Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa (VMMEA), part-owned by British entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group, launched telecoms services in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, beginning the biggest shake-up in the kingdom's telecoms sector in six years. VMMEA is launching two brands after benefiting from the national telecoms regulator's decision to order the country's three mobile operators... Continue Reading →
The new store which is located on Rue Marbeuf store and is spread over two floors will showcase the latest KARL LAGERFELD and LAGERFELD men’s collections including ready-to-wear, accessories, watches, fragrances, eyewear, and novelty items from the World of KARL LAGERFELD. Spanning 133-square-metres, the interior décor features a monochromatic black and white colour scheme, which... Continue Reading →
Innovative casual footwear brand Crocs India is setting foot in towns like Siliguri, Sikkim and Coimbatore through local partnership. The brand has already yjytmade a mark in the metros and now it is focusing on tier 1 and 2 towns where it hopes to strengthen its presence throughnk the franchise model. Crocs took the global... Continue Reading →
Harare - Listed clothing retailer Edgars Stores Limited (Edgars) is targeting a 193 percent growth in profit to $4, 7 million in the 2014 financial year. The group recorded a $1, 6 million profit in the half year to July. During the six months, its performance was significantly affected by an acute liquidity crisis, sluggish... Continue Reading →
UK. Edinburgh Airport will welcome M&S Simply Food next month, as it prepares to offer passengers a “new shopping experience” at its terminal extension. The Marks & Spencers food retail brand will be the first outlet open in the extension on 1 October, with a prime location in the domestic Arrivals hall. The 1,766sq ft... Continue Reading →
Fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB said on Thursday it plans to expand its business over the coming year by increasing online sales and opening new stores, particularly in its largest markets, the US and China. CEO Karl-Johan Persson says the Swedish company is in a "very intensive investment phase" and plans to open 8... Continue Reading →
UK-listed retailer Poundland is planning to open six new Dealz stores in Ireland over the next year, chief executive Jim McCarthy has told The Irish Times. “The plan is to add six additional shops in the next 12 months but we might actually add to that,” Mr McCarthy said. “We’ve got a lot of growth... Continue Reading →
Middle East Franchise Expo – Jumeirah Beach Hotel – Dubai – Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd October 2014.
Middle East retailing king Micky Jagtiani has been named the richest Indian in the Gulf by Forbes magazine. Seven Gulf-based Indians are included in the latest global ranking of rich Indians, with Jagtiani at number 17, worth $5.3 billion. His Landmark Group, based in Dubai, started with one store in Bahrain in 1973 and now... Continue Reading →
Top Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook, have sold off a massive amount of company stock in a planned sale. Cult Of Mac reports, citing a report in Barron's, that five key Apple executives sold off stock in 10b5-1 planned sales. CEO Tim Cook sold 348,425 shares for $35,250,297. Senior vice president of worldwide marketing... Continue Reading →
Victoria Beckham has opened her first-ever store at 36 Dover Street in London’s Mayfair. Designed by London-based architect Farshid Moussavi, the three-storey space features imposing flight of four metre wide polished concrete stairs leading to a giant projection on the first floor's end wall and a spectacular cast-concrete latticed ceiling above. Wafer-thin shelves retract into... Continue Reading →
Sports Direct takes put option on Tesco Sports Direct has entered into a put option on a small stake in troubled supermarket Tesco. In a statement, the sporting goods retailer said the agreement with Goldman Sachs referenced 23 million Tesco shares, representing a 0.28% stake in the supermarket. The option is worth up to £43... Continue Reading →
Owner of Arcadia Group Sir Philip Green is backing the team from the London College, Fashion Retail Academy who are competing in a worldwide student challenge. The challenge, which is part of the World Retail Congress, will start in Paris next week. The four students taking part are from the Fashion Retail Academy that is... Continue Reading →
Download here South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, its long coastline stretching more than 2,500km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast, southwards around the tip of Africa, then north to the border with subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean. It is one-eighth the size of the USA, twice the... Continue Reading →
Download here Once called a nation of shopkeepers, the UK has produced a number of iconic international retail brands including Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nicols, Fortnum & Mason. The maturity of the retail market in the UK means that domestic and non domestic retail operators are quick to adapt and implement new retail strategies and technologies... Continue Reading →
(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp on Tuesday said it plans to buy the remaining 60.5 percent share of Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd that it does not already own, in a two-step deal valued at about $913.5 million. Starbucks Japan has operated as a joint venture between Starbucks and Sazaby League since 1995. Over the summer, Sazaby... Continue Reading →
