| Global retail industry news |  |
| Global Industry Watch |  |  | | - Africa's Steinhoff to acquire Conforama chain
Steinhoff International Holdings announced that its exclusive talks with PPR's Conforama furniture chain have resulted in an acquisition. The largest furniture maker in Africa will acquire the chain, which operates 236 stores in Europe, for about €1.207 billion. Bloomberg (31 Jan.)      - Carrefour considers listing some assets separately
Carrefour is considering listing its Dia chain and real estate divisions separately. "As part of its strategy to maximize its performance and the valuation of its assets, Carrefour confirms that it is studying different projects that could lead to the listing of certain of these assets," the French retailer said. "As soon as the studies are completed, they will be submitted for review to the board of directors." Reuters (31 Jan.) , Bloomberg (31 Jan.) - Macintosh Retail Group acquires Jones Bootmaker
Macintosh Retail Group, a firm based in the Netherlands, has acquired UK-based Jones Bootmaker, saying the company and its stores fit with Macintosh's strategy. "The board of directors are delighted to have been acquired by a business with an established track record in the footwear sector," said Peter Phillips, chairman of Jones. "We are quite clear that both companies share a mutual vision of a combined group dedicated to the sale of quality footwear and the experience of superb customer service which has always been associated with this Heritage Brand." Google/The Press Association (U.K.) (31 Jan.) - Retail sales in Germany slipped in December
Germany's Federal Statistics office said that retail sales decreased by 0.3% in December compared with November. The unexpected drop is viewed as a sign that consumer spending remains uncertain. Consumer confidence in Germany is expected to rise this year, however, as unemployment declines. The Wall Street Journal (31 Jan.)  | Companies today face a 21st century information challenge — one that doesn't fit into the rows and columns of a relational database. View this one-hour webinar featuring Forrester Research, RDBMS Alternatives: NoSQL, XML, and Other Game Changers, to learn why RDBMS is being pushed out of the mainstream. |
 | Retail in Asia | | | | - Sri Lankan fashion retailer Odel reports 35% surge in profit
Odel, a fashion retailer in Sri Lanka, reported quarterly profits of 76 million rupees, a 35% increase over the same period the previous year. Quarterly sales increased 26%, the retailer said. Otara Gunewardene, founder and CEO at Odel, said that adding locations has helped the company grow. "Expansion of the store network has also contributed significantly to our figures together with strong same store growth," Gunewardene said. "We are confident of seeing this positive trend continue with the increase in tourism and planned development of the country." Lanka Business Online (01 Feb.) | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | - PayPal sets limits on payments to India's merchants
Merchants based in India won't be able to receive PayPal payments of more than $500 per transaction from out-of-country customers, a change the company says comes in reaction to new rules from the Reserve Bank of India. It's the latest in a series of changes that started a year ago, when banking regulators asked whether transactions on PayPal and other online-payment services should be subject to the same regulations as wire transfers of cash. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (28 Jan.) | Technology Solutions | | | | - UK retailers to offer Facebook users deals, discounts
Facebook has launched a location-based service that allows users to "check in" using their mobile phones. Local shops will present the consumer with a range of discounts and offers. "Facebook will take location-based services into the mainstream. It has 26 million monthly users in the UK, so if anyone can make it work it is them," said Mike Butcher, editor of TechCrunch Europe. The Independent (London) (01 Feb.) | Spotlight on Grocery | | | | - Supermarkets oppose Scotland's proposed tax on major retailers
In November, the Scottish government proposed the Large Retailer Levy as a way to raise funds. Retailers, particularly supermarkets, have objected to the tax, saying that it will lead to fewer jobs and store openings in the country. Sainsbury's CEO Justin King has warned that the company could re-examine its expansion plans in Scotland if the levy is implemented. The Independent (London) (31 Jan.) | NRF News | | | | - Report shows retailers are refocusing for 2011
After two to three years of belt tightening, expansion is back on the agenda and retailers are ready to begin experimenting again with new brick-and-mortar concepts, hoping to appeal to shoppers interested in buying for "wants" instead of "needs". Gain the latest insights on how retailers have adapted to this new consumer -- and what they're planning in 2011 -- from the just-released Retail Horizons report, the most authoritative source for retail benchmarks and trends. Order the full report by Feb. 28 and save up to $135. Learn more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | I consider a goal as a journey rather than a destination. And each year I set a new goal."
--Curtis Carlson,
American businessman and technologist  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
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Brands must find a way to make their business goals coincide with their customers' needs if they're going to make use of social networks, Debbie Weil said at a recent conference. Weil pointed to Nike's partnership with the Lance Armstrong Foundation in which Nike was able to sell bracelets by aligning the product with consumers' desire to fight cancer. Bringing a brand and its customers together in a common cause is a critical part of using social networks for business, she says. 
