World Retail Congress 2014

Transcription

World Retail Congress
2014
Contents






















































Financial Times
Insider Retail Asia
Retail Detail Belgium
Retail Detail France
Women’s Wear Daily
I-D Vice
emarketing.fr
Fashion United
The Luxe Chronicles
Indian Monitor
Inside Retail Asia
Retail in Asia
Fashion United
Computer World UK
Network World
Bedford Today
Pyments.com
Planet Biometrics
Retail Week
European Business Express
Retail Gazette
Fashion United
Retail Packaging
Segs.com
OCHOBA
LSA
l'opinion
La Tribune
Les Echos.fr
Fashion Institute of Technology
Bromsgrove Standard
CB News
Retail Week
India Retail News
Le Point.fr
le JDD
AMEinfo
Just-style.com
Fort Mill Times
Financial Mirror
SYS-CON Media
India Retail News
Digital Journal
Le Télégramme
La Tribune
l'opinion
N'Salons
Press Association
Poslovni dnevnik
Drapers
Finextra
Drapers
Drapers
“Bell Pottinger are licensed by NLA media access to provide this cutting. Should you wish to do anything further
with it, e.g. print it, forward it, save it, then you will need to ensure your organ isation holds your own licence
with the NLA”.
























































Grupo Padrão
Retail Week
Retail Week
Business Insider
The Economic Times
Reuters
Just-style.com
The C-Suite
Investing.com
Today Online
Finextra
Business Standard
Yahoo! News
WHBL
WKZO
Retail Week
Drapers
Revistainforetail
The Peninsula
Europe Real Estate
Reuters
LS:N Global
LS:N Global
La Tribune
Challenges
Grupo Padrão
Grupo Padrão
Bloomberg
The Asian Age
Business World
Grupo Padrão
Just-style.com
Finextra
News.Kompass.UA
Drapers
Foodmanufacture.co.uk
Consultancy.nl
Bloomberg TV
The Courier Mail
Just-style.com
Bloomberg TV
Reuters (China)
JUst-style.com
ABC.es
TechENet
Banking Newslink
Drapers
Venture Capital Post
Daily Mail
Finextra
Grupo Padrão
Drapers
Herald Sun
Retail Week
Grupo Padrão
Grupo Padrão
with the NLA”.
























































Drapers
Inside Retail
Bloomberg TV
Reuters
Gondola
Les affaires
Drapers
Retail Digital
The Straits Times
Retail Week
The Times
The Times
Retail Week
Drapers
Retail Week
Il Sole 24 Ore
Retail Week
IT News
Euro2day
Drapers
muypymes.com
Passauer Neue Presse
The Courier Mail
Drapers
Fashion United
Drapers
Vending Times
Ancona Today
The Telegraph
Euronews
Retail Week
Interactive Investor
The Grocer
Yahoo! News
Mail Online
Inside Retail
Chain Store Age
CRN
WGSN
The Times
The Times
The Daily Telegraph
Europe Real Estate
Retail Week
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Magazine
Mobile Commerce Press
EKAI.gr
Racunalniske novice
Fashion United
Finextra
Financial Mirror
Virtual-Strategy Magazine
Heraldonline.com
Digital Journal
MarketWatch
Yahoo! News
with the NLA”.
























































The West Australian
Just-style.com
Just-style.com
LS:N Global
The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror
Business Day
Le Figaro
Groupe Dia-Mart
The Local
Reuters (France)
Causeur.fr
Marketing
The Times
The Times
Reuters
London Evening Standard
The Daily Express
Middle East North Africa Financial Network
Agence France Presse
Press Association
London Evening Standard Online
BBC News
Reuters
Mail Online
Le Furet du Retail
The Irish Times
Drapers
The Independent
The Independent
The Times
The Times
The Herald
The Journal
TopNews.in
Birmingham Mail
Just-style.com
The Sunday Guardian
Sky News
Canal France
Sud Ouest
The Times
The Times
ACN Newswire
Jiji Press
India Retail News
WWD
The Times
Oreanda
The Times
The Times
Just-style.com
Mail Online
MarketLine
Zawya
Fibre 2 Fashion
with the NLA”.



















Just-style.com
The Gulf Times
LS:N Global
The Globe and Mail
Campaign
Retail Week
Retail Week
Retail Week
Retail Week
Qatar Tribune
Lebensmittel Zeitung
Thai News Service
Just-style.com
Reuters
PYMNTS
German Retail Blog
Starstagram
Inside Retail
Canadian Reviewer
with the NLA”.
Media Coverage
with the NLA”.
Luxury outlet shopping villages expand in China
The Financial Times
Lucia van der Post
27 June 2014
For all the talk of the seemingly unstoppable rise of the Chinese consumer, it se ems extraordinary
that there are so few luxury outlet shopping villages in the country. This is all set to change.
On May 15, Value Retail, the European discount luxury outlet chain that operates the UK’s Bicester
Village outlet centre, opened a vast development at Suzhou, a 2,500-year-old city that used to be the
country’s cultural capital.
The village of around 35,000 square metres comprises approximately 100 boutiques, of which 10-15
per cent sell discounted Chinese brands. Being within a couple of hours’ drive from Shanghai puts the
centre within reach of potentially 147m people.
Around the world, outlet villages are big business. In Europe alone there are more than 200, which
accounted for €12bn worth of sales in 2013, while the 195 outlet malls in the US and Canada turned
over $28bn.
In China, designer outlet stores have started to spring up. In June 2011, the Florentia Village
Designer Outlet Centre opened in Wuqing, located between Beijing and Tianjin.
With a site covering a total of 60,000 square meters, it plays host to brands that include Bulgari,
Bottega Veneta and Jimmy Choo, and attracted more than 3m visitors in 2012.
The centres are becoming ever more sophisticated. It is 20 years since Value Retail, co-founded by
Scott Malkin in 1992, came up with the idea for Bicester Village. Instead of rails of bunched-up
garments and dingy cut-price interiors, there were fancy window displays, merchandise was
beautifully laid out in a clean environment, and there were restaurants and coffee shops to keep
shoppers happy. The only clue that it was an outlet centre was that all the merchandise was at least
a year old and had to be sold at a minimum discount of 30 per cent to full retail price.
Malkin realised that if he wanted to attract high-end fashion brands, such as Prada, Gucci and Dior,
that would bring in high-spending customers, he would need to create an environment that did not
damage their brand image.
John Lutzius, a London-based property analyst at Green Street Advisors, a consultancy, believes this
been instrumental to Malkin’s success. “Scott Malkin has always admired what Marvin Traub did at
Bloomingdale’s in New York, which was to turn a staid department store into a dazzling destination.
He has brought that same sense of showmanship to his centres, which is why Bicester, for instance,
has among the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world.”
In Suzhou, to match the perceived demands of sophisticated Chinese consumers, Value Retail has
increased the levels of service, luxury, architecture and entertainment beyond those in any of its
other villages.
“Nine months ago, the Chinese appetite for heavily logoed products shut down almost completely,”
Malkin says. “High-end Chinese consumers know and understand luxury and quality, and they want
the real thing. They can tell in an instant a ‘secretary’s bag’, and they don’t want that. They have
become more sophisticated at a faster rate than I’ve observed in any other emerging market.”
with the NLA”.
For Malkin the move has been generated by demand from the brands themselves. “[Companies] such
as Armani, Valentino, Gucci and Tod’s all sell directly in China, and they all need somewhere safe to
dispose of their surplus stock.” In addition to Suzhou, Value Retail is opening another outlet centre
this year, near the Disney resort being built on the outskirts of Shanghai.
Other operators are more cautious in their approach to China. McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, which
says Chinese visitors account for 20 per cent of its sales, has no plans to expand there. It will open
an outlet at Vancouver airport next spring to draw on the large Chinese population living in the city as
well as Chinese tourists, but this is its only outlet planned outside Europe. “At heart,” the company
says, “we are a European brand and see huge potential in fashion-loving Chinese travellers coming to
Europe to shop.”
But it will not be long before more high-end outlet centres open in China, suggests Ian McGarrigle,
chairman of the World Retail Congress. “Modern retailing in China is moving so fast,” he says, “that it
would not surprise me to see the outlet centres . . . establishing an important niche that will appeal to
Chinese consumers, who are increasingly attracted not just to luxury but aspirational and
international brands too.
“Chinese brands will also come to recognise that the less attractive clearance outlets do more harm to
them longer term. The brands will quickly take the same route as North American and European
retailers in following their customers to the more upmarket outlet villages.”
Indeed, Silk Road Holdings, the investment vehicle behind Florentia Village Jingjin, is currently
working on two new designer outlet shopping centres in Guangzhou and Shanghai, which,
respectively, will offer 45,000 sq m and 56,000 sq m of designer outlet shopping. “Each site is
strategically placed with excellent connectivity and benefits from large catchment areas with affluent
target customer groups and limited local competition,” said TIAA Henderson Real Estate, the
investment adviser to Silk Road Holdings.
The Suzhou centre will not be fully open until the end of September, but already customers are
starting to pour in. Forecasting 10m visitors in the first year, Malkin is confident they will come.
“Recreational time in emerging markets is disproportionately focused on shopping,” he says.
Retail Congress attracts delegates from 50 countries
Insider Retail Asia
06 August 2014
The World Retail Congress is set to gather retail industry executives from more than 50 countr ies.
Taking place from September 29 to October 1 in Paris, this year’s World Retail Congress will see more
than 1500 retail CEOs, chairmen, presidents and MDs meet to discuss strategic retail opportunities.
“The World Retail Congress is the biggest convention of our industry’s leading stalwarts and it
provides exciting opportunities to network. With the opening up of the global marketplace and the
rapid proliferation of online retail formats, the industry today is more competitive and dynamic. I am
excited to be here this year and look forward to great insightful sessions by the leaders of our
industry,” said Sanjeev Mohanty, MD, Benetton India.
Since its launch in 2007, the congress team undertakes rigorous and extensive research amongst
senior retailers and other industry experts to gauge the most informed opinions on the issues shaping
retailing.
with the NLA”.
This year’s advisory board includes CEOs and MDs from John Lewis, X5, Tesco, Spar, El Corte Ingles,
Bata, Deloitte, Co-op and many more.
With the theme “Retailing in an age of disruption”, the three-day congress will discuss topics
including:
























The Retail Disruptors – Understanding the new breed of agile, innovative retailers
Millennial Shoppers – Getting to grips with this new customer demographic
Re-defining customer experience – Meeting the ‘I need it now’ culture
Emerging Markets – New growth market opportunities
Innovative operating models – Re-designing business culture and structure
Over 165 expert speakers will be sharing their insight and experience into how they will be
developing their strategy to respond to retailing in this era of disruption. Speakers include:
Andy Street, managing director, John Lewis
Mike Gould, chairman, Bloomingdale’s
Ayana Parsons, head of retail, World Economic Forum
William Fung, group chairman, Li & Fung
Ken Murphy, managing director, international & brands, health and beauty division, Alliance Boots
Ray Kelvin, founder and CEO, Ted Baker
Garry Hogarth, CEO, Agent Provocateur
Joe Tripodi, global CMO, The Coca-Cola Company
Steve Robinson, CEO, ACHICA.com
Ning Li, co-founder & CEO, Made.com
Robin Terrell, group multi-channel director, Tesco
Manel Jadraque, CEO, Desigual
Tito Costa, founder & managing director, Zalora
Jeremy Hodara, co-founder and CEO, Jumia
Olivier Mathiot, co-founder and CEO, PriceMinister (part of the Rakuten Group)
Sanjeev Mohanty, managing director, Benetton India
Mukesh Bansal, founder and CEO, Myntra.com
Sudhitham Chirathivat, former executive chairman, Central Group
Robin Philips, e-commerce director, Waitrose
The congress will also offer 15+ hours of dedicated networking where face-to-face meetings can be
arranged and lasting business partnerships established with the global retail elite.
For a senior retailer, there are few opportunities to mix with peers and make new contacts as well as
having conversations with other executives tackling the same problems and issues.
World Retail Congress 2014 focust op ‘verstoring’
Retail Detail Belgium
Yoni Van Looveren
21 August 2014
Het World Retail Congress 2014 (29 september tot 1 oktober) zal het beste van de retailwereld
samenbrengen om te praten over de mogelijkheden van de "verstorende krachten" waar de
retailwereld voor staat.
Retail staat voor verstoring
with the NLA”.
Na uitgebreid onderzoek bij ervaren retailers en industrie-experten, ondersteund door een adviesraad
(met onder andere directeurs van Tesco, Spar, Bata, Deloitte en meer), bleek dat 'verstoring' de
grootste factor is waarmee de retailwereld te maken heeft.
Dat heeft geresulteerd in een algemeen thema 'Retailing in an age of disruption', dat gebieden als
verstorende bedrijfsmodellen, verstorende technologieën en meer overlapt. Meer dan 165 sprekers
zullen meer dan 1.500 CEO's, presidenten en managing directors uit meer dan 50 landen helpen om
te gaan met deze mogelijke obstakels.
Natuurlijk zal het World Retail Congress 2014 deelnemers ook de mogelijkheid geven om te
netwerken met andere bedrijven om samenwerkingen uit te bouwen en te profiteren van elkaars
ervaringen. Zoals Sanjeev Mohanty (managing director van Benetton India) zegt: "Het World Retail
Congress is de grootste samenkomst van leidende figuren uit onze sector en biedt interessante
mogelijkheden om te netwerken. Met de opening van de globale marktplaats en de snelle toename
van online retailconcepten is de industrie vandaag nog competitiever en dynamischer. Ik ben
verheugd om hier dit jaar te zijn en ik kijk uit naar de inzichtvolle sessies door de leiders in onze
industrie."
« La perturbation », fil conducteur du World Retail Congress 2014
Retail Detail
22 August 2014
Le World Retail Congress 2014, qui aura lieu du 29 septembre au 1er octobre, réunira le gratin de
l’univers du retail pour une réflexion concernant les « facteurs perturbateurs » auxquels le retail doit
faire face aujourd’hui.
Le retail est confronté à la « perturbation »
Après une étude approfondie auprès de retailers expérimentés et de spécialistes du secteur, avec le
soutien d’un conseil consultatif (composé de plusieurs directeurs notamment de Tesco, Spar, Bata et
Deloitte), la « perturbation » semble être aujourd’hui le principal challenge auquel l’univers du retail
est confronté. De fait, le secteur a été ‘perturbé’, chamboulé par de nouvelles technologies et de
nouveaux modèles d’entreprises et par le changement de comportement du consommateur.
D’où le thème du congrès ‘Retailing in an age of disruption’. Devant un public international (une
cinquantaine de pays) de quelque 1.500 PDG, présidents et autres membres du haut management,
les 165 conférenciers du congrès proposeront des pistes en vue de surmonter ces éventuels
obstacles et relever ces nouveaux défis.
Le World Retail Congress 2014 se veut également un événement de réseautage où les participants
auront l’occasion d’échanger des idées et d’établir des contacts avec d’autres entreprises, comme en
témoigne Sanjeev Mohanty (directeur général de Benetton Inde) : « Le World Retail Congress est le
plus grand rassemblement de personnalités dirigeantes de notre secteur et offre des possibilités
intéressantes de réseautage. Avec l’ouverture de la place de marché global et l’accroissement rapide
du e-commerce, le secteur est devenu encore plus compétitif et dynamique. Je me réjouis d’être
présent cette année et je suis impatient de découvrir les exposés inspirants des dirigeants de notre
secteur. »
with the NLA”.
Vous souhaitez vous inscrire au World Retail Congress 2014 ou obtenir de plus amples informations
concernant cet événement ? Cliquez ici pour consulter notre site.
World Retail Congress to Honor Net-a-Porter
Nina Jones
02 September 2014
The World Retail Congress is to honor Natalie Massenet, founder and executive chairman of the Neta-porter Group and Mark Sebba, the online luxury retailer’s now-retired chief executive officer, with
its Outstanding Leadership Award for 2014.
The two executives are to receive the award at the World Retail Awards dinner in Paris Sept. 30,
marking the first time that the award has been presented to two people at the same time.
The World Retail Congress said the award recognizes Massenet and Sebba’s “exceptional skills and
vision,” in creating Net-a-porter, The Outnet and Mr Porter.
Massenet is also being recognized for her role as chairman of the British Fashion Council, which she
took up at the beginning of 2013, the WRC said. Massenet founded Net-a-porter in 2000, while Sebba
joined the firm as ceo in 2003. Sebba retired from the post in July, but will continue as a nonexecutive director at the firm.
Past recipients of the award include the late Yves Carcelle, the former Louis Vuitton chairman and
chief executive officer, who was honored in 2013 and Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis
Partnership, who received the award in 2012.
The World Retail Congress is to present one of its top honours to Natalie Massenet,
founder…
I-D - Vice
2 September 2014
The special “Outstanding Leadership” Award for 2014 will be presented jointly to Natalie and Mark in
recognition for their exceptional skills and vision in creating net-a-porter.com. Launching in 2000 at a
time when many thought it was impossible to sell luxury online, net-a-porter.com quickly proved the
sceptics wrong, as in just 14 years the group has grown to become a worldwide business that
employs over 2,500 people and is valued close to £2 billion.
Les 13 événements marketing à ne pas rater cet automne
emarketing.fr
03 September 2014
with the NLA”.
A vos agendas ! La rédaction a sélectionné pour vous 13 rendez-vous marketing incontournables en
ce trimestre de rentrée. A noter, la première édition de Marketing Day et la conférence de fin
d'année, sur les grands enjeux de la profession et organisés par les équipes de "Marketing" et
emarketing.fr
* Viscom : du 9 au 11 septembre, se déroule le salon international de la Communication visuelle et de
l'Industrie graphique. Paris Porte de Versailles, Pavillon 3.
* DMEXCO : les 10 et 11 septembre, le salon international le plus important en Europe pour le
marketing digital global et l'industrie des médias a lieu à Cologne, Allemagne.
* Equipmag : du 16 au 18 septembre se tient la 29e édition de ce salon dédié au retail, avec la
présence de 500 exposants. Cette année, 25 000 visiteurs sont attendus. Paris expo, Porte de
Versailles.
* Omyagué : La 13e édition du salon se déroulera les 17 et 18 septembre. Cet événement, dédié aux
cadeaux d'affaires et à l'incentive de luxe, présentera son nouveau concept appelé : " Les boudoirs de
l'incentive ". Palais Brongniart, Paris.
* Salon e-commerce : du 23 au 25 septembre, cet événement international est dédié au cross -canal.
Retrouvez près de 500 exposants et de nombreuses conférences et ateliers sur les dernières
innovations du secteur. Paris expo, Porte de Versailles.
* World Retail Congress : du 29 septembre au 2 octobre, le plus international des salons du retail
avec 56 pays représentés et 150 intervenants. Cnit, La Défense, Paris.
* Hub Forum : les 8 et 9 octobre, ce salon, qui rassemble les décideurs du monde du digital, 1è
conférence sur l'innovation marketing en France, dédie sa nouvelle édition au thème " Connect,
Transform or Die !" L'occasion de présenter un panorama des enjeux et solutions autour du sujet de
la transformation digitale des entreprises. Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris.
* #VADconext : les 21, 22 et 23 octobre, le salon #VADconext présente un tour d'horizon des
techniques de pointe de la vente à distance multicanal, du e-commerce et du marketing direct, et de
mieux appréhender les e-tendances de demain. Lille, Grand Palais.
* Heavent Paris : les 4, 5 et 6 novembre se déroule le Salon des professionnels de l'évènementiel, de
l'exposition et des congrès. Une fréquentation en hausse avec 17 886 visiteurs en 2013. Paris, Porte
de Versailles, Pavillon 4.
* Marketing Day : le 4 novembre se tient l'événement dédié aux décideurs marketing souhaitant
anticiper les besoins consommateurs, développer leur réseau et appréhender les nouveaux usages. La
rédaction de Marketing vous propose, tout au long de cette journée, des contenus prospectifs sur les
" Futurs " du marketing au travers de tables-rondes et keynote animées par les professionnels du
marketing et des experts reconnus. Pour cela, la rédaction s'est entourée d'un comité de programme
composé d'experts afin d'identifier les thématiques les plus porteuses pour les directions marketing.
Docks de Paris.
* Marketing meetings : les 26 et 27 novembre, le Salon business du marketing digital, connaissance
client, études marketings dont l'objectif est de favoriser le "face à face" direct entre Top Décideurs et
Exposants par le biais de rendez-vous pré-organisés en amont de l'événement. Palais et festivals des
congrès de Cannes.
* L'Adetem Marketing Factory : le 27 novembre, l'ancienne Journée Nationale du Marketing devient
l'Adetem Marketing. Pour continuer à créer de la valeur, le marketing doit impérativement avoir du
swag ! ??Par SWAG, l'Adetem Marketing Factory entend : Sustainable : pensez durable ; Wanted :
with the NLA”.
soyez désirable ; Agility : devenez agile et créatif et enfin GO ! : osez ! Prenez des risques ! L'Usine,
Saint-Denis.
*La conférence du magazine Marketing : autre évènement organisé par les équipes de "Marketing",
sur le thème "Pilotage, KPI, ROI : comment mesurer l'efficacité des actions marketing à l'ère du
digital ?", le 4 décembre. Le constat ? Le digital n'est plus une option mais une obligation. Il ne s'agit
plus de se demander s'il faut ou non l'intégrer mais plutôt comment opérer cette transition. Parmi les
thèmes abordés : les enjeux et perspectives de la transition digitale, la mutation des KPI, click to call,
click to chat : intelligence et analyse en temps réel et bien d'autres. Cercle national des armées, Paris.
Les informations sur cette journée seront prochainement en ligne.
Enfin, et même s'il n'est pas directement relié au marketing, n'oubliez pas le rendez -vous des
business technologies, les 18 et 19 novembre, le salon IT Expo à Paris, Porte de Versailles, pavillon 51.
Net-a-Porter founder and CEO to be honored at the World Retail Congress
Fashion United
03 September 2014
Natalie Massenet is set to receive another award to add to her expanding r epertoire, as the MBE
founder and executive chairman of the Net-a-Porter Group, along with its recently retired CEO, Mark
Sebba will be presented with one of the top honors from the World Retail Congress .
On September 30, during the platform's annual award ceremony in Paris, the duo will be presented
with the special 'Outstanding Leadership' award, in recognition for their exceptional skills and vision in
creating the Net-a-Porter Group. In the past the award had solely been awarded to a single
individual, but the World Retail Congress felt the duo “justified” the joint award.
Massenet and Sebba to be presented with the 'Outstanding Leadership' award
“We are delighted to be able to personally present the award for Outstanding Leadership to Natalie
and Mark in Paris,” said Tim Boerkoel, managing partner and global head of consumer and retail at
CTPartners, sponsor for the Award. “At a time when retailing is changing so fast, there can be few
better examples of retail leaders who have completely reinvented a sector and who continue to
innovate and set the pace for others to follow and admire”.
In the brief 14 years since its inception on Massenet's kitchen table in West London, the Net-a-Porter
Group, which includes designer e-tailer Net-a-Porter.com, designer online outlet The Outnet.com and
designer men's wear site Mr. Porter has grown to become an international business that is visited by
over 9 million uses each month, employing over 2,500 people at offices in London, New York, Hong
Kong and Shanghai. In 2010, the group was acquired by luxury holding company Richemont Group,
with the company valued close to 2 billion pounds today.
Massenet’s role as chairman of the British Fashion Council has also played a key role as part of her
personal recognition for the Outstanding Leadership Award. The winners for the award are selected
by a grand jury, which is made up of leading retailer chief executive officers from around the wor ld.
“The Outstanding Leadership Award has become an important way for us to recognise those retailers
that are driving change, but also providing a lead for others in the way they build brands and create
great teams of highly talented people,” added Ian McGarrigle, chairman of the World Retail Congress
and Awards. “Net-a-Porter.com's success in such a short space of time is testament to the leadership
provided by Natalie and Mark.”
with the NLA”.
Previous winners of the Outstanding Leadership Award include the late Yves Carcelle, former CEO of
Louis Vuitton, Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman, John Lewis Partnership, Roger Farah, president and
chief operating officer, Ralph Lauren and Angela Ahrendts, former CEO of Burberry.
Currently in its eighth year, the World Retail Congress and Retail Award were designed to bring
together senior retail executives to meet and discuss the most important subjects affecting the
industry, whilst celebrating global excellence across key sections of retailing.
Images: Natalie Massenet, MBE Founder and Chairman and Mark Sebba, former CEO at Net-a-Porter
Group.
The 2014 World Retail Congress Comes To Paris
The Luxe Chronicles
04 September 2014
The 2014 edition of the World Retail Congress will be taking place in Paris from September 29-01 Oct.
Not surprisingly, high on the list for this year’s conference are themes ranging from the disruptive
force of new technologies and the new business models they engender, the evolving nature of the
physical store and of course, changing consumer behaviours.
As a consumer, I’m increasingly sensitive to the changing retail landscape and what it means for me
but also for the brands and institutions I value. That sensitivity was heightened further after I read
Brad Stone’s excellent The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon over the summer. As
a loyal Amazon customer, I came away with a deeper respect for Jeff Bezos’ vision but also a growing
sense of discomfort. Amazon’s clout over the marketplace and the tactics it employed to achieve it
should give us all pause. Are short term savings really worth it if they lead to more restricted choices
for consumers further down the road?
Amazon is but one of the disruptive forces shaping the retail landscape. There are emerging new
businesses shaped partly by technology but also by a shifting set of values amongst consumers
especially Millennials and Gen Y. Take for instance Rent the Runway, a company started in 2009 in
the wake of one of the longest and deepest recessions in recent history. These new ways of doing
business are challenging long held assumptions including those relating to purchasing decisions: Why
should I buy when I can rent? And what of the emerging sharing economy? All of these questions are
vital for the retail industry going forward and will be part of the discussion.
What sets the World Retail Congress apart from other conferences is that it is geared primarily
towards the retail industry’s board-level decision makers and therefore attract top level speakers. This
year’s conference will feature executives from traditional retailers including Mike Gould, Chairman of
Bloomingdales and Paolo de Cesare, CEO of Paris’ Printemps department store but also the disruptors
including Google’s VP Product Management, Sameer Samut, Beth Kaplan, COO Rent the Runway and
many more.
World Retail Congress Unveils Honorees
Joelle Diderich
09 September 2014
with the NLA”.
RETAIL STARS: The World Retail Congress said this year’s inductees into its World Retail Hall of Fame
are J.C. Penney chief executive officer Mike Ullman; Sudhitham Chirathivat, chairman of the advisory
board at Central Group; and Ted Baker founder and ceo Ray Kelvin.
They are to receive their awards at a lunch during the World Retail Congress, scheduled to run in
Paris from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. This year’s honorees will take part in a plenary session on Sept. 30
during which they will discuss insights and the future of the industry.
World Retail Congress Unveils Honorees
Indian Monitor
10 September 2014
RETAIL STARS: The World Retail Congress said this year’s inductees into its World Retail Hall of Fame
are J.C. Penney chief executive officer Mike Ullman; Sudhitham Chirathivat, chairman of the advisory
board at Central Group; and Ted Baker founder and ceo Ray Kelvin.
They are to receive their awards at a lunch during the World Retail Congress, scheduled to run in
Paris from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. This year’s honorees will take part in a plenary session on Sept. 30
during which they will discuss insights and the future of the industry.
Thai retailer joins Hall of Fame
Inside Retail Asia
10 September 2014
One of Thailand most well-known retail personalities has been inducted into the World Retail
Congress Hall of Fame.
Sudhitham Chirathivat of Central Group helped grow the businesses begun by his father to become
one of the biggest family-owned business conglomerates in the country and one of the most
important in the region. Its interests span department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores,
hard-line products from home decor, electrical to sporting goods, shopping malls, and five -star hotels
and resorts throughout Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Central Group has also extended its reach into Europe with the acquisition of La Rinascente in Italy
and Illum in Denmark.
This year’s inductees also include JC Penney CEO Myron Ullman, who lead a turnaround of the
company after an unsuccessful strategy was undertaken to move the retailer upmarket.
In Hong Kong, the US and France, Ullman has transformed and managed businesses engaged in
retailing, luxury goods manufacturing, property management and development, hotel management,
computer services and public transport.
The third is Ray Kelvin, founder and CEO of British brand Ted Baker. Kelvin, in 2011, was awarded
with Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the queen for services to
the fashion industry in the New Year’s Honours List.
The inductees will be presented with their special awards at the World Retail Hall of Fame lunch
during the World Retail Congress in Paris on September 29-October 1.
with the NLA”.
They will also share their insights as part of a plenary session on September 30 and look back over
their careers and share their thoughts on the future direction of the industry.
Thailand Central Group's former Chairman inductee into the World Retail Hall of Fame
this year
Retail in Asia
11 September 2014
Sudhitham Chirathivat, former Executive Chairman of Thailand's largest retail conglomerate Central
Group, has been honoured as one of the 2014 inductees into the World Retail Hall of Fame, the World
Retail Congress said on Tuesday.
Sudhitham Chirathivat is currently Chairman of the Advisory Board of Central Group, having spent 40
years with the retail giant. Under his leadership, he helped grow the businesses begun by his father
in Thailand to become one of the biggest family-owned business conglomerates in the country and
one of the most important in the region. Central Group's department stores,
supermarkets/convenience stores, hard-line products from home decor, electrical to sporting goods,
shopping malls, and 5-star hotels & resorts now operate throughout Thailand and South East Asia.
The Central Group has also extended its reach into Europe with the acquisition of La Rinascente in
Italy and Illum in Denmark.
Each year, the World Retail Congress consults its Advisory Board, the Grand Jury for the World Retail
Awards and other retail industry peers to identify which individuals they believe should be honoured
for their lifetime achievements and contribution to retailing. Aside from Sudhitham Chirathivat, the
2014 inductees also include Mike Ullman, CEO of US department store chain J.C. Penney, and Ray
Kelvin, CEO of UK fashion retailer Ted Baker.
The 2014 inductees will be presented with their special awards at the World Retail Hall of Fame lunch
which takes place during the World Retail Congress in Paris from 29 September to 1 October.
They will take their place alongside a roll call of over 100 names of retailers that have helped create
modern retailing around the world. Last year's congress saw Kingfisher's Chairman Daniel Bernard ;
Martha Stewart Living Omnipedia's founder Martha Stewart and The Dairy Farm Group's former CEO
Michael Kok as the 2013 inductees.
This year's inductees will share their insights as part of a plenary session on 30 September, during
the congress in Paris, where they will look back over their careers and share their thoughts on the
future direction of the industry.
World Retail Congress announces Hall of Fame inductees
Fashion United
11 September 2014
The World Retail Congress, due to take place in Paris at the end of September, has announced that
Ted Baker founder and CEO Ray Kelvin will be among the this year’s inductees into its World Retail
Hall of Fame.
with the NLA”.
Kelvin will be joined by J.C. Penney chief executive, Mile Ullman and Sudhitham Chirathivat, chairman
of the advisory board at Central Group. They take their place in the Hall of Fame alongside over 100
names from retailing including Stuart Rose, Sir Philip Green, Paul Smith, Miuccia Prada, and Laura
Ashley.
All three honourees will take part in a plenary session on September 30, during the congress in Paris,
in which they will look back over their careers and share their thoughts on the future direction of the
industry.
The World Retail Congress takes place from September 29 to October 1 in Paris.
Mastercard trials voice and face recognition mobile payment technology
ComputerWorldUK
19 September 2014
Mastercard says it has completed a "successful" voice and facial recognition payments trial.
The credit card firm created a beta mobile app which it tested in an "e-commerce environment on
over 14,000 transactions". The closed pilot involved Mastercard employees from around the world.
Mastercard said it wanted to understand the consumer experience around voice and facial recognition
using both the Android and iOS operating systems on mobile devices.
Ajay Bhalla, Mastercard president for enterprise safety and security, said of the trial, "The results
were very exciting, yielding a successful verification rate of 98 percent, mixing a combination of voice
and facial recognition. The process usually took less than 10 seconds."
Bhalla added, "The launch of Apple Pay last week marked a major milestone in payments technology.
We are hugely proud to be part of it and we will be showcasing our wider security credentials at
World Retail Congress in Paris at the end of this month."
With Apple Pay in the US, at a store, consumers can pay by holding their iPhone near a contactless
reader with their finger on Touch ID, and their transaction will be authenticated. For purchases within
an app, consumers touch to pay and authenticate with their fingerprint or passcode without having to
enter their card number or leaving the app.
Earlier this month, Barclays said it was enabling corporate clients to authenticate trans actions using
finger vein recognition technology and that it planned to replace passwords and PIN numbers with
biometrics for all customers in the future.
Mastercard lanza un sistema de pago móvil con reconocimiento facial y de voz
Network World
22 September 2014
with the NLA”.
Mastercard asegura haber completado con éxito una prueba con un nuevo sistema de pago con
reconocimiento facial y de voz. El nuevo sistema de autenticación será mostrado en París a finales de
mes.
La firma de tarjetas de crédito ha creado una app móvil en beta que ha sido probado en un entorno
de comercio electrónico con alrededor de 14.000 transacciones. En el piloto han colaborado
empleados de Mastercard de todo el mundo.
Con la prueba la compañía buscaba experimentar la experiencia del cliente en los procesos de
reconocimiento facial y por voz utilizando dispositivos móviles Android e iOS. Según Mastercard, los
procesos de reconocimiento se completaron en menos de 10 segundos con una tasa de éxito del
98%.