Selfridges Birmingham has unveiled a new menswear department as part of the store's £20 million redevelopment. Following an investment of nearly £4 million, the exclusive menswear destination now covers the whole level 2 and houses a mix of high-fashion designers, streetwear, up-and-coming brands and a dedicated denim studio. The increased offer comes at a time... Continue Reading →
Versace opened this week a new flagship store in Milan within the recently restored Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The restoration of the famous Galleria, which survived the city’s bombing during the Second World War, was supervised by the city’s Sovrintendenza alle Belle Arti (Department for the Fine Arts), with delicate work undertaken to preserve and... Continue Reading →
Sep 23, 2014 Richard Mille opened earlier this week its first UK stand-alone boutique in London’s Mayfair district on Mount Street. The Richard Mille Boutique on Mount Street will be the latest addition to a prestigious network of monobrand boutiques previously opened in prime shopping and travel destinations; a sign of the formidable growth Richard... Continue Reading →
Guest author : Maniraj Singh Juneja E-commerce is trending but what seems like a “low-investment-fast-growth” business idea to entrepreneurs might not be an accurate assumption. Treat this not as discouragement to start something new, but as a caution note from a person who has faced/seen people facing such problems. If you do have time and... Continue Reading →
Tesco has suspended four senior executives after it revealed an accounting error overstated its first-half profit by £250m. CEO Dave Lewis said that “a number of people” have been suspended while an internal investigation is underway, including the four senior executives. Shares were down more than 11% in early trading, before easing slightly to around... Continue Reading →
Thousands of people stampeded through Calgary’s newest department store on Friday, as Nordstrom opened its first Canadian location. The Seattle-based retailer’s entry into the Canadian market is the latest reminder that retailers face ever-increasing competition from U.S. brands expanding northward -- and it’s not clear if there are enough customers for everyone. Some of the... Continue Reading →
The Alibaba Group’s highly anticipated initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange raised almost $21.8 billion after pricing its shares at the upper level of $68 each, a lucky number for the Chinese. Friday, though founder Jack Ma was there, it was Alibaba customers who rang the NYSE bell. The stock began trading... Continue Reading →
It is not every day that the world’s most populous nation sends such a clear signal to a very specific sector that it is ready and open for business, and yet last week, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) did precisely this when it set in motion a pilot project in 34 cities to sever pharmaceutical... Continue Reading →
World's largest furniture retailer Ikea on Wednesday said it has plans to invest Rs. 12,500 crore to set up 25 stores in the country over the next decade. The new stores, each needing investment of around Rs. 500 crore, will come in the cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore, the Swedish furniture retailer said.... Continue Reading →
Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us and specialty retailer Claire’s have entered into a global partnership to open nearly 100 Claire’s in-store shops in Toys “R” Us locations across Europe, along with 12 U.S. locations, by year-end. The shops will feature an assortment of jewelry, headbands, hair and fashion accessories, jewelry holders, legwear, seasonal items... Continue Reading →
Lululemon Is Opening A Store For Men In New York Ben Nelms / Reuters Lululemon Althletica signed a pair of leases late last month on two corners facing each other at Prince and Wooster streets in Soho. One will be the athletic apparel retailer’s first store just for men. The men’s store will take space... Continue Reading →
YUM! Brands’ Pizza Hut chain is returning to South Africa after a six-year absence with a new focus on delivery meals and a plan to use the country as a platform to enter other parts of the continent. The first new outlet will open in Johannesburg on Thursday, Randall Blackford, general manager for Pizza Hut... Continue Reading →
Marks & Spencer is to launch in Scandinavia for the first time as it steps up its international expansion. The 130-year-old retailer is to open 15 stores in Finland and Norway as part of a franchise agreement. Marc Bolland, chief executive, has pushed M&S into France, the Netherlands, China and other international markets after taking... Continue Reading →
Superdrug owner plans £37m investment to accelerate ecommerce growth Superdrug owner AS Watson is launching an innovation lab to improve its digital strategy and accelerate ecommerce growth as part of a $60m (£37m) investment. Dubbed eLab, the project will involve the creation of an 80-strong team of digital specialists based in four of the group’s... Continue Reading →
REPORT_ Secretsales.com, the UK’s flash sales business, has published its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2013 with revenues increasing 68 percent to 18.2 million pounds (29.4 million dollars). Registered members also saw an increase of 39 percent to three million. 2014 year to date sales were up almost 40 percent. Elaborating on... Continue Reading →
Thailand's online retail market is one of the biggest in the region but is expected to stagnate if there are no concerted government efforts to boost the associated infrastructure. The country's e-tail market saw growth last year, however, sales in the segment accounted for only 1 percent of the total market and is expected to... Continue Reading →
Following a test run during last year’s holiday shopping season at its flagship stores in New York City and San Francisco, Macy’s announced that it will expand the use of Shopkick-powered iBeacons to all of its stores nationwide. Macy's says the rollout marks the largest beacon deployment in retail to date, with more than 4,000... Continue Reading →
