  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Australian consumer advocates call for new gift-card rules
Australians spend more than $1.5 billion annually on gift cards, about 20% of which are never redeemed, according to some estimates. Consumer advocates say expiration dates ranging from six months at smaller shops to two years at some large retailers, including Coles, David Jones and Myer, make it tougher for recipients to use their cards. The Age (Melbourne, Australia) (12 Dec.)       | Consumer Insights Your Brand Needs to Know: Latest Trends in Behavioral Advertising
Learn what brand managers, advertisers, as well as networks, agencies, and publishers need to know about consumer survey insights into behavioral ad serving, also known as interest-based advertising. Learn more today! |
 - Consultant's report calls for "urgent action" on high streets
The number of bakeries in the UK has declined from about 25,000 in 1950 to 8,000 in 2000, one of many signs that supermarkets and big retail chains pose a threat to small merchants, says consultant Mary Portas. In a report issued Tuesday with recommendations for reviving high streets, Portas calls for restrictions on new shopping centers that would limit the growth of big chains and require space to be set aside for small merchants. BakeryInfo.co.uk (U.K.) (13 Dec.), Bloomberg (13 Dec.)  | Key Steps Business Owners Should Know About Successful International Payments. This American Express® guide helps you streamline FX payments. Includes FX payment provider profile, how to simplify payments, and insightful FAQ. |
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 - Brazil reports flat retail sales for October
Retail sales in Brazil were flat in October compared to the month before and up 4.3% from the same month last year, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics said Tuesday. The country's central bank cut interest rates in August, but the move wasn't enough to spur higher spending amid concerns about Europe's currency crisis. Nasdaq.com/Dow Jones Newswires (13 Dec.)  | Improve Holiday Sales Results with Tools from Akamai!
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 - UK consumers boost use of "click and collect"
Consumers in the UK are increasingly taking advantage of the ability to shop online and pick up their purchases at brick-and-mortar stores instead of waiting for delivery. Several severe snowstorms last winter that led to significant delivery glitches are a key factor driving the rise in click and collect, according to one online trade group. InternetRetailer.com (13 Dec.) - Global investors put nearly $1 billion into India's online startups
Venture-capital firms and private-equity investors from around the world have invested about $900 million in online and mobile startups in India this year, and they're expected to do deals worth another $250 million by year's end, according to Avendus Capital. Online retail is expected to account for half of the country's e-commerce business in the next four years. The Times of India (13 Dec.)  | Spotlight on Luxury Goods |  |  | | - South Korea sees rise in demand for luxury goods
South Korea has gone from one of the world's poorest countries to the world's 13th largest economy in the past 60 years, and consumers there are snapping up the symbols of their prosperity where they find them, which for many means buying Gucci bags at the local 7-Eleven. Luxury sales have been rising at about 12% annually in South Korea, driven both by newly wealthy residents and tourists from China attracted by the lower prices for luxury goods. Reuters (13 Dec.) - Luxury business booms in Latin America
The luxury sector in Brazil is on track to grow 20% this year, despite economic contractions in the country, and similar scenes are poised to play out in Mexico, Argentina and other Latin American countries, says Bain & Co. consultant Danielle Zito. Global luxury brands including Ferragamo, Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton plan to roll out new stores in the region in response to rapidly growing demand. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (12 Dec.) - China's smaller cities ring up higher luxury sales
China's luxury market is expected to grow 20% this year over last, and much of the expansion is coming in smaller cities outside Beijing and Shanghai. Wealthy residents in big cities including Beijing and Shanghai travel to other countries to do much of their shopping, while residents of smaller towns tend to spend at home, experts say. Channel NewsAsia (11 Dec.) | NRF News | | | | - Buoyed by a strong Black Friday weekend, November US retail sales rise 4.5%
Strong promotions on holiday gifts helped a variety of retail categories draw in savvy shoppers as the 2011 holiday shopping season started strong in America. According to NRF, November retail industry sales in the U.S. rose 0.09% from October and 4.5% over last year. NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said, "While companies are encouraged by a strong start to the holiday season, the real test will come in December when the majority of holiday spending occurs. Retailers have been working all year to make sure that the last two weeks before Christmas deliver the promotions and value that today's shoppers expect." Read more.
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