El nuevo sistema, que será mostrado en el World Retail Congress que se celebrará a finales de mes
en París, se da a conocer justo después del anuncio en Estados Unidos de Apple Pay, que permite
pagar ‘sin contacto' con reconocimiento de la huella dactilar sin necesidad de introducir el número de
tarjeta de crédito. Otra novedad en este campo, también en reconocimiento por la huella dactilar, es
el sistema de autenticación presentado a principios de mes por Barclays.
Student set to wow retail giants
Bedford Today
22 September 2014
A former air steward is swapping Bedford High Street for the boulevards of Paris to take part in an
international student competition.
With the backing of shopping giant Sir Philip Green, Yasmine Alom is joining a team from a London
college to take part in the World Retail Congress student challenge.
The event, which runs from September 29, is designed for international retailers to discuss the future
of the industry.
Former EasyJet cabin crew member Yasmine, who was chosen from 700 students at the Fashion
Retail Academy said: “I’ve been to Paris a few times before. It’s such a vibrant city. It’s very exciting.”
She will graduate from college next year to pursue a career in either management or the creative side
to retail.
But, says Arcadia Group owner Sir Philip Green, she had better have done her homework when she
and her team take on rivals from New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Ancona, to present their vision for
a Samsung store of the future.
Sir Philip added: “They need to make sure that they have thought of everything that would make
shopping the store a great experience but it also needs to be commercial.
“These are big purchases so they need to have done their homework so that they can talk confidently
about the products and educate the customer. If they win, it could be the springboard to bright
futures in retail.”
The team’s presentation must meet all the demands of today’s consumers who expect to be able to
shop via physical stores, online, mobile, or social media.
with the NLA”.
They will present their blueprint to more than 1,000 retail executives.
Smile! MasterCard Toys With Mobile Facial Recognition For Payments
Pyments.com
22 September 2014
MasterCard is labeling “successful” a biometrics payments trial (facial plus voice) where more than
14,000 transactions were confirmed in a closed iOS and Android pilot using only MasterCard
employees, according to a Computerworld report.
An employee-only trial would ostensibly solely be a test of the authentication accuracy as employees
would likely not reflect the consumer hesitation to allow for such biometric methods.
“The results were very exciting, yielding a successful verification rate of 98 percent, mixing a
combination of voice and facial recognition. The process usually took less than 10 seconds,” Ajay
Bhalla, Mastercard president for enterprise safety and security, was quoted saying. “The launch of
Apple Pay last week marked a major milestone in payments technology. We are hugely proud to be
part of it and we will be showcasing our wider security credentials at World Retail Congress in Paris at
the end of this month.”
MasterCard reveals biometrics payment success
Planet Biometrics
22 September 2014
MasterCard trials of a multi-modal biometric verification system using a mobile app achieved a 98%
success rate, the credit card firm has revealed.
The firm said that it held a closed pilot to understand the consumer experience around voice and
facial recognition, with a beta mobile app which was tested in an e-commerce environment on over
14,000 transactions.
"The test group, drawn from MasterCard employees around the world, used both Android and iOS
operating systems. The results were very exciting, yielding a successful verification rate of 98%,
mixing a combination of voice and facial recognition."
The firm said that the process took under 10 seconds, and that it will be showcasing its wider security
credentials at World Retail Congress in Paris at the end of this month.
“Our belief is that we should be able to identify ourselves without having to use passwords or PIN
numbers,” added the statement.
with the NLA”.
MasterCard said that one of its main challenges in the process “was to take lessons from the different
applications of biometrics already in place and elevate them into the next generation of
authentication, not just for one platform, but for the mass market globally."
Earlier this month, Nigeria's government rolled out a biometric-based verification card with an
electronic payment solution from MasterCard – with the launch kicked off by the country’s President
Goodluck Jonathan on 28 August.
Analysis: Tesco’s Robin Terrell on the retailer’s multichannel future
Retail Week
22 September 2014
Retail Week spoke to Tesco’s former multichannel director Robin Terrell prior to his taking over
running the retailer’s UK leadership team.
Robin Terrell is a man on a mission. Tesco’s group multichannel director aims to turn the grocer into
a global multichannel leader.
Realising such an ambition would be no mean feat, especially when Tesco is struggling in its domestic
market in the face of massive structural change.
But it is an ambition Terrell believes is achievable, and he joked earlier this year that he would know
when his job was complete when Tesco doesn’t need a multichannel director anymore.
“It was never going to be a quick exercise,” Terrell tells Retail Week. “With the breadth of our offer
and the scale of our business, it was always going to take time. But we’ve made significant progress
this year and are confident about our plans for next year.”
For Terrell, who joined Tesco from House of Fraser in 2013, the most important factor in building a
multichannel future is putting the customer at the centre of the plans. “Being multichannel is about
putting the customer at the heart of what you do, it’s about changing customer behaviour,” he says.
Terrell is taking his customers on a journey, and it is one that he believes will pay off. He says the
percentage of transactions that are multichannel vary dramatically between category. Entertainment
and books are high at up to 60% and grocery is around 5%. But he observes:
“The direction of travel is clear. Purchase journeys are becoming much more complex and most
include some element of searching online even if the transaction is in the store.”
Engaging customers
At the beginning of this year, Tesco reported that around 4% of its customers shopped in-store and
online for both grocery and general merchandise.
And those customers spend an average of three times as much as other shoppers. “While 4% sounds
like a small number, that number of customers is growing 17% year on year,” points out Terrell.
with the NLA”.
The Hudl tablet was a key launch for Tesco, he says. “Overall it sold around 750,000 products but it
isn’t just about the hardware. Those customers engage with us on a broader level, are interacting
with our brand as a whole and spend more.”
Terrell says Tesco experienced mid-single-digit uplifts on Tesco overall from Hudl users, and “big
increases” in digital entertainment. Tesco is confident in its Hudl tablet, and a second version was
poised to be launched as Retail Week went to press.
A seamless experience
The key to winning in an omnichannel world – the theme of the debate Terrell is heading at the
World Retail Congress – is creating a seamless experience, Terrell says. “We are not seamless yet but
we are working hard to break down all the barriers.”
Tesco sought to break down one of the barriers to online grocery earlier this year by overhauling its
delivery prices. “In any product category the number one barrier to online shopping is delivery
prices,” says Terrell. “We had allowed ourselves to get out of line with the market on delivery prices
so we made significant investment to achieve a market-leading position.”
The grocer lowered the prices of its Delivery Saver product, introduced free click-and-collect for
groceries, and also offers a guarantee that if customers don’t spend enough to make its Delivery
Saver worthwhile, they would get their money back.
“We’re very confident in the movement in terms of market share of online grocery that we’ve seen as
a consequence of these changes,” says Terrell.
“It’s about putting the customer at the heart of what you do and changing consumer behaviour”
Robin Terrell, Tesco
The battle for multichannel dominance is fast-paced so Terrell says Tesco will continue to try out new
things. “Online moves so quickly and customer expectations change fast,” he says. “We’ve got a
history of trialling things even if we don’t get it right because that’s the only way to get ahe ad of the
curve. It’s part of innovation.”
Terrell cites the axing of the Tesco smartphone launch as an example of where retailers have to
change their plans.
Tesco said in March that it would launch a smartphone, following the success of its Hudl tablet, but
shelved plans earlier this month.
“We saw a gap in the market and were confident that we could bring something out that would be
different, but the market changed, competition heightened and there is no point doing a me -too
offer,” he explains.
The former Amazon UK boss believes there are many challenges to achieving multichannel leadership.
“There are economic challenges as well as tech challenges,” he says.
“The IT department used to be there for making sure the tills worked, and the lights went on, but
now there is a completely different mindset – they are a strategic enabler.”
Terrell says how to develop technology in this new environment is a challenge. “It’s a new world and
it requires new skills,” he says.
He explains that all retailers are also battling with legacy systems, even pure-plays that have
obviously not been around nearly as long as retailers such as Tesco. “There is legacy in every
business and how you deal with that is part of the multichannel challenge,” he says. “It’s like
with the NLA”.
markdowns. Your first price is your best and if you put it off, it gets more expensive over time. You
have to grasp the nettle and deal with it.”
Terrell has his sights firmly set on multichannel dominance, but as Tesco battles turbulent times and
new chief executive Dave Lewis was drafted in following a profit warning, will the strategy remain on
course?
“You don’t change CEOs and expect no change,” says Terrell. “However, it’s very early days and of
the conversations I’ve had with him [Lewis], the one thing he is focused on is the customer. And that
is where we are coming from with our push for multichannel leadership – we are responding to our
customers’ needs.”
So what does the future hold in the battle for multichannel?
Terrell believes it is personalisation. “One of the big promises that the internet made but has not
fulfilled is personalisation.
“I do think we are entering an age of mass personalisation but it needs much more work, it is not
there yet.”
He believes Tesco Clubcard, and its research arm Dunnhumby, are key weapons in the grocer’s
armoury in the fight for multichannel leadership.
“The data we have on Clubcard gives us a much deeper relationship than other retailers and can
mean we can achieve that seamless experience,” he says. “We have an opportunity to lead and to
bring to life that personalisation.”
Multichannel leader
Terrell added: “The data we hold means we can be one of the multichannel leaders, if not the
outright leader.”
He explains that with 20 million shoppers every week, Tesco can go a long way with personalisation.
So for Terrell, the future is far from Amazon drones or any other far -fetched project, but rather a
return to the intimate relationship between retailer and customer via personalisation. “We’re excited
to signal a hail back to the standards of old-fashioned corner-shop retailers,” he says.
A return to a focus on the customer is clearly Lewis’ priority as he takes over the reins, and it looks as
if Terrell and his team are already there.
And with so much to do, it seems Tesco needs its multichannel director for some time yet.
Sir Philip Green Backs London Students For 2014 World Retail Congress
European Business Express
23 September 2014
with the NLA”.
Legendary retailer, Sir Philip Green, the owner of Arcadia Group, is backing the team from a London
college who are competing in a worldwide student challenge at the World Retail Congress in Paris
next week.
Peter Jones, Josie Reeve, Dan Swanepoel and Yasmine Alom were chosen from 700 students at the
Fashion Retail Academy, which is supported by retail giants including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Next
and Sir Philip’s Arcadia.
The four will take on rival teams from New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Ancona in the Retail Futures
Challenge which is now in its 6th year.
They will present their vision for a Samsung store of the future. It must meet all the demands of
today’s consumers who expect to be able to shop via physical stores, online, mobile, or social media.
The Samsung Life Store must also demonstrate how technology can make people’s home lives more
comfortable, productive and entertaining. The team will present their blueprint to over 1,000 retail
executives who will gather in the French capital for the 8th annual Congress.
Peter Jones, 18, from Milton Keynes, said: “We’re aiming to win. We’re a strong team and determined
to give it our best shot.” Josie Reeve, 19, from Bexley, Kent who has just started working for fashion
chain Oasis said: “It’s a great opportunity. We want to grab it with both hands.” Former air
stewardess Yasmine Alom, from Bedford, said: “I’ve been to Paris a few times before. It’s such a
vibrant city. It’s very exciting. And Dan Swanepoel, 23, who is originally from South Africa wants to
be a store designer so said the challenge was “right up my street”. He added: “It will be nerveracking presenting to such a high-powered panel but it is a wonderful opportunity and we need to
seize it.’
Sir Philip wished the students good luck but urged them to make sure that they had “done their
homework”. He added: “They need to make sure that they have thought of everything that would
make shopping the store a great experience but it also needs to be commercial.
Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of the World Retail Congress said: “We are very pleased that London is
going to be represented again at the Retail Futures Challenge. The competition has grown to become
one of the high points of the WRC and it is fantastic to see these future leaders of retailing setting out
their ideas in front of an audience of retail professionals. I wish them the best of luck for the final.”
with the NLA”.
Sir Philip Green backs the 2014 World Retail Congress
Gemma Bentley
Retail Gazette
23 September 2014
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 supported by Sir Philips Arcadia and
other retail giants such as Marks & Spencer, Next and Tesco. The students will be expected to
present their vision for a Samsung store of the future. It will need to meet all the demands of today’s
customers taking into account physical stores, online, mobile and social media. The s tore must
demonstrate how technology can impact customers;’ home lives, helping with comfort, productivity
and entertaining. They will have to present their blueprint to over 1,000 retail executives who will
gather in the French capital.
The World Retail Congress is part of the i21 Events Group portfolio which is headed up by Mark
Shashoua. The group delivers world-class exhibitions and large scale events in key sectors such as
technology, environment, education, gift, healthcare, fashion, energy, media and retail. They aim to
bring together more than 250,000 decision makers to network, source, test and buy. They pride
themselves in opening up opportunities and the World Retail Congress challenge is another way they
can offer platforms to their customers and visitors. The World Retail congress was launched in 2007
in order to give retail executives the chances to meet and discuss topics affecting the retail industry
across the globe. The meetings have been held in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin and London and
had up to 1,000 industry leaders present from over 60 countries.
The students representing London this year for the competition are 18 year -old Peter Jones from
Milton Keynes, Josie Reeve who is 19 and had just started working for fashion retailer Oas is, former
air stewardess Yasmine Alom and 23 year-old Dan Swanepoel who has ambitions to be a store
designer. They will all take on rival teams from Hong Kong, New York and Ancona.
The judging panel this year will consist of: Gerald Retimayar- Samsung’s head of retail Europe, Robert
Thiemann- Founder and editor-in-chief of Fame, Bernie Brookes- Myer Holdings Ltd CEO, Nora
Fehlbaum- Vitra CEO and Alexander Salzer, COO, Liganova from the BrandRetail Company.
Sir Philip Green wished the students good luck and urged them to make sure they had done their
research. He added “They need to make sure that they have thought of everything that would make
shopping the store a great experience but it also needs to be commercial.
with the NLA”.
Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of the World Retail Congress said: “We are very plea sed that London is
going to be represented again at the Retail Futures Challenge. The competition has grown to become
one of the high points of the WRC and it is fantastic to see these future leaders of retailing setting out
their ideas in front of an audience of retail professionals. I wish them the best of luck for the final.”
As well as support from Arcadia the official co-sponsors for the 2014 World Retail Congress are
MasterCard, Samsung and Deloitte.
Sir Philip Green supports London students during the World Retail Congress challenge
Fashion United
23 September 2014
Sir Philip Green, owner of Arcadia Group, is offering his support to the competing team from London
who are taking place in the global student challenge at the World Retail Congres s in Paris, which
takes place next week.
Yasmine Alom, Josie Reeve, Peter Jones and Dan Swanepoel were the chosen four, selected from the
700 students at the Fashion Retail Academy, which is backed by high street groups such as Marks &
Spencer, Next and Arcadia Group to participate in the seventh year of the Future Retail Challenge.
The team of four is set to take on rival teams from New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Marche in the
Retail Future's Challenge and together will present their idea for a Samsung s tore of the future to a
panel of over 1,000 retail executives, which includes Gerald Reitmayar, head of retail Europe for
Samsung.
“We're aiming to win. We're a strong team and determined to give it our best shot,” commented
Jones. “It will be nerve-racking presenting to such a high-powered panel but it is a wonderful
opportunity and we need to seize it,” added Swanepoel.
The winning store concept must fulfill all the needs of consumer today, who expect to be able to shop
seamlessly through a series of channels. The future store plan must also showcase how technology
can be utilized to enhance and compliment life at home.
“They need to make sure that they have thought of everything that would make shopping the store a
great experience but it also needs to be commercial,” said Sir Philip, who wished the students the
best of luck, but also warned them to do their homework. “If they win, it could be the springboard to
bright futures in retail.”
The winning team will be announced at the World Retail Awards gala dinner on September 30.
Rapid changes in consumer shopping behaviors speed up demands for smarter packaging
solutions.
with the NLA”.
Retail Packaging
23 September 2014
Stora Enso, the global rethinker of the paper, biomaterials, wood products and packaging industry,
has released a new report, Viewpoint. It is revealing industry insights regarding future demands for
innovative packaging solutions within grocery retail businesses.
The Viewpoint “Retail Packaging 2016 and beyond”, is the third edition in Stora Enso Packaging
Solutions in-depth Viewpoint report series. The report covers the retail industry’s rapid changes and
how this affects the future demands of packaging solutions.
The report reveals case studies with findings showing how retailers can reduce costs between 50 to
70 percent by using smart packaging solutions. The report also covers the key levers on how to stand
out in a market with a predicted increase of private-label goods penetration reaching 50 percent
within ten years.
“When 70 percent of consumers’ grocery retail purchase decisions are made at the point of sales, and
the retail market is in strong competition, we know that packaging plays a significant role contributing
to increased sales and reduced cost throughout the value-chain”, says Hannu Alalauri, Packaging
Solutions Senior Vice President at Stora Enso.
The five themes influencing future grocery retail packaging presented in the report are:
•
•
•
•
•
The success of discount retailers
Increased private-label penetration
Intelligence in packaging solutions
The shift of retail to online channels
A greater focus on sustainability
“The retailers that can best understand and execute on the full potential of packaging solutions will
be best placed to win in the marketplace of today and tomorrow. With the Viewpoints we are proud
to continue to share insights regarding the future of innovative packaging and are happy to invite our
customers to a further dialogue”, says Hannu Alalauri, Packaging Solutions Senior Vice President at
Stora Enso.
Hannu Alalauri will speak at the World Retail Congress in Paris September 30th about the Future of
Retail Packaging 2016 and beyond.
GS&MD – Gouvêa De Souza desembarca com delegação de executivos brasileiros no 8º
World Retail Congress, em Paris
Segs.com
23 September 2014
Evento contará com cerca de 1.500 participantes de 74 países diferentes
A GS&MD – Gouvêa de Souza, representante brasileira exclusiva e oficial do World Retail Congress
(WRC), por mais um ano, levará sua delegação na 8ª edição do evento, que acontecerá em Paris
entre os dias 29 de setembro a 01 de outubro, no The CNIT, La Défense.
with the NLA”.
O WRC 2014 é direcionado para o alto nível do varejo mundial. O evento reunirá os principais líderes
do setor para compartilhar ideias e tomar decisões que irão moldar o futuro em escala global. Os três
dias de programação contém mais de 53 horas de apresentação de conteúdo imperdível dos
principais nomes do varejo mundial, com mais de 150 palestrantes diferenciados.
Entre os executivos estarão Andy Street, Managing Director, John Lewis; Joe Tripoli, Global CMO, The
Coca-Cola Company; Tito Costa, Founder & Managing Director, Zalora; Ray Kelvin, Founder and CEO,
Ted Baker; Edson Kawabata, Strategy & Development Director, Grupo Pão de Açúcar; Chanel
Costabir, Founder and CEO, The Lingerie Boutique; André Maeder, Group Managing Director, Kadewe
Além disso, o evento contará com a participação de empresas brasileiras indicadas no WRA (World
Retail Awards). Esta premiação é umas das mais reconhecidas do universo varejista e acontecerá no
Salle Graham (Paris), na noite de 30 de setembro de 2014. Entre os cases brasileiros selecionados
estão O Boticário, na categoria Growth Market Retailer of the Year, que reconhece os varejistas
originados a partir de mercados emergentes de alto crescimento e representam as qualidades do
sucesso empresarial, a originalidade da ideia e a sua execução bem-sucedida, e Dafiti, na categoria
Pure Play Online Retailer of the Year, no qual seleciona varejistas que conduzem seus negóci os
puramente on-line e não possuem loja física.
“Os cases brasileiros selecionados - O Boticário e Dafiti - mostram que o Brasil é gerador de
benchmarks globais no varejo de lojas e também no e-commerce. Além disso, o país tornou-se
exportador de conceitos e melhores práticas no setor. Como jurado do prêmio desde seu inicio, tenho
acompanhado a evolução na qualidade dos cases apresentados e percebido como o que temos feito
aqui pode ser considerado referência entre os melhores métodos do varejo global”, conclui Marcos
Gouvêa de Souza, diretor-geral da GS&MD.
Stora Enso анализирует перспективы развития рынка упаковочных решений для
ретейла
Ochoba
24 September 2014
Stora Enso представляет новый отчет Viewpoint, посвященный анализу перспектив применения
инновационных упаковочных решений в области продовольственного ретейла.
Отчет Viewpoint, названный «Обзор перспектив развития упаковочных решений для ретейла на
2016 год и последующие годы», стал третьим отчетом подразделения Stora Enso Packaging
Solutions. В нем говорится о стремительных изменениях в области ретейла, обуславливающих
потребность в создании новых упаковочных решений.
Согласно представленным в нем данным предметных исследований, использование
эффективных упаковочных решений может сократить издержки ретейлеров на 50-70%. Среди
прочего создатели отчета делятся основными соображениями о том, как выдержать
конкуренцию на рынке в условиях увеличения числа товаров, выпускаемых под собственной
торговой маркой (СТМ). (Согласно прогнозу, через десять лет в некоторых странах Европы их
доля составит 50% от общего числа товаров.)
«Приобретая товары в продовольственных магазинах, потребители в 70% случаев принимают
решение о покупке на месте, что обостряет конкуренцию между брендами. Ключом к успеху
является создание эффективной упаковки. Так ретейлер может повысить объем продаж и
снизить затраты на всех этапах стоимостной цепочки», — отмечает Сергей Лаптев, вицепрезидент подразделения Stora Enso Packaging Solutions в России.
with the NLA”.
В отчете перечислены пять ключевых факторов, которые будут влиять на развитие рынка
упаковочных решений для ретейла в ближайшем будущем: успех розничных дискаунтеров;
увеличение доли СТМ; инновационные решения в области упаковки; переход представителей
сферы розничной торговли к интернет-каналам сбыта; усиленное внимание к экологичности.
«Компании, которым удастся в полной мере осознать и реализовать маркетинговый потенциал
решений в области упаковки, приобретут превосходный плацдарм для лидерства на рынке как
сегодня, так и в ближайшем будущем. В отчетах Viewpoint мы говорим о перспективах
применения инновационных решений в области упаковки и призываем клиентов к диалогу», —
продолжает Сергей Лаптев.
Стоит отметить, что 30 сентября на конференции World Retail Congress в Париже выступит
Ханну Алалаури, старший вице-президент подразделения Stora Enso Packaging Solutions, с
докладом о перспективах развития упаковочных решений для ретейла на 2016 год и
последующие годы.
Classement mondial des distributeurs: Carrefour remonte, Tesco chute
LSA
Frédéric Bianchi
24 September 2014
A la veille du World Retail Congress, Deloitte publie son classement des 10 plus grands distributeurs
mondiaux. Dans un monde profondément transformé par le digital, les grands acteurs de la
distribution mondiale font aujourd’hui face au défi de l’adaptation de leurs modèles et de l’offre d’une
nouvelle expérience client à l’heure du digital. Les gagnants seront ceux qui s’approprieront les
nouvelles technologies convergentes de demain. Ces dernières permettront d’offrir aux
consommateurs le «quart d’heure d’avance» qu’ils attendent
En 2013, le chiffre d’affaires des 10 plus grands distributeurs mondiaux atteint 1 300 000 milliards de
dollars, soit une croissance de 2,9% par rapport à 2012.
• La taille moyenne des 10 premiers distributeurs est supérieure à 129 milliards de dollars
• Wal-Mart, Costco et Carrefour sont les 3 premiers distributeurs mondiaux
« Pour la première fois dans le Top 10, figure un grand nombre de distributeurs alimentaires
(Carrefour, Schwarz Group, Tesco et Kroger) regroupés juste sous la barre des 100 milliards de
dollars de chiffres d’affaires. Au-delà de de l’apport d’une véritable stratégie omnicanal, le distributeur
qui sortira du lot sera celui qui anticipera au mieux l’évolution des modes de consommation pour tirer
parti de l’innovation. La clé du succès résiderait dans leur capacité à anticiper ces innovations
technologiques et à les mettre au service de leurs clients. » affirme Stéphane Rimbeuf, Associé
responsable de l’industrie Consumer Business chez Deloitte France.
Carrefour à la 3ème place des distributeurs mondiaux
Après être tombé à la quatrième place l'année dernière, Carrefour se hisse à la troisième place des
distributeurs mondiaux avec un chiffre d’affaires de 98 688 millions de dollars. A l'inverse, le
britannique Tesco qui ne cessait de grimper les années précédentes a chuté de deux places dans la
dernière livraison de Deloitte et se retrouve désormais cinquième.
with the NLA”.
Wal-Mart, avec un chiffre d’affaires de 476 294 millions de dollars, 4,5 fois celui de son plus proche
concurrent, reste leader sur le marché. Costco, poursuit son ascension dans le classement avec un
chiffre d’affaires de 105 156 millions de dollars, passant de la troisième place en 2012 à la deuxième
en 2013.
Un peu plus loin du classement de tête, Metro conserve sa position de septième plus important
distributeur mondial. Aldi quant à lui, a su profiter de l’appréciation de l’euro par ra pport à 2012 pour
devancer Home Depot. Enfin, Target, classé dixième, a maintenu sa position dans les premiers rangs
du palmarès.
« La faiblesse de l’économie mondiale et la part de marché grandissante des distributeurs du e commerce (+14% entre 2012 et 2016), explique la modeste croissance en 2013 des ventes du
commerce de détail. Pour résister, l’industrie doit entamer sa transformation. La progression de
Carrefour à la 3ème place du classement témoigne de la croissance que recèlent ces actions de
transformation » analyse Stephane Rimbeuf, Associé responsable de l’industrie Consumer Business
chez Deloitte France.
Distribution : à la conquête du continent neuf du e-commerce
L’Opinion
25 September 2014
Pour le cabinet d'études et de conseil Deloitte les perspectives ouvertes par les nouvelles technologies
sont enthousiasmantes pour le secteur de la distribution. A condition qu'il sache adapter ses
méthodes et sa stratégie
Les faits - A l'occasion du World Retail Congress, le cabinet Deloitte a publié jeudi une étude sur le
secteur de la distribution à l'heure de la digitalisation. Le chiffre d'affaires mondial du e -commerce
devrait enregistrer une hausse moyenne annuelle de 14% entre 2012 et 2016 pour atteindre 1400
milliards de dollars. Pour en profiter, les distributeurs doivent accepter des remises en question(…)
Carrefour remonte sur le podium des plus gros distributeurs du monde
La Tribune
25 September 2014
Avec près de 98,7 milliards de dollars de chiffre d'affaires, le groupe français, qui était 4e l'an dernier,
se place au 3e rang du classement Deloitte des entreprises de distribution mondiales qui ont
engrangé l'an dernier le plus de chiffre d'affaires. Les deux premiers sont américains.
Du bronze pour Carrefour, mais le jeu était serré... Le groupe français se retrouve à la troisième place
du palmarès des plus grandes entreprises de distribution mondiales, classées en fonction de leur
with the NLA”.
chiffre d'affaires - un palmarès établi par le cabinet de conseil Deloitte et publié ce 25 septembre.
Devant Carrefour, deux groupes américains le distancent: il s'agit du gigantesque Wal -Mart (476,3
milliards de dollars de chiffre d'affaires l'an dernier), et de Costco (105,2 milliards de dollars).
Cette dernière enseigne fonctionnant sur le modèle de l'entrepôt avec adhésion, se classait 3e l'an
dernier. Elle pourrait ouvrir son premier magasin en France l'an prochain.
Effets de change
Troisième cette année, donc, Carrefour, profite "d'effets de change un peu plus favorables" par
rapport au dollar que l'année précédente quand il était passé de la 2e à la 4e place, indique Stéphane
Rimbeuf, associé au sein du cabinet de conseil. Ce dernier rappelle que l'an dernier les "effets du
recentrage stratégique" du groupe se faisaient sentir. Fin 2012, la multinationale avait par exemple
annoncé son retrait prévu de Malaisie, de Colombie ou encore de Grèce.
Quatre ex æquo
Toutefois, avec près de 98,69 milliards de dollars de chiffres d'affaire, Carrefour se place quasiment
au même niveau que l'allemand Schwarz Unternehmens Treuhand (Lidl): 98,66 milliards de dollars de
chiffre d'affaires, d'après une estimation, puisque l'entreprise n'est pas cotée -à la différence des
autres. Ensuite, la série noire continue pour le britannique Tesco qui perd trois places, affichant 98,63
milliards de dollars de chiffre d'affaires contre plus de 100 milliards l'année précédente. Deux jours
plus tôt, l'entreprise en difficulté depuis deux ans réduisait ses prévisions après une "erreur d'analyse"
concernant ses bénéfices. Enfin, l'américain Kroger a réalisé 98,4 milliards de chiffre d'affaires.
Entre ces quatre compétiteurs, "qui sera le gagnant?" s'interroge Antoine de Riedmatten, associé
responsable mondial de l'industrie de la consommation chez Deloitte. Et le vainqueur, d'après lui, sera
le groupe capable de dépasser les "100 milliards de dollars" de chiffre d'affaires. Ce qui, bien sûr ne
préjuge pas des niveaux de rentabilité, très variables, de chacune de ces entreprises, non évoqué
dans ce classement.
Carrefour revient dans le tiercé de tête des distributeurs mondiaux
Les Echos
25 September 2014
Le distributeur français regagne une place dans le palmarès publié par Deloitte. Wal-Mart reste le
leader incontesté avec plus de 476 milliards de dollars de chiffre d'affaires en 2013.
L'arrivée du digital bouleverse aussi le monde de la distribution. « Au-delà de l'apport d'une véritable
stratégie omnicanal, le distributeur qui sortira du lot sera celui qui anticipera au mieux l'évolution des
modes de consommation pour tirer parti de l'innovation », explique Stéphane Rimbeuf, associé
responsable de l'industrie Consumer Business chez Deloitte France.
A la veille du World Retail Congress, le consultant publie son palmarès annuel des plus grands
distributeurs mondiaux. L'américain Wal-Mart reste le leader incontesté sur ce marché, avec un chiffre
d'affaires de 476, 294 milliards de dollars, soit 4,5 fois le chiffre d'affaires de son concurrent le plus
proche, Costco, qui affiche lui un chiffre d'affaires de 105,156 milliards de dollars en 2013.
Pour la première fois dans le top 10 mondial - qui totalise un chiffre d'affaires de 1 300 000 milliards
de dollars en 2013 - figure un grand nombre de distributeurs alimentaires comme Carrefour Schwarz
et Tesco font leur apparition. Le français se hisse de la quatrième à la troisième place avec un chiffre
with the NLA”.
d'affaires de 98, 688 milliards de dollars. Selon Deloitte, cette ascension témoigne de l'importance de
l'innovation afin de s'adapter aux nouvelles expériences client. « La faiblesse de l'économie mondiale
et la part de marché grandissante des distributeurs du e-commerce (+14% entre 2012 et 2016)
explique la modeste croissance en 2013 des ventes du commerce de détail. Pour résister, l'industrie
doit entamer sa transformation », rappelle ainsi Stéphane Rimbeuf.
L'allemand Schwarz et le britannique Tesco suivent de près Carrefour avec respectivement 98,662 et
98,631 milliards de dollars. L'allemand Metro conserve sa position de septième plus important
distributeur mondial. Aldi a su profiter de l'appréciation de l'euro par rapport à 2012 pour devancer
Home Depot tandis que Target, classé dixième, a maintenu sa position dans les premiers rangs du
palmarès.
FIT Sends Team of Students to 2014 World Retail Congress
Fashion Institute of Technology
25 September 2014
A team of four students from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, representing the
United States, is competing in the Future Retail Challenge, an annual international competition that
takes place at the annual World Retail Congress, held this year in Paris, September 29-October 1. The
FIT team members, who are students in Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology, will
be up against teams from Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, and Marche, Italy. The 2013 FIT took first
place in last year’s competition.
Paula Cushman is a second-semester student in the one-year program in Advertising and Marketing
Communications. She is from Locust Valley, NY. Victoria Kulesza is a fifth-semester Fashion
Merchandising Management student from Morris Plains, NJ. Cassandra Napoli is a seventh-semester
International Trade Marketing for the Fashion Industries student from Glen Cove, NY. Alison Rebozo
is a seventh-semester FMM major and comes from Hillside, NY.
This year, the student teams have been asked to develop a new retail concept for the Samsung Life
Store. They must consider the needs of the millennial consumer in order to understand how the
“internet of things” — the connected home, the convergence of products and changing lifestyles —
will dictate the look, role, and delivery of a store selling Samsung appliances. They will develop a
retail store concept that reflects this and includes an explanation of the shoppers’ journey, a basis for
their concept, a business model, and an earnings forecast.
Samsung has been working closely with the competing teams to advise and mentor the development
of their ideas. While in Paris, they will collaborate with leading design agency Liganova to create
displays of their concepts, which will be on exhibit at the World Retail Congress in Paris.
A panel of senior retailers, design experts, editors, and Samsung executives will hear each team
present their ideas on September 30 and then select the winning team. The panel includes Ian
McGarrigle, founder and chairman, World Retail Congress; Gerald Reitmayr, head of retail Europe,
Samsung; Robert Thiemann, founder and editor in chief, Frame; Alexander Salzer, COO, Liganova –
The BrandRetail Company; Bernie Brookes, CEO and MD, Myer Holdings Limited; and Nora Fehlbaum,
co-CEO, Vitra.
with the NLA”.
About The World Retail Congress
The World Retail Congress was launched in 2007 to be a platform for senior retail executives to meet
and discuss the most important topics affecting retailers across the world. It has been held in
Barcelona (2007-9) and Berlin (2010-11) and is attended by up to 1,000 industry leaders from more
than 60 countries. The program is developed in conjunction with the Congress Advisory Board which
represents many of the world’s biggest retailers such as Gap, Kingfisher, Macys, Reliance Lifestyle,
Myer, Alshaya, Netto, Inditex, and Tesco. The co-sponsors of the 2014 World Retail Congress are
Deloitte, MasterCard, and Samsung. For more information, visit worldretailcongress.com.
The Future Retail Challenge student competition has become an established and popular component
of the World Retail Congress. Now in its seventh year, the Future Retail Challenge seeks to promote
the future talent that will enter the retail industry around the world. The World Retail Congress
partners with colleges and universities that are supported by the retail industry. It is the aim of the
Future Retail Challenge to promote the high level of education provided by these institutions, to
support the range of talented students they are preparing for careers in retailing, and to bring the
students’ fresh thinking and new ideas on retail into the Congress itself.
