  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Kathmandu posts 28.4% surge in half-year earnings
Peter Halkett, CEO at Kathmandu Holdings, attributed the retailer's strong results to solid growth in same-store-sales in New Zealand and Australia. "We achieved group same store sales growth of 12.1% for the half year. In November at our AGM update we reported same store sales growth of 2.1% for the first 16 weeks of the year," Halkett said. "By 31 Jan. we had lifted that performance significantly, as well as improving gross margins. Given the retail environment over the period we clearly consider this is a very solid performance." Stuff (New Zealand)/Business Day (17 Mar.)       - South African retail sales up 6.4% in January
Retail sales in South Africa have been growing in recent months, adding 6.4% in January compared with December. "It's an indication that consumer spending is still fair," said Johannes Khosa, an economist with Nedbank Group. "We expect growth to moderate itself through the year. Consumers will start to worry that their debt level is high and that interest rates will increase so they may opt to pay for their debts rather than spending more." Bloomberg Businessweek (16 Mar.)  | Writing an Executive Summary That Means Business
An effective executive summary needs to deliver information persuasively, describing potential outcomes and impacts. This concise reprint offers tips for writing an executive summary that balances delivery with a well-substantiated pitch. Order here in paper or PDF. |
 - HMV chief Fox confident UK retailer will survive
Simon Fox, CEO at HMV, said despite speculation about the demise of his business, he is confident it will survive. "I am of course very confident," Fox said. "Our premature death and our problems are being much written about and that's very, very destabilising. We employ 13,000 people, and I'm very confident they have a long term future but it's unsettling for all of us to read what we often read." Reuters (17 Mar.)  | Keep business cards and notes together — Everyone has experienced the frustration of returning from a meeting, trade show,
or event with a pocketful of random business cards and mismatched scribbled notes. The Contact Keeper family of products solves that problem and will keep you organized and productive.
Visit contactkeeper.com to learn more. |
 - Japan's crisis hits global restaurant chains
McDonald's, Starbucks, Yum! Brands and other international restaurant chains have experienced significant growth in Japan over the past several years. Many of the companies' locations near the area affected by the earthquake remain closed or damaged, which is expected to hit company revenue. A spokeswoman for Starbucks said roughly 100 stores in Japan have closed because of the earthquake and its aftermath. "While assessments are ongoing, reports indicate several Starbucks stores in the affected areas in the east have sustained from moderate to significant damage," the spokeswoman said. Nasdaq.com/Dow Jones Newswires (17 Mar.) - IKEA looks into expanding further into China
Ding Hui, managing director at Inter IKEA Centre Group China, said the Swedish furniture giant is teaming up with Auchan, Suning and Jin Yi Film, a cinema operator, to develop malls in China. The move is part of IKEA's further expansion into China. "IKEA is eyeing first and second tier cities for more stores, and we are looking for suitable cities and locations along with them," he said. "Shanghai is certainly one of our targets." Google/Agence France-Presse (17 Mar.) - Many Koreans start buying products from overseas sources
Many consumers in South Korea are discovering that they can save money by purchasing a variety of products from overseas sources. "Some probably doubt the cost advantages of purchasing products overseas, assuming they'd be more expensive than buying them from Korean authorized sellers. But this is not the case," said Seo Woon-gye, who shares tips on purchasing directly from overseas retailers and vendors on her blog. JoongAng Daily (South Korea) (18 Mar.)  | Three Trends Causing Paradigm Shifts in Online Retail
The growth of ecommerce is accelerating as consumers become more comfortable and confident transacting online. In this whitepaper you will learn about the three major trends re-shaping online retail.
• Video as a way to enhance the shopping experience
• Mobile as a channel for expanding marketing reach
• Personalization informed by advanced analytics |
  | 2011 planning for social media made simpler
94.1% of businesses use social media to build brand awareness — does yours? Get insights into business trends and best practices for social media from SmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business. Make your 2011 social-media strategy count with data from 6000+ business execs. Get the report today. |
 | Spotlight on Fashion |  | | | - French Connection CEO scrutinizes rent reviews
French Connection CEO Stephen Marks has asked the UK government to reconsider the law allowing landlords to consider "upward-only" rent reviews. Meanwhile, the fashion retailer noted it is "delighted" to post full-year profit. "I am delighted with the significantly improved performance for our latest financial year," Marks said. "We have achieved a considerably higher profit from the core continuing operations, notwithstanding a period of major change for the group and challenging market conditions." Belfast Telegraph (Northern Ireland) (17 Mar.), The Independent (London) (17 Mar.) | NRF News | | | | - NRF: The 2010 year in review
Now available for viewing, NRF has released a digital (and interactive) copy of its 2010 Annual Report. A look inside the 2010 edition showcases NRF's new strategic plan, including a renewed focus on advocacy, communications and education. The report also delves into NRF's work within varied retail communities such as e-commerce, marketing, loss prevention, information technology, sustainability, supply chain and more. View the Annual Report.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | If you keep your feathers well oiled, the water of criticism will run off as from a duck's back."
--Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards,
American industrial and environmental chemist and the founder of home economics  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
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