  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Prada plans to open stores across Middle East
Prada, the Italian fashion house, said that as part of its joint venture with Al Tayer Insignia, a luxury retailer, it will establish stores throughout the Middle East. "The joint venture company, headquartered in Dubai, will oversee the roll out of Prada and Miu Miu stores across the region, leveraging on Al Tayer Insignia's market knowledge and expertise," according to a joint statement from the companies. The Independent (London)/Agence France-Presse (01 May.)        | SPRING OFFER- save 15% on 'The Plastic Packaging Market Outlook in Food and Drinks' by Business Insights. This 2011 report includes market dynamics, drivers, resistors and trends in the plastic packaging market for food and drinks. Hurry though- limited time only! Details. |
 - LK Bennett seeks new CEO as it aims to bolster presence
Robert Bensoussan has been running LK Bennett for the past year following the departure of CEO Margaret McDonald. The upmarket women's retailer is now getting serious about finding a successor for McDonald as it prepares to expand in Europe and the US as well as its home market, the UK. Telegraph (London) (01 May.)  | As eCommerce has grown to represent a significant percentage of retail sales and profits, merchants should consider payment strategies that can enhance their online services, open new markets and protect the bottom line. Download this free white paper to learn more. |
 | Retail in Asia |  | | | - Indian companies struggle to overhaul tech retailing
Kishore Biyani's Future Group succeeds in most areas it delves into, but it has yet to thrive in electronics retailing. Future Group has decided to hive off eZone, look for a strategic partner and shrink the division's outlets. "Margins are low, costs are high as we are present in malls and prime locations," Biyani said. "This calls for a relook at the model." Biyani is not alone in the struggle to revamp tech retailing in India. The Economic Times (India) (02 May.) - Cafe Coffee Day to open 100 more outlets across India
Cafe Coffee Day recently announced plans to open 60 cafeterias and 45 lounges in India. The additional outlets will bring the coffee retailer's total to about 1,200. Currently CCD accounts for more than two-thirds of the 1,500 branded coffee outlets in India. K Ramakrishnan, president of marketing at CCD, said the companies expects the consumption level to rise with the entrance of Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and other global players. Business Standard (India) (02 May.)  | Expert news curation and aggregation goes mobile
The SmartBrief Android App extends the reach of the SmartBrief e-mail service by allowing you to read, manage, save and share top news stories pertinent to your industry-with or without a mobile connection. Download the FREE SmartBrief Android App today! |
 | Retail in Latin America | | | | - Quarterly earnings growth helps boost Brazilian retailers
Positive first-quarter earnings from Hering and Lojas Renner helped Brazilian retailers rally in Sao Paulo trading. The results boosted optimism that Brazil's retail industry will continue to grow despite efforts by the government to curtail inflation. "It looks like the first quarter wasn't as bad as expected for the industry," said Caue Pinheiro, an analyst at SLW Corretora. "There is still concern about how higher interest rates and slower economic growth will affect those companies, but so far they seem to have overcome these obstacles." Bloomberg (29 Apr.) - Luiza's IPO raises millions for acquisitions, remodeling
Magazine Luiza, an appliance retailer in Brazil, raised about 925.8 million reais through an initial public offering late last week. The company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to make acquisitions, remodel existing stores and invest in technology. Reuters (28 Apr.) | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | - Taobao launches "1 Penny sit-in" group purchase platform
Taobao.com faced a two-month delay but it has now opened its new group purchase platform, prompting questions from users. Consumers were tapped earlier this year to suggest group-purchase projects. Taobao cut the number of project to three, citing difficulties with implementation with some of the other suggestions. Consumers raised other questions, which Taobao said it would investigate. Global Times (China) (27 Apr.) | Spotlight on Mass Merchandise | | | | - Target seeks exclusive rights to use its name in Canada
As Target prepares to expand in Canada, it is battling in Federal Court there in an effort to gain exclusive rights to the use of the Target name. Fairweather Ltd. owns more than a dozen retail stores called Target Apparel across Canada. "If the defendants are not restrained, the plaintiffs will lose the ability to control their reputation and goodwill in Canada," according to a court filing by Minnesota-based Target. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (02 May.) | NRF News | | | | - Affiliate marketing expert talks tried-and-true tips and tactics
Affiliate marketing programs have been given a second chance at life with the introduction of social media. In a recent Q&A on the Shop.org blog, Shawn Collins, an affiliate marketer who's been in the space since 1997, shares his thoughts on the ever-changing role this type of marketing plays in a constantly evolving medium, who's who (and successful) in the affiliate marketing space, and tips to help jumpstart any affiliate program. Read more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?"
--Hillel the Elder,
ancient Jewish religious leader  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
|
The most effective way to find out what your employees need from you -- and to be a better leader -- is to ask "What can I do to help you be more effective?," write Linda Hill and Kent Lineback. At first the answers might be little more than complaints, or things you can't do anything about, but if leaders are respectfully persistent, they can build useful discussions by repeatedly asking this question. 
As LinkedIn's first staff social media expert, Mario Sundar knows more than anyone about how to make the professional network jump through hoops. Still, he says, Facebook and Twitter also deserve a place in your social strategy: Facebook is great for staying in touch with friends, Sundar says, while Twitter is a useful marketing platform. 