About FIT
The Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology at the Fashion Institute of Technology
offers ten degree programs that prepare students for business careers related to the fashion
industries. The school’s majors are Advertising and Marketing Communications, Cosmetics and
Fragrance Marketing, Direct and Interactive Marketing, Entrepreneurship for the Fashion and Design
Industries, Fashion Merchandising Management, Home Products Development, International Trade
and Marketing for the Fashion Industries, Production Management: Fashion and Related Industries,
Technical Design, and Textile Development and Marketing.
The Fashion Institute of Technology, a college of the State University of New York, has been a leader
in career education in art, design, business, and technology for nearly 70 years. With a curriculum
that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm
grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are affordable and
relevant to today’s rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York
City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more than
45 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional
success and leadership in the global marketplace.
Bromsgrove retail student takes part in global competition
Bromsgrove Standard
25 September 2014
A BROMSGROVE student will be travelling to Paris to take on rivals from across the world for the
Retail Futures Challenge competition.
Backed by Sir Philip Green, the owner of the Arcadia Group which includes Top Shop and BHS, Dan
Swanepoel will be challenging people from New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Ancona.
The 23-year-old, who is originally from South Africa, will be joined by a team of three others chosen
to represent London’s Fashion Retail Academy at the World Retail Congress in Paris next week.
with the NLA”.
Dan was selected as one of the top graduates from 700 pupils.
The World Retail Congress, which is now in its sixth year and will take place fr om Monday (September
29) until Wednesday (October 1), is also supported by big brands such as Marks and Spencer, Tesco
and Next.
For the event, the team will be presenting blueprints of their vision of a Samsung store of the future
to more than 1,000 retail executives.
The Samsung Life Store must demonstrate how technology can make people’s home lives more
comfortable, productive and entertaining.
It is expected to meet the needs of shoppers wanting to buy not just in stores but online, through
their mobile and social media.
Dan Said: “When I first found out I was obviously quite excited.
“The last week or so I have been a bit nervous but I think when I get there I will be more excited
than nervous.
“I am so proud to be representing the UK with my designs.
“My parents are also excited for me and I am sure they are quite proud too.”
Sir Philip said he wished the students good luck but urged them to make sure they had ‘done their
homework’.
He added: “They need to make sure they have thought of everything which would make shopping in
the store a great experience but it also needs to be commercial.
“If they win, it could be the springboard to bright futures in retail.”
Ian McGarrigle, the World Retail Congress’s chairman, said: “We are very pleased London is go ing to
be represented again at the Retail Futures Challenge.
“The competition has grown to become one of the high points of the WRC and it is fantastic to see
these future leaders of retailing setting out their ideas in front of an audience of retail professionals.
“I wish them the best of luck for the final.”
Carrefour troisième distributeur mondial
CB News
26 September 2014
A la veille du World Retail Congress, Deloitte publie son classement des 10 plus grands distributeurs
mondiaux dans un monde profondément transformé par le digital. Wal-Mart, Costco et Carrefour se
placent sur les trois premières places du podium. En 2013, le chiffre d’affaires des 10 premiers
distributeurs atteint 1 300 000 milliards de dollars, soit une croissance de 2,9% par rapport à 2012.
with the NLA”.
La taille moyenne est supérieure à 129 milliards de dollars. « Pour la première fois dans le Top 10,
figure un grand nombre de distributeurs alimentaires (Carrefour, Schwarz Group, Tesco et Kroger)
regroupés juste sous la barre des 100 milliards de dollars de chiffres d’affaires. Au-delà de l’apport
d’une véritable stratégie omnicanal, le distributeur qui sortira du lot sera celui qui anticipera au mieux
l’évolution des modes de consommation pour tirer parti de l’innovation. La clé du succè s résiderait
dans leur capacité à anticiper ces innovations technologiques et à les mettre au service de leurs
clients », commente Stéphane Rimbeuf, associé responsable de l’industrie Consumer Business chez
Deloitte France.
Carrefour à la 3ème place des distributeurs mondiaux
Carrefour se hisse à la troisième place des distributeurs mondiaux avec un chiffre d’affaires de 98 688
millions de dollars. Wal-Mart, avec un chiffre d’affaires de 476 294 millions de dollars (4,5 fois celui de
son plus proche concurrent)reste leader sur le marché. Costco, poursuit son ascension dans le
classement avec un chiffre d’affaires de 105 156 millions de dollars, passant de la troisième place en
2012 à la deuxième en 2013. Un peu plus loin du classement de tête, Metro conser ve sa position de
septième plus important distributeur mondial. Aldi quant à lui, a su profiter de l’appréciation de l’euro
par rapport à 2012 pour devancer Home Depot. Enfin, Target, classé dixième, a maintenu sa position
dans les premiers rangs du palmarès. « La faiblesse de l’économie mondiale et la part de marché
grandissante des distributeurs du e-commerce (+14% entre 2012 et 2016), explique la modeste
croissance en 2013 des ventes du commerce de détail. Pour résister, l’industrie doit entamer sa
transformation. La progression de Carrefour à la 3ème place du classement témoigne de la croissance
que recèlent ces actions de transformation » analyse Stephane Rimbeuf, associé responsable de
l’industrie Consumer Business chez Deloitte France.
Comment: The insight new leaders need to face the changing retail world
Retail Week
26 September 2014
With new developments in retail technology and attitudes coming thick and fast, retailers need proper
context to create the right strategy.
I found out last week that in the mobile telecoms world, a year now equates to five weeks. With the
World Retail Congress beginning in Paris next week, I’m beginning to get a sense of what that speed
of time feels like.
I am not sure where the past 12 months have gone and it is a reminder of just how dramatic the
pace of change now is in retail.
Since the last congress, the developments in retail have come thick and fast: from the change at the
top at Tesco and Sainsbury’s; the continued rise of the discounters such as Aldi and Lidl; the public
listing of Poundland and B&M; the emergence of more pure-play retailers such as Boohoo and
Missguided and, in the past few weeks, the biggest IPO that puts China’s Alibaba firmly on the
international map.
Looking at the even bigger influencers of change on retail – new technologies – Apple has given a big
boost to the move towards wearable technology with the Apple Watch as well as the revolution in
payments that Apple Pay will only accelerate.
Putting all of these changes into some context will, no doubt, form much of the discussion at the
congress.
with the NLA”.
Focus on leadership
We have some insight into how retailers around the world view today’s current challenges from our
annual survey of retail bosses.
This asked a wide range of questions to help understand attitudes to business and consumer
confidence, the changing mix of retail channels, the strongest global markets and, above all, what are
the biggest business-critical issues they face.
What has emerged this year though is that the focus on talent and leadership has risen right up the
order.
If new retail leaders do have to emerge to reflect the changing retail world, it does put Tesco’s
appointment of Dave Lewis into an interesting context. Someone who, by his own admission, has
never run a shop brings instead a completely new approach to customers and brands. Maybe he will
usher in more change than we – or given this week’s developments, even he – imagined.
Retail Week
26 Sepetember 2014
with the NLA”.
Doha Festival City Officials at World Retail Congress 2014
India Retail News
27 September 2014
Doha Festival City, the iconic mixed-used development that includes Qatar's biggest retail and leisure
mall which is set to be one of the largest in the Middle East upon completion in Q3 of 2016, will host
an exclusive breakfast briefing at the World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris on Tuesday, September 30.
During the event that will be hosted at CNIT, La Defense, in the French capital, a number of the
world's most renowned retailers will hold meetings with Doha Festival City's senior officials, who will
provide construction and leasing updates on the 250,000 sqm GLA development.
Recently, Doha Festival City signed leasing agreements with a significant number of globally
prominent retailers. Most of the leading regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail
Brands, Alshaya, Apparel, Azadea, Landmark, Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group,
and Salam Studio & Stores have already committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion,
dining and entertainment brands to what is set to be Qatar's most exciting retail and leisure
destination.
Vox Cinemas is also set to redefine the country's entertainment landscape with the introduction of a
state-of-the-art movie theatre featuring sixteen digital screens, and Ali Bin Ali Group to bring the first
full-sized Monoprix store to Doha.
Kareem M. Shamma, Chief Executive Officer of BASREC WLL, the joint venture which comprises
Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Aqar Real Estate Investment
Company and a private Qatari investor said:
"As we get closer to the opening of Doha Festival City, scheduled for the third quarter of 2016, we
are continuously striving to develop our project into Qatar's most attractive destination for shopping
and leisure which competes with the world's finest."
"We are currently in advanced negotiations with some leading regional and international brands that
approached us for space in the few remaining available leasing opportunities, and will soon announce
these additions to the already sprawling list of committed retailers," he added.
Last May, Doha Festival City announced the appointment of Gulf Contracting Company (GCC) and
ALEC Qatar JV, a joint venture between two of Qatar's leading contractors to lead construction of the
massive Mall on this iconic project. The Mall is already well under construction, and on programme for
opening in Sept 2016.
À la une ce lundi
Le Point
28 September 2014
Valls à Besançon, le projet de loi de financement de la Sécu 2015, le festival Musica... Retrouvez
l'actualité de ce lundi 29 septembre en un clin d'oeil.
with the NLA”.
Sécurité sociale. Les ministres des Affaires sociales Marisol Touraine et du Budget Christian Eckert
donnent ce lundi une conférence de presse de présentation du projet de loi de financement de la
Sécu 2015.
Éducation. Le Premier ministre Manuel Valls effectue un déplacement officiel à Besançon ce lundi sur
le thème de l'université.
Congrès. Le grand rassemblement sur l'économie, le commerce et l'innovation, le World Retail
Congress, s'ouvre ce lundi à la Défense avec le ministre des Affaires étrangères Laurent Fabius.
Humour. Le prix Press Club, Humour et Politique récompense ce lundi une phrase amusante d'une
personnalité politique. Pour son affirmation, "Je ne suis pas un fraudeur, je suis un contribuable
négligent", l'éphémère secrétaire d'État Thomas Thévenoud a été ajouté à la liste.
Festival. Strasbourg accueille ce lundi et jusqu'au 10 octobre le festival de musique européen Musica
avec près de trente concerts, ciné-concerts et installations.
A suivre cette semaine
Le JDD
28 September 2014
Lundi
Ouverture du World Retail Congress à Paris, grand rassemblement sur l’économie, le commerce et
l’innovation. Manuel Valls à Besançon sur le thème de l’université. 69e congrès de la Fédération
nationale des cinémas français à Deauville. 23e festival Biarritz Amérique latine, consacré au cinéma
et à la culture.
Doha Festival City officials at World Retail Congress 2014
AMEinfo.com
28 September 2014
Doha Festival City, the iconic mixed-used development that includes Qatar’s biggest retail and leisure
mall which is set to be one of the largest in the Middle East upon completion in Q3 of 2016, will host
an exclusive breakfast briefing at the World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris on Tuesday, September 30.
During the event that will be hosted at CNIT, La Défense, in the French capital, a number of the
world’s most renowned retailers will hold meetings with Doha Festival City’s senior officials, who will
prominent retailers. Most of the leading regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail
Brands, Alshaya, Apparel, Azadea, Landmark, Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group,
and Salam Studio & Stores have already committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion,
dining and entertainment brands to what is set to be Qatar’s most exciting retail and leisure
destination. Vox Cinemas is also set to redefine the country’s entertainment landscape with the
with the NLA”.
introduction of a state-of-the-art movie theatre featuring sixteen digital screens, and Ali Bin Ali Group
to bring the first full-sized Monoprix store to Doha.
Kareem M. Shamma, Chief Executive Officer of BASREC WLL, the joint venture which comprises
Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Aqar Real Estate Investment
Company and a private Qatari investor said: “As we get closer to the opening of Doha Festival City,
scheduled for the third quarter of 2016, we are continuously striving to develop our project into
Qatar’s most attractive destination for shopping and leisure which competes with the world’s finest.”
“We are currently in advanced negotiations with some leading regional and international brands that
these additions to the already sprawling list of committed retailers,” he added.
Last May, Doha Festival City announced the appointment of Gulf Contracting Company (GCC) and
ALEC Qatar JV, a joint venture between two of Qatar’s leading contractors to lead construction of the
massive Mall on this iconic project. The Mall is already well under construction, and on programme for
opening in Sept 2016.
Just-style.com
28 September 2014
The annual World Retail Congress has returned to Paris this week for three days where the great and
the good of the retail industry have converged to discuss the industry climate as we move out of a
tough economic climate. New technologies, the rise of omni-channel, innovation and the supply chain
of the future will all be discussed.
Confirmed speakers from the apparel retail sector include JC Penney CEOMike Ullman, Li & Fung
chairman William Fung, John Lewis MD Andy Street, and Mango's SVP of business development Jose
Gomez.
just-style will be bringing you coverage of the conference over two days so be sure to check back on
the site for updates.
GOME Named a Finalist for Omni-Channel Retailer - World Retail Awards
Fort Mill Times
28 September 2014
HONG KONG — GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (HKSE: 00493, “GOME” or “the
Company”, together with its subsidiaries known as the “Group”) announced that it has been
shortlisted as a finalist for Omni-channel Retailer of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards. Standing
out from hundreds of participating enterprises, GOME is the only finalist among Chinese enterprises.
With the strategy of becoming an “open Omni-Channel retailer,” GOME has successfully developed a
business model incorporating offline physical stores, an online e-commerce platform and mobile
terminals to meet the diverse needs of different customers through various channels. Its supply
with the NLA”.
chain, which combines self-owned operations, joint operations and procurement, drives the stable
growth of different channels. GOME’s outstanding performance has been widely recognized in the
global retail industry. In addition, GOME has launched the “Change tomorrow in seven days” CSR
program leveraging its retail resources to promote the use of green energy-saving home appliances, a
green lifestyle and a value chain with low carbon emissions. GOME was also named a finalist for “CSR
Initiative of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards”.
Winners of the World Retail Awards, the only global retail industry awards that recognize and honor
retail excellence, are selected by the World Retail Congress. Now in their eighth year, the awards
attracted entries from hundreds of retailers from over 50 countries across the world. The judging
panels comprised more than 40 global industry experts who picked the top seven entries in each
category after reviewing the submissions. The Grand Jury, with 16 leaders from the international
retail community, will then decide the winners and announce them at the World Retail Congress held
on 30 September in Paris (French time).
Mr. Wang Junzhou, CEO of GOME, said, “We are honored to be selected as finalist for two categories
at the World Retail Awards 2014, which reflects the wide recognition of GOME in the global retail
industry. We would like to thank our peers for their encouragement. Going forward, the Group will
continue to push ahead with the “Omni-Channel Retailer” strategy to fully satisfy customer needs. We
will pursue the optimization and development of our store network and accelerate the development of
our e-commerce and mobile terminal businesses. We will drive sales growth and enhance our
profitability through the further integration of different channels, the development of an open supply
chain platform and improvement of after-sale services. These will help us achieve our goal of
“Building another GOME” by 2017, creating greater value for our shareholders and consumers.”
Financial Mirror
28 September 2014
HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (HKSE: 00493,
“GOME” or “the Company”, together with its subsidiaries known as the “Group”) announced that it
has been shortlisted as a finalist for Omni-channel Retailer of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards.
Standing out from hundreds of participating enterprises, GOME is the only finalist among Chinese
enterprises. With the strategy of becoming an “open Omni-Channel retailer,” GOME has successfully
developed a business model incorporating offline physical stores, an online e-commerce platform and
mobile terminals to meet the diverse needs of different customers through various channels. Its
supply chain, which combines self-owned operations, joint operations and procurement, drives the
stable growth of different channels. GOME’s outstanding performance has been widely recognized in
the global retail industry. In addition, GOME has launched the “Change tomorrow in seven days” CSR
green lifestyle and a value chain with low carbon emissions. GOME was also named a finalist for “CSR
Initiative of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards”.
with the NLA”.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO to Present Technology Solutions at World Retail
Congress
SYS-CON Media
28 September 2014
Chi-Joon Choi, President and CEO of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (SEM), will deliver a
presentation entitled "New Opportunity in the Age of the Internet of Things" as one of the speakers
at World Retail Congress (WRC). Choi's presentation will focus on technology that offers retailers
innovative ways to connect with consumers.
Held from September 29 to October 1 in Paris, France, the eighth annual WRC will feature C -level
retail executives and decision makers who will discuss major business issues and provide insight into
future management decisions. Under the conference slogan of "Retailing in an Era of Disruption,"
presenters will address the technical challenges of a shopping environment in constant flux due to the
accelerating evolution of information technology.
Whereas previous conferences have centered on the political, economic, and social aspects of global
retail, Choi's participation at the 2014 WRC guarantees a focused, active discussion of the future
application of technology in the retail business. In his presentation, scheduled on September 30, Choi
will deliver a comprehensive message that embraces the definition of the Internet of Things, a new
but far-reaching phrase that broadly indicates the devices, sensors, and tools that can be connected
using the Internet. Choi will address the changes he expects in retail shopping patterns and consumer
satisfaction levels, emphasizing that the changing landscape of retail is an opportunity, not an
obstacle. Finally, Choi will go on to predict the influence the Internet of Things will have on future
global retail business while suggesting technical solutions.
Considering that retailers need to develop comprehensive shopping channels, one such technical
solution will be a breakthrough shopping system called "Tag Shopping." Tag Shopping is a retail
channel service that integrates Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and Near Field Communication (NFC).
These technologies allow retailers the means to provide seamless, efficient service at offline stores
and on online sites such as retailer malls, price comparison websites, and mobile app-based shops.
Retailers can remotely update digital price tags while consumers use their own wireless
communication devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy series of smart phones, to shop quickly and
effortlessly. Such connectivity defines the future of retail considering the advent of the Internet of
Things.
"Retailers are establishing IT infrastructure," said Choi while preparing for his WRC presentation,
"including the opening of online stores in order to strengthen connection and interaction with
customers. To increase connection and interaction, retailers need to maximize the synergy effect
with the NLA”.
through specialized channels. Their integration will be a requisite of successful retail business in the
future.
"With continuous efforts to integrate its know-how of the technical convergence of software and
hardware, SEM's final goal is to reach out to global partners and have them experience new value
based on the Internet of Things. As an innovative management tool, our Electronic Shelf Label
business has a great potential to evolve into a huge market that will connect consumers to the
products they need."
SEM has been providing ESL solutions for large global retail companies in Europe, and the company
will present further comprehensive ESL solutions with NFC capabilities optimized for European retail
stores at the World Retail Expo.
Looking forward, SEM will progressively expand its global market share by developing overs eas sales
around the European market, which has shown an open interest in ESL technology and which
includes the headquarters of major global retail companies.
GOME Named Finalist for Omni-Channel Retailer - World Retail Awards
India Retail News
28 September 2014
GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (HKSE: 00493, "GOME" or "the Company", together with
its subsidiaries known as the "Group") announced that it has been shortlisted as a finalist for Omni channel Retailer of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards. Standing out from hundreds of participating
enterprises, GOME is the only finalist among Chinese enterprises.
With the strategy of becoming an "open Omni-Channel retailer," GOME has successfully developed a
business model incorporating offline physical stores, an online e-commerce platform and mobile
terminals to meet the diverse needs of different customers through various channels.
Its supply chain, which combines self-owned operations, joint operations and procurement, drives the
stable growth of different channels. GOME's outstanding performance has been widely recognized in
the global retail industry. In addition, GOME has launched the "Change tomorrow in seven days" CSR
green lifestyle and a value chain with low carbon emissions. GOME was also named a finalist for "CSR
Initiative of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards".
retail excellence, are selected by the World Retail Congress.
Now in their eighth year, the awards attracted entries from hundreds of retailers from over 50
countries across the world. The judging panels comprised more than 40 global industry experts who
picked the top seven entries in each category after reviewing the submissions. The Grand Jury, with
16 leaders from the international retail community, will then decide the winners and announce them
at the World Retail Congress held on 30 September in Paris (French time).
Mr. Wang Junzhou, CEO of GOME, said, "We are honored to be selected as finalist for two categories
continue to push ahead with the "Omni-Channel Retailer" strategy to fully satisfy customer needs. We
our e-commerce and mobile terminal businesses.
with the NLA”.
We will drive sales growth and enhance our profitability through the further integration of different
channels, the development of an open supply chain platform and improvement of after-sale services.
These will help us achieve our goal of "Building another GOME" by 2017, creating greater value for
our shareholders and consumers."
Digital Online
28 September 2014
GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (HKSE: 00493, “GOME” or “the Company”, together with
its subsidiaries known as the “Group”) announced that it has been shortlisted as a finalist for Omni channel Retailer of the Year 2014 - World Retail Awards. Standing out from hundreds of participating
enterprises, GOME is the only finalist among Chinese enterprises. With the strategy of becoming an
“open Omni-Channel retailer,” GOME has successfully developed a business model incorporating
offline physical stores, an online e-commerce platform and mobile terminals to meet the diverse
needs of different customers through various channels. Its supply chain, which combines self-owned
operations, joint operations and procurement, drives the stable growth of different channels. GOME’s
outstanding performance has been widely recognized in the global retail industry. In addition, GOME
has launched the “Change tomorrow in seven days” CSR program leveraging its retail resources to
promote the use of green energy-saving home appliances, a green lifestyle and a value chain with
low carbon emissions. GOME was also named a finalist for “CSR Initiative of the Year 2014 - World
Retail Awards”.
Travail le dimanche. « Il n'y a plus le choix »
Le Télégramme
29 September 2014
with the NLA”.
Laurent Fabius, ministre des Affaires étrangères en charge du commerce extérieur, persiste et signe.
« Il n'y a plus le choix », a-t-il déclaré alors qu'il était interrogé sur l'ouverture des commerces le
dimanche et le soir dans les zones touristiques. Et il veut aller vite. « Avant la fin de l'année », le
gouvernement « traduira dans les textes » cette autorisation, a-t-il annoncé aux professionnels
étrangers de la distribution lors du Congrès mondial de la distribution à la Défense, selon La Tribune.
En avril dernier, déjà, Laurent Fabius s'était prononcé pour une ouverture des commerces le
dimanche. « Certaines zones comme le boulevard Haussmann (à Paris) doivent pouvoir être classées
zone touristique d'affluence exceptionnelle », avait-il lancé, avant de poursuivre : « Le touriste qui
trouve porte close le dimanche ou à 19 h n'attend pas le jeudi suivant. » Des propos qui avaient
provoqué un tollé.
Ouverture des magasins le dimanche : "Il n'y a plus le choix" (Fabius)
La Tribune
29 September 2014
Le ministre chargé du Commerce extérieur a martelé devant les responsables des grands groupes
mondiaux de distribution que la France autoriserait l'ouverture des magasins le dimanche et le soir
dans les zones touristiques "d'ici à la fin de l'année".
Il l'aura répété trois fois. "Avant la fin de l'année", le gouvernement "traduira dans les textes"
l'autorisation d'ouvrir les commerces le dimanche (et le soir) dans les zones touristiques. C'est la
promesse de Laurent Fabius, ministre des Affaires étrangères chargé depuis avril du Commerce
extérieur, aux professionnels étrangers de la distribution - principalement anglo-saxons - venus
assister ce lundi au World Retail Congress (Congrès mondial de la distribution) à la Défense. "Flot de
touristes" Pour expliquer ce choix de permettre l'ouverture des magasins le dimanche et le soir,
Laurent Fabius a notamment affirmé: Il y a quelques années ont pouvait discuter: est-ce opportun ou
pas? Mais aujourd'hui, il nous semble que compte tenu du flot de touristes qui existent et qui ne vont
pas attendre le jeudi pour venir consommer; et d'autre part compte tenu du développement du e commerce, il n'y a plus de choix. Urgence? Insistant sur "l'ouverture" de la première destination
touristique mondiale aux entrepreneurs étrangers, l'ancien Premier ministre a ainsi justifié une fois de
plus cette mesure qui devrait être détaillée dans le projet de loi sur la croissance porté par Emmanuel
Macron, ministre de l'Economie. Fin août, des rumeurs sur une possible modification de la législation
via des ordonnances a couru, soulevant des questions sur "l'urgence" que représente ou non une
nouvelle réglementation sur le travail dominical. >> Travail dominical: le recours aux ordonnances
est-il vraiment possible?
Laurent Fabius en ouverture du World retail congress
Citizen Side
29 September 2014
Le ministre des Affaires étrangères assiste ce matin à l'ouverture du World retail congress, à la
Défense.
Le congrès se tient jusqu'au 1er octobre 2014.
Si vous y assistez, envoyez-nous vos photos et vos vidéos.
with the NLA”.
La matinale : présentation du projet loi de financement de la Sécu
L’Opinion
29 September 2014
LE FAIT DU JOUR
#SECU - Le secrétaire d’état au budget, Christian Eckert, la ministre des affaires sociales, Marisol
Touraine et la secrétaire d’Etat chargée de la famille, Laurence Rossignol, présenteront cet après-midi
les grandes lignes du projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale pour 2015, devant la
commission des comptes de la Sécu. Comme le rapporteur du budget de la Sécurité sociale, Gérard
Bapt (PS), le révélait dès jeudi sur lopinion.fr, le déficit ne s’est pas réduit cette année, restant autour
de 15,5 milliards d’euros pour le régime général et le fonds de solidarité vieillesse.
A L’AGENDA AUJOURD’HUI
#AIRFRANCE - La fin de la grève chez Air France a été actée mais les vols de lundi qui devaient être
annulés le restent. Les pilotes ont certes obtenu gain de cause sur leur principale revendication mais
leur obstination a achevé de braquer l'opinion publique contre eux et provoqué de fortes tensions
avec les autres catégories du personnel.
#RETAIL - Le World Retail Congress s'ouvre aujourd’hui à la Défense avec le ministre des Affaires
étrangères Laurent Fabius. Deloitte publie son classement des 10 plus grands distributeurs mondia ux.
A la troisième place, le groupe français Carrefour avec près de 98,7 milliards de dollars de revenus en
2013.
#AFGHANISTAN - Le nouveau président afghan Ashraf Ghani sera investi ce lundi, succédant à Hamid
Karzaï, au pouvoir depuis 2001, dans un pays qui reste marqué par la violence et l'instabilité, comme
en témoigne l'offensive de grande ampleur menée ces derniers temps par les taliban afghans au sud ouest de Kaboul, faisant plus d'une centaine de morts.
#INFOMEDIAS - Le pure player libéral Atlantico.fr a encore perdu 900 000 euros en 2013 (pour à
peine 400 000 euros de CA). En 2012, Jean-Sébastien Ferjou, le PDG de Talmont média, qui édite le
site, avait pourtant prévu de tripler les recettes en deux ans. Atlantico.fr bénéficie d'une audience
d'un million de VU par mois, mais ne parvient pas à la monétiser.
#LECHIFFRE - 34 524. Selon le ministère de l’économie et des finances, le nombre de redevables
fiscaux français ayant fait le choix de l’expatriation s’est élevé à 34 524 en 2012 (contre 35 077 en
2011). S’agissant des contribuables redevables de l’ISF, le bilan est comparable d’une année sur
l’autre, à 500 environ par an. Le nombre de personnes inscrites au registre mondial des français
établis hors de France a augmenté de 2% en 2013, soit une hausse comparable à celle de 2012
(+1%).
#LOPINION - A 8h45, Nicolas Beytout reçoit Florian Philippot, député européen du Front national. Ne
ratez aucune information exclusive de l’Opinion en nous suivant sur Twitter, Facebook et LinkedIn.
#DUEL - «Sénat, où s'arrêtera la chute de la gauche?» C’est le thème du duel entre Nicolas Beytout
et Laurent Joffrin à 9h.
CETTE NUIT DANS L'ACTU
with the NLA”.
#SENAT - L'opposition de droite a reconquis dimanche le Sénat, après une parenthèse de trois ans à
gauche inédite sous la Ve République, tandis que le Front national fait son entrée à la haute
assemblée pour la première fois de son histoire avec deux élus.
#HONGKONG - Le gouvernement de Hong Kong a annoncé lundi matin avoir ordonné aux forces antiémeutes de se retirer des rues de la ville après avoir constaté un début de retour au calme de la part
des manifestants. Ces derniers occupaient toujours le centre-ville aux premières heures de lundi et
certains ont commencé à ériger des barricades pour tenir tête aux forces de l'ordre.
#APPLE - Bruxelles ne lâche pas la firme à la pomme d'une semelle. Selon le Financial Times, Apple
va être accusé d'avoir bénéficié d'accords fiscaux illégaux avec le gouvernement irlandais pendant
plus de 20 ans. La Commission européenne va révéler cette semaine les détails d'une enquête qui
pourrait amener l'entreprise américaine à payer une amende record de plusieurs milliards d'euros.
#BOURSES - La Bourse de Tokyo était en hausse lundi à la mi-séance, soutenue par l'affaiblissement
du yen qui profite aux valeurs exportatrices. A la pause, l'indice Nikkei gagnait 0,43%.
DANS LA PRESSE CE MATIN
#AIRFRANCE - Au lendemain de la fin de la grève des pilotes, la presse se penche sur les
conséquences du conflit social et compte les pots cassés. «Quatorze jours de grève, une ardoise de
300 millions d'euros : tout ça pour ça», estime Le Parisien. «Pour la première fois dans l'histoire de la
compagnie, les pilotes n'ont pas eu gain de cause», jugent pour leur part Les Echos. Pour le quotidien
économique, ce sont les pilotes de ligne qui sont les grand perdants de ce mouvement social bien que
l'entreprise en ressorte affaiblie et «sans que l'avenir de Transavia France ne soit clarifié». Presqu'un
million de passagers auront vu leur trajet perturbé dans ce qui restera l'une des plus longues grèves
de l'histoire de la compagnie.
#EBOLA - L'épidémie de fièvre hémorragique touche-t-elle plus les femmes que les hommes ? Voilà la
question que se pose La Croix dans ses colonnes. Car contrairement à «une idée large ment reprise»,
les femmes comptent en fait pour deux tiers des décès, un «pourcentage spectaculaire» qui a de quoi
«interpeller». Cela ne serait pas dû à une plus grande sensibilité féminine au virus mais
«essentiellement parce qu’elles se sont retrouvées en première ligne pour soigner les malades à
domicile ou dans les centres de soins», explique un spécialiste dans le quotidien.
N’ Salons
29 September 2014
World Retail Congress: le salon
Le World Retail Congress est l'événement le plus important au niveau mondial dans l'industrie de la
vente au détail. Depuis sa création en 2007, il a accueilli plus de 350 conférenciers.
Le congrès propose une plateforme où les détaillants peuvent se rencontrer et débattre sur divers
sujets en relation avec leurs affaires. Les marques et entreprises détaillantes proviennent de plus de
50 pays afin de participer aux débats ouverts et de partager leurs idées. Le World Retail Congress a
lieu dans divers pays.
with the NLA”.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Ceo To Present Technology Solutions At World Retail
Congress
Press Association National Newswire
29 September 2014
PARIS, Sept. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Chi-Joon Choi, President and CEO of Samsung ElectroMechanics Co., Ltd. (SEM), will deliver a presentation entitled "New Opportunity in the Age of the
Internet of Things" as one of the speakers at World Retail Congress (WRC). Choi's presentation will
focus on technology that offers retailers innovative ways to connect with consumers.
Held from September 29 to October 1 in Paris, France, the eighth annual WRC will feature C-level
retail executives and decision makers who will discuss major business issues and provide insight into
future management decisions. Under the conference slogan of "Retailing in an Era of Disruption,"
application of technology in the retail business. In his presentation, scheduled on September 30, Choi
will deliver a comprehensive message that embraces the definition of the Internet of Things, a new
but far-reaching phrase that broadly indicates the devices, sensors, and tools that can be connected
using the Internet. Choi will address the changes he expects in retail shopping patterns and consumer
satisfaction levels, emphasizing that the changing landscape of retail is an opportunity, not an
obstacle. Finally, Choi will go on to predict the influence the Internet of Things will have on future
global retail business while suggesting technical solutions.
solution will be a breakthrough shopping system called "Tag Shopping." Tag Shopping is a retail
channel service that integrates Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and Near Field Communication (NFC).
Things.
future.
with the NLA”.
Looking forward, SEM will progressively expand its global market share by developing overseas sales
Marketingašima, opsjednutima kreativnošću, nužna je analitika
Poslovni dnevnik
29 September 2014
Identificiranje novih prodajnih prilika unutar postojeće baze kupaca, otkrivanje novih kupaca, brže
modeliranje novih proizvoda i usluga te bolji uvid u buduće tržišne scenarije samo su neka od
područja u kojima se primjenjuje multivarijabilna analiza.
Poslovni dnevnik razgovarao je s Joeom Hairom, autorom najuspješnijeg, istoimenog svjetskog
udžbenika za multivarijabilnu analizu.Hair je u Zagrebu boravio drugi put u sklopu četverodnevne
radionice koju na temu marketinških istraživanja koju organizira udruga Institut za inovacije, a njegov
dolazak poklopio se s paradoksalnim podatkom koji je objavio World Retail Congress, prema kojem
većina izvršnih direktora 300 najvećih trgovačkih lanaca na svijetu tvrdi da danas ima više podataka o
svojim kupcima nego ikad, ali ujedno nikad manje znanja o tim korisnicima.
Kako je taj paradoks moguć? Podataka o kupcima je više nego ikad, a nikad ih nije bilo teže
predvidjeti.
Točno je da se menadžeri, i to ne samo u trgovini, već u gotovo svim industrijama, žale da danas
imaju previše podataka. No, problem nije u tome što imaju previše podataka. Štoviše, problem uopće
nije u količini podataka, već u tome kako ih upotrijebiti da bi vam bili korisni.
Znači, menadžeri ne znaju koristiti te podatke? Govorimo o ljudima kojima se posao vrti oko tablica?
Problem je što nedostaju ljudi koji imaju znanja iz trgovine, ali i i drugih industrija s j edne strane, te
koji imaju znanja o metodama, koje podučavam, o tome kako podatke pretvoriti u korisne
informacije. Primjerice, iz multivarijabilne analitike. To je svjetski problem. Takvih stručnjaka
nedostaje u SAD-u, Europi, Aziji, pa tako i u jugoistočnoj Europi i Hrvatskoj.
Koliko je to potencijalnih novih radnih mjesta?
Iznimno mnogo. Procjenjuje se da će se samo u SAD-u u idućih deset godina otvoriti 80 tisuća novih
radnih mjesta u ovom području. Zato nije neobično što izvršni direktori vodećih trgovačkih lanaca
imaju problema.
