that the retailing giant had made some missteps while vowing to quickly turn the situation around. In his debut presentation as CEO, Clarke said Tesco has "not been leading" the UK supermarket sector as it had in much of the past 10 years. The Guardian (London) (19 Apr.), Telegraph (London) (20 Apr.) Royal Wedding gives UK retailers hope for a shopping surge UK merchants hope the April 29 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which is sandwiched between two holidays to give many workers an 11-day vacation, will provide a much-needed if short-term boost in sales. Food and drink revenue is expected to rise as consumers celebrate, and sales of memorabilia to locals and international tourists are likely to soar, according to The Centre for Retail Research. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (19 Apr.)   Other News Agrokor bolsters bid for 23% stake in Slovenian retailer Bloomberg (19 Apr.) Russian retailer Dixy secures loan for Victoria acquisition Reuters (19 Apr.) Health care reform got you down? Learn more from UnitedHealthcare on how the federal changes to medical benefits will affect you and your employees. This comprehensive guide highlights incentives for enrollment and a timeline of important dates and deadlines. Don't let them pass you by—Learn more here!   Retail in Asia  Top clothing brands fail quality control tests in China Chinese shoppers often go for foreign clothing brands, such as Spain's Zara and the U.S.'s Hush Puppies, because they are perceived as being of higher quality. However, quality control tests on the products found that several brands -- six international brands and 14 Chinese -- were actually substandard. Zara, which has failed three successive assessments, was found to be substandard in three categories. China Daily (Beijing) (20 Apr.) India's Future Group enters joint venture with UK's Clarks Future Group, one of the largest retail companies in India, has signed a joint venture agreement with Clarks, a footwear maker based in Britain. Clarks Future Footwear, as the joint venture is called, has opened a store in New Delhi and plans to launch many more stores over the next several years. LiveMint.com/The Wall Street Journal (India) (19 Apr.) Osteoporosis: A guide to prevention and treatment Osteoporosis symptoms need not threaten the health of your bones or your quality of life. This Harvard Health report describes prevention and treatment options through diet, exercise, and medications. 30% off the cover price and free shipping for SmartBrief readers. Order here in hard copy or PDF.   E-commerce Spotlight  Gilt Groupe to base international operations in Ireland Gilt Groupe, an American online retailer, plans to make Dublin its international headquarters and establish a customer service centre in Limerick. The effort will create about 200 jobs split equally between the two Irish cities. The Irish Times (Dublin) (20 Apr.)   Spotlight on Luxury Goods  Luxury brands in High Court battle over search terms Cartier, Alfred Dunhill and other prestigious brand names have filed a High Court claim that revolves around search terms. The brands say Aspinal, a retailer in London, has bought up Google and Yahoo search terms, including their brand names. The brands claim the retailer, which does not stock their products, has violated trademark laws. The Independent (London) (19 Apr.) Burberry remains confident after beating sales estimates Burberry Group, the largest luxury retailer in Britain, reported quarterly revenue, excluding Spain, of £390 million. The results exceeded analysts' estimates. "While the luxury industry faces global challenges in the year ahead, we remain confident in our team's ability to outperform," said CEO Angela Ahrendts. Bloomberg (19 Apr.)   SmartQuote  The sad truth is that excellence makes people nervous." --Shana Alexander, American journalist   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: Tuesday, 19 Apr 2011 Monday, 18 Apr 2011 Friday, 15 Apr 2011 Thursday, 14 Apr 2011 Wednesday, 13 Apr 2011     Lead Editor:  Megan Conniff       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 USA     © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information

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