NETHERLANDS. Schipol Group has today launched an ambitious redevelopment project that will add +20% more commercial space at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s Departure Lounge 2. The project, to be completed in phases by mid-2015, will also include fresh commercial concepts and a new approach to grouping retail and food & beverage outlets in appropriate zones. Seven... Continue Reading →
The third site in the Central Park coffee shop franchise in the UK opened today (15 September) on Bold Street. This is the brand’s second Liverpool site, the first one having opened in Hatton Garden in 2012. There is also a Central Perk in Chester which opened in 2013. Central Perk’s group director Steven Hesketh... Continue Reading →
Neiman Marcus Group (NMG), the company that owns the Neiman Marcus chain of stores in the US and exclusive department store Bergdorf Goodman today announced that it is set to snap up Mytheresa.com. The deal is expected to close later this year and will be run as an independent subsidiary of NMG based in Munich.... Continue Reading →
CEO Awards ME 2014 Recognizes Outstanding CEOs and Business Leaders across the Middle East Dubai - Anan Fakhreddin, CEO of Damas, the Middle East's leading jewellery and watch retailer, has been honored with the Retail CEO of the Year award at the CEO Awards ME 2014 in recognition of his achievements across the Gulf region.... Continue Reading →
Versace opened this week a new flagship store in Toronto, Canada. Located with the Yorkdale Shopping Centre, the new Versace store which covers 210 sqm was conceived by Donatella Versace and British architect Jamie Fobert. The new store features both men’s and women’s apparel and accessories collections. The new opening is part of an accelerated... Continue Reading →
Located at 217 Middle Huaihai Road, in the Huangpu district in the heart of Shanghai, Hermes Maison covers a total area of 1174 square meters. The store will spread over three floors with the top floor comprising of an event space, which currently hosts ‘the Hermes horse’ exhibition, curated by Phillipe Dumas. The opening of... Continue Reading →
The country's most successful shopping centre will be put up for sale with a price tag of up to €1bn, sources say, with bids expected from Asian sovereign wealth funds. Bad bank Nama will initiate the sale of Dundrum Town Centre as early as next month, the people said, after it gained full control of... Continue Reading →
Phones 4U collapsed into administration on Sunday night after its last remaining mobile operator partner, EE, cut ties with the retailer, The Telegraph can reveal. Phones 4U has 720 outlets, including 550 standalone stores, and employs 5,596 people. Staff will be briefed by management in stores and at head office on Monday morning. BC Parters,... Continue Reading →
Retail group Edcon has announced that home specialist, Boardmans, has launched online, and follows the launch of other brands in its stable, namely CNA, and Red Square. The new e-commerce website includes an extensive range of well-known premium home brands, including Jamie Oliver, Russell Hobbs, Granny Goose, Zeal, Umbra, and Jenna Clifford, as well as... Continue Reading →
Leading fashion retailer Splash, a unit of Dubai's Landmark Group, is planning to open ten new stores in Oman over the next five years. Speaking to the Times of Oman newspaper, Raza Beig, CEO of Splash, said three of the new stores will be open before the end of this year. “The new stores in... Continue Reading →
Al Futtaim Group Real Estate has got six simultaneous projects going on in the region with a combined development cost tab of $6bn. That includes the massive redevelopment of its flagship Dubai Festival City Mall, to turn it into one of the prime retail and tourist attractions in the city., Gulf News reported. “Currently, DFC... Continue Reading →
QATAR. WH Smith has opened its eighth store at the new Hamad International Airport, in partnership with Qatar Duty Free. The new US$15 billion airport development is one of the key aviation projects in the Middle East, with a 600,000sq m terminal and 30 million annual passenger capacity. The six airside and two landside stores... Continue Reading →
The upgrade at the Auas Valley Shopping Mall is nearing completion and is already showing its new vibrant colours. With most of the current and new shop owners now already trading, or in the final stages of preparing their stores, and the parking nearing completion, the Auas Valley Shopping Mall will soon be the prime... Continue Reading →
Men's fashion retailer Gieves & Hawkes opts for digital screen to showcase its fashion range in Harrods' window. Formalwear retailer Gieves & Hawkes has marked its recently launched concession at luxury London department store Harrods with a digital signage window display. The men’s fashion business developed a custom window display at the Knightsbridge retailer, combining... Continue Reading →
Asda has unveiled plans to grow its online business by expanding its home shopping and click and collect service over the next four years. The plans include the acquisition of a fully automated ‘click and collect’ pod technology concept that will see orders delivered to a temperature controlled unit from where customers can collect their... Continue Reading →
Ralph Lauren Corporation opened this week its first Polo flagship at 711 Fifth Avenue in New York City. Spanning nearly 38,000 square feet over three floors, the new Polo flagship is the first store to unveil the complete new world of Polo for women, and the first store to showcase women’s Polo alongside the Polo... Continue Reading →
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