Kakva su to radna mjesta? Što moraju znati oni koji žele obavljati takve poslove?
Ne bih ulazio u specifične zahtjeve, jer oni će biti različiti. No, u osnovi, rekao bih da je ključno da
obrazovni sustavi na zapadu promijene način na koji mlade obrazuju o brojkama i statistici. Sada se
na matematiku i statistiku gleda kao na probleme, a ne kao rješenja. U azijskim zemljama, kao i u
državama bivšeg istočnog bloka, situacije je pozitivnija i kao rezultat toga ljudi su bolji u matematici i
statistici.Primjerice, nije točno da je lakše učiti čitati slova nego brojke. Također, nije točno da
formule morate učiti napamet. Posrijedi su neke od onih stvari u koje većina vjeruje, a uopće nisu
točne. Danas se matematika, a posebno statistika, mora učiti kroz primjere iz stvarnog života.
Formule treba pokazati i objasniti, ali odmah nakon toga ljudima treba pokazati softverske i
hardverske alate koji po tim formulama računaju umjesto njih. Ključ svega je da ljudi razumiju
koncept, znaju koristiti hardverski ili softverski alat i mogu dobiti rješenje.
Koji su to alati?
with the NLA”.
Ima ih mnogo. No, to mogu biti SPSS AMOS ili SmartPLS.
Tko su ljudi unutar organizacije koji bi trebali znati raditi takve analize? Marketingaši, prodavači, viši
menadžment ili pak istraživači i razvoj?
Marketing, koji je danas ključ rada organizacija, vrlo je široko područje. Uključuje prodaju, koja treba
informacije o potencijalnim i postojećim kupcima, zatim promociju, koja treba uvid u konkurenciju i
interese tržišta itd. Big data analize dobivaju svoj puni smisao kad se uparuju raznorodni podaci i zato
je bitno da se ljudi koji obavljaju te različite funkcije marketinga međusobno cijene i dobro surađuju.
Moje iskustvo je pak da to u praksi često nije tako. Primjerice, marketingaši su obično opčinjeni
kreativnošću kao glavnim načinom privlačenja pažnje, dok ostalo stavljaju u drugi plan. U takvom
pristupu ima puno igranja na pokušaje i pogreške, igranja na humor.Mnogo je, međutim, važnije imati
prave informacije o ciljnoj skupini kojoj se želimo obratiti, a prije toga informacije o tome koja je to
ciljna skupina kojoj se zapravo želimo obratiti i zašto.
Ako već netko ima znanja i iskustva u prodaji i marketingu, ili pak menadžmentu, ima li dovoljno i
znanja baviti se takvim analizama?
Sasvim dovoljno. No, kao u svemu, nema jednostavnoga puta. Treba usvojiti nova znanja. To je
djelomičan razlog zašto nedostaje ljudi koji bi radili takve analize, modelirali nove proizvode i usluge,
testirali itd. Vjerujem da su ovo prilike za mlade, jer stara garda menadžera teško se odlučuje na
usvajanje ovih znanja.
Što je po vašem mišljanju najbolji put kojim kompanija može uvesti takve analize u svakodnevno
poslovanje?
Nema tu puno mudrosti. U velikim organizacijama najbolje je provesti snimku stanja, vidjeti koje
informacije trebaju menadžmentu i zaposlenicima te zatim uparivati podatke i nadopunjavati ih da bi
se mogli efikasno koristiti.
Koliko takav proces traje?
Da bi se napunilo jedno kvalitetno skladište podataka, potrebno je i dvije do tri godine. Zato je
preporuka da se krene pomalo. Bolje je imati malu bazu iz koje možete crpiti malo korisnih
informacija nego velike baze podataka od kojih nećete imati puno koristi.
Gdje savjetujete tvrtkama da najprije potraže podatke za analizu?
To ovisi o industriji, ali u pravilu uđite u bilo koji odjel i pronaći ćete more zanimljivih podataka. Za
početak se zapitajte razgovaraju li ti odjeli međusobno i što možete dobiti pokrenete li razmjenu
podataka. Onda možete početi razmišljati o konsolidaciji podataka.
World Retail Congress: Authenticity is key to engaging the 'connected consumer'
Drapers
29 September 2014
Retailers at today’s World Retail Congress cited authenticity as a key component when building a
content strategy to engage consumers.
with the NLA”.
During the event, a panel – comprising Maxine Bedat, co-founder of US based fashion etailer Zady,
Dennis Dorval, VP EMEA Sales at software provider Apigee, Regis Schultz chief executive at electrical
retailer Darty and Chanel Costabir, founder of pureplay etailer The Lingerie Boutique – discussed how
content can be used across channels to engage new customers as well as drive sales.
WGSN global retail editor Angela Rumsey, who was moderating the discussion, said the “connected
crowd" has five key values – being social, trust in friends, instant gratification, being consulted and
making the world a better place.
Schultz noted that the birth of the connected consumer means businesses have to completely rethink
their business strategy.
Bedat agreed, saying the most important element is to “create a transparent supply chain and build
authentic relationships." She said “It’s about going to where your customer is rather than making
them come to you."
Schultz explained that Darty has done this by creating a button customers can take away with them;
when they press the button a customer service advisor calls them back within less than a minute.
Launched in June 2014, the service currently has 3,000 subscribers.
The panel also discussed the merits of content and social media. Bedat emphasised the importance of
Instagram to her brand: “Customers love our packaging and often post images of it to Instgram. We
[re-post] these images and use it as an opportunity to ask our customers what else they would l ike
from Zady. We are making our customers part of the buying decision."
Costabir said, for The Lingerie Boutique, the only social channel to have produced any return on
investment so far is Pinterest, which she put down to the mindset of the consumer when they are on
this channel. “Customers on Pinterest are actively looking for something, rather than just checking a
feed. It’s up to us to give them what they want at that time."
Costabir also emphasised the importance of analysing all content posted on social channels. She said
“You can’t just post the same piece of content on every social channel; it needs to be tailored for
each one. It’s also about timing - we often post quotes which work best on Instagram in the morning,
but on Facebook in the evening."
MasterCard to create mobile app index
Finextra
29 September 2014
At the World Retail Congress today, MasterCard announced the start of a unique pan-European index
to map all publicly available mobile shopping apps in Europe named the Mobile Top App Index by
MasterCard.
The Index is set to discover the best mobile shopping apps across the diverse markets of Europe and
reveal how consumers are embracing mobile technology when shopping on the go. The best mobile
shopping apps in Europe from 20 categories will be announced at the Mobile World Congress in
March, 2015.
“As innovation goes hand in hand with growing consumer demand, our ability to shop with a mobile
device has never been easier. MasterCard is a technology company connecting banks, retailer s and
with the NLA”.
consumers. Our Mobile Top App Index will highlight the most outstanding solutions in the mobile
shopping app arena for the benefit of European consumers and retailers,” said Javier Perez, President
MasterCard Europe.
The Index will rate all mobile apps across 36 European countries. A dedicated team of MasterCard
experts, in close cooperation with Dr Carsten Sørensen, Associate Professor (Reader) in Digital
Innovation at the London School of Economics and Political Science, are evaluating the apps. Dr .
Carsten Sørensen commented: “The diversity of available smartphone apps fundamentally changes
the way people think about their tasks, and the close relationships people forge with their
smartphones creates demand for innovative apps of high quality. As shopping is one of those things
we do on a daily basis, MasterCard’s Top App Index has the potential to help consumers find the
shopping app they need and it will act as a catalyst for the whole industry.”
Before the launch of the Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard, a survey was conducted to ask
consumers their opinion on the way they currently use mobile apps for shopping.
More than half of European smartphone users already have shopping apps downloaded on their
phones, while 56% of these consumers use these apps regularly. 38% of European smartphone users
said that they intend to use mobile apps for shopping over the next 12 months.
The most popular shopping apps are those that allow mobile top ups and help users select and
purchase various media content. Buying fashion or beauty products as well as entertainment tickets
on the go is also becoming popular. Around 30% of regular app users said they have used these
features.
While safety remains the main concern for mobile shoppers, the survey also reveale d that if
consumers feel that shopping via an app saves them money or prevents inconvenience, 60% say they
would gladly purchase through a mobile app more often.
Chris Kangas, Head of Contactless Payments Europe at MasterCard, concluded, “We are aware tha t a
good part of the shopping people do is already on a mobile. There are brilliant apps by many retailers
in Europe, however it is very difficult to keep track of the best due to the different markets and
languages. I am convinced that by the time we complete our Index in March, 2015, we will be able to
identify the most innovative shopping apps in Europe and will be able to share valuable insight on the
mobile shopping app market.”
World Retail Congress: China will ‘disrupt the world’ says Li & Fung chairman
Drapers
29 September 2014
“The future will see China disrupt the world” said Li & Fung’s chairman Dr William Fung at today’s
World Retail Congress in Paris.
Fung told the audience that from 1979 to 2009 China has subsidised the price of the world’s
consumer goods. He said: “For 30 years people like us enjoyed very good margins as production
costs were so low.”
Fung highlighted that the increase of wages in China will now see the migration of manufacturing
away from the country.
with the NLA”.
“We are seeing the second phase of China development and India is coming right behind it,” he said.
Fung also discussed the impact of Bangladesh and told the audience there has been a change in
consumer behaviour. He said: “In the old days consumers asked ‘how much, what’s the quality and
should I buy it?’ Now they are asking how is it made - is the process safe, are the workers paid
minimum wage, is the production health and safety compliant. The world will no longer accept a
business that is not compliant.”
World Retail Congress: think globally, act locally
Drapers
29 September 2014
The overriding message from a panel at today’s World Retail Congress was that in order for retailers
to expand internationally they must “think globally but act locally”.
World Retail Congress: Think globally, act locally
The panel was moderated by Sir Ian Cheshire, outgoing group chief executive of Kingfisher, and
consisted of Philip Mountford, chief executive of lingerie retailer Hunkemöller, Jesus Echevarria, chief
communications and corporate affairs officer, chief executive of BoConcept.
The theme of the session was to tackle the question “Is international still a growth opportunity for
retailers?” The panel were in agreement that it is, but highlighted some of the challenges faced along
the way.
Echevarria said: “To become international is not in itself really anything, the priority to succeed is the
model you choose for expansion.” He said Inditex began its international expansion plan back in 1975
and now opens around 350 stores a year and is in 88 countries worldwide.
Whilst Echevarria said it is paramount to have local flexibility, everything is controlled and defined
centrally to ensure a consistent brand approach.
Mountford highlighted the need to research every market thoroughly and alter product and price
accordingly. He said Hunkemöller adjusts about 25% of the product range to suit a new market and
often refers to McDonald’s pricing (the price of a Big Mac at global locations) to adjust pricing
according to the market. He said the success of international expansion for Hunkemöller is to reach
sector critical mass in each new market – something which he said they have already achieved in
Belgium and Luxembourg.
Talking about the shift to multichannel, Echevarria said: “Online requires immediacy, customer focus
and good logistics. We had those things already so online fits perfectly well with everything we do.”
Inditex is currently in 27 markets online and plans to continue to grow this side of the business.
Despite all of the challenges international and multichannel expansion can bring, Echevarria
concluded the real strength of a business is in its people. He said: “The growth of this company in the
last 40 years has been because of the people. Every business should be thinking about how to
motivate your team and make them passionate about your brand.”
with the NLA”.
Lojas físicas respondem por 68% das vendas
Grupo Padrão
29 Septembr 2014
Internet tem participação de 16% no faturamento do setor e redes sociais, apenas 2%
Um estudo divulgado pela Monash University, da Australia, e divulgado hoje (29/09) no World Retail
Congress, mostra que apesar de todo o buzz sobre o mundo online, o varejo depende das vendas em
lojas físicas para se sustentar.
Segundo o levantamento Global Retail Index, realizado com 250 empresas de todo o mundo
entrevistando CEOs e executivos, 68% do faturamento advêm de lojas "de tijolo e cimento",
enquanto 16% decorrem do mundo online. Já as mídias sociais respondem por apenas 2% das
vendas.
O estudo mostra, porém, que o online é prioridade estratégica para as empresa, com mais de 60%
dos pesquisados afirmando que internet, mobile e redes sociais ganharam importância na estratégia
corporativa nos últimos 12 meses.
Mais da metade dos respondentes disseram que redes sociais e recomendações de usuários são a
maior influência na decisão de compra dos clientes, e 57% disseram que as redes sociais fizeram com
que suas marcas se destacassem mais.
NOVAREJO está em Paris para a cobertura exclusiva do World Retail Congress, um dos pr incipais
eventos de varejo do mundo. Acompanhe pelo www.portalnovarejo.com.br e na edição
novembro/dezembro da revista impressa o que de mais importante acontece no congresso.
WRC: China’s growing consumer economy will force price increases, says Li & Fung
chairman
Retail Week
29 September 2014
China’s focus on building a consumer economy is going to disrupt the world and put an end to the era
of low-prrced goods, said Li & Fung chairman Dr William Fung.
Fung told the World Retail Congress in Paris that as China switches its focus from manufacturing to a
consumer economy, retailers should expect production prices to rise.
He said: “China will disrupt the world. When China was becoming the world’s factory, it subsidised
the world’s price of consumer goods.
“For the past 30 years people like us have enjoyed very good margins. Going forward, it’s not going
to be so easy anymore.”
“I’m predicting we’ll see a ring of price increases and a decrease in margins unless we pass it on to
consumers.”
with the NLA”.
China is in the middle of a five-year plan to boost consumer buying power. Minimum wages are
increasing 13.5% each year from 2011 to 2016.
Fung said it is on course to topple the US as the biggest consumer market in the world. At present,
US consumer spending is around $16trn (£9.87trn) compared with $8trn (£4.93trn) to $9trn
(£5.55trn) in China, he said.
This will also offer retailers a big opportunity as both China and India would add an additional one
billion middle-class shoppers to the world, he said.
Fung also flagged that the Rana Plaza disaster had created a “sea change” in the way that retailers
source products.
He said consumers were no longer concerned solely with price. “The world’s sensibilities are
changing. The future consumer is asking not just about what it is but how it’s made. The world can
no longer accept it if the way it’s made is non-compliant,” he said.
WRC: Differentiate on stores, brands and consumer relationships, says Printemps boss
Retail Week
29 September 2014
Store design, brands and consumer relationships can help store-based retailers thrive in the face of
online competition, said Printemps’ boss.
Paolo De Cesare, chief executive French department store Printemps, told World Retail Congress that
focusing on its “unique assets” was critical to remain relevant to consumers.
He said: “Digitisation is putting pressure on us to differentiate and create exclusivity in a world where
everything is available everywhere.”
“We are moving from selling products to creating experiences.”
De Cesare said Printemps was pursuing the “7E” strategy for its stores, to make them enjoyable,
exclusive, exciting, excellence, eternal, elegant and experiential.
“It we deliver that and produce something unique, we’ll get them coming back to our stores , he said..
De Cesare said that involved leveraging and investing in its stores, a strategy that had seen it
investing €50m in its flagship Haussmann store in Paris.
He also urged retailers to concentrate on its loyal customers. Printemps has focused on the 15% of
customers that accounts for 55% of customers, he said.
Its “high touch” personal shopping service had helped drive sales, he said. The personal shoppers
are able to serve speakers of all languages and De Cesare said 80% of its personal shopping business
was repeat custom and its staff in the department are five to seven times more productive than
normal standard assistants.
Printemps are also vying to target tourists. It opened a store in the Louvre museum this year, the
only store in Paris to sell luxury goods on Sundays.
with the NLA”.
Big Shift In China Economy To 'disrupt' Western Retailers: Li & Fung Head
Business Insider
29 September 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - China's role in supplying cheap consumer goods to the West could end in coming
years due to rising domestic consumption and worker pay, stoking inflation and unsettling retailers in
Western markets, the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung warned.
"China will disrupt the world," William Fung of Hong Kong-based Li & Fung, which supplies firms like
Walmart Stores Inc with clothing and toys, told the World Retail Congress, an annual gathering of
retail industry executives, on Monday.
China is a country that operates in economic cycles of 30 years, Fung said, and between 1979 and
2009, it had been the world's "factory" producing consumer goods at low prices, notably thanks to
the low wages paid to its workers.
"For 30 years, China kept consumer prices low and people like us enjoyed very good margins," Fung
said.
Since 2009 China had started to boost economic growth through greater domestic consumption while
wages have risen.
"When China starts consuming and with India right behind it, I predict a round of price increases and
margin squeezes," he Fung said.
Over the next 30 years, China and India could add more than one billion customers - both "an
opportunity and a threat" for the retail industry, he added.
The Economic Times
29 September 2014
said.
with the NLA”.
wages have risen.
Reuters
29 September 2014
said.
wages have risen.
Li & Fung: China consumption growth to bring major change
Michelle Russell
Just-style.com
29 September 2014
Not content with dominating the global exporting landscape, China is now switching its focus to
growth in domestic consumption. And according to Li & Fung chairman William Fung, this is likely to
lead to “a rather bumpy ride” for the apparel industry.
with the NLA”.
Speaking at the 2014 World Retail Congress in Paris today (29 September), Li & Fung chairman
William Fung shared his thoughts on China, a "funny" country that operates in cycles of 30 years.
China cycles"From the beginning of the People's Republic, the world lost China. We conducted our
business without China. All of our global supply chains linked everywhere else, primarily in the US and
Europe. Then China burst on the world scene and they conquered the world. They became the
world's factory."
Fung told attendees that, after 30 years, China had now reached a point where this was no longer
sustainable. It is now setting in place its second engine for growthbehind exports, he said: domestic
consumption.
"China is talking about slowing down GDP growth, to 7.5%. However, their retail business is
projecting almost double that, and we think at Li & Fung that from the next 30 years, China will
become the largest consumption country in the world."
Considering overall household consumption, however, China still has a long way to go, Fung believes,
if it wants to catch up with the US. China's GDP is currently half of America's, he noted, and while
household consumption expenditurein the US is currently around 70% of GDP, in China it is half of
this.
"It will take another 30 years for China to catch up, but the impact on the world will be tremendous.
They will have the same impact on the world as they have in the last 30 years."
A question of consumptionOne of the things Fung says China is doing to promote this idea of
consumption is by putting money in the pockets of the people, and the workers.
"They are mandating a 13.5% increase in wages every year for five years. Most people have missed
this point. No country has ever tried to increase [wages] at that capacity. This is just typical of the
sort of action that China can take. It has a government that doesn't have same checks and balances
as the rest of the world, so when they change they can do it immediately, and I think that is what will
be disruptive about China."
Fung pointed to rapidly rising wages in China and the emergence of a migration in manufacturing out
of the country to South East Asia, primarily, to countries like Vietnam, and also maybe India.
"Frankly, the big markets like Cambodia...and the Bangladesh's, they don't have the same size of
China."
So what does that mean on the supply side? The chances are, Fung said, that consumer goods prices
are going up.
"Basically, my view is that up to 2009, China exported deflation. Today, China has pushed consumer
prices down. Because of China and their labour, they have put a cap on the rest of the supply world.
What that means is, for 30 years people like us have enjoyed good margins because production costs
were so low."
Material issuesGoing forward, with costs rising in China, Fung suggests the global apparel industry
should prepare itself for a rather bumpy ride.
"It's not going to be so easy any more. Raw materials have been stable and going down but that
won't be the case at the next stage when [China] starts consuming. The middle class is developing so
fast, and India is coming up behind. When they start [consuming], I'm predicting a r un of price
increases and a squeeze on margins unless we can pass it on. It means China will disrupt the world.
That is what I'm projecting."
In the 30 years to 2009, the country added 1bn workers to its market. ButFung told attendees he
sees around 100m tourists set to come out of China every year.
with the NLA”.
"China will add more than 1bn of middle-class shoppers to the world, both as an opportunity and a
threat," he said.
Bangladesh, he added, has created a "sea-change" in the way the world sources product.
Consumers were previously concerned about product cost and quality, but"in the future, they're
asking how is this made? Not just asking what it is. Is it made in a sweatshop? Is it made by an
underage worker? Is it made through a process that pollutes the water, or air? Is it causing cancer
through the dyes being used? And also is the health and safety of the workers being jeaopardised?
"They will no longer accept workplaces not being compliant. That is going to change, how we look at
sourcing around the world.
"There are going to be problems, he added, citing labour safety, but stressed: "The world is no longer
willing to accept that. I predict that will be a huge impact on the world."
CEO of Samsung Electro-Mechanics to Lay Out Vision on 'Internet of Things'
CSuite.co.uk
29 September 2014
Chi-Joon Choi, President and CEO of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (SEM), will deliver a
presentation entitled "New Opportunity in the Age of the Internet of Things" as one of the speakers
at World Retail Congress (WRC).
Choi's presentation will focus on technology that offers retailers innovative ways to connect with
consumers.
Held from September 29 to October 1 in Paris, France, the eighth annual WRC will feature C Suite level retail executives and decision makers who will discuss major business issues and provide insight
into future management decisions. Under the conference slogan of "Retailing in an Era of Disruption,"
application of technology in the retail business.
In his presentation, scheduled on September 30, Choi will deliver a comprehensive message that
embraces the definition of the Internet of Things, a new but far-reaching phrase that broadly
indicates the devices, sensors, and tools that can be connected using the Internet.
Choi will address the changes he expects in retail shopping patterns and consumer satisfaction levels,
emphasizing that the changing landscape of retail is an opportunity, not an obstacle. Finally, Choi will
go on to predict the influence the Internet of Things will have on future global retail business while
suggesting technical solutions.
solution will be a breakthrough shopping system called "Tag Shopping."
with the NLA”.
Tag Shopping is a retail channel service that integrates Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and Near Field
Communication (NFC).
Things.
future.
Looking forward, SEM will progressively expand its global market share by developing overseas sales
Big shift in China economy to 'disrupt' Western retailers: Li & Fung head
Investing.com
29 September 2014
said.
with the NLA”.
wages have risen.
Today Online
29 September 2014
PARIS - China's role in supplying cheap consumer goods to the West could end in coming years due
to rising domestic consumption and worker pay, stoking inflation and unsettling retailers in Western
markets, the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung warned.
said.
wages have risen.
Big shift in China economy to "disrupt" Western retailers - Li & Fung head
Yahoo! News
29 September 2014
PARIS - China's role in supplying cheap consumer goods to the West could end in coming years due
to rising domestic consumption and worker pay, stoking inflation and unsettling retailers in Western
markets, the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung warned.
with the NLA”.
said.
wages have risen.
World Retail Congress 2014: Digital Evolution Index Launch
Finextra
29 September 2014
In a press conference at lunchtime on day one of the World Retail Congress in Paris, MasterCard and
The Fletcher School at Tufts University announced the launch of a new initiative that the two have
collaborated on - the Digital Evolution Index.
The launch chimed nicely with an earlier interview that Anne Cairns, President, International Markets
at MasterCard had given as part of the opening plenary session, entitled ‘The Future Is Now, Are You
Ready?’ In the press conference, lead researcher Bhaskar Chakravorti, Senior Associate Dean of
International Business and Finance at Fletcher School, pointed out that the future is here, as people
have information wherever they are, be it France or Bangladesh. However, he was keen to point to
the fact that there are a number of factors that prevent ‘the future’ being evenly distributed around
the world. Chakravorti noted that many of these factors on digital evolution do not necessarily attract
much focus in the retail world, such as the effect of political institutions, rule of law, the regulatory
environment or the menace of cyber crime.
This uneven distribution was a catalyst for the research project that eventually became the Digital
Evolution Index. The team selected 50 countries to study, 25 from the developed world and 25 from
emerging markets. Ted Iacobuzio, Vice President, Global Insights at MasterCard, explained that the
study had identified four interdependent drivers - supply, demand, institutions and innovation - that
can be used to define each country’s digital evolution and can serve as strategic evaluation points for
future growth. Iacobuzio was keen to stress that the innovation piece doesn’t merely refer to the
penetration of technology, although of course that plays a part, but also to areas such as ventur e
capital investment, for example.
Looking at the 50 countries through the prism of these four drivers, Iacobuzio outlined how retailers
could very quickly see how their domestic market could have more in common with markets on the
other side of the globe than those of their neighbours. Anne Cairns noted that it is important for
with the NLA”.
retailers to think about these corridors, and how pairs of countries match up, when developing
business strategy.
Iacobuzio then demonstrated a heatmap, which he described as being the heart of the Index. This
doesn’t just show which countries were first to digitally evolve. Rather, the study analysed each
country’s evolution from 2008 to 2013 to understand country benchmarks, track progress and identify
areas for improvement. The countries were grouped into the following four trajectory zones on the
heatmap:
- Break Out. This describes countries that currently have low readiness scores, but are rapidly
evolving. Iacobuzio pointed out countries such as Brazil, India, China and Vietnam are grouped here.
If their evolution rates sustain, these countries will emerge as strong digital economies.
- Stall Out. Most of the countries in this trajectory are the traditional Western nations, with the
notable exception of the US. While they have a history of strong growth, they have reached maturity.
To continue the digital evolution, Iacobuzio noted that countries in this category need to seek
markets beyond domestic borders and demonstrate innovation if they are to continue to grow.
- Stand Out. Countries in this quadrant are maintaining high levels of digital transactions, aided by
sophisticated domestic consumers and state of the art infrastructure. This is where we find countries
including the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, all of whom must continue to fast-track innovation to
remain in the Stand Out zone.
- Watch Out. If a country is in the Watch Out trajectory, it faces digital evolution challenges. Russia,
Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt, and Kenya are examples of countries on this trajectory. However,
Iacobuzio noted that countries in this space have a combined population of 2.5 billion people, and
therefore represent significant opportunities for investment.
Looking at the heatmap of the Digital Evolution Index, Cairns said that she particula rly excited about
Latin American countries, as so many have a high level of personal consumption expenditure (PCE)
and mobile usage.
Iacobuzio also noted that as technology continues to evolve, for example through areas such as
biometrics, the Digital Evolution Index could change accordingly. It is a roadmap for retailers to see
how the digital world is distributed, as well as see where countries have come from and what
trajectory they are on. To explore the Digital Evolution Index, visit the website.
Big shift in China economy to "disrupt" Western retailers - Li & Fung head
Business Standard
29 September 2014
with the NLA”.
said.
wages have risen.
WHBL
29 September 2014
Western markets, the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung <0494.HK> warned.
said.
wages have risen.
WKZO
29 September 2014
with the NLA”.
said.
wages have risen.
WRC: Distinctive product and the right model is key to global success, says Cheshire
Retail Week
29 September 2014
Distinctive product and getting the model right is the key to global expansion, said Kingfisher chief
executive Sir Ian Cheshire.
Cheshire, who leaves Kingfisher in January, told the World Retail Congress in Paris that it was “much
tougher in an internet world to be the seller of other people’s goods”.
He said: “For a genuine proposition retailer the world is more global.”
Cheshire was joined by Inditex chief communications officer Jesus Echevarria on a panel about
international growth opportunities. Echevarria said that understanding the model for overseas growth
was critical for success.
Cheshire agreed and, for those opting for a franchise partnership, said : “The quality of your
franchisee is 90% of it.”
However, Echevarria urged retailers that they should “think globally but act locally”. He said that
while Zara-owner Inditex, which has 6,200 stores in 88 countries, defines its strategy centrally it does
adapt to the local market.
Fellow panellist Philip Mountford, the former chief executive of Moss Bros who now runs Dutch
lingerie retailer Hunkemöller, said that it researches every international market and alters its prices.
with the NLA”.
He said it uses the Economist’s Big Mac Index, which tracks the price of a Big Mac in McDonald’s
global locations, to help set prices in different markets.
Meanwhile, Echevarria said that having the right people in place was critical for Inditex’s expansion.
“The growth of this company in the last 40 years has been because of the people. Every business
should be thinking about how to motivate your team and make them passionate about your brand.”
WRC: It’s a whole new world, says former Saks president
Keely Stocker
Drapers
29 September 2014
“Retail is in an age of disruption and we’re in a period where the old rules don’t apply anymore,” said
Steve Sadove, former president and chief executive of US retailer Saks, at today’s World Retail
Congress.
Sadove outlined his top 10 ‘disruptors’ to the old ways of retailing, including onmichannel and the
blurring of the lines between physical and digital.
He referenced the fact that many US retailers are no longer reporting online sales, but just sales
regardless of which platform they come from. He also pointed out that “about 70-75% of consumers
use mobile in some form to affect their buying decision”.
Other disruptors include price transparency and cyber security, as well as the changing consumer
demographic.
In this context, Sadove said the number one thing retailers must continue to invest in is talent. He
said: “Retail is one of the most complicated businesses out there and the requirements are
fundamentally different to what they once were.
“Retailers need to attract the right talent and keep them by creating an environment where people
want to make a career.”
Sadove concluded his presentation by reminding retailers that, despite the changing environment, the
key factors for a successful retailer remain the same.
“No matter what changes we see, fundamentally what matters for a retailer is the products you sell
and the level of service you provide. It’s simply about being able to do what the shopkeeper used to
do – understanding the customers’ needs on a one-to-one basis.”
El auge de las apps de compras on-line
with the NLA”.
Revistainforetail.com
29 September 2014
Más del 50% de los europeos tienen descargadas aplicaciones de e-commerce
infoRETAIL.- Más de la mitad de los usuarios europeos de smartphones ya tienen aplicaciones de e commerce descargadas en sus teléfonos y el 56% de estos consumidores utilizan estas aplicaciones
con regularidad, según los resultados de una encuesta realizada por MasterCard.
Además, el 38% de los usuarios europeos de smartphones asegura que tiene la intención de usar
aplicaciones móviles para comprar en los próximos doce meses.
El estudio refleja que las aplicaciones más populares para comprar on-line son aquellas que permiten
realizar recargas móviles y ayudan a los usuarios a seleccionar y comprar diversos contenidos
multimedia.
Las compras relacionadas con la moda y los productos de belleza, así como la compra de entradas
para eventos de ocio y culturales también se están haciendo muy populares entre el público.
Alrededor del 30% de los usuarios encuestados afirma haber realizado este tipo de compras a través
aplicaciones móviles.
En cuanto a la mayor preocupación de los compradores móviles sigue siendo la seguridad sigue
ocupando el primer lugar. La encuesta también revela que el 60% de los consumidores estaría
dispuesto a realizar sus compras a través de una aplicación con mayor frecuencia, puesto que la
mayoría percibe que esto le supondrá un ahorro de dinero y mayores facilidades de compra.
Por otro lado, MasterCard también ha presentado en el marco del World Retail Congress, que se
celebra esta semana en París, el lanzamiento del primer índice europeo que servirá para identificar y
clasificar todas las aplicaciones de compra on-line disponibles en Europa.
Esta nueva herramienta, denominada Mobile Top App Index, tendrá como objetivo descubrir cuáles
son las mejores aplicaciones para realizar compras on-line disponibles en 36 países europeos y
revelar cómo los consumidores están adoptando la tecnología móvil a la hora de hacer sus compras
en cualquier momento y lugar. La selección final de las mejores aplicaciones, divididas en 20
categorías, se darán a conocer en el Mobile World Congress en marzo de 2015.
Doha Festival City officials to host meet in Paris
The Peninsula
29 September 2014
Doha: Doha Festival City, the iconic mixed-used development that includes Qatar’s biggest retail and
leisure mall which is set to be one of the largest in the Middle East upon completion in the third
quarter of 2016, will host an exclusive breakfast briefing at the World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris
tomorrow.
During the event that will be hosted at CNIT, La Défense, in the French capital, a number of the
world’s most renowned retailers will hold meetings with Doha Festival City’s senior officials, who will
prominent retailers.
with the NLA”.
Most of the leading regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail Brands, Alshaya, Apparel,
Azadea, Landmark, Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group, and Salam Studio & Stores
have already committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion, dining and entertainment
brands to what is set to be Qatar’s most exciting retail and leisure destination. Vox Cinemas is also
set to redefine the country’s entertainment landscape with the introduction of a state -of-the-art
movie theatre featuring sixteen digital screens, and Ali Bin Ali Group to bring the first full-sized
Monoprix store to Doha.
Kareem M Shamma, CEO of BASREC WLL, the joint venture which comprises Dubai-based Al-Futtaim
Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Aqar Real Estate Investment Company and a private
Qatari investor, said: “As we get closer to the opening of Doha Festival City, scheduled for the third
quarter of 2016, we are continuously striving to develop our project into Qatar’s most attractive
destination for shopping and leisure which competes with the world’s finest.”
“We are in advanced negotiations with some leading regional and international brands that
these additions to the already sprawling list of committed retailers,” he said.
World Retail Congress: China switches from the world’s factory to consumer superpower,
but rise of middle class shopper is both an opportunity and a threat
Europe Real Estate
29 September 2014
Global retailers face seismic changes as China’s rising middle classes flex their new found spending
power.
Spiraling wages will transform the country from the ‘world’s factory’ to the world’s biggest consumer
market, delegates at the World Retail Congress in Paris heard today.
Dr William Fung, Chairman of Li & Fung Limited, said that China’s minimum wage is set to rise by
80% over the next five years. This will create a new middle class of consumers who will drive retail
sales increases of up to 15% a year – twice the rate of China’s projected GDP.
Dr Fung said, “China is a funny country, it seems to operate in 30-year cycles. In the 30 years
between 1979 and 2009, China ‘conquered the world’ by becoming the ‘world’s factory’.”
Since then, he said, China’s authorities had set about putting in place the country’s ‘second engine of
growth’ – domestic consumption. The scale and shopping power of the population could see China
overtaking the US as the world’s largest consumer society within the next 30 years.
Coupled with India, another rising consumer powerhouse, it would create a new market of more than
a billion shoppers in that period – disrupting today’s retail landscape.
Whilst this will provide a huge opportunity for retailers, it could also pose a serious threat. Dr Fung
said that for 30 years China’s low wage economy had kept consumer prices low and helped retailers
enjoy healthy profit margins. But as the second phase of China’s development kicks in and labour
costs rise, retailers could see their margins squeezed.
with the NLA”.
Dr Ira Kalish, Deloitte’s Chief Global Economist, also sounded a note of caution. He said that, while
he agreed China’s rising middle class provided an opportunity, ‘foolhardy lending’ by China’s banks for
apartment blocks and shopping complexes that still stand empty, could trigger a financial crisis.
