  | Global retail industry news |  |
- JB Hi-Fi chair optimistic about competitive position
Patrick Elliott, chairman at JB Hi-Fi, said the company is poised to compete against online retailers despite the increased popularity of Internet shopping, which is partially due to the increase in the value of the Australian dollar. "The Australian dollar has now risen over parity with the US dollar ...," Elliott said. "It has really opened up the opportunity for parallel importing. The internet model is particularly well suited to do that, whereas the bricks and mortar model is less so, so this discussion is very much more around where we are with currency, perhaps, than any significant change in technology or the uptake in technology." The Australian (04 Apr.), The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)/Australian Associated Press (04 Apr.)        | 3 DAYS LEFT: Save 50% on a 12-pack of $100 hotel gift cards powered by Expedia Networks. Reward employees and say thanks to customers with The Hotel Card. Each one knocks $100 off a 2-night stay at 55,000 hotels (all major brands). And lucky you—you pay just $50 each. Get bizy and buy now. |
 | Retail in Europe |  | | | - French winegrowers change with the times, use plastic bottles
Winegrowers in the French Pyrenees are setting aside tradition to use plastic rather than glass wine bottles. "Plastic bottles are difficult for me," said Pascal Fernandez, a winegrower in the Languedoc. "In the French culture, a glass bottle with a natural cork is engraved in our genes." Fernandez and other growers acknowledge, however, that they are having to overcome such sentiments to meet consumer demand. The Independent (London)/Agence France-Presse (02 Apr.) - Co-operative Group to develop pod concept across UK
The Co-operative Group, which recently reported a 9.1% jump in overall sales for 2010, said that its project of putting electrical "pods" in several high street stores has been successful. The company plans to expand the program to more of its food stores in Britain. Through the pods, the retailer offers electrical goods ranging from washing machines to iPods. "The in-store electrical pilots within our food stores are performing well. They add real value and offer a great choice to our customers," said James Holland, managing director of The Co-operative Electrical. InternetRetailing.net (01 Apr.) | Retail in Asia | | | | - Future Group sees opportunity with Ektaa brand
Future Group launched its Ektaa brand last August but already has high hopes for it. "All our private food brands are doing very well and contribute around 20-25% of the overall food business, which again is a growing category for the Group. We expect Ektaa to become a Rs 100-crore brand in the next 2-3 years," according to Devendra Chawla, head of private brands at Future Group. The company is planning to beef up the Ektaa brand by adding more categories, Chawla said. The Economic Times (India)/Press Trust of India (03 Apr.) - Shoppers Stop shifts trading model, executive says
Govind Shrikhande, managing director at Shoppers Stop, said the Indian retail giant is altering its operating strategy, including making changes in its trading model. The company has been gradually lifting the proportion of goods that are on consignment and concession basis as it reduced the proportion of bought-out goods. Business Standard (India) (04 Apr.) - Japan's Nitori expects first annual profit drop
Nitori Holdings highlighted the challenges retailers in Japan face after the earthquake and tsunami by acknowledging that it expects its annual profit to drop for the first time in 25 years. The furniture and interior goods retailer forecast its operating profit would drop to 47 billion yen, down from 52.7 billion yen the previous business year. Reuters (04 Apr.) - McDonald's works around supply-chain disruptions in Japan
 McDonald's Japan has begun importing supplies and ingredients that it typically makes or buys locally for its 3,300 restaurants in the country. Several of the chain's Japanese processing plants and a distribution facility sustained damage during the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and regular suppliers of milk, eggs and lettuce in the Sendai region were devastated when the wall of water swept through. The company estimates it will have to continue the costly practice for several months. The Wall Street Journal (31 Mar.) | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | - Companies approach Moonpig.com about takeover, sources say
Several firms have approached Moonpig.com, a retailer of personalised greeting cards, about a possible takeover, sources said. Bankers estimate that the company could be worth as much as £140 million. Founded by entrepreneur Nick Jenkins, Moonpig.com hired advisers from Ingenious Media a couple of years ago to consider such approaches. Telegraph (London) (03 Apr.) | Spotlight on Mass Merchandise | | | | - Tesco launches website to sell secondhand cars
Tesco's new online site, Tescocars.com, is aimed at competing with used-car dealers. "By supplying directly to customers, there is no middle man, no expensive showroom and no salespeople on commission. Buyers can be sure they are getting the best value out there -- and we will say 'thank you' with 2,000 Clubcard points," said Andrew Higginson, CEO of retailing services at Tesco. The Guardian (London) (03 Apr.), Telegraph (London) (02 Apr.) | NRF News | | | | - Boscov's executive weighs in on finding supply chain leaders
In today's supply chain community, executives are looking outside of the traditional talent pools in search of the next generation of leaders. In a quick video interview ahead of NRF's 2011 Supply Chain Summit, Larry Bergman, senior vice president of supply chain and operations for Boscov's, shares his insight into how nontraditional retail sector leaders can amplify supply chain efforts. Watch the video.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | To be meek, patient, tactful, modest, honorable, brave is not to be either manly or womanly; it is to be humane."
--Jane Harrison,
British scholar  |
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