| Global retail industry news |  | | |  | - Wal-Mart could trigger acquisition spree in South Africa
Wal-Mart, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. and HSBC Holdings have announced $15 billion worth of deals in South Africa since July. The momentum is toward a takeover spree, with at least 10 companies in South Africa identified as possible targets for foreign suitors. Bloomberg (30 Sep.)      - Improved economic outlook helps spur retail confidence in Kenya
The ratification of a new constitution in Kenya has helped improve the country's economic prospects, lifting retail confidence in the third quarter. "There is a continued increase in optimism among retailers about the future of Kenya, which may have been stimulated by ratification of the new constitution coupled with political stability," said Anna Ndungu, director of retail trade research for Africa at TNS Research International. Bloomberg Businessweek (30 Sep.)  | Social media success starts with open leadership
Renowned author & speaker Charlene Li tailors the key lessons of her new book Open Leadership for association and non-profit execs in this 75 min. recording. Understand how to harness social technologies for association communications & operations. Get this Buzz2010 recording + 2 more for one low price. |
 - Tesco leads UK retailers in embrace of Halloween
A generation ago, few people in the UK celebrated Halloween. Retailers, however, have started to embrace the American import as its popularity among children has increased. Tesco, the largest retailer in Britain, said that it expects sales from Halloween-related products to surpass that of Valentine's Day. "As with Christmas and Easter, many customers are buying for Halloween weeks ahead of the actual event," said Carolyn Bradley, UK marketing director for Tesco. Telegraph (London) (30 Sep.) , Reuters (30 Sep.)  | Five Quick Ways to Trim — and Improve — Business Writing
Whether you're writing an e-mail message or a 100-page report, the challenge is the same: cut length without losing meaning. This article from the Harvard Management Update series offers five tips on how you can do just this painlessly and professionally. Order this practical article here. |
 - Indian retailers woo consumers with variety of services
India's organised retailing sector is buzzing with the idea of destination retailing. In addition to their traditional offerings, retailers are offering travel, laundry, spa and other services. "The line between products and services is blurring in organised retail," says Sanjay Gupta, head of marketing at Spencer's Retail. "Services retailing is going to be the next big thing that retailers will offer in order to truly become a one-stop shop, since shopping time is slowly becoming a premium with most consumers of modern trade." The Economic Times (India) (01 Oct.)  | On-Demand Web Conferencing and Collaboration—Anywhere. No need to scramble for conference rooms when you can instantly connect employees, customers or students online. Cisco WebEx supports 10 million subscribers each month with web applications specifically tailored to industry needs. Via computer or Smartphone, you can discover the benefits of WebEx with a Free 14-day trial. |
 - Insiders say Facebook requires different approach
Retailers interested in reaching consumers through Facebook must offer a quick way to make purchases, said Josh Himwich, vice president of e-commerce solutions at Quidsi. Consumers visit Facebook to socialise with their friends, Himwich told participants at the Shop.org Summit. "No one wants an entire shopping experience in Facebook," he said. InternetRetailer.com (30 Sep.)  | Increase Sales with the TRUSTe Seal
Download this case study to see how one company added the TRUSTe seal to lead registration forms and their shopping cart, and saw an enormous 84% lift in purchases, and a 72% increase in revenue per visitor lift. Learn how a consumer-facing seal can accelerate a transaction, and why visitors feel an increased level of trust upon seeing the TRUSTe seal. |
 | Spotlight on Fashion |  | | | - Luxury labels take cues from fast-fashion rivals
Fast fashion has become all the rage as retailers such as Hennes & Mauritz and Zara can get the latest designs from studio to store in just a couple of weeks. Cavalli Group and other luxury companies say the trend is increasing pressure on them to come up with new items more rapidly. "Loyal clients that are coming to the store frequently will get bored of not finding something new," said Gianluca Brozzetti, CEO at Cavalli. Bloomberg (30 Sep.) | NRF News | | | | - Southwest Airlines co-founder: The customer is not always right
Want to keep your associates happy? Southwest Airlines President Emeritus Colleen Barrett shares her advice: Give employees the authority to make good decisions, embrace your corporate culture as a way of life, and stop saying the customer is always right (they're not, she says). In a three-minute video, hear more about Barrett's philosophies on taking care of employees. Watch the video.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | In the final analysis it is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings."
--From the "Ask Ann Landers" American advice column  |
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