While he said that the Chinese government would never allow a ‘Lehman’s-style crash’, it could lead
to economic growth falling back to 3-3.5%, half its current rate.
Dominique Vidalon
Reuters News
29 September 2014
said.
wages have risen.
LS:N Global
Rowland Manthorpe
Mike Gould Interview
29 September 2014
with the NLA”.
LS:N Global
Rowland Manthorpe
Michael Jary Interview
29 September 2014
Numérique; Big data : une mine d'or pour les commerçants physiques
La Tribune
30 September 2014
La collecte de données sur les comportements d'achat ne sont plus l'apanage des sites de e commerce. Grâce aux données recueillies en magasin via de nouveaux outils numériques comme les
puces Rfid, les commerçants physiques et "connectés" tentent eux aussi de convaincre toujours plus
de clients d'acheter plus.
Ils sauront tout sur nos achats. Grâce aux technologies de mesures d'audience, telles les puces
électroniques dissimulées dans les recoins des magasins, mais aussi aux cartes de fidélité - digitales
ou non -, aux données d'achats... les faits et gestes des clients des magasins seront scrutés dans les
moindres détails.
Les professionnels du secteur, principalement anglo-saxons, réunis du 29 septembre au 1er octobre à
la Défense dans le cadre du World Retail Congress, n'ont d'yeux que pour ces "big datas" réunis,
entre autres, grâce à ces antennes que représentent nos smar tphones et autres tablettes. Mais que
font-ils exactement de ces données ?
with the NLA”.
Du commerçant, vers "la foule"
Tout d'abord, il faut noter qu'il y existe deux types d'interaction. Pour pouvoir converser directement
avec le client, il faut en passer par une application "opt-in". En clair : le client est prévenu qu'il va
livrer des données personnelles, et l'accepte, officiellement, en échange de promotions pouvant
l'intéresser. L'autre interaction, du distributeur "vers la foule", renvoie vers des données anonymes, le
but n'étant pas d'en savoir plus sur un client en particulier mais sur un très grand nombre de clients,
afin d'en tirer des conclusions statistiques.
Concrètement, à quoi peuvent bien servir des données sur le comportement de la foule? A savoir s i le
magasin est organisé de telle sorte que le plus grand nombre de visiteurs possibles deviennent des
clients, et surtout fidèles. Or, jusqu'à présent, savoir si telle vitrine attirera plus ou moins le chaland,
si telle gondole serait judicieusement placée à côté de tel autre, ou bien s'il faut prévoir plus ou moins
de vendeurs à telle période, tenaient plutôt de l'ordre du "ressenti" du commerçant. Désormais, les
nouveaux outils à sa disposition visent non seulement à remplacer ou valider l'intuition par des
statistiques, mais à le faire quasiment en temps réel.
Réduction des coûts
"Grâce aux données collectées en magasin au rayon jeans nous avons pu déterminer qu'un client
reste en moyenne 9 minutes, et s'il n'a pas trouvé ce qu'il cherche au bout de ce temps, les chances
pour qu'ils passent à l'achat diminuent fortement", explique par exemple Russel Evans, vice -président
de ShopperTrak, société américaine spécialisée dans l'étude du comportement des consommateurs.
"Cela nous a permis de développer une application avec un client qui alerte le vendeur au bout de
sept minutes pour le prévenir qu'un client se trouve dans la zone 'chaude' ", ajoute -t-il. A priori, un
commerçant vigilant ne devrait pas avoir besoin de ce type de service. Seulement, dans une l ogique
de réduction des coûts, où les distributeurs "ne peuvent se payer le luxe de placer des vendeurs
partout, la technologie permet d'optimiser le travail de la main d'œuvre disponible sans réduire le
service", pointe Russel Evans.
Plus largement, ses outils statistiques permettent de connaître quasiment en temps réel "la main
d'œuvre nécessaire" pour absorber les flux. Autre exemple : lors du lancement de l'iPhone 6, ces
outils statistiques ont calculé le nombre de clients présent devant les boutiques d'un grand
distributeur sur la côte Est des États-Unis. Ce qui a permis, quelques heures plus tard, de prévoir
combien de vendeurs il faudrait prévoir dans les magasins du centre du pays et de la côte Ouest,
séparés par plusieurs fuseaux horaires.
D'internet au magasin physique
Autrement dit, ce type de service, proposé par d'autres acteurs comme par exemple le britannique
Dunhummby, revient à traduire dans le monde physique les techniques employées dans le marketing
sur internet, via le ciblage du parcours d'achat des consommateurs. Le fonds de commerce de la
"pépite" française Criteo. "Certains de nos clients formulent des demandes" pour prendre en compte
les données en magasin, explique Gregory Gazagne, directeur de Criteo en Europe. Le but serait de
connaître le type d'achat effectué par un client en magasin afin que plus tard, derrière son ordinateur
ou son mobile, il reçoive des publicités ciblées, et complémentaires: par exemple "une robe ou une
ceinture après avoir acheté une paire de chaussures". L'objectif étant "de construire un modèle
prédictif" prenant en compte tous les canaux existants : sites de e-commerce, plateformes mobiles, et
bientôt, magasin physique. Mais, pour l'instant, seules trois entreprises sur 6.000 clients que compte
Criteo - une dans la "chaussure, les autres dans la distribution généraliste" ont demandé à faire
converger toutes leurs informations.
Le comportement des clients en magasin, scruté depuis longtemps par les commerçants, est
désormais analysé sous toutes les coutures grâces aux données récoltées grâces aux outils
numériques.
with the NLA”.
Fabius impressionne les professionnels du tourisme
Challenges
30 September 2014
Le ministre des Affaires étrangères a ouvert hier le rendez-vous mondial des professionnels du
commerce en rappelant que la France doit devenir le n°1 mondial du secteur.
Laurent Fabius, ministre des Affaires Etrangères (Sipa) Laurent Fabius, ministre des Affaires
Etrangères (Sipa)
Qui oserait dire que Laurent Fabius, ministre des Affaires Etrangères et du Dé veloppement
international, déjà fort occupé par les conflits en Irak et en Syrie, n’est pas concerné par le tourisme?
Lundi 29 septembre, il a ouvert, au Cnit Paris La Défense, le World Retail Congress, le rendez -vous
mondial des professionnels du commerce. Depuis sa nomination, Laurent Fabius ne rate pas une
occasion de promouvoir le tourisme.
Malgré ses 2 millions d’emplois, ce secteur qui représente 7% du PIB, est resté longtemps délaissé
par les gouvernements successifs. Pourtant, en 2013, le nombre de touristes étrangers arrivant en
France a atteint 84,7 millions, soit une croissance de 2% par rapport à l’année précédente. Et la
durée de séjour s’est allongée. S’il faut s’en réjouir, ce succès reste fragile.
Un fervent défenseur
Mais, comme il l’a annoncé lors des Assises du tourisme en juin dernier, le ministre nourrit de
grandes ambitions: il veut que la France, déjà leader mondial, accueille 100 millions de touristes d’ici
à 2030. Laurent Fabius multiplie donc les déclarations et les actes. Quitte à surprendre. Comme ce
matin d’avril où il est allé accueillir à leur descente d’avion un groupe de Chinois. Aucun d’entre eux
ne connaissait cet homme affable et élégant qui leur serrait la main dans l’aérogare de Roissy-CDG…
Le voici sur tous les fronts dès qu’il s’agit de promouvoir le tourisme. On l’a vu apporter son soutien
au travail du dimanche pour les magasins du boulevard Haussmann à Paris, s’opposer à
l’augmentation des taxes de séjour qui avait été votée en première lecture à l’Assemblée Natio nale,
"des mesures dangereuses et incohérentes", expliquer aux ambassadeurs qu’il était de leur devoir de
vanter les mérites de la France, terre de tourisme.
Etre le premier pays touristique au monde
A titre d’exemple, voilà quelques semaines, une série d’expositions, films et soirées gastronomiques
ont été organisées en Australie. Objectif: présenter les grandes destinations françaises, avec un
accent particulier sur la Somme, où des milliers de soldats australiens sont tombés lors de la Grande
Guerre.
Aux Assises du tourisme, Laurent Fabius a fait forte impression sur des tour -opérateurs et des agents
de voyage qui n’avaient jamais vu un ministre aussi intéressé par le sujet. "Le tourisme français doit
avoir pour ambition d’être le premier au monde", a-t-il martelé, en formulant des propositions
concrètes.
En septembre, il a présidé la première réunion du Conseil de promotion du tourisme qui rassemble
des professionnels de l’hôtellerie, de la gastronomie et des élus. Seule ombre au tableau: la grève des
pilotes d’Air France, un "conflit interminable" qui a contraint "110.000 touristes à annuler leur vol",
selon Laurent Fabius.
with the NLA”.
Um país chamado varejo
Grupo Padrão
30 September
Vendas dos 10 maiores varejistas superam US$ 1,3 trilhão, maior que PIB da Espanha. Walmart é
líder
Os dez maiores varejistas globais fecharam o ano fiscal 2013 (12 meses encerrados até junho de
2014, de acordo com o calendário de cada companhia) com um faturamento líquido de US$ 1,3
trilhão, um crescimento de 2,9% em relação ao exercício anterior. Embora moderada, a expansão faz
com que esse conjunto de empresas, se somadas, chegue ao PIB de países como Espanha (13° no
ranking mundial) e Coreia do Sul (14°), e mais da metade de tudo o que é produzido no Brasil (US$
2,2 trilhões, segundo informações do Banco Mundial).
Metade dos 10 mais são americanos, sendo que o líder Walmart tem vendas mais de 4,5 vezes
superiores à de seu "concorrente" mais próximo. Reforçando o crescimento dos modelos de negócios
focados em desconto, a também americana Costco avançou para o segundo posto, enquanto a alemã
Schwarz foi para o quarto lugar. A diferença entre o terceiro colocado (Carrefour) e o sexto (Kroger),
porém, é mínima: US$ 313 milhões, para vendas da ordem de US$ 98 bilhões (0,32%).
A maior queda no ranking foi a da britânica Tesco, do segundo para o sexto posto, tanto em virtude
do crescimento fraco das vendas quanto da variação cambial (libra x dólar). Para a Deloitte
Consulting, que elaborou o ranking Global Powers of Retailing em conjunto com a revista Stores, da
National Retail Federation (NRF), o desaquecimento do mercado global e a expansão mais acelerada
do varejo online fizeram com que as empresas do ranking tivessem um crescimento tímido no último
ano.
Confira abaixo o ranking das dez maiores empresas do varejo global:
1 - Walmart (EUA) - US$ 476,3 bilhões
2 - Costco (EUA) - US$ 105,1 bilhões
3 - Carrefour (França) - US$ 98,7 bilhões
4 - Schwarz (Alemanha) - US$ 98,7 bilhões
5 - Tesco (Reino Unido) - US$ 98,6 bilhões
6 - Kroger (EUA) - US$ 98,4 bilhões
7 - Metro (Alemanha) - US$ 86,4 bilhões
8 - Aldi (Alemanha) - US$ 81,1 bilhões
9 - The Home Depot - US$ 78,8 bilhões
10 - Target - US$ 72,6 bilhões
A NOVAREJO está em Paris para a cobertura do World Retail Congress. Acompanhe pelo site
www.portalnovarejo.com.br e nas redes sociais. Clique na editoria WRC e navegue por tudo o que foi
publicado nos últimos meses sobre o maior evento de varejo do planeta
Em busca de uma nova identidade
with the NLA”.
Grupo Padrão
30 September 2014
Com noção tradicional desgastada, sustentabilidade precisa ser reinventada
Ayana Parsons, diretora de varejo do Fórum Econômico Mundial, enfrentou uma epopeia para
atravessar o Oceano Atlântico rumo ao World Retail Congress, em Paris, e falar sobre
sustentabilidade no varejo. Mesmo depois de dois voos cancelados e seis adiamentos, mais uma
tempestade e a perda das malas, ela iniciou sua apresentação no Cnit, no bairro de La Defènse, para
uma plateia de cerca de 800 executivos do varejo mundial. E não poupou palavras.
"A sustentabilidade precisa de uma mudança completa de imagem", afirmou logo no início. "O
discurso do varejo e da indústria não tem sido consistente e isso tem criado, antes de tudo, uma
enorme confusão na cabeça dos clientes, o que leva ao ceticismo e ao entendimento de que, no
fundo, sustentabilidade é apenas discurso vazio", continua. Apesar disso, ela tem esperança de quem
nem tudo está perdido. "Os Millennials são um público que querem produtos mais 'amigos do meio
ambiente', mas detestam a comunicação atualmente feita a respeito desses produtos", afirma.
De acordo com Ayana, os Millennials serão em poucos anos a geração predominante no mundo,
especialmente na Ásia, onde estarão 61% dos 1,7 bilhão de consumidores entre 18 e 34 anos. "É um
público que compartilha suas marcas favoritas nas redes sociais, são nativos digitais, querem mudar o
mundo à maneira deles e têm consciência do impacto ambiental das ações humanas. Por isso, se
forem alcançados da maneira correta, podem ver na sustentabilidade a ação de mudança que tanto
desejam.
Ela indica três estratégias para promover a bandeira da sustentabilidade junto aos MIllennials:
1. Entenda o que o público deseja: use a linguagem certa, adequada a essa geração.
"Sustentabilidade não é sinônimo de 'verde', e não adianta tentar vender sua marca como 'líder em
sustentabilidade'. São discursos que não funcionam".
2. Engaje os diferentes públicos: 72% dos consumidores estão dispostos a comprar produtos
sustentáveis, segundo pesquisa realizada pelo Fórum Econômico Mundial. Entretanto, apenas 17%
realmente compram. Já no lado das empresas, os executivos veem barreiras para a implementação
de práticas sustentáveis e não são remunerados por suas preocupações ambientais, reduzindo a
efetividade desse tipo de ação.
3. Envolva: crie plataformas digitais para estimular a colaboração dos consumidores; converse com os
Millennials, elabore ideias em conjunto e busque a inovação como combustível para o crescimento.
"Lembre-se que os Millennials estão sempre conectados. Assim, ações que permitam o uso das
ferramentas online para ações cívicas e compartilhamento de ideias encontram muita ressonância",
afirma Ayana.
NOVAREJO está em Paris para a cobertura exclusiva do World Retail Congress, um dos principais
Kingfisher Chief Hints at More Acquisitions Amid Slowing Markets
Bloomberg News
30 September 2014
with the NLA”.
Kingfisher Plc (KGF) Chief Executive Officer Ian Cheshire said Europe’s largest home -improvement
retailer may make more acquisitions as weak markets in Europe provide opportunities for deals.
“If markets are tough, there’s an opportunity to lead the consolidation process,” Cheshire said in an
interview at the World Retail Congress in Paris today. Kingfisher earlier this year agreed to buy Mr
Bricolage, France’s third-largest home-improvement chain.
Cheshire, who said this month he would step down from his post after seven years in the role, also
repeated that growth in Europe has been weaker than earlier anticipated as consumers are still wary
of their financial future. Spending in the U.K. was stronger than originally thought in the past few
months.
Kingfisher on Sept. 10 reported unchanged first-half earnings as adverse foreign-exchange shifts
wiped out growth. For the past two years, Cheshire has spearheaded a plan to lower prices and add
more own brands as well as open new stores in developing markets such as Russia and China.
“We are seeing a tale of two very different markets,” the CEO said, “with the U.K. generally
recovering, more employment and France and the eurozone still having a confidence issue.”
To solve the challenge, Cheshire called on the European Central Bank to do more, saying that policy
measures enacted in the U.S. and U.K. have been effective and should be mimicked in Europe.
Higher Chinese wages hit global retail
The Asian Age
30 September 2014
Changing economic cycle in China to disrupt Western markets
China’s role in supplying cheap consumer goods to the West could end in coming years due to rising
domestic consumption and worker pay, stroking inflation and unsettling retailers in Western markets,
the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung warned.
“China will disrupt the world,” William Fung of Hong Kong-based Li & Fung, which supplies firms like
China is a country that operates in economic cycles of 30 years, Mr Fung said, and between 1979 and
2009, it had been the world’s “factory” producing consumer goods at low prices, notably than-ks to
“For 30 years, China kept consumer prices low and people like us enjoyed very good margins,” Mr
Fung added.
wages have risen.
“When China starts consuming and with India right behind it, I predict a round of price increases and
margin squeezes,” Mr Fung said.
with the NLA”.
Over the next 30 years, China and India could add more than one billion customers both “an
opportunity and a threat” for the retail industry, he added.
Big Shift in China Economy To Disrupt Western Retailers
Business World
30 September 2014
China's role in supplying cheap consumer goods to the West could end in coming years due to rising
domestic consumption and worker pay, stoking inflation and unsettling retailers in Western markets,
the chairman of logistics group Li & Fung warned.
said.
wages have risen.
O varejo segundo o Google
Grupo Padrão
30 September 2014
Empresa pretende facilitar interação dos consumidores com as lojas
O painel de abertura do segundo dia do World Retail Congress, um dos principais eventos de varejo
do mundo, que acontece nesta semana em Paris com cobertura exclusiva da revista NOVAREJO,
mostrou a visão do Google a respeito do setor. Para Sameer Samat, Vice Presidente de Gestão de
Produtos do Goggle Shopping, o futuro do varejo de vizinhança passa pelo celular e, claro, pela
principal ferramenta de busca online do mundo.
"Um exemplo da influência do mobile e do Google sobre o varejo é o fato de que, nos EUA, entre
2010 e 2013 o fluxo de clientes nas lojas caiu 53%, mas o valor de cada visita dos consumidores
subiu 13%. Isso significa que os consumidores passam menos tempo procurando produtos, mas são
with the NLA”.
muito mais assertivos no PDV", analisa. Nessa busca por assertividade, o Google pretende ser a
conexão entre varejistas e lojistas, apresentando o produto correto, na hora certa, no lugar mais
adequado para o consumidor.
"Temos trabalhado com alguns varejistas, como a francesa Darty, para apresentar online o estoque
das lojas. Assim, o consumidor pode tomar a decisão de visitar uma loja para comprar o produto ou
até mesmo comprar online e retirar no PDV", comenta Samat. Em um exemplo claro de como o
varejo está bem atrás da demanda dos clientes, 86% das buscas por produtos no Google ocorrem de
dentro de uma loja, mas apenas 32% dos varejistas nos Estados Unidos dão aos clientes a
possibilidade de verificar se um determinado produto está em estoque em determinado ponto de
venda.
Para tornar a compra mais amigável e diminuir as fronteiras entre o online e o offline, o Google
fechou parcerias com diversos varejistas na região de San Francisco, nos EUA, para o
desenvolvimento do Google Shopping Express, um serviço que entrega em até 24 horas as compras
realizadas pelos clientes nas lojas parceiras do projeto, como Whole Foods, Walgreens, Target,
Costco, Toys 'R' Us e L'Occitane.
A compra é fechada online e os produtos, mesmo que de varejistas diferentes, são entregues de
forma coordenada na casa do cliente, com possibilidade de agendamento do pedido. "Depois da
criação da plataforma, 94% dos consumidores passaram a comprar mais produtos dos varejistas
participantes. Isso mostra que, quando facilitamos o processo de compras, o cliente se torna mais
fiel", acredita Samat.
World Retail Congress 2014 Day One: Quote/Unquote
Michelle Russell
Just-style.com
30 September 2014
Thegreat and the good of the retail industry have converged onParis for three days for theannual
World Retail Congress. New technologies, the rise of omni-channel, innovation and new business
models are all on the agenda, and the 'disruptive consumer' is a key talking point.
"Raw materials [prices] have been stable and going down but that won’t be the case at the next
stage when [China] starts consuming. I’m predicting a run of price increases and a squeeze on
margins unless we can pass it on. It means China will disrupt the world" -Li & Fung chairman, William
Fung
"What we’re seeing is the growth of the developing markets and Africa is a great story. South Africa
also has a great index…and we’re seeing [growth] in Nigeria. The head of mar keting for Harrods told
me that the population that spend the most per capita is Nigerians, so that’s an interesting view of
the world" -Ann Cairns, president of international markets for Mastercard Worldwide
"The US is a great market with enormous potential but very difficult to crack. There are things you
need to consider like sizing, culture, and brand recognition. Having said all that, you can't ignore the
market. You have to find a way to make it work" -Jose Gomez, VP of international business
development for Mango
"The French market has been heavily impacted by the economic climate. For the first time in our
history we had six years of consecutive decline. Digital moved from only 2% of sales to 11%, so you
with the NLA”.
can imagine the catastrophic effect this has had on retail sales in France. This is, in fact, a global
economic phenomenom" -Printemps chairman and CEO, Paolo De Cesare
“China is talking about slowing down GDP growth, to 7.5%. However, their retail business is
projecting almost double that, and we at Li & Fung think that from the next 30 years, China will
become the largest consumption country in the world” -Li & Fung chairman, William Fung
"In Europe, the good news it has come out of a deep recession. The bad news is, it isn’t growing very
much, so the economy is in pretty bad shape. It mainly has to do with the credit market and it
reflects the fact commercial markets are laden with debts. That’s not leading to economic growth and
very slow growth in consumer spending" -Dr Ira Kalish, chief global economist for Deloitte
"You have all used the word [consumer] disruption but there is another disruption happening and
that is climate disruption. [That] people are talking about climate warming, climate change is positive
but what is at stake is not positive, it is disruption" -Laurent Fabius, French Minister of Foreign Affairs
"The disruptive consumer is a changing consumer. You all know what’s going on inside the confines
of your business, but what you can’t see is the general picture. Who are they also buying similar
goods from? What is their whole buying pattern, both at home and abroad?Data is incredibly
important for the retail sector" -Ann Cairns, president of international markets for Mastercard
Worldwide
“In the US, the strength of the economy and inflation has started to rise, and now the focus is on
raising short-term interest rates. Inflation still remains below the target of 2%, and there is still a lot
of slack in the job market, so it seems likely the Fed will wait until middle of 2015 before the y raise
interest rates. This might have a negative effect on housing” -Dr Ira Kalish, chief global economist for
Deloitte
"Different things appeal to different customers in different parts of the world. In Europe we are a fast
fashion brand but in the US we are more of a premium brand. It changes continuously as countries
evolve. You adjust marketing, product and merchandising to what that country needs" -Jose Gomez,
VP of international business development for Mango.
World Retail Congress 2014: The Future Is Now!
Finextra
30 September 2014
The first morning of World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris featured a one-on-one interview conducted
by the event’s founder and chairman, Ian McGarrigle, with Anne Cairns, president, International
Markets at MasterCard.
The title for the interview was ‘The Future Is Now, Are You Ready?’ Cairns began by highlighting just
a few of the areas that have seen a rapid pace of change. Africa is seeing growth, with Cairns citing
the pace of digital development in South Africa, as well as work in Nigeria that has seen 13 million
people enrolled in a digital pilot project. Shopping patterns are driving digital payment. Cairns noted
research that found that Nigerians were the biggest spenders per head at luxury store Harrods, whil e
China now has 100 million citizens that are travelling abroad and shopping. This new global shopping
spree from Chinese citizens has left many looking at the issue of tax rebates around their roaming
purchases, and Cairns noted that MasterCard has recently launched a tax product in China for this
reason.
with the NLA”.
Cairns made the point that all of these changes are happening simultaneously, and that these are just
a few snapshots of what is happening around the world. When it comes to analysing the data, she
advised how it is important to look at cities and trade corridors rather than focussing purely on
country information. Cairns explained how MasterCard has a concept of ‘Priceless Cities’, where
consumers can go and have ‘money can’t buy’ experiences, while research is generated from this
cross-border spending flow. The information generated when a card buys a plane ticket, and then
when is purchased on that trip, can be used to build a picture of the consumer. This can allow
retailers the chance to figure out their catchment audience of the future, as well as better
understanding what they can offer to their audience domestically before they travel.
Much of this data is generated in the MasterCard SpendingPulse reports, which deliver real -time
information on what consumers are doing and present the whole consumer buying pattern.
Understanding the way that consumers think about payments in their daily lives should inform
retailers of the ways in which they can add value to the experience. As Cairns put it, you don’t wake
up thinking ‘I want to make a payment’, rather you are thinking about the item that you want to buy.
People also adapt very quickly to new ways of transacting that make their lives easier, with Cairns
pointing to the London public transport system where well over one million journeys have been made
using contactless payment cards since the infrastructure to allow this was implemented earlier this
month.
Looking at that type of behavioural phenomena, Cairns had a look into her crystal ball for where the
next wave of change for the industry will come from, and had two clear predictions for the future.
The first related to the mobile space. For a very long time there has been speculation about when
and how Apple would enter the payments space, and earlier this month we had our answer, Apple
Pay. Cairns was happy that this effectively piggybacks on MasterCard technology, as Apple Pay
incorporates EMV, and has the reach that card networks have globally. She expects that the speed of
development in this space will now rapidly increase, as natural rivals to Apple, such as Google and
Samsung, respond with their own offerings. While Apple Pay is big news, it is important to remember
that Android devices hold a greater market share in the mobile space than the iPhone.
Cairns signed off by highlighting the other next wave of change in the industry – that of security.
Noting the public concern of recent high profile data breaches, she commented that safety and
security are paramount to the future of the industry. While MasterCard is committed to investing in
cyber security, Cairns pointed out that all stakeholders in the payments industry should be discussing
this issue together on a regular basis, as it is critical to the entire business.
Рейтинг лучших мобильных прилож ений для шопинга от MasterCard
News.Kompass.UA
30 September 2014
Вчера на Всемирном конгрессе розничной торговли World Retail Congress компания MasterCard
анонсировала начало подготовки общеевропейского Рейтинга лучших мобильных приложений
для шопинга от MasterCard, в который войдут приложения, доступные в 36 странах Европы, в
том числе и в Украине. Цель исследования – определить лучшие программы в 20 различных
категориях и выяснить, насколько активно жители Европы используют мобильные технологии
для шопинга. Результаты будут оглашены на Всемирном конгрессе мобильных технологий
Mobile World Congress в марте 2015 г, сообщает пресс-служба компании.
«Поскольку инновации идут плечо к плечу с потребностями потребителей, делать покупки с
помощью смартфонов сейчас проще, чем когда-либо. MasterCard – это технологическая
with the NLA”.
компания, которая объединяет банки, торговцев и потребителей. Поэтому наш рейтинг
определит наиболее удачные решения в сфере мобильного шопинга, которые будут полезны
как потребителям, так и торговым сетям», – заявил Хавьер Перез, президент MasterCard Europe.
World Retail Congress: “Rebel against the old way of doing things”
Drapers
30 September 2014
If retailers want to attract the millennial consumer they must “rebel against the old way of doing
things”, Deborah Patton, founder of US thought leadership advisory group business Applied Brilliance,
told WRC attendees today.
In her presentation, Patton outlined the behaviour and beliefs of the millennial consumer and said
they are “drawn to businesses that are going against the rules – whether in production, marketing or
sales”.
This customer is inspired by innovation and creativity as well as business transparency, she added.
“They demand to be let behind the scenes and, if you don’t do it, they will find another way to get
this information.”
Patton highlighted that this generation is one short on patience. She said retailers must ensure they
are bringing products and services to the consumer, adding that the expectation of immedia cy is
going to spread. “They are mobile, they are visual and they need you to be where they are.” She
added that technology must be as “one click as possible”.
Patton also told delegates the millennial consumer expects to be heard and retailers must make sure
they are listening and responding to them. She said “This is a generation that is becoming used to
using collective online beliefs to affect what is happening offline.”
Generation high tech, high touch
Following Patton’s presentation, a group of millennial consumers joined the stage. Here are some of
the things they said:
“I hate piggy-backing in-store. I’ve done my research before I come into store, the most important
thing to me is that the product I researched is actually there.”
“In-store staff to me are needed for nothing except the actual transaction.”
“[I would go into store] if something is made from a new material, for example, and I want to see
and touch it.”
“If a store is offering me the opportunity to create personalised product I would go.”
“If someone doesn’t offer free returns it is just not sufficient. I want to know that if I order something
online and it is not right, I can easily send it back – and without charge.”
“Shopping for me is not a social activity, I like to do my shopping alone.”
with the NLA”.
“I might browse with a friend but I would only shop [buy] alone.”
“If a store has free Wifi, I’m in it.”
“I have a tablet in my bag, I don’t need to use one in store.”
Omni-channel lifts supermarkets’ sales by up to 20%
Foodmanufacture.co.uk
30 September 2014
with the NLA”.
with the NLA”.
with the NLA”.
BCG, Deloitte en OC&C partner van World Retail Congress
Consultancy.nl
30 September 2014
Gister was de kick-off van het ‘World Retail Congress’ in Parijs, een driedaags evenement voor
executives en managers actief binnen het retailsegment. Drie management consulting kantoren –
Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte en OC&C Strategy Consultants – fungeren als sponsor van het
evenement, bovendien zullen senior experts van de bureaus bijdragen aan het programma van het
evenement.
De retailindustrie bevindt zich momenteel in een periode van enorme verandering. Om organisaties te
ondersteunen bij het begrijpen en managen van verandering, organiseert het World Retail Congress
jaarlijks een aantal evenementen. Retail Congresses worden onder meer georganiseerd in LatijnsAmerika, Afrika, China en de Azië-Pacific regio, bovenop de belangrijkste wereldwijde editie van het
event dat inmiddels in Parijs (29 september - 1oktober) van start is gegaan. Meer dan 1.200
deelnemers, waarvan >80% opereren op Director niveau of daarboven, zullen naar verwachting het
evenement in Frankrijk’s hoofdstad bijwonen.
Consultancybureaus
Voor adviesbureaus, biedt het evenement het ideale platform om hun kennisleiderschap te
presenteren en in contact te komen met de leiders van de retailindustrie. Dit jaar hebben drie
consultancybureaus hun kans gegrepen en zich aan het World Retail Congress verbonden als
sponsor/partner: Deloitte (co-sponsor), Boston Consulting Group (key partner) en OC&C Strategy
Consultants (key partner).
Bovendien zullen vier experts van de advieskantoren een inhoudelijke bijdrage leveren aan het event:
- Antoine de Riedmatten, Global Industry Leader Consumer Business bij Deloitte
- Ira Kalish, Chief Global Economist bij Deloitte
- Thierry Chassaing, Senior Partner bij BCG en Worldwide Leader van BCG’ Retail Practice
- Michael Jary, medeoprichter en voormalig Managing Partner van OC&C Strategy Consultants
We Want to Draw People Into Our Stores: Hogarth
Bloomberg TV
30 September 2014
Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) – In an exclusive interview, Agent Provocateur CEO Garry Hogarth discusses
building a smaller brand, his company's products and where he sees opportunity at the World Retail
Congress in Paris with Bloomberg's Caroline Hyde. They speak on Bloomberg Television's
"Countdown." (Source: Bloomberg)
with the NLA”.
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/agent-provocateur-ceo-want-to-draw-people-into-our-storesQLArCUY6QvumS8v762~inQ.html
Move stores are on their way to becoming a lasting trend
The Courier Mail
30 September 2014
FOR a business built around cutting-edge fashions, Move stores are on their way to becoming a
lasting trend.
The Move fashion and technology brand — launched last October by the Dick Smith group — has
been making a splash internationally in its first year.
The retailer, which offers fashionable technology products and accessories such as headphones,
phone covers and laptops, is a finalist in the best new retail concept category at the World Reta il
Awards.
As the group waits to hear the judges’ decision out of Paris on Tuesday night, Move stores director
Michael Dykes says he sees a world of opportunities for the brand.
“The amount of interest we have had has been phenomenal,” Mr Dykes said.
“We believe it’s a global first, where fashion becomes the inspiration for technology.
“It absolutely would have international opportunities.”
Move currently has four Australian stores — including one at Indooroopilly in Brisbane — with three
more to open before Christmas.
with the NLA”.
Mr Dykes says there is potential for 30 stores over three years, with possible future international
expansion initially into New Zealand and into foreign airports.
Move was launched as part of a revamped Dick Smith business under private equity owners
Anchorage Capital Partners, who bought the group from Woolworths for $20 million in November
2012.
Dick Smith went public last December in a $520 million float.
Mr Dykes says Move is benefiting from word-of-mouth enthusiasm from customers, as well as rapidly
updated products and knowledgeable staff backed by the Dick Smith supply and support structure.
“The world is waking up to the fact that people want not just technology, but technology that reflects
their personal style,” he says.
“Our customers want to be on the cutting edge of newness. But because Dick Smith is such a trusted
brand, when someone wants to spend $3000 on technology in Move, it’s reassuring to know they’re
also dealing with Dick Smith.”
Bricks still lead clicks for generating retail revenue
Just-style.com
30 September 2014
In-store sales are still the driving force behind retail sales despite the trend towards online shopping,
according to a recent survey of senior retailers.
Research released to coincide with the World Retail Congress taking place in Paris this week revealed
that 68% of sales are being made in physical retail stores, with the internet claiming a mere 16%
share.
Social media is currently only generating 2% of revenues, the study conducted by Aus tralia’s Monash
University found.
However, despite the dominance of in-store sales, industry leaders prioritised online channels which
they regard as a major business opportunity in the coming year.
More than 60% of those surveyed rated online, mobile and social channels as more important this
year than they did last year.
In addition, more than half of respondents ranked social media and “peer -to-peer recommendations”
as the primary influence on consumer behaviour and 57% claimed that the age of digital interaction
had left their brand more “in the spotlight”.
The survey was carried out with the views of around 250 senior retail executives, with the majority
CEOs, chairmen or managing directors.
The report comes a matter of weeks after Twitter announced the introduction of its ‘buy now’ button;
an e-commerce function designed to allow users to make instant online purchases with the press of a
button at the end of a tweet.
with the NLA”.
Broader industry analysis has revealed a relatively positive outlook for the global retail market, with
sentiment concerning future growth described as moderately optimistic.
Asia remains the key focus for international growth, with the 2014 results also showing noteworthy
increases in the attractiveness of North America, Central and South America and Africa.
Domino’s Cooks Up Sales by Taking Pizza Mobile
Bloomberg TV
30 September 2014
Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) -- David Wild, Chief Executive Officer at Domino’s Pizza Group, talks with
Caroline Hyde about the big boost to business from their mobile app and online sales and improving
customer sentiment in the European market. He speaks from the World Retail Congress on “The
Pulse.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/domino-s-cooks-up-sales-by-taking-pizza-mobileZvpvpFJVR1GxK9nX4Njx0w.html
中国经济巨大转型将让西方零售商感到不安--利丰集团主席
Reuters
30 September 2014
路透巴黎9月29日 - 香港利丰有限公司(0494.HK: 行情)集团主席冯国纶提醒称，中国向西方世界提供廉
价消费品的角色将在未来几年终止，因国内消费和工人工资增加，带动通胀上升，并令西方市场零售商
感到不安。
with the NLA”.
冯国纶在世界零售大会(World Retail Congress)上称，“30年来，中国把消费者物价维持在低位，像我们
这样的企业享受到非常高的利润率。”
“当中国开始消费，印度紧随其后时，我预计会出现一轮物价涨势，利润率将受到挤压，”冯国纶表示。
他补充称，未来30年，中国和印度可能将增加逾10亿消费者，“对于零售业来说，既是机会也是威胁。(
完)
(编译于春红; 审校张明钧)
路透全新邮件产品服务——“每日财经荟萃”，让您在每日清晨收到路透全球财经资讯精华和最新投资动
向。请点击此处(here)开通此服务。
WRC 2014: Retail confidence up despite economic uncertainty
Just-style.com
30 September 2014
A positive change in retail sales is expected over the next 12 months, with growth inNorth
America,the Middle East, China and Africaoffsetting a slowdown in some global regions, according
tofindings from researchrevealed at the World Retail Congressby Monash University. Most
notably,Western Europeis seen as offeringthe worst prospects for retail growth.
The findings were published at the opening of the World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris yesterday (29
September). One key speaker was Dr Ira Kalish, chief global economist for Deloitte, who gave a
detailed overview of the global economic outlook for retailers. His thoughts on how the economic
landscape in major markets is likely to shift in the coming years, and the potential impact this will
have on retailers, are outlined below.
EUROPE
UNITED STATES
CHINA
JAPAN
EMERGING MARKETS OUTSIDE CHINA
INDIA
RUSSIA
"The good news is, it has come out of a deep recession. The bad news is it isn't growing very much
so the economy is in pretty bad shape. This mainly has to do with the credit market and it reflects the
fact that commercial markets are laden with debts. That's not leading to economic growth and very
slow growth in consumer spending. That has led to high unemployment and low deflation.""If you
look at retail sales, right now retail spending is lower than it was in 2010 so it's in pretty bad shape.
Growth is mainly coming from exports and not domestic demand and consumer spending. There has
been very little income growth, there is a lot of slack in the labour market, and consumers haven't
had lots of access to credit, especially in Southern Europe.""The Central Bank is embarking on a new
policy to try and boost inflation. This has boosted interest rates, and direct lending to commercial
banks that will, in turn, lend to the consumer. A type of mini quantitative easing. Unfortunately, this
hasn't got off to a good start. In the first round of offering of loans to commercial banks, they didn't
think there was much market for lending. So it's not clear if this new economic policy will be effective
or substantial enough to get the job done."
with the NLA”.
"Germany is a relative star and, with France, are the strongest players. Italy and Spain have been
weak players over last six years."
"In Germany, the problem, however is that it's not really growth and most, if any, has been from
exports. This German government is starting to back-track on some of the economic reforms that
help stimulate the economy, and instead are concentrating on austerity which is having a negative
impact on spending and the rest of Europe."
"Germany is also exposed to more risk from Russia. Around 6,000 German companies have invested
in Russia. If these troubles get worse, it could push Germany and the rest of Europe into recession."
"France is also hoping to implement reforms. Nobody is happy with Msr Hollande and, because of
uncertainty about reforms being implemented, investment is low and the economy is not growing.
Fortunately, fundamentals for France are good and it has some strong global dynamic companies. If
they do implement the reforms they can grow faster. They need a combination of that and some
inflation in Europe."
"In Italy, president Matteo Renzi is also struggling to implement reforms. The country's political
systems are more focused on reforming politics and then the economy. Meanwhile, the economy is
not growing and it has got debt inflation and declining GDP. This could create a fiscal problem down
the road. It needs dramatic reform."
"Spain has surprising economic strength. There has been a substantial improvement in
competitiveness, and very low bond yields reflect investor confidence. If there is one positive story in
Europe it would be Spain. Ireland is also looking very good but the outlook for the Eurozone is trouble
at best."
"In the UK there has been a strong revival of the economy but it's not clear how sustainable that is
because factors such as exports and more consumer spending are not taking place. There is a risk of
a housing bubble and export has not performed well, and there are also lots of political issues. The
uncertainty could have a chilling effect on investment in the UK. For now they are doing well but
there are declining wages and weak exports. There are lots of potential risks right now."
"In the US, the strength of the economy and inflation have started to rise, and now the focus is on
of slack in the job market, so it seems likely the Fed will wait until middle of 2015 before they raise
interest rates. This might have a negative effect on housing."
"Job market growth has not happened. It is much better, but the bad news is that there are a lot of
discouraged workers out there. Hence, big increases in student debt."Consumers are spending
moderately, there is reduced debt, and improved cash flow but weak income growth. Why aren't
businesses spending? They are holding on to a lot of cash and using it on stock buybacks. For a long
time there was a lot of uncertainty, and there is still a lot of excess capacity so they don't feel they
need to invest. There are also tax reasons for not investing."
"My expectation is that with the strengthening of the US economy we are going to see a pick-up of
investment spending in the next year or two."
"Next year will be a lot better than last year.
There will be no headwinds from fiscal policy, there has been investment in energy, a revival of the
manufacturing sector, and pent-up demand for new homes and improved credit markets."
"The economy has slowed down substantially and it is now more a middle-income country. The
biggest challenge China faces is debt. That increase in money supply hasn't fuelled inflation but asset
with the NLA”.
price bubbles and lending outside the normal banking channels. A lot of this is unregulated and
potentially dangerous. It is to do with the shadow banking system. The problem is that banks have
put all the risky stuff off their balance sheets."
"This lending will lead to losses and will ultimately affect the financial health of banks and set the
stage for a financial crisis. The government will force a cut-back on lending, which will lead to slower
economic growth. That could have serious ramifications for social stability and the health of the global
economy."
"This lending has distorted the Chinese economy. Investment is almost half of GDP, something you
don't see anywhere else in the world. These numbers need to cross again to return China to a normal
economy. It's not clear if that will happen soon enough."
"China will become a consumer market if they do the right things and reform like they've talked
about. We'll see that number go up, but it's contingent on the implementation of reforms that they
haven't yet acted on."
"We have seen a labour shortage but that has started to decline. That has contributed to a
substantial increase in wages and forced low wage manufacturing to move to Vietnam. We will see
reforms, it's just a question of how fast and how effective."In Japan, the government is also
struggling to reform. Female labour participation is a top priority. What is really needed is more
liberalisation and reforms of the economy, which haven't really taken place. Another tax increase is in
the pipeline and the situation is very uncertain. A change in female participation in the labour force
would boost economic growth, resolve pension issues and change lifestyles."
"For a while, over the past few years, several major markets like Turkey were growing very rapidly,
and in some instances were said to be the new China. They have all slowed down substantially."
"In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are moving in different directions. Brazil has lost its
competitiveness while Mexico has not. Although Mexico is not growing right now, the outlook is good.
Brazil needs to engage in market opening reforms but we're not seeing that at the moment. There is
a lot of uncertainty and pessimism about Brazil, which is having a negative effect on the retail
market. That could become problematic if the economy fails to grow."
"The new Prime Minister Modi wants to attract ex-pats to invest in India and help revive the
economy. The goal is to free the market in order to spur investment."There hasn't been a lot of
follow-through in terms of reforms, but there is uncertainty on whether he will focus on economic
reforms or foreign policy. They are in a sweet spot in terms of demographics, however. But this is
another country where there is uncertainty about policy."
"The economy was already weak before the Ukraine crisis, but sanctions will hurt over time. In the
short term, it has been the loss of business confidence, capital flight, and downward pressure on the
economy, and that in turn has hurt investment. As such, the economy has slowed down and may be
moving into recession."
Espana, entre los paises major preparados para los retos del comercio electronico
ABC.es
30 September 2014
with the NLA”.
Mastercard ha elaborado un informe en el que analiza el desarrollo de las naciones más desarrolladas
en el ámbito de las eCommerce
MasterCard ha presentado en el marco del World Retail Congress su «Digital Evolution Index» (Índice
de Evolución Digital), un análisis anual desarrollado junto al Fletcher School de la Universidad de
Tufts sobre los países mejor preparados para afrontar los retos del eCommerce en los próximos años.
De los 50 países analizados, España aparece en la mitad de la tabla, ocupando el puesto número 25.
De acuerdo con el índice presentado hoy por MasterCard, Singapur, Suecia y Hong Kong son los tres
lugares del mundo más preparados para absorber los próximos miles de millones de nuevos usuarios
que se sumarán al comercio electrónico. Reino Unido y Suiza completan el top cinco mientras que
Estados Unidos ocupa el sexto lugar de la tabla. Por su parte, China, Malasia y Tailandia aparecen
como los tres países que mayor y más rápida evolución han experimentado en el terreno del comercio
online.
Si bien los países desarrollados dominan los primeros puestos del ranking, la clasificación cambia a la
hora de analizar el ritmo de adaptación digital. El estudio ha evaluado la evolución de cada mercado
desde 2008 hasta 2013 para comprender y comparar el progreso de cada país e identificar áreas de
mejora. Los países se clasificaron en cuatro tipologías de trayectoria:
Fulgurantes: países que todavía tienen un nivel de preparación bajo pero que están evolucionando de
forma muy rápida, como por ejemplo India, China, Brasil, Vietnam y Filipinas. Si los índices de
evolución de estos mercados continúan como hasta ahora, pronto se convertirán en grandes
potencias digitales. Sin embargo, el estudio revela que pueden tener ciertas dificultades para alcanzar
los siguientes niveles de crecimiento.
Estancados: a pesar de contar con un sólido historial de crecimiento, los países clasificados en esta
tipología (la mayoría del norte y oeste de Europa, Australia y Japón) son mercados muy maduros. La
innovación y la búsqueda de nuevos mercados más allá de sus fronteras domésticas será clave para
garantizar su crecimiento en el futuro.
Destacados: estos países, como Singapur, Hong Kong, Estados Unidos y Nueva Zelanda, han tenido y
continúan teniendo un alto crecimiento de las transacciones digitales, respaldadas por unas
infraestructuras punteras y unos consumidores domésticos sofisticados. De cara al futuro, la
innovación será su mejor baza para continuar dentro de esta tipología.
Promesas: estos países se enfrentan todavía a importantes retos, pero dado que cuentan con un
mercado interno de gran tamaño, representan una oportunidad de inversión a tener en cuenta.
Indonesia, Rusia, Nigeria, Egipto y Kenia son buenos ejemplos.
MasterCard cria Índice Europeu para eleger a melhor App de compras
Techenet.com
30 September 2014
A MasterCard anunciou hoje durante o World Retail Congress o arranque do Mobile Top App Index by
MasterCard, um índice pan-europeu único que pretende mapear todas as Apps móveis comerciais
disponíveis para os consumidores. Com este Índice a MasterCard pretende encontrar a melhor App de
with the NLA”.
compras disponível nos vários mercados europeus e revelar a forma como os consumidores estão a
adotar as tecnologias móveis para fazer compras quando estão em trânsito. As melhores Apps para
compras na Europa, dentro de 20 categorias, serão conhecidas durante a edição de 2015 do Mobile
World Congress, que irá decorrer em março próximo.
“À medida que a inovação tende a acompanhar a crescente procura dos consumidores, fazer compras
com um dispositivo móvel nunca foi tão fácil. A MasterCard é uma empresa de tecnologia que liga
bancos, retalhistas e consumidores. E o nosso Mobile Top App Index irá eleger as soluções que mais
se destacam na área das Apps de compras móveis para o benefício dos consumidores e dos
retalhistas europeus “, afirmou Javier Perez, presidente da MasterCard Europa.
O novo Índice irá avaliar todas as Apps móveis em 36 países europeus, processo a realizar por uma
equipa dedicada de especialistas da MasterCard, em estreita colaboração com o Dr. Carsten Sørensen
– Professor Associado em Inovação Digital na London School of Economics and Political Science. A
este propósito, Dr. Carsten Sørensen comentou: “A diversidade de aplicações disponíveis para
smartphones muda drasticamente a forma como as pessoas encaram as suas tarefas e, além disso, a
relação de proximidade que essas pessoas criam com os dispositivos dá origem à necessidade de
Apps inovadoras e de qualidade. Uma vez que fazer compras é um desses hábitos diários, o novo
Índice de Apps da MasterCard tem o potencial de ajudar os consumidores a encontrar a aplicação de
compras de que necessitam, e irá atuar como catalisador para toda a indústria.”
Antes do lançamento do Mobile Top App Index a MasterCard conduziu uma pesquisa que questionava
os consumidores a sua opinião sobre a forma como usam as aplicações móveis para fazer compras.
•Mais de metade dos utilizadores europeus de telemóveis já tiveram Apps de compras transferidas
para os seus dispositivos, com 56% desses consumidores a usar regularmente essas aplicações. 38%
dos utilizadores europeus de telemóveis afirmaram que pretendem usar Apps para fazer compras nos
próximos 12 meses.
•As Apps de compras mais populares são aquelas que permitem fazer “carregamentos” e que ajud am
os utilizadores a selecionar e a comprar vários tipos de conteúdos. A compra de produtos ligados à
moda ou produtos de beleza, bem como bilhetes de entretenimento, está também a tornar -se
popular. Cerca de 30% dos utilizadores regulares de Apps afirmaram ter usado essas funcionalidades.
•Se segurança surge como a principal preocupação para quem faz compras móveis, o estudo revela
também que se os utilizadores perceberem que fazer compras através de uma App móvel lhes
permite poupar dinheiro e transtornos, 60% refere que terá todo o interesse em fazer compras desta
forma mais vezes.
Chris Kangas, Chefe da Unidade de Contactless Payments Europa da MasterCard, concluiu: “Estamos
conscientes de que uma boa parte das compras que as pessoas fazem já é feita a través de um
dispositivo móvel. Existem aplicações brilhantes disponibilizadas por muitos retalhistas na Europa,
embora seja difícil mantermo-nos a par das melhores devido aos diferentes mercados e idiomas.
Estou convencido de que quando completarmos o nosso Índice, em março de 2015, seremos capazes
de identificar as Apps comerciais mais inovadoras na Europa e de partilhar informações valiosas sobre
o mercado das aplicações aplicativos de compras móveis”.
Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard to help cust omers shop on the go
Banking Newslink
30 September 2014
with the NLA”.
At the World Retail Congress, MasterCard announced the start of a unique pan-European index to
map all publicly available mobile shopping apps in Europe named the Mobile Top App Index by
MasterCard. The Index is set to discover the best mobile shopping apps across the diverse markets of
Europe and reveal how consumers are embracing mobile technology when shopping on the go. The
best mobile shopping apps in Europe from 20 categories will be announced at the Mobile World
Congress in March, 2015.
The Index will rate all mobile apps across 36 European countries. A dedicated team of MasterCard
experts, in close cooperation with Dr Carsten Sorensen, Associate Professor (Reader) in Digital
Innovation at the London School of Economics and Political Science, are evaluating the apps.
Dr Sorensen said: “The diversity of available smartphone apps fundamentally changes the way people
think about their tasks, and the close relationships people forge with their smartphones creates
demand for innovative apps of high quality. As shopping is one of those things we do on a daily basis,
MasterCard’s Top App Index has the potential to help consumers find the shopping app they need
and it will act as a catalyst for the whole industry.”
Chris Kangas, Head of Contactless Payments Europe at MasterCard, said: “We are aware that a good
part of the shopping people do is already on a mobile. There are brilliant apps by many retailers in
Europe; however it is very difficult to keep track of the best due to the different markets and
languages. I am convinced that by the time we complete our Index in March, 2015, we will be able to
identify the most innovative shopping apps in Europe and will be able to share valuable insight on the
mobile shopping app market.”
World Retail Congress: Retailers must create “hyper-connected” shopping environments
Drapers
30 September 2014
Retailers should create “hyper-connected" shopping environments through the use of technologies
like Near Field Communication (NFC) to boost sales and understanding of their customers, the chief
executive of Samsung Electro Mechanics has said.
Speaking to the World Retail Congress in Paris, Chi-Joon Choi promoted the use of “inch shopping",
which involves consumers using the NFC technology available on their smartphones to scan electronic
shelf labels that can be placed in stores.
This technology, he said, would lead to better links between offline and online shopping, as it enables
shoppers to download product information, coupons, advice and to create online wishlists on their
mobile phones while out shopping.
For retailers, he said the benefits include not only increased sales by making the shopping experience
more efficient and interactive for shoppers, but the technology can also provide more in-depth
information on customer behaviour than the data already secured from online shopping, including
shopping frequency, products interested in and their thoughts on those products.
Choi said better digital connections between retailers and their customers - through technologies like
NFC - could lead to more consumption and therefore more jobs in the retail industry, creating “a
virtuous circle of productivity".
with the NLA”.
In this way, digital technologies can be seen as the “new growth engine" for retail, he said, as they
can help customers to feel like they have a more active participation in the management of a store or
retail business, which boosts their engagement with that company.
But he warned retailers not to assume synergy and better connection with customers would
automatically create positive results, as online channels need to be designed to complement, not
compete, with physical stores.
Big Shift in China's Consumer Economy Impacts Its Role Providing Cheap Consumer
Goods on the Worldwide Stage
Venture Capital Post
30 September 2014
China is a major exporter of cheap consumer goods to the West. But, analysts now believe that this
will be reduced considerably in the coming years due to increasing domestic consumption and worker
pay, rising inflation and unsettling retailers in Western markets.
On Monday, in an annual gathering of retail industry executives, William Fung, chairman of logistics
group Li & Fung, Hong Kong, which supplies firms like Walmart Stores Inc with clothing and toys, told
the World Retail Congress, “China will disrupt the world.”
Fung also said that China is a country that operates in economic cycles of 30 years, and that it had
been the world’s factory producing consumer goods at low prices. Further he added that after 30
years, China has now reached a point where this is no longer sustainable.
He said, “China is talking about slowing down GDP growth to 7.5%. However, their retail business is
projecting almost double that, and we think at Li & Fung that from the next 30 years, China will
become the largest consumption country in the world.”
With regard to overall household consumption, China has long way to go, he believes. Fung said,
“When China starts consuming and with India right behind it, I predict a round of price increases and
margin squeezes.”
With costs on the rise, Fung suggests that the global apparel industry should be prepared for a
bumpy ride.
He said, “It’s not going to be easy anymore. Raw materials have been stable and going down but that
won’t be the case at the next stage when China starts consuming.”
He predicts that over the next 30 years, China and India could add more than one billion middle class
consumers to the world, both as an opportunity and a threat.
Talking about labour safety he said, “There are going to be problems...the world is no longer willing
to accept that. I predict that will be a huge impact on the world.”
Agent Provocateur CEO says luxury lingerie brand bucks slowdown
The Daily Mail
with the NLA”.
30 September 2014
PARIS, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Lingerie provider Agent Provocateur is seeing brisk business in Russia,
Hong Kong and China, contrary to many other luxury brands, and is rolling out a second line codesigned by actress Penelope Cruz and her sister Monica, its head said.
Agent Provocateur, recently put up for sale by its private equity controlling shareholder, 3i, has
enjoyed same-store sales growth of 17 percent since January, Chief Executive Garry Hogarth said.
"So far, our businesses have not been affected by events worldwide," Hogarth told Reuters in an
interview on Tuesday on the fringes of the World Retail Congress in Paris.
When including contributions from new stores, Hogarth said growth in the fiscal year to March could
reach around 30 percent to 70 million pounds ($113 million), roughly in line with trends seen in
previous years.
This contrasts with the overall luxury goods market, which has seen growth slow further this year to
5-6 percent from 8 percent in 2013 and 10 percent in 2012 as fewer tourists shop in Europe and
Hong Kong, and as Chinese and Russian demand has weakened.
Already, many luxury groups including Cartier owner Richemont and Italian fashion group Prada have
pointed to flagging sales.
Agent Provocateur was created in 1994 by Joseph Corre, son of British fashion designer Vivienne
Westwood. In 2006, Corre, who is no longer involved with the business, asked Hogarth to run it. The
CEO has a stake of around 10 percent in the company.
The brand competes with La Perla, Lise Charmel and Chantal Thomass at the high end of the lingerie
market.
Goldman Sachs has been hired to help 3i find potential buyers for Agent Provocateur among cash-rich
private equity firms and wealthy individuals, a source close to the company told Reuters.
The company hopes the business will get a valuation of at least 200 million pounds, or more than 13
times its expected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 15 million
pounds for the year to March 2015, up from 10 million last year.
Net profit this year is expected to rise to 10 million pounds from 6 million in 2013/2014, Hogarth said.
Last year, rival La Perla was sold to Italian businessman Silvio Scaglia, who built his fortune with the
Omnitel phone company and Fastweb broadband provider, and also acquired the Elite modelling
agency.
A formal auction for Agent Provocateur should start in April, the source said.
Hogarth said its second line, L'Agent by AP, would offer lingerie products at half the price of Agent
Provocateur. L'Agent plans to open a first boutique in New York next month, followed by Los Angeles,
Moscow and London in following weeks.
Hogarth said he expected L'Agent to have a retail network about twice the size of its more upmarket
sister brand, with about half of revenue coming from wholesale accounts.
Agent Provocateur has only one wholesale account, with online retailer Net-A-Porter, and runs 96
shops, including nine in Moscow, the city where it has the most clients, and three in mainland China.
Hogarth said Agent Provocateur planned to open around 20 boutiques a year for the next three years.
with the NLA”.
Agent Provocateur, which is also expanding its swimwear line, has had a 10-year perfume licence
agreement with French company Interparfums since last year. (1 US dollar = 0.6168 British pound)
World Retail Congress 2014: The Future of Payments
Finextra
30 September 2014
One of the stream sessions on the first afternoon, Sarah Quinlan, Senior Vice President, Market
Insights at MasterCard Advisors, and Bernie Brooks, CEO of Myer, looked ahead to what the future
may hold in the payments space.
Quinlan began by noting that the way the payments space is evolving is all driven by the great
recession following the global financial crisis. It is more likely that two people in a household are
working rather than just, while people are living closer to cities. Quinlan said that time pressure on
peoples’ lives is key, so when it comes to payments the consumer is in charge.
Quinlan manages MasterCard’s SpendingPulse research, and was asked about how data collected can
help retailers. Her opinion was that while there has been a growth in online for retailers, but bricks
and mortar still dominate. In the US, for example, 20% of retail sales are online, while in the UK this
is just 11% - in this example, the statistics show that there is an opportunity for UK retailers.
Quinlan said one of the biggest trends she is seeing is that consumers love experiences, such as
travelling or dining out. Retailers need to learn how to use their online store as a content delivery
platform for the consumer. Brooks made the point that in the retail environment you get many types
of data. Loyalty card data is one example of this. What he as a retailer finds really valuable is data on
what else consumers are buying. Companies such as MasterCard collect data that can show retailers
where they are missing out, where consumers who may have a loyalty card product are shopping
elsewhere and which types of items they are purchasing from elsewhere. This allows the retailer to
go back and remarket to these consumers.
Quinlan described how she sits down with a number of MasterCard’s retail clients each month to talk
about the spending patterns that the SpendingPulse tracks. In one example, a retailer wanted to
launch a high-end luxury store in London’s prestigious Bond Street. However, the spending data
showed that luxury spending in London had been negative for 17 consecutive months, and so Quinlan
were able to share this information and prevent the retailer from making a potentially costly error.
The panel noted that certain countries have a young population with access to digital technology. In
this environment there is the opportunity to insert a payment system, not just for online shopping but
for people’s everyday lives - the ability to settle utility and other bills, for example. National ID card
programmes can be of use here if they have payment card technology embedded.
Brooks made the point that cash still plays a role, for example around one-third of transactions at
Myer are still in cash. However, he made the point that there is a good business case to move away
from cash. Brooks suggested that digital gift cards on phones are a good way to get consumers used
to the digital wallet concept.
Security emerged as another key theme for the future of payments, and the panel pondered how
retailers could make payments more secure. In Quinlan’s opinion, they need to make the investment.
She made the point that there has been a lag in business spending, but that retailers must invest as
they are in race with the fraudsters. Retailers can’t afford to stand still. While bricks and mortar
reputation is important in building trust online, this can be lost quickly, so investment can help
with the NLA”.
mitigate this reputational risk. Quinlan explained that MasterCard Advisors has an arm that helps
retailers implement new solutions. However it is important to remember that every retailer is different
and a one-size solution will not fit all - it is critical to understand the business.
Looking in the crystal ball and predicting what the payments space will look like in 2025, Quinlan
made it clear that she believes cash will still exist - using the example that if you try and get a taxi in
Hong Kong you can only pay in cash today, and she couldn’t see situations like that changing any
time soon. She also noted that there will also be an increase in security measures around payments,
they will be seamless and it will be simple for consumers to carry multiple payment forms on their
person at all times. Mobile payments will be much more common, in the B2B space as well as the B2C
space. The point was made that the method of payment used is a personal choice, and so all forms
need to be seamlessly accessible to the consumer. Quinlan mentioned that there is a lot of talk about
Apple Pay right now, but this will be just one of a variety of payment methods in the future.
Brasil tem evolução rápida no mundo digital
Grupo Padrão
30 September 2014
País está ao lado de China, Índia e Vietnã entre as nações que têm grande potencial de evolução
online
A MasterCard e a Fletcher School da Tufts University, dos Estados Unidos, anunciaram durante o
World Retail Congress, que acontece até esta quarta-feira (01/10) em Paris, o lançamento do Digital
Evolution Index, indicador que mede a prontidão e a possibilidade de evolução de 50 países (25
desenvolvidos e 25 emergentes) no que se refere a iniciativas digitais.
O pesquisador Bhaskar Chakravorti, diretor associado senior de Finanças e Negócios Internaci onais da
Fletcher School, citou o escritor futurista William Gibson, que disse que "o futuro já chegou, mas não
está distribuído uniformemente". "As pessoas têm informação, seja na França ou em Bangladesh,
mas diversos fatores retardam a distribuição dessas informações pelo mundo", afirma.
Entre esses fatores estão aspectos pouco citados quando se fala em digital, como o efeito das
instituições políticas, a legislação, o ambiente regulatório e a ameaça do cyber crime. O estudo
identificou quatro drivers interdependentes (oferta, demanda, instituições e inovação) que podem ser
usados para definir a evolução de cada país. "A inovação não se refere apenas à presença da
tecnologia, mas também a áreas como capital de investimento", afirma Ted Iacobuzio, VP de Global
Insights da MasterCard.
O cruzamento desses drivers permitiu identificar a evolução de cada país de 2008 a 2013 e
estabelecer quatro agrupamentos de países:
- Break Out: são os países com baixa prontidão digital, mas em franca evolução. Brasil, Índia, China e
Vietnã estão nesse grupo, que pode se transformar em fortes economias digitais daqui a alguns anos;
- Stall Out: são os países maduros no uso da tecnologia e que, para evoluir, precisam buscar
mercados internacionais e inovar mais. De forma geral, nesse grupo estão os países da Europa
Ocidental;
- Stand Out: são aqueles países com alto volume de transações digitais, mercado consumidor
sofisticado e infraestrutura de excelência. Estados Unidos, Cingapura e Hong Kong fazem parte desse
grupo;
with the NLA”.
- Watch Out: são os países ainda com grandes desafios para entrar no mundo digital, como Rússia,
Nigéria, Indonésia, Egito e Quênia. Entretanto, esse grupo tem uma população total de 2,5 bilhões de
pessoas, o que significa grandes oportunidades de investimentos.
Clique na imagem abaixo para visualizar e interagir com os infográficos no site da Mastercard:
World Retail Congress: To digitally innovate don’t lose focus on retail fundamentals
Drapers
30 September 2014
“We at the foothill of the [online] journey, we aren’t at the summit" and retailers must not forget to
retain focus on service and execution while innovating digitally, Tesco’s group digital officer has said.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris today, Michael Comish said reta ilers need to innovate
to stay ahead, but they must ensure “the balance is definitely about execution" and they do not lose
sight of the core retail fundamentals.
Hayley Tatum, executive people director at Asda, agreed: “Metrics like customer service still matter;
don’t get seduced by the technology. If your service isn’t fantastic you will be found out. The basic
core things in retail still matter.
“Investment does need some reserve time to make sure you stay ahead but don’t lose focus."
Comish added: “Technology is still moving exponentially and that is moving customer behaviour.
Keeping up with that creates a few surprises."
He said to keep ahead retailers should be focusing on changes that will be necessary for the next
three to five years, rather than next year, and to do this digital teams need to be given the freedom
to innovate.
“When things are changing so quickly, you can’t be a general dictating from the top; you need to
trust your people and enable them and give them the right tools to allow them to make decisions.
That’s a big change from where we have been coming from historically."
Tatum said that, to ensure staff are motivated to push Asda’s online business, stores are credited
with multichannel sales - so if a customer collects a purchase in store, the purchase is linked to that
store.
“it encourages staff to get behind the online business and promote the online and the store
business," she said.
Comish finished by saying: “Loyalty doesn’t diminish when shopping in different channels, it can
increase. The more channels you shop in, the more you buy."
with the NLA”.
Tapping Into a World of Style
Herald Sun
30 September 2014
RETAIL FOR a business built around cutting-edge fashions, Move stores are on their way to becoming
a lasting trend.
The Move fashion and technology brand — launched last October by the Dick Smith group — has
made a splash internationally in its first year.
The retailer, which offers fashionable technology products and accessories such as headphones,
phone covers and laptops, is a finalist in the best new retail concept category at the World Retail
Awards.
As the group waits to hear the judges’ decision out of Paris today, Move stores director Michael Dykes
says he sees a world of opportunities for the brand.
“The amount of interest we have had has been phenomenal,” Mr Dykes said. “We believe it’s a global
first, where fashion becomes the inspiration for technology.
“It absolutely would have international opportunities.” Move currently has four stores — including two
in Melbourne at the Emporium and Highpoint shopping centres — with three more to open before
Christmas.
Mr Dykes says there is potential for 30 stores over three years, with possible future international
expansion initially targeting New Zealand and foreign airports.
Move was launched as part of a revamped Dick Smith business under private equity owners
Anchorage Capital Partners, who bought the group from Woolworths for $20 million in November
2012.
Dick Smith went public last December in a $520 million float. Mr Dykes says Move is benefiting from
word-of-mouth enthusiasm from customers, as well as rapidly updated products and knowledgeable
staff backed by the Dick Smith supply and support structure.
“The world is waking up to the fact that people want not just technology, but technology that reflects
their personal style,” he says.“Our customers want to be on the cutting edge of newness. But
because Dick Smith is such a trusted brand, when someone wants to spend $3000 on technology in
Move, it’s reassuring to know they’re also dealing with Dick Smith.”
John Lewis scoops omnichannel retailer of the year at World Retail Awards
Retail Week
30 September 2014
John Lewis scooped the Omnichannel Retailer of the Year gong at the World Retail Awards as Net-aPorter’s bosses took home the Outstanding Leadership award.
with the NLA”.
Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet and Mark Sebba, who retired as chief executive earlier this
year, were honoured at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing won the coveted Retailer of the Year gong and H&M was
named International Retailer of the Year at the gala dinner in Paris last night.
Despite its success in the omnichannel category, department store John Lewis’s ‘The Bear and the
Hare’ lost out to Sainsbury’s ’Christmas in a Day’ for best advertising campaign.
World Retail Congress chairman Ian McGarrigle said: “We’ve had another fantastic shortlist of
winners, and this year in particular they reflect how the retail landscape is changing. The diversity of
entries and countries, and the level of innovation, reinforces the huge groundswell of change in the
global retail world.”
The award winners are decided by a team of 12 global retail leaders which this year included former
Home Retail Group boss Terry Duddy, Gordon Campbell from Spar International and Rick Darling
from Li & Fung US.
Uniqlo é premiada como varejista do ano
Grupo Padrão
30 September 2014
Grupo da marca japonesa recebeu principal prêmio do World Retail Awards, em Paris
O grupo japonês Fast Retailing, controlador da rede de moda fast fashion Uniqlo, recebeu na noite
desta terça-feira em Paris o prêmio de Varejista do Ano no World Retail Awards, o Oscar do varejo
mundial.
A Fast Retailing segue os passos de empresas como Whole Foods e Inditex ao ser reconhecida pela
expansão global de suas marcas (além da Uniqlo, também a Comptoir des Cotonniers e a Princesse
Tam Tam).
Mostrando o alto nível de inovação no varejo de vestuário, a sueca H&M recebeu o prêmio de
Varejista Internacional do Ano. A rede britânica de loajs de departamentos John Lewis, que em 2014
completa 150 anos de vida, foi considerada a Varejista Omnicanal do Ano, enquanto a rede britânica
de supermercados Sainsbury teve sua campanha publicitária "Christmas in a Day" considerada a
melhor do mundo.
O prêmio de melhor ação sustentável ficou com a sul-coreana Lotte Shopping, pelo lançamento de
um programa de fidelidade que estimula os consumidores a adquirir produtos ecologicamente
corretos. "Tivemos neste ano uma lista espetacular de finalistas de todas as partes do mundo,
demonstrando as transformações e a efervescência do varejo global, um ambiente de grandes
inovações", afirma Ian McGarrigle, Chairman do World Retail Congress, organizador da premiação.
with the NLA”.
Confira como foi o 2º dia do WRC
Grupo Padrão
30 September 2014
Maior congresso mundial de varejo encerra dia com prêmio
O Grupo Fast Retailing, um dos maiores grupos de moda fast fashion do mundo, detentor de marcas
como Uniqlo, foi considerado o varejo do ano pelo World Retail Awards, prêmio do WRC, o Congresso
Mundial de Varejo, que ocorre em Paris.
O prêmio encerrou o segundo dia de debates da edição 2014 do World Retail Congress (WRC), um
dos mais importantes eventos de varejo do mundo, que trata as tendências que devem nortear o
setor nos próximos anos. NOVAREJO está em Paris acompanhando o evento. Confira o que de melhor
está sendo debatido no portalnovarejo.com.br e nas nossas redes sociais.
Nos debates desta terça-feira (30), a Deloitte Consulting divulgou o ranking das maiores varejistas
globais, liderado por Walmart. Juntas, as dez maiores somam um faturamento líquido de U$ 1,3
trilhão, valor aproximado do PIB de países como Espanha e Coreia do Sul. Um peso em tanto que
mostra a potência do setor no mundo.
A geração milênio chegou e já está comprando. Como atraí-la e conquistá-la de vez foi tema para
Maryleigh Bliss, consultora da Ypulse, que deu quatro dicas essenciais para lidar com a geração
multicanal.
Entre voos cancelados, adiados, tempestades e malas perdidas, Ayana Parsons, dire tora de varejo do
Fórum Econômico Mundial, conseguiu chegar a Paris para falar sobre sustentabilidade no varejo. "A
sustentabilidade precisa de uma mudança completa de imagem", afirmou sem rodeios. Para não
deixar os executivos com afirmações, ela listou três estratégias fundamentais para promover, de fato,
sustentabilidade.
Sameer Samat, Vice Presidente de Gestão de Produtos do Goggle Shopping, não poupou palavras,
por sua vez, ao dizer sobre a importância das buscas online para o varejo. É ler para confe rir a visão
da gigante da internet sobre o setor.
No evento, ainda, a MasterCard e a Fletcher School da Tufts University lançaram indicador que mede
a prontidão e a possibilidade de evolução de 50 países no que se refere a iniciativas digitais. Confira
na matéria os primeiros resultados.
Confira o que de melhor foi debatido no primeiro dia de encontro do Congresso Mundial de Varejo.
4 passos para atrair e conquistar os Millennials
Apresentação no World Retail Congress revela 4 dicas para ganhar relevância junto à nova geração
Um país chamado varejo
Vendas dos 10 maiores varejistas superam US$ 1,3 trilhão, maior que PIB da Espanha. Walmart é
líder
Em busca de uma nova identidade
Com noção tradicional desgastada, sustentabilidade precisa ser reinventada
O varejo segundo o Google
Empresa pretende facilitar interação dos consumidores com as lojas
with the NLA”.
Brasil tem evolução rápida no mundo digital
País está ao lado de China, Índia e Vietnã entre as nações que têm grande potencial de evolução
online
World Retail Congress: Sustainability needs a makeover
Drapers
30 September 2014
Sustainability needs a makeover if it is to appeal to millennial shoppers, said Ayana Parsons, head of
retail and consumer goods at the World Economic Forum, at today’s World Retail Congress.
Parsons called on businesses to “channel the power of this generation" and help millennials make
more sustainable decisions.
She said research from the World Economic Forum has found many shoppers are confused, sceptical
and find it a challenge to shop sustainable products. However, she said consumers are willing to pay
more if they know a product has come from a sustainable company.
Citing the millennial consumer as one that “wants to change the world", Parsons said retailers need to
make sustainable shopping easy and exciting in order to appeal to this customer. She used Marks &
Spencer’s Swapping campaign as an example of how this can be done.
Parsons told delegates the right opportunities don’t exist for consumers to engage with sustainabl e
products, but if retailers can help shoppers understand why sustainability matters and engage them
in the conversation, there is an opportunity to encourage millions of millennials to live sustainably.
Bricks leading clicks
Inside Retail
30 September 2014
Instore sales are still the driving force behind retail sales despite the trend towards online shopping,
according to a poll of more than 250 senior retailers.
Research released to coincide with the start of the World Retail Congress revealed tha t 68 per cent of
sales are being made in physical retail stores, with the internet claiming a mere 16 per cent share.
While social media remains the buzz phrase on everyone’s lips in the retail world, it is currently only
generating two per cent of revenues, according to the study conducted by Australia’s Monash
University.
However, despite the clear dominance of instore sales, industry leaders prioritised online channels
which they regard as a major business opportunity in the coming year.
with the NLA”.
More than 60 per cent of those surveyed rated online, mobile and social channels as more important
than in 2013.
More than half of respondents ranked social media and peer to peer recommendations as the primary
influence on consumer behaviour and 57 per cent claimed that the age of digital interaction had left
their brand more “in the spotlight”.
Almost half of those surveyed were CEOs, chairmen or MDs, with 25 per cent of the businesses
represented generating annual revenues of US$1 billion or more.
The report comes a matter of weeks after Twitter announced the introduction of its ‘buy now’ button;
an e-commerce function designed to allow users to make instant online purchases with the press of a
button at the end of a tweet.
Broader industry analysis reveals a positive outlook for the global retail market, with sentiment
concerning future growth described as moderately optimistic.
Asia remains the key focus for international growth, with the 2014 results also showing noteworthy
increases in the attractiveness of North America, Central and South America, and Africa.
Consistent with the past three annual reports, growth prospects in Western Europe rate as the worst.
The expectation in 33 per cent of retail leaders that the region will offer the poorest growth in the
year ahead is attributed to continued economic uncertainty.
The Global Retail Index report was conducted over August and September 2014 amongst over 250
global retail leaders of a wide range of industry sectors and locations.
Euro Area ‘Softer’ as U.K. Stonger, Cheshire says
Bloomber TV
01 October 2014
Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Conditions for retailers in the euro area have been "softer" in recent months as
the market in the U.K. has performed better, according to Ian Cheshire, chief executive officer o f
Kingfisher Plc. He spoke with Bloomberg Television’s Caroline Connan on Sept. 29 at the World Retail
Congress in Paris. Caroline Hyde reported yesterday on the interview and the congress with Manus
Cranny and Anna Edwards on Bloomberg Television’s "Countdown."
with the NLA”.
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/euro-area-softer-as-u-k-stronger-cheshire-saysoi2x8VNSRXqi7FJ35FhflA.html
INTERVIEW- France's Leclerc invests to counter tough times
Dominique Vidalon and Pascale Denis
Reuters News
01 October 2014
* Sees French consumer spending crisis lasting 2-3 years
* Says French retail market sales 'slightly negative' in Q3
* To invest 1.2 bln euros by end-2015 in stores, drives
PARIS, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Leclerc, France's second-largest retailer by market share, plans to spend 1.2
billion euros ($1.5 billion) to renovate its hypermarkets and beef up its click and collect service even
as the outlook for consumer spending remains poor.
Privately-owned grocer Leclerc, which has a domestic market share of 20.2 percent against 20.6
percent for rival Carrefour , Europe's largest retailer, said it expected tough times to last due to
sluggish French consumer spending, and that it would keep its focus on low prices.
"The crisis is far from over. We are stuck in it for two to three years," Chief Executive Michel-Edouard
Leclerc told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Retail Congress, an annual gathering
of retail executives.
Leclerc said that as of Sept. 15 his group had achieved revenue growth of 2 percent year-on-year. He
predicts revenue growth of 3 percent for the full year, which would be a slowdown from 4.9 percent
in 2013 and lower than his expectations in February this year.
Leclerc, one of the most vocal executives in the French retail sector, cited high unemployment and
households' declining spending power as key reasons for his grim forecast.
Food retailers across Europe such as Carrefour and Britain's market leader Tesco have struggled as
shoppers' disposable income is squeezed by subdued wage growth and austerity measures. Most
have responded with price cuts.
with the NLA”.
Data from the INSEE statistics institute this week showed that with France's unemployment rate stuck
at record highs above 10 percent and economic growth stalling, consumer confidence w as unchanged
in September from August.
Data last month showed consumer spending in the euro zone's second-biggest economy stagnated in
July and August.
Leclerc, 62, heads a cooperative association of retailers which operates 642 stores in France, mostly
hypermarkets, and 121 stores abroad, with 2013 group sales of 45.6 billion euros.
A centralised buying strategy enables Leclerc to negotiate low prices from suppliers by buying in bulk.
Apart from its focus on low prices, Leclerc's response to the current crisis will be to earmark 1.2
billion euros between June 2014 and end-2015 to make its French hypermarkets more attractive,
renovating 50 stores per year, while also improving its logistics and accelerating the diversification of
its stores to offer more services such as beauty shops, DIY or jewellery.
Leclerc is also boosting its "Drive" - or "click and collect" - service allowing shoppers to order online
and then collect their purchases at distribution points. It currently has 530 such locations and wa nts
100 more by the end of 2015.
Listed rivals will unveil third-quarter sales later this month with Casino reporting on Oct. 14.
Commenting on the recent performance of the French retail market, Leclerc said: "July was negative
and August not good, while September confirmed a slight decline in French retail revenue for the
quarter."
He said the textile and do-it-yourself sectors seemed to be among the worst hit while car equipment
and health products were holding up.
Last year and for France alone, Carrefour saw sales grow 1.3 percent while Casino's fell 2.9 percent
year-on-year.
In recent years, Leclerc has focused on luring in consumers with lower prices and gained market
share at the expense of rivals, notably Carrefour.
Carrefour, which has been cutting costs, revamping stores, and cutting prices, has been regaining
ground.
Leclerc predicted the price war would continue: "We are in a deflationary trend that is going to last,"
he said.
According to research institute IRI, prices of French Fast Moving Consumer Goods fell 1.7 percent
year on year in August.
Operating margins in the grocery industry fell to around 3.8 percent in the last 12 months, down from
an average of 4.9 percent in the last five years.
MasterCard crée le Mobile Top App Index
Gondola
1 October 2014
MasterCard a profité du World Retail Congress pour annoncer en début de semaine la création d’un
nouvel index répertoriant les applications mobiles d’e-commerce présentes en Europe. Le « Mobile
Top App Index » devrait notamment permettre de mieux comprendre comment les consommateurs
utilisent leur smartphones pour acheter en ligne lors de leurs déplacements.
with the NLA”.
L’Index classera les meilleures applications provenant de 36 pays européens. Elles seront évaluées
avec l’aide du Dr Carsten Sørensen, Professeur Associé en Innovation Digitale à la London School of
Economics and Political Sciences. Celui-ci a déclaré à l’occasion du Congrès que « le Top App Index
de MasterCard aidera les consommateurs à trouver l’application shopping dont ils ont besoin, il filtrera
l’offre de chaque secteur pour n’en garder que le meilleur ».
La meilleure application pour chacune des 20 catégories déterminées (achats multimédias, loisirs,
alimentaire, billets d’avion, etc.) sera annoncée lors du Mobile World Congress en mars 2015.
World Retail Congress: 5 tendances et 7 détaillants à suivre dans les pays émergents
Les Affaires
01 October 2014
Paris accueille cette semaine le World Retail Congress. Un méga rassemblement où l’on discute de
tout ce qui est « in » et « out » en commerce de détail. Une bonne part des discussions porte sur
l’omnicanal, c’est-à-dire l’utilisation de plusieurs canaux (points de contact et d’achat) en même
temps par le consommateur. Désormais, un consommateur peut commander en ligne et passer
prendre son article en magasin. Ou encore commander en ligne à partir du magasin et se faire livrer
l’article chez lui. Le consommateur s’attend à cette flexibilité. Pour y arriver, le détaillant britannique
Asda, par exemple, a réuni tous ses canaux de distribution dans la même division.
Le détaillant américain Macy’s compte parmi les rois de l’omnicanal. En prévision de la périodes des
fêtes 2014, il a recruté 86 000 employés saisonniers pour ses magasins Macy’s et Bloomingdale’s.
C’est 3,6% de plus que l’an dernier. Ces 86 000 employés saisonniers seront dispersés dans tous les
points de contact et de livraison de Macy’s, soit aux centres d’appels, aux centres de distribution et
aux centres d’approvisionnement pour le commerce en-ligne.
« Le magasin réel est encore utile. Certains détaillants créent même des boutiques non
transactionnelles pour mettre leur offre en valeur. »
Quelques tendances discutées au World Retail Congress
1-connecter avec la « génération selfie : une génération qui se soucierait davantage de l’authenticité
des produits qu’elle achète que des produits eux-mêmes. Ce qui force les marques à se soucier de ce
qu’elles défendent, de ce qu'elles représentent, en plus de ce qu’elles vendent. On a mentionné
l’initiative de Coca Cola baptisée « Liquid and Linked » ;
2-composer avec un client toujours connecté : les clients passent de moins en moins de temps en
magasin parce qu’ils s'y présentent hyper-préparés. Ils ont tout analysé en ligne et savent
exactement ce qu’ils désirent acheter;
3-le retour du magasin : on le disait en voie de disparition, mais le magasin « réel » est plus fort que
jamais. Et surtout plus utile que jamais. Certains détaillants ont même créé des boutiques « non
transactionnelles », de simples espaces ludiques pour mettre leur marchandise en valeur. On parle
aussi de « retail-tainement events » pour attirer les clients en magasin ;
4-le mobile en premier : avant, les détaillants voulaient « ajouter le mobile à leur stratégie marketing
». Maintenant, la stratégie marketing du détaillant débute et s'artlcule autour du mobile ;
with the NLA”.
5-revoir le concept de ventes/magasin: puisque le client conclue ses achats en utilisant plusieurs
canaux, il faudra éventuellement revoir les indicateurs financiers. Bientôt, il ne sera plus pertinent de
parler de ventes/magasin.
Des détaillants à surveiller
Chaque année, le World Retail Congress couronne un détaillant d’un marché émergent qui fait preuve
de créativité tout en affichant une croissance importante. Cette année, c’ est un détaillant chinois qui
s’est mérité les honneurs : Bread Talk, qui compte 800 boutiques. Un concept qui combine la foire
alimentaire et la boutique d'aliments qui s’est inspiré des meilleures idées occidentales tout en
s’assurer de refléter la culture chinoise. On peut y manger, par exemple, dans un décor inspiré d'un
village chinois des années 70.
Les autres finalistes étaient : Aziza Panda United (alimentation), BIM Birlelik Magazalar A.S
(alimentation)., Karaca, (vaisselle) Kazar Footwear (chaussures), Max Fashions (vêtements) et O
Boticario (cosmétiques).
World Retail Congress: Changing customer behaviour will create new roles
Drapers
01 October 2014
Changes in the way customers shop will create new roles in retailer organisations, said Mar tin
Newman, chief executive of consultancy Practicology, at the World Retail Congress today.
In his presentation, Newman said he believes all retailers will start to introduce a chief customer
officer role with responsibilities including driving customer experience and marketing across all
channels. The role will also encompass customer service and fulfilment operations.
Newman also said that a second role of chief marketing technologist could be introduced as
businesses see a merging of marketing and new technologies.
Newman said “Businesses need to change their mindset from ‘we have products we want to sell you’
to ‘we are a customer centric business that has some products you might like to buy’."
To deliver this Newman said retailers will need leaders who understand customers and their shopping
behaviours and who embrace change rather than stick to a fixed annual roadmap. He believes many
of these new leaders will come from digital backgrounds and cited John Waldon (chief executive,
Home Retail Group) and Mark Newton-Jones (chief executive, Mothercare) as two current examples.
Newman went on to list some “leaders of the future" including Laura Wade-Gery (currently executive
director of multichannel at Marks & Spencer), Robin Terrell (multichannel director, Tesco) and Andy
Harding (executive director, multichannel, House of Fraser).
China switches from the world's factory to consumer superpower
with the NLA”.
Retail Digital
01 October 2014
Global retailers face seismic changes as China’s rising middle classes flex their new found spending
power.
Spiraling wages will transform the country from the ‘world’s factory’ to the world’s biggest consumer
market, delegates at the World Retail Congress in Paris heard said.
Dr William Fung, Chairman of Li & Fung Limited, said that China’s minimum wage is set to rise by
80% over the next five years. This will create a new middle class of consumers who will drive retail
sales increases of up to 15% a year – twice the rate of China’s projected GDP.
Dr Fung said, “China is a funny country, it seems to operate in 30-year cycles. In the 30 years
between 1979 and 2009, China ‘conquered the world’ by becoming the ‘world’s factory’.”
Since then, he said, China’s authorities had set about putting in place the country’s ‘second engine of
growth’ – domestic consumption. The scale and shopping power of the population could see China
overtaking the US as the world’s largest consumer society within the next 30 years.
Coupled with India, another rising consumer powerhouse, it would cr eate a new market of more than
a billion shoppers in that period - disrupting today’s retail landscape.
Whilst this will provide a huge opportunity for retailers, it could also pose a serious threat. Dr Fung
said that for 30 years China’s low wage economy had kept consumer prices low and helped retailers
enjoy healthy profit margins. But as the second phase of China’s development kicks in and labour
costs rise, retailers could see their margins squeezed.
Dr Ira Kalish, Deloitte’s Chief Global Economist, also sounded a note of caution. He said that, while
he agreed China’s rising middle class provided an opportunity, ‘foolhardy lending’ by China’s banks for
apartment blocks and shopping complexes that still stand empty, could trigger a financial crisis.
While he said that the Chinese government would never allow a ‘Lehman’s-style crash’, it could lead
to economic growth falling back to 3-3.5%, half its current rate.
Agent Provocateur CEO says luxury lingerie brand bucks slowdown
The Strait Times
01 October 2014
PARIS (REUTERS) - Lingerie provider Agent Provocateur is seeing brisk business in China, Hong Kong
and Russia, contrary to many other luxury brands, and is rolling out a second line co-designed by
actress Penelope Cruz and her sister Monica, its head said. Agent Provocateur, recently put up for
sale by its private equity controlling shareholder, 3i, has enjoyed same-store sales growth of 17 per
cent since January, Chief Executive Garry Hogarth said. "So far, our businesses have not been
affected by events worldwide," he said in an interview on Tuesday on the fringes of the World Retail
Congress in Paris. When including contributions from new stores, Hogarth said growth in the fiscal
year to March could reach around 30 per cent to 70 million pounds (S$145 million), roughly in line
with trends seen in previous years…
with the NLA”.
Tesco boss to sell or shut costly Blinkbox
The Times
01 October 2014
The new boss of Tesco has put Blinkbox, its loss-making video streaming business, up for sale.
The retailer is understood to be reviewing all options for the business, including closure if a buyer
cannot be found.
Under Philip Clarke, Dave Lewis's predecessor as chief executive, Tesco invested hundreds of millions
of pounds in the on-demand service. However, Mr Lewis is understood to have decided that the
business is a distraction and told senior Blinkbox staff of his decision to dispose of it when he visited
the media division's office in Clerkenwell on Friday. A Tesco spokesman declined to comment.
In an email to staff last week, Mr Lewis emphasised the need for Tesco staff and management to
focus on improving stores and customer service. "Above all, we must get back to doing our best for
customers," he wrote.
The acquisition of Blinkbox in 2011, for an undisclosed sum, was one of the first strategic moves by
Mr Clarke. Despite mounting losses at the media company, Mr Clarke continued to champion it,
hosting the 2014 annual results at the Blinkbox office on the eastern fringes of the City.
Michael Comish, the founder of Blinkbox who was promoted to group digital director of Tesco in
2013, is expected to remain with the retailer. Mr Comish was in Paris yesterday at the World Retail
Congress, where he appeared to criticise the way in which Tesco has been mana ged over the years,
saying that it was no longer possible for "one general" to command military-style absolute power over
an entire chain.
Britain's biggest supermarket chain was still only "in the foothills" of scaling a mountainous challenge
in adapting to shoppers' use of computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones. He suggested that this
was partly down to management style: "Historically, the retail model has been around command and
control because detail is so incredibly important — these companies have been directed from the
top."
In a fast-moving environment in which supermarkets scramble to keep up with customers' changing
technological habits, he said that this was no longer appropriate and chief executives needed to
encourage entrepreneurialism. "You can't be a general at the top who dictates to 300,000 people —
you have to enable them," Mr Comish said. "Give them the tools to make decisions themselves."
His remarks are likely to be interpreted as a coded criticism of Tesco's past bosses, Sir Ter ry Leahy
and Mr Clarke, who ran the company through a very centralised model.
In the wake of last week's disclosure of an accounting scandal at the chain, one former executive told
journalists that the company had been led through a culture of "fear and machismo". Mr Lewis, the
company's new boss, has promised a more collegiate environment.
The grocery industry's regulator warned that she could levy a hefty fine if the retailer has been
bullying its suppliers. Christine Tacon, the groceries code adjudicator, has asked Deloitte, which is
carrying out an inquiry into the company's accounts, to let her know if it encountered any instances
of unfair treatment of suppliers.
"When Deloitte do their audit, I want them to let me know if they come across any breaches," Ms
Tacon said. "I've offered to brief Deloitte on the code and my offer has been accepted."
with the NLA”.
Tesco is widely suspected of having used aggressive tactics to extract marketing contributions from
food producers, creating £250 million of improperly booked profits.
If breaches of the industry's code of conduct are uncovered, Ms Tacon intends to launch an
investigation of her own that could culminate in a financial penalty. Ms Tacon has the power to levy
fines on retailers and has asked the government to approve a ceiling of 1 per cent of a company's UK
turnover, which, in Tesco's case, would be £430 million.
The Times
Andrew Clark
01 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Tesco puts video-streaming business Blinkbox up for sale
Retail Week
01 October 2014
Tesco’s new chief executive Dave Lewis has put its loss-making video-streaming business Blinkbox up
for sale.
According to The Times, Lewis is reviewing all options for the business, including selling it or closing it
if a buyer could not be found.
Lewis is understood to have decided the business is not core and is a distraction, and is thought to
have told senior Blinkbox staff when he visited the offices in London on Friday.
Blinkbox was a key part of former chief executive Phil Clarke’s strategy. He bought it in 2011 and
championed it, especially with the launch of its tablet Hudl.
Michael Comish, founder of Blinkbox, who was promoted to group digital director of Tesco in 2013, is
expected to remain with the retailer.
Comish was at World Retail Congress yesterday, saying that it was no longer possible for “one
general” to command military-style absolute power over an entire chain.
British talent recognised at World Retail Awards in Paris
Drapers
01 October 2014
British businesses including John Lewis, New Look and Sainsbury’s scooped some of the top awards
at the World Retail Awards gala dinner in Paris last night, while Net-a-Porter founder Natalie
Massenet and its former chief executive Mark Sebba were presented with the outstanding leadership
award.
At the event, which is part of the World Retail Congress in the French capital, John Lewis was voted
omnichannel retailer of the year, while Sainsbury’s won the award for the best advertising campaign
for its ‘Christmas in a Day’ campaign. New Look was also awarded best store design of less than
13,000 sq ft for its shop in Westfield London.
Swedish fashion chain H&M was crowned international retailer of the year, while Japanese group Fast
Retailing, owner of Uniqlo, was named retailer of the year.
South Korean department store group Lotte Shopping won corporate social responsibility initiative of
the year, following the launch of its rewards scheme to encourage customers to buy eco-friendly
products.French flash Sales site Vente-privee.com won pure-play etailer of the year.
World Retail Congress chairman Ian McGarrigle said: “We’ve had another fantastic shortlist of
winners, and this year in particular they reflect how the retail landscape is changing.The diversity of
with the NLA”.
entries and countries, and the level of innovation, reinforces the huge groundswell of change in the
global retail world."
The three-day World Retail Congress in Paris was attended by about 1,500 delegates.
John Lewis boss Andy Street rules out overseas stores as he invests in a UK market
undergoing "tremendous change"
Retail Week
01 October 2014
John Lewis managing director Andy Street has ruled out opening stores abroad in order to invest in
navigating a changing UK market.
The retailer, which yesterday opened its seventh shop-in-shop in a branch of South Korean
department store group Shinsegae, will not be following rivals Debenhams and House of Fraser
overseas.
Street told Retail Week: “We’re not going to run [standalone] John Lewis shops abroad. The UK
market’s going through a tremendous change at the moment, I will not have us distracted, either in
the management team’s efforts or the capital that we have.
“Capital for fulfilment, capital for IT, capital for omni-presence. They all have far greater return.”
Street, who picked up the Omnichannel Retailer of the Year Award for John Lewis at last night’s
World Retail Awards, said retailers were faced with “hard choices” about where to invest capital.
He said that click-and-collect, mobile shopping, personalisation and delivery were areas of focus for
the retailer as it vies to enhance its omnichannel business and his job was to allocate capital
effectively.
He said: “We’ve already had to fundamentally shift our investment. It’s about hard choices. It’s not
extra cash. We had to stop doing things in order to do this [investment in omnichannel].”
However, he said that “mindset” and engaging its staff were crucial to building an omnichannel
retailer. “I don’t care where the sale is made. I don’t want my teams to worry, it’s a John Lewis sale.
Everything has to be channel-agnostic. If you have that mindset everything else will follow.”
Sharing customer data with partners has helped them buy into his vision of an omnichannel business.
“If you show them the facts, partners will do the right thing,” he said.
Street echoed Next boss Lord Wolfson’s concern about the warm weather in September impacting
sales and said it spanned across more sectors than fashion. “It will be affecting everyone on the high
street. People are just not going to shops,”
He said the key was to be patient. “If the weather changes in the first half of October it will basically
be OK. If it doesn’t, there will be consequences,” he warned.
Despite the slow September, Street said he was “pretty optimistic” about Christmas because the
economy was in the best shape it had been for seven years.
with the NLA”.
Online sales accounted for 35% of John Lewis’s sales last Christmas and Street expects it to surpass
that level this year. He predicted that Black Friday would be an even bigger phenomenon and said the
challenge this Christmas would be about “managing the surge in online demand”.
He also said this year would be a “mobile Christmas on steroids”. The retailer is launching a tranche
of new apps ahead of the festive period to benefit from this trend.
H&M e Uniqlo premiati come “retailer dell’anno”, Eataly Smeraldo vince per il “miglior
concept”. A quando l’arrivo in Italia della catena giapponese?
Il Sole 24 Ore
01 October 2014
A chiudere la settimana della moda di Parigi sono arrivati anche i World Retail Awards, assegnati ogni
anno durante il World Retail Congress (1.500 i partecipanti, da tutto il mondo) per premiare le catene
di negozi o i progetti più innovativi di retail. Nelle shortlist delle varie categorie non c’erano nomi
italiani, tranne il megastore diEataly che a Milano ha preso il posto del teatro Smeraldo, inserito nella
categoria “Innovative concept”, dove è risultato vincitore (un altro successo per Oscar Farinetti!)
La catena svedese H&M ha cinto come “International Retailer”, mentre Fast Retailing, il gruppo
giapponese che possiede le catene Uniqlo (al momento non presente nel nostro Paese, purtroppo…),
Comptoir des cotonniers (presente anche in Italia) e Princesse Tam Tam (marchio distribuito in Italia,
ma senza negozi monomarca), ha vinto nella categoria “Retailer of the Year”.
Negli anni scorsi il premio era andato a Inditex, il gruppo spagnolo che possiede Zara e molte altre
insegne e, per la parte gastronomica, a Whole Foods, che sta rivoluzionando, partendo da Stati Uniti
e Regno Unito, l’idea di supermercato (ma non c’è alcuna notizia di sbarco in Italia… abbiamo Eataly!)
Tra gli altri premi, due catene britanniche: John Lewis ha vinto come “Omnichannel Retailer of the
Year” e Sainsbury’s ha vinto per la miglior pubblicità con la campagna “Christmas in a Day”.
Il departmente store coreano Lotte Shopping ha vinto nella categoria “CSR Initiative of the Year”, per
il programma fedeltà che incoraggia i consumatori a comprare solo prodotti eco-compatibili
In attesa che Uniqlo arrivi in Italia (i negozi hanno bisogno di metrature molto ampie, a Milano si era
fatto il nome della catena per lo spazio che si era liberato in via Dante, poi andato a Ovs), sono molto
contenta per il premio a Eataly, però spero che in futuro anche nel settore moda ci siano nuovi
progetti italiani. Molti studi dimostrano che – per quanto aumenti l’importanza dell’e-commerce – il
mondo “reale”, del “brick and mortar”, come dicono gli americani, è ancora il modo migliore per
creare una shopping experience che fidelizzi DAVVERO i clienti.
WRC: Asos eyes acquisitions of tech companies to drive innovation
Retail Week
01 October 2014
Asos is vying to snap up innovative tech companies with its new venture capital arm as its boss
predicts tech will revolutionise fashion in the next five years.
Daniel Bobroff, investment director at the venture capital arm that Asos set up at the beginning of the
year, told World Retail Congress: “We feel like fashion tech is just at the beginning. There’s loads of
with the NLA”.
tech from other sectors such as gaming will have an untold effect on how you buy fashion in the next
five years.”
Bobroff, who was a mobile technology entrepreneur before joining Asos in January, believes that
technology such as Oculus Rift and 3D printing have the potential to “change everything”.
He is understood to be seeking to buy and work with innovative technology firms, between start-up
and Series A Funding level, to help boost Asos’s business.
His LinkedIn profile reads: “Asos tore up the rule book to redefine online fashion. We became the
world’s leading fashion tech company.
“Today, we are looking to support the next generation of “out of the box” thinkers. We are looking for
disruptive design, beautiful software, great developers and fashion tech’s game changers. If that’s
you, then we think that we can help you on your journey.”
Bobroff said creating a culture where the “entrepreneurial engineers” that Asos wants to work with
“feel they can change the world” is important.
Meanwhile, Bobroff also said that wearable technology could help boost customer insight. He said: “It
will allow us to understand our target audience in a way that even now we don’t, which will help us in
terms of personalisation.”
Bobroff said younger customers expect retailers to personalise their experience. He said: “The
millennial audience are happy to give you data but only if you serve them. You should know what
they want and when they want it.”
Viac ako polovica majiteľov smartfónov má stiahnutú nákupnú aplikáciu
IT News
01 October 2014
Spoločnosť MasterCard®, jednotka v inteligentných, pohodlných a bezpečných platbách,
oznámila na konferencii World Retail Congress štart jedinečného celoeurópskeho indexu
- Mo-bi-le Top App In-dex od Mas-ter-Card. Ten mapuje všetky verejne dostupné mobilné
nákupné aplikácie v Európe. Cieľom tohto indexu je nájsť najlepšie mobilné nákupné
aplikácie na všetkých trhoch Európy a zistiť, ako spotrebitelia používajú mobil né
technológie pri nakupovaní. Najlepšie mobilné nákupné aplikácie Európy v 20
ka-te-gó-riách bu-dú ozná-me-né na kon-gre-se Mo-bi-le World Con-gress v mar-ci 2015.
„Inovácie postupujú ruka v ruke s rastúcim dopytom spotrebiteľov. V súčasnom
období môžeme nakupovať pomocou mobilných zariadení ľahšie ako doposiaľ.
MasterCard je technologicky orientovanou spoločnosťou, ktorá prepája banky s
obchodníkmi a spotrebiteľmi. Mobile Top App Index zviditeľní najlepšie riešenia v
oblasti mobilných nákupných aplikácií, čo môžu využiť európski spotrebitelia
ajobchodníci ako vodidlo," vyhlásil Javier Perez, prezident spoločnosti MasterCard
Euro-pe.
In-dex bude porovnávať mobilné aplikácie z 36 európskych trhov. Hodnotiť ich bude
špeciálny tím expertov spoločnosti MasterCard v úzkej spolupráci s DCarstenom
Søren-se-nom , pro-fe-so-rom Di-gi-tál-nych ino-vá-cií na Lon-don School ofE-co-no-mics and
Political Science. „Rôznorodosť dostupných aplikácií pre smartfóny zásadne mení
with the NLA”.
spôsob, akým ľudia uvažujú. Tesný vzťah, ktorý siku svojim telefónom vytvárajú,
vy-vo-lá-va do-pyt po no-vá-tor-ských, vy-so-ko kvalitných aplikáciách. A pretože
nakupujeme každý deň, Top App Index spoločnosti MasterCard môže spotrebiteľom
pomôcť nájsť aplikáciu, ktorú potrebujú," hovorí Dr. Carsten Sørensen.
Pred spustením rebríčka Mobile Top App Index spoločnosti MasterCard sauskutočnil
prieskum, ktorý zisťoval názory spotrebiteľov na mobilné nákupné aplikácie, ktoré
momentálne využívajú.
- Viac ako polovica európskych používateľov smartfónov už má nákupné aplikácie vo
svojich smartfónoch stiahnuté a 56 % z týchto spotrebiteľov ich pravidelne používa. 38
% európskych používateľov smartfónov uvádza, že použijú mobilné aplikácie pri nákupe
v najbližších 12 me-sia-coch.
- Najpopulárnejšie sú tie mobilné aplikácie, ktoré umožňujú mobilné dobíjanie
apomáhajú pri výbere a nákupe rôzneho mediálneho obsahu. Stále populárnejším sa
tiež stáva mobilný nákup módy, kozmetiky avstupeniek. Používanie týchto funkcií
uvádza približne 30 % pravidelných používateľov aplikácií.
- Pre mobilných zákazníkov zostáva hlavným hľadiskom bezpečnosť. Výskum však tiež
ukázal, že ak spotrebitelia majú pocit, že im nákupné aplikácie šetria peniaze a zvyšujú
ich pohodlie, 60 % z nich uvádza, že by pomocou mobilnej aplikácie s radosťou
nakupovali aj častejšie.
Chris Kangas, riaditeľ divízie bezkontaktných platieb spoločnosti MasterCard Europe,
dodal: „Sme si vedomí, že veľká časť nákupov sa dnes už odohráva pomocou mobilov.
Veľa maloobchodníkov v Európe vyvinulo skvelé aplikácie, kvôli rôznorodosti trhov a
jazykov je však ťažké udržiavať si povedomie o tých najlepších. Verím, že až v marci 2015
náš rebríček uzavrieme, budeme vedieť určiť tienajinovatívnejšie nákupné aplikácie v
Európe a podeliť sa o cenné poznatky z trhu mobilných nákupných ap-li-ká-cií."
Σε αξιολόγ ηση των εφαρμογ ών γ ια αγ ορές μέσω κινητού προχωρά η MasterCard
Euro2day
01 October 2014
Όλες οι διαθέσιμες εφαρμογές στην Ευρώπη για αγορές μέσω κινητού στον νέο πανευρωπαϊκό δείκτη
της MasterCard. Η εταιρία θα καταγράψει πώς τα smartphone επηρεάζουν τις αγορές των Ευρωπαίων.
Το λανσάρισμα του πανευρωπαϊκού δείκτη που θα καταγράφει όλες τις διαθέσιμες εφαρμογές για
αγορές μέσω κινητού στην Ευρώπη με την ονομασία Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard
ανακοίνωσε κατά τη διάρκεια του World Retail Congress η MasterCard.
Ο Δείκτης θα καταγράψει και θα βαθμολογήσει τις καλύτερες εφαρμογές κινητών σε 36 ευρωπαϊκές
αγορές και θα δώσει στοιχεία για τον τρόπο που οι καταναλωτές χρησιμοποιούν την κινητή τεχνολογία
για αγορές on the go. Oι καλύτερες εφαρμογές κινητών για αγορές στην Ευρώπη, σε 20 κατηγορίες,
θα ανακοινωθούν στο Mobile World Congress το Μάρτιο του 2015.
«Καθώς η καινοτομία πηγαίνει χέρι-χέρι με την ολοένα αυξανόμενη καταναλωτική ζήτηση, ποτέ
άλλοτε δεν ήταν ευκολότερο να ψωνίζουμε με το κινητό μας. Ο δείκτης Mobile Top App θα ξεχωρίσει
από το σύνολο των εφαρμογών τις καλύτερες λύσεις για αγορές μέσω κινητού, προς όφελος των
ευρωπαίων καταναλωτών και εμπόρων λιανικής. Ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι η MasterCard είναι εταιρεία
τεχνολογίας που συνδέει τις τράπεζες, τους λιανέμπορους και τους καταναλωτές», σχολίασε ο Javier
Perez, Πρόεδρος της MasterCard Ευρώπης.
with the NLA”.
Αναλυτικότερα, μια ομάδα ειδικών της MasterCard, σε στενή συνεργασία με τον Dr. Carsten
Sørensen, Συνεργάτη Καθηγητή Ψηφιακής Καινοτομίας στο London School of Economics and Political
Science, θα αξιολογήσουν τις εφαρμογές. Ο Dr. Carsten Sørensen σχολίασε τα εξής: «Η ποικιλία των
διαθέσιμων εφαρμογών για smartphones αλλάζει ριζικά τον τρόπο που οι άνθρωποι σκέφτονται όσα
κάνουν καθημερινά. Οι στενές σχέσεις που οι άνθρωποι έχουν με τα smartphones τους δημιουργεί την
ανάγκη για καινοτόμες εφαρμογές (apps) υψηλής ποιότητας. Καθώς οι αγορές είναι κάτι που κάνουμε
καθημερινά, ο Top App Index της MasterCard έχει τη δυνατότητα να βοηθήσει τους καταναλωτές να
βρουν την εφαρμογή (αpp) για αγορές που χρειάζονται και που θα δράσει ως καταλύτης για όλη τη
βιομηχανία».
ΧΡΗΣΗ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΩΝ ΚΙΝΗΤΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΑΓΟΡΕΣ
Πριν το λανσάρισμα του Δείκτη Μobile Top App από τη MasterCard, διεξήχθη έρευνα κατά την οποία
οι καταναλωτές ερωτήθηκαν σχετικά με τον τρόπο που χρησιμοποιούν τώρα τις εφαρμογές των
κινητών τους για τις αγορές τους.
• Περισσότεροι από τους μισούς Ευρωπαίους χρήστες smartphone έχουν ήδη εγκαταστήσει στο
κινητό τους εφαρμογές για αγορές, ενώ το 56% αυτών των καταναλωτών χρησιμοποιεί αυτές τις
εφαρμογές τακτικά. Το 38% των Ευρωπαίων χρηστών smartphone είπαν ότι σκοπεύουν να
χρησιμοποιήσουν εφαρμογές κινητών για αγορές μέσα στους επόμενους 12 μήνες.
• Οι πιο δημοφιλείς εφαρμογές για αγορές είναι εκείνες που επιτρέπουν τα mobile top ups και βοηθούν
τους χρήστες να επιλέξουν και να αγοράσουν ποικίλο περιεχόμενο από τα Μέσα. Η αγορά on the go
προϊόντων μόδας ή ομορφιάς καθώς και εισιτηρίων για ψυχαγωγία, γίνεται επίσης πολύ δημοφιλής.
Περίπου το 30% των χρηστών που χρησιμοποιούν τακτικά εφαρμογές δήλωσε ότι έχει χρησιμοποιήσει
τέτοιες υπηρεσίες.
• Αν και η ασφάλεια παραμένει η κεντρική ανησυχία για τους αγοραστές μέσω κινητού, η έρευνα
αποκάλυψε επίσης ότι αν οι καταναλωτές νιώσουν ότι οι αγορές μέσω της εφαρμογής στο κινητό τους
«εξοικονομεί» χρήματα ή τους διευκολύνει, το 60% θα έκανε αγορές ευχαρίστως μέσα από μια
εφαρμογή κινητού πιο συχνά.
Ο Chris Kangas, Επικεφαλής των Ανέπαφων Συναλλαγών της ΜasterCard για την Ευρώπη, δήλωσε:
«Γνωρίζουμε ότι ένα σημαντικό μέρος των αγορών που πραγματοποιούν οι καταναλωτές γίνεται μέσω
κινητού. Υπάρχουν εξαιρετικές εφαρμογές από πολλούς λιανέμπορους στην Ευρώπη, όμως είναι πολύ
δύσκολο να εντοπίσεις τις καλύτερες, λόγω των διαφορετικών αγορών και γλωσσών. Είμαι
πεπεισμένος ότι μέχρις ότου ολοκληρώσουμε τον Δείκτη, το Μάρτιο του 2015, θα είμαστε σε θέση να
εντοπίσουμε τις πιο καινοτόμες εφαρμογές για αγορές στην Ευρώπη και να μοιραστούμε τις πολύτιμες
πληροφορίες μας σχετικά με την αγορά των εφαρμογών κινητών τηλεφώνων για αγορές».
World Retail Congress: Retail leaders must educate their teams says former Blomingdales
chairman
Drapers
01 October 2014
Retail leaders must exhibit trust and focus on educating their teams, the former chairman and chief
executive of Bloomingdales has said.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris, Mike Gould told delegates: “I don’t believe people
remember the numbers, they remember what [leaders] did for them."
with the NLA”.
He said at home people show unconditional love, and while that isn’t needed at work, leaders should
show unconditional support and help people to believe in themselves. “The ability to discover ability
in others is the true test, isn’t that what we are here for?"
At Bloomingdales he said the two things he never delegated to others in his team were control of
capital and human capital. “The fact of the matter is, the company is only as strong as its human
capital".
He added 95% of products merchandised at Bloomingdales can be found in 10 city blocks of a store
so it was important to create an experience and the reason shoppers visit the stores is the staff. To
do this he said staff have to feel loyal to the company and “believe they work for the best".
He said when Bloomingdales was looking at its business during the recession, the one thing he said
could not be cut was spending on staff education. “You can’t stop education because business is
tough. You can’t stop that growth of your people. It’s what we are there for."
“The challenge of leadership is how you stretch people," he added.
He suggested retailers could learn lessons from great leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Nelson
Mandela, including being seen to be leading, being balanced and controlled and the understanding
that courage does not come in the absence of fear.
“You need to have core values and never deviate from that, that’s being a good leader," he said.
España, muy preparada para el ecommerce
Muypymes.com
01 October 2014
Ayer se presentó en el marco del World Retail Congress el Digital Evolution Inde x, un análisis anual
desarrollado por Master Card y el Fletcher School sobre los países mejor preparados para afrontar los
retos del ecommerce en los próximos años. España aparece en la mitad de la tabla, exactamente en
el puesto número 25, una cifra nada desdeñable si tenemos en cuenta que han sido 50 países los
analizados.
El estudio identifica cuatro parámetros interrelacionados para medir la evolución digital de cada país y
su preparación de cara al futuro: oferta, demanda, instituciones e innovación. España obtiene la
mejor nota en cuanto a oferta, es decir, en cuanto a tecnología e infraestructuras que permitan llevar
a cabo transacciones y compras online. Sin embargo, en comparación con otros países, obtiene
menor puntuación en lo que a políticas institucionales de fomento y acceso al comercio se refiere.
Según este analisis, Singapur, Suecia y Hong Kong son los tres lugares del mundo más preparados
para absorber los próximos miles de millones de nuevos usuarios de comercio electrónico. Reino
Unido y Suiza completan el top 5, mientras que Estados Unidos ocupa el sexto lugar de la tabla. Por
su parte, China, Malasia y Tailandia aparecen como los tres países que mayor y más rápida evolución
han experimentado en el terreno del comercio online. Otros países que todavía tienen un nivel de
preparación bajo, pero que están evolucionando de forma muy rápida son India, Brasil, Vietnam y
Filipinas.
En cambio, a pesar de contar con un sólido historial de crecimiento, la mayoría de países del norte y
oeste de Europa, así como Australia y Japón, se consideran estancados. Son mercados muy maduros,
en los que innovación y la búsqueda de nuevos mercados más allá de sus fronteras será clave para
garantizar su crecimiento en el futuro. Por otro lado, están los llamados “países promesas”
(Indonesia, Rusia, Nigeria, Egipto y Kenia), aquellos que se enfrentan todavía a importantes retos,
with the NLA”.
pero dado que cuentan con un mercado interno de gran tamaño, representan una oportunidad de
inversión a tener en cuenta.
Unter Top-Sechs weltweit: Modehaus Garhammer in Paris ausgezeichnet
Passauer Neue Presse
01 October 2014
Das bekannte Modehaus Garhammer hat einen so guten internationalen Ruf, dass es mittlerweile
sogar den Sprung in die absolute Weltspitze geschafft hat. In Paris stand nun das Unternehmen aus
Waldkirchen im Blitzlichtgewitter, weil es bei den "World Retail Awards" als eines der sechs
weltbesten Häuser dieser Art ausgezeichnet worden ist. Dieser Art – das heißt in der Kategorie der
Unternehmen über 1200 Quadratmeter, die im vergangenen Jahr in großem Stil verschönert,
erweitert, angebaut und mit einer zukunftsweisenden Investition Ambiente und Design des Hauses
zum Wohle der Kunden vervollkommnet haben.
Mit dem 15-Millionen-Euro-Projekt und der Planung durch das Architekturbüro Blocher Blocher
Partners in Stuttgart hat die Inhaberfamilie nicht nur die immer größer werdende Kundenschar
überzeugt, sondern auch die Fachwelt. So hat es Anfang des Jahres schon seitens des
Handelsverbandes Deutschland (HDE) die Auszeichnung "Store of the Year" erhalten. Das
standorttreue Unternehmen in der Kleinstadt im Bayerischen Wald ist nun sogar bis in die Ebene der
ganz Großen weltweit aufgestiegen.
Ohne sich beworben zu haben, wurde das Unternehmen für den "World Retail Award" vorgesc hlagen,
so etwas wie der "Oscar" aus Welthandelsebene. Das "Fashion House Garhammer" hat zwar nicht
gewonnen. Der Sieg ging nach London. Aber es steht nun auf einer Ebene mit Unternehmen in Seoul,
Peking, Düsseldorf und Sydney.
Lower than expected figures spark fears of poor lead up to Christmas
The Courier Mail
01 October 2014
RETAILERS will have to work extra hard in the lead-up to Christmas with analysts warning the latest
disappointing sales figures could be a sign of things to come.
A sharp drop in department store sales saw Australian retail trade figures defy both analysts’
expectation and recent positive consumer sentiment to rise a mere 0.1 per cent.
TD Securities Asia-Pacific macro strategist Prashant Newnaha said analysts were expecting a 0.4 per
cent rise in August, similar to July’s result - with the fresh data now lifting market concern over
slowdown in retail sales growth.
“The analyst community was primed for a larger rise given the jump in consumer sentiment in August
and the run up in house prices that were expected to lift home related purchases,” he said.
He said the internal data showed consumers were content to eat out with cafes up 0.2 per cent and
food retailing up 0.3 per cent, while other retailing was up 1.6%.
“But most surprising,” he said, “was the 2.9 per cent drop in department store sales, driving the
weaker headline result.”
with the NLA”.
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed Queensland was the worst performer in seasonally
adjusted terms, falling 0.6 per cent, while the Northern Territory was best, up 1.7 per cent.
Analyst Kara Ordway of www.cityindex.com.au said given the School Kids bonus was paid in July, the
result had the potential to be higher, but was most likely weighed down by poor unemployment
forecasts and wage freezes.
The data pushed the Australian dollar down almost immediately to US86.63¢, but it had recovered
some ground last night and was trading just above US87¢.
“This might be a sign of things to come in what might be a difficult (fourth quarter) for the local
market,” she said.
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said the industry was hopeful
September figures will continue to see positive growth.
“It is imperative that the Federal Government and RBA do all that they can to ensure that retail trade
is fully supported. The festive season is also fast approaching and interest rates must remain low in
order to support business,” he said.
But while there was gloom locally over the numbers, at least one retailer was celebrating yesterday,
with John Winning from Winning Appliances seeing his internet offering Appliances Online beat major
international brands to score a World Retail Award in Paris.
The nine-year-old Appliances Online business took out the Best Customer Experience award ahead of
international brands like Harvey Nichols and Ampersand.
Mr Winning “couldn’t be happier” yesterday, crediting years of hard work for the company which
started with just a single rented truck to grow to over 250 staff, operating nationally with its own
fleet.
“For years, Australian online retailers have lagged behind our international counterparts however
Australia’s presence at this year’s awards highlights just how far we have come as an industry and
I’m proud that Appliances Online is helping lead the way,” Mr Winning said.
Mr Winning said his firm saw double-digit growth in August - defying the industry trend.
“Whilst it’s obvious that Australians are becoming more cautious about how they spend their dollars,
we’ve found that consumers are still willing to open their wallets for quality products and standout
customer service. Although retail sales for August fell short of analysts expectations, Appliances
Online continued to experience strong sales with double digit growth for August,” he said.
World Retail Congress: Fashion technology to change retail dynamics
Drapers
01 October 2014
The rapid escalation of fashion technology will have a huge impact on how we shop, with ideas from
other sectors such as gaming expected to filter through to retail.
with the NLA”.
Asos.com’s investment director Daniel Bobroff told delegates at the World Retail Congress: “We feel
fashion technology is very much at the beginning and the rate of change will accelerate. Technology
coming through from other sectors like gaming will have an untold, huge impact on how we consume
fashion online."
He used Oculus Rift headsets - virtual reality headsets designed for video games - as an example,
describing it as “one of the next platforms".
“Mobile telephones will be one of the last 2D platforms and the game [of online retailing] will change
again."
He said tech-wear should help retailers to get a better understanding of their target audience and aid
personalisation. But to be able to capitalise on the potential of new technologies retailers need to
focus on “entrepreneurial talent".
“That top talent has the ability to literally work wherever they like or for themselves, so if you want
them to work for you, you need to create a culture conducive to that so they feel they are able to
change the world in the way they want do."
To do this he said Asos.com has ‘skunkwork projects’ around the world where small teams work to
deliver innovation.
3D printing he said “has potential to change things if we can sell garment designs to be produced at
home"; although he said the limited use of materials currently available restricts its capabilities.
Nick Graham, who last year launched his own eponymous menswear label in the US, said: “3D
printing is a huge opportunity from a fashion point of view because to make prototypes takes an hour
or two and you can print on demand. It’s also additive manufacturing so there is no waste, so it’s
sustainable. 3D printing is enormous."
He said it would give customers much greater control of the retail market as they will be able to
bespoke and manage the production of items, while jewellery will be the first sector to benefit as
plastic is currently the easiest to produce.
Israeli textile manufacturer Delta Galil, which works with brands like Nike and Victoria’s Secret, has a
research and development mill in Israel to work on new fabrics. Chief executive Isaac Dabah said this
has resulted in a new cotton called ReLasting Cotton which allows it to retain its look after repeat
washes, which has been used on Victoria’s Secret bras.
He said developing new fabrics for the activewear market was now 30% of the company’s business.
It is working with Nike on new cotton fabrics that can better wick away sweat. “Through the
development of new fabrics we are able to gain more market share," he said. “Customers are willing
to pay for the added value [of these new products]."
World Retail Congress announces Award winners for 2014
Fashion United
01 October 2014
The winners of the World Retail Congress Awards were announced during the second day of the
three day annual gathering of retail industry members. Among the winners named were Swedish fastfashion chain H&M, Japanese apparel company Fast Retailing and British department store group,
John Lewis.
with the NLA”.
“We've had another fantastic shortlist of winners, and this year in particular they reflect how the retail
landscape is changing,” commented Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of the World Retail Congress. “The
diversity of entries and countries, and the level of innovation, reinforces the huge groundswell of
change in the global retail world.”
H&M was voted the 'International Retailer' of the year during the award ceremony, whilst Fast
Retailing, parent company of fashion labels such as Princesse Tam Tam and Uniqlo was given the
'Retailer of Year' award, and is said to be following in the footsteps of previous winners of the prize,
such as Inditex. John Lewis was named 'Omnichannel Retailer of the Year.'
South Korean department store group Lotte Shopping was given the CSR Initiative of the Year, after
the launch of its in-store rewards scheme which designed to encourage shoppers to purchase ecofriendly products. The winners of this year's award were selected by a team of 12 international CEO's,
which included Terry Duddy, Home Retail Group; Concetta Lanciaux, Lux Advisory; Gordon Campbell,
Spar International; Rick Darling, Li & Fung US; Richard Simonin, Limoni Group.
The World Retail Congress also revealed the winners of its global student competition, the Retail
Future's Challenge, who were asked to create an idea for a Samsung store of the future. Five teams
from leading fashion, design and technology colleges in New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and
Ancona were selected and the team of four from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology were
named the winners.
The winning team, Paula Cushman, Cassandra Napoli, Victoria Kulesza and Alison Rebozo, presented
their blueprint to over 1,000 retail executives gather in Paris for the 8th annual congress. “Once again
the standard of entries from these young students has been fantastic and their ideas for creating a
shop of the future are groundbreaking,” added McGarrigle. “The competition has grown to become
one of the high points of the Congress and it is inspiring to see these future leaders of retailing
setting out their ideas in front of an audience of retail professionals.”
World Retail Congress: John Lewis rules out international stores
Drapers
01 October 2014
John Lewis is to boost its omnichannel approach by launching a “suite" of mobile apps, including one
to support its Christmas advert, but the retailer has “no plans for world domination" through an
international store rollout.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris, Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis, said
the retailer will “never become complacent".
“The best brands are paranoid when on top of their game and I keep telling my team they have got
to do better. Brands that have done very well have been very profitable and haven’t kept thei r eye on
the ball. We won’t do that."
To ensure this, Street told delegates the department store would launch new apps before Christmas,
as mobile sales surged last festive season.
An updated version of the tablet-specific app will be launched ahead of Christmas and further
enhancements to the phone app are planned for 2015. An app will also be launched to support the
Christmas campaign, the focus of which will be on “interactivity and children’s imaginations".
with the NLA”.
To stay ahead of the game with omnichannel he added John Lewis had had to “go out and buy new
capability" as the retailer didn’t know what e-marketing and e-fulfilment (the arrangements necessary
for businesses to sell their products or services on the internet) meant a few years ago.
It is now investing £100m on a new e-fulfilment centre. IT investment will also be increased from
15% between 2009-13 to a projected 37% between 2014-18. “There has been a sea change in the
structure of the organisation and the ownership model has helped in that."
Street said that, unlike Tesco, John Lewis is “far from saturation" in the UK. “Tesco is a very
successful business, but it’s at saturation point in their home market. We only have 42 stores and we
want 65 for national coverage. We are far away from saturation."
On international expansion, Street said the business would not expand internationally and has “no
plans for world domination".
“We are not going to put a shop down internationally as the UK market is hot and we have one of the
most robust economies in the west. There’s no way we will take our eye off the ball, over my dead
body."
Speaking At World Retail Congress, Dr. Fung Predicts Higher Chinese Export Costs
Vending Times
01 October 2014
PARIS -- Prices of goods manufactured in China may rise dramatically in the coming years, according
to Dr. William Fung, chairman of the global sourcing company Li & Fung Ltd. (Hong Kong). Speaking
at the 8th annual World Retail Congress in Paris on Sept. 29, Fung projected that China will overtake
the U.S. as the world’s largest consumer society within 30 years. Of concern to companies that import
Chinese merchandise is Fung’s prediction that China’s minimum wage may rise by as much as 80% in
the next five years. Labor cost increases of that magnitude could affect the prices of everything from
bulk vending toys to redemption prizes, such as plush, jewelry and electronics. Labeling China’s
strategy as both “an opportunity and a threat,” Fung pointed out that the transformation has been
taking place since 2009. That was the year China began seeking to strengthen its economy by
stimulating greater domestic consumption as a second engine of growth. “For 30 years, China kept
consumer prices low, and people like us enjoyed very good margins,” Fung said. “When China starts
consuming -- and with India right behind it -- I predict a round of price increases and margin
squeezes.” The World Retail Congress is one of the world’s largest conferences for the retail industry's
senior-level decision-makers. This year’s event drew more than 1,500 registrants from 60 countries.
The Congress is organized by London's i2i Events Group.
Ricercatori Univpm presentano a Parigi il "negozio del futuro"
Ancona Today
01 October 2014
Ricercatori Univpm presentano a Parigi il "negozio del futuro"
„
Oggi, nella prestigiosa area finanziaria de “La Défence” a Parigi si è tenuto il “World Retail Congress”,
un meeting di livello mondiale dove i più importanti rivenditori di differenti settori si scambiano idee e
riflessioni per definire il futuro dei punti vendita e della loro interazione tra on line e off line, tra
mondo reale e web.
with the NLA”.
Nella sessione “The Future Retail Challange”, il gruppo di ricerca dell’Università Politecnica delle
Marche (selezionato insieme ad altri 4 atenei a livello mondiale per la migliore idea) propone lo
studio per uno store tecnologico e intelligente, in grado di fornire soluzioni a consumatori sempre più
evoluti. Un negozio del futuro che cambia in relazione alla comunità di utenti che lo popolano, alle
loro scelte: non più un punto vendita statico ma in continuo cambiamento. Idee innovative proposte a
Samsung, sponsor di questa iniziativa.
La sfida ha visto protagonisti alcuni studenti di dottorato di Ingegneria e Economia (Marco Contigiani,
Roberto Pierdicca, Marco Curreli e Silvia Borroni) coordinati dal Prof. Emanuele Frontoni e dal Prof.
Silvio Cardinali, che hanno conquistato con un nuovo concetto di negozio del futuro un posto in
questa finale internazionale. Erano presenti per questo confronto finale il Fashon Institute of
Technology di New York, la Politechnique University of Hong Kong, la Fashon Retail Academy di
Londra, Keio University di Tokyo e per l’Italia l’Università Politecnica delle Marche. Partner ufficiale
dell’Università Politecnica delle Marche per questa iniziativa è stata l’azienda marchigiana Grottini
Retail Environment di Porto Recanati.
Nel corso dell’evento sono state analizzate nel dettaglio le nuove tecnologie a supporto del retailer per
migliorare l’ esperienza del consumatore nei punti vendita, per affinare lo sviluppo dei prodotti e per
monitorare il cambiamento dei consumatori giorno dopo giorno. Il mercato, così come la vendita dei
prodotti sta ormai dirigendosi verso una esperienza utente multicanale, dove l’acquisto del prodotto
assume diverse forme e dove l’intelligenza artificiale dovrà svolgere un ruolo fondamentale per
rendere l’acquisto del prodotto sempre più facile.
Un forte messaggio per incentivare la collaborazione tra impresa e Università, dove ricerca scientifica,
innovazione e mercato possano incontrarsi, anche in importanti vetrine globali come quella del World
Retail Congress 2014 a Parigi.
John Lewis rules out international stores
The Telegraph
01 October 2014
John Lewis will not open stores outside the UK, its managing director Andy Street has said,
dampening speculation about its global expansion plans.
The department store chain has faced constant questions about whether it will expand outside
Britain, but Mr Street has ruled out opening international stores.
Speaking at World Retail Congress in Paris, Mr Street said there are “no plans for world domination”
as John Lewis focuses on the UK.
The John Lewis boss said the UK market was undergoing "tremendous change" and the retailer needs
to focus on investing in new technologies and its existing stores.
The comments from Mr Street echo the view of the chief executive of J Sainsbury, Mike Coupe, who
said that food retailing has "changed more rapidly in the last three to six months than anytime in my
thirty years in the industry".
Mr Street said that John Lewis, which has 42 stores in the UK, is still "far from saturation", unlike
Tesco, the country's biggest retailer.
with the NLA”.
“We are not going to put a shop down internationally as the UK market is hot and we have one of the
most robust economies in the west," he said. "There’s no way we will take our eye off the ball - over
my dead body.”
John Lewis is preparing to almost double in size over the next decade in the UK. The company is also
selling its products through department stores in South Korea, and plans to launch foreign-language
websites.
By 2023, Mr Street said that John Lewis is likely to have 65 stores, with annual revenues increasing
from approximately £4bn at present to £7bn.
John Lewis has opened stores at Heathrow Airport and in York this year.
It is also developing its online and mobile applications, with plans to launch new services by the end
of the year.
UK grocers not able to cut prices much more – Ocado CEO
Euronews
01 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) – British online grocer Ocado does not see much room for major food retailers to cut
their prices further even as they battle to stop discounters stealing market share, its chief executive
said on Wednesday.
Britain’s traditional “big four” grocers have been losing shoppers to German discounters Aldi
[ALDIEI.UL] and Lidl [LIDUK.UL] in recent years and are also suffering from a shift from out-of-town
boxes to local convenience stores and online.
Tim Steiner said Ocado – which has seen its margins squeezed by fierce price competition just like
traditional UK players – has been a beneficiary of the structural changes in the market and expects
that to continue.
“Pricing is under pressure at the moment because people are competing for sales, but with the falling
profitability we are already seeing due to sales coming out of the big box stores, there is not far they
can go,” Steiner told Reuters in an interview at the World Retail Congress in Paris.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have all cut prices, squeezing margins. Market leader Tesco
has warned on profits three times in two months and is now embroiled in an accounting scandal,
while Morrisons warned on profits in March.
Analysts expect new Tesco boss Dave Lewis to cut prices further to bolster its flagging trade, but
Steiner said he did not have much room given the group’s falling profitability.
“Tesco is not a 6-7 percent of sales profit company that can reduce that to 3-4,” he said.
“How far are they going to go on this unless they can change this trend? At the moment it is not
Tesco’s losing out to Sainsbury’s or losing out to Morrisons. It is the format that is losing out.”
Industry operating margins have come down to an average of about 1.6 percent in the last twelve
months from 4.1 percent in the previous five years.
with the NLA”.
Britain’s online grocery market is growing at around 15 percent a year, far outpacing the broader
market, and while it still accounts for only about 5 percent of total grocery sales, industry group IGD
sees it more than doubling in value over the next five years to 17 billion pounds.
SITTING DUCKS?
Ocado saw the growth of gross retail sales accelerate to 15.5 percent in its fiscal third quarter even
after Tesco cut the delivery price for its online grocery orders.
“We’re benefiting from continual investment in our customer proposition, whether that is in range,
pricing or the service levels,” Steiner said.
By contrast, Sainsbury’s reported on Wednesday that tough competition dampened its online grocery
sales growth to around 7 percent in its fiscal second quarter to Sept. 27 as it cut its annual sales
forecast and said it would review its dividend.
Ocado has not yet made an annual pretax profit since it was founded in 2000 but is forecast to do so
for its 2013-14 financial year. It has seen its share price fall more than 40 percent this year on
concerns about the UK market and doubts around its hopes for an international partnership to
replicate a deal with Morrisons to provide its online grocery service.
Ocado, whose range includes products supplied by upmarket grocer Waitrose [JLP.UL], hopes that
the smaller design of a new distribution centre it plans to open at the end of 2015 will provide a
model for deals with overseas retailers.
Steiner said he was talking to many international retailers and hopes to say more next year about
who it will work with next.
“People don’t want to be sitting ducks waiting for Amazon to finally work it out and come and kill
them. They need to prepare for the change that is coming and we’re here to help them do that.”
Ocado boss Steiner: Online will account for 40% of grocery sales in next 10 years
Retail Week
01 October 2014
Ocado boss Tim Steiner believes online will account for 40% of grocery sales in the next 10 years a nd
said it will not be expanding its food business overseas.
Steiner said improvements in connectivity would propel online sales in the future. He said: “I can’t
imagine how amazing our devices are going to be in 10 years’ time. It could easily be the single
biggest channel.”
Meanwhile, he ruled out taking Ocado overseas and will instead concentrate on rolling out his
platform with international retailers.
He insisted that grocery retail was “a regional, not a global business”. He pointed out that big
suppliers like Nestle or Proctor and Gamble have a dominant market share in over 200 countries
worldwide while the world’s largest grocer Walmart is only present in 30 countries and is not the
market leader in all of them.
with the NLA”.
Steiner, a speaker at the World Retail Congress, said: “Going overseas as Ocado, we would have to
find, source and build up buying power and use all advantages in our technology to subsidise that
buying power. Whereas, if we team up as a platform provider to an existing grocer, the combine d
business has far more chance of being massively successful.”
“Even though we effectively end up with less retention of profit than if we owned the business, we
make more money as we do it with a greater scale because we have not only the best tech but s cale
and presence.”
Meanwhile, Steiner refuted Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe’s claims that the pace of change in grocery
had been extraordinary in the last three to six months and insisted it was not “very dramatic”.
Coupe today unveiled a 2.8% like-for-like sales fall in Sainsbury’s second quarter.
Steiner said: “The change is ongoing. There’s a channel shift to online and there’s a format shift to
discounters and convenience. Margins are slightly weaker than a year ago. I don’t think it’s very
dramatic.”
“There seems to be more change at the top of these organisations and the change that has been
going on for some time seems to be impacting those retailers in a much bigger way than ever
before.”
Steiner also said pressure on underperforming supermarkets could further hinder them.
He said: “Those companies are going to face unprecedented change at a much faster pace than they
realise because there are outside influences that affect the way you behave when you’re in this form.
You start to look at balance sheets and banking facilities.”
UK grocers not able to cut prices much more - Ocado CEO
Interactive Investor
01 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - British online grocer Ocado does not see much room for major food retailers to cut
said on Wednesday.
Britain's traditional "big four" grocers have been losing shoppers to German discounters Aldi
Tim Steiner said Ocado - which has seen its margins squeezed by fierce price competition just like
traditional UK players - has been a beneficiary of the structural changes in the market and expects
that to continue.
"Pricing is under pressure at the moment because people are competing for sales, but with the falling
can go," Steiner told Reuters in an interview at the World Retail Congress in Paris.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons have all cut prices, squeezing margins. Market leader Tesco
with the NLA”.
Steiner said he did not have much room given the group's falling profitability.
"Tesco is not a 6-7 percent of sales profit company that can reduce that to 3-4," he said.
"How far are they going to go on this unless they can change this trend? At the moment it is not
Tesco's losing out to Sainsbury's or losing out to Morrisons. It is the format that is losing out."
Britain's online grocery market is growing at around 15 percent a year, far outpacing the broader
SITTING DUCKS?
"We're benefiting from continual investment in our customer proposition, whether that is in range,
pricing or the service levels," Steiner said.
By contrast, Sainsbury's reported on Wednesday that tough competition dampened its online grocery
"People don't want to be sitting ducks waiting for Amazon to finally work it out and come and kill
them. They need to prepare for the change that is coming and we're here to help them do that."
Tesco eyes sale of Blinkbox TV and film service
The Grocer
01 October 2014
with the NLA”.
France's Leclerc invests to counter tough times
Mail Online
01 October 2014
PARIS, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Leclerc, France's second-largest retailer by market share, plans to spend 1.2
billion euros ($1.5 billion) to renovate its hypermarkets and beef up its click and collect service even
as the outlook for consumer spending remains poor.
with the NLA”.
Leclerc said that as of Sept. 15 his group had achieved revenue growth of 2 percent year -on-year. He
at record highs above 10 percent and economic growth stalling, consumer confidence was unchanged
July and August.
and then collect their purchases at distribution points. It currently has 530 such locations and wants
quarter."
year-on-year.
ground.
he said.
with the NLA”.
UK grocers not able to cut prices much more - Ocado CEO
Yahoo! News
01 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - British online grocer Ocado does not see much room for major food retailers to cut
said on Wednesday.
Britain's traditional "big four" grocers have been losing shoppers to German discounters Aldi
Tim Steiner said Ocado - which has seen its margins squeezed by fierce price competition just like
traditional UK players - has been a beneficiary of the structural changes in the market and expects
that to continue.
"Pricing is under pressure at the moment because people are competing for sales, but with the falling
can go," Steiner told Reuters in an interview at the World Retail Congress in Paris.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons have all cut prices, squeezing margins. Market leade r Tesco
Steiner said he did not have much room given the group's falling profitability.
"Tesco is not a 6-7 percent of sales profit company that can reduce that to 3-4," he said.
"How far are they going to go on this unless they can change this trend? At the moment it is not
Tesco's losing out to Sainsbury's or losing out to Morrisons. It is the format that is losing out."
Britain's online grocery market is growing at around 15 percent a year, far outpacing the broader
SITTING DUCKS?
with the NLA”.
"We're benefiting from continual investment in our customer proposition, whether that is in range,
pricing or the service levels," Steiner said.
By contrast, Sainsbury's reported on Wednesday that tough competition dampened its online grocery
"People don't want to be sitting ducks waiting for Amazon to finally work it out and come and kill
them. They need to prepare for the change that is coming and we're here to help them do that."
Spotlight on Aussie retailer
Inside Retail
01 October 2014
Australian online retailer, Appliances Online, has won the award for Customer Experience of the Year,
at the World Retail Awards gala held in Paris.
Five Australian retail businesses were named among the finalist of the The World Retail Congress
2014 World Retail Awards, including Appliances Online, Catch of the Day, Clearly (The General Store),
Winning Appliances, and Move, with Appliances Online in the running for two awards.
Appliances Online was recognised in the categories of Customer Experience of the Year and Pure Play
Retailer of the Year; Catch of the Day for Pure Play Retailer of the Year; Clearly (The General Store),
for Store Design under 12,000sqm; Winning Appliances’ Redfern flagship for Store Design over
1200sqm; and Move for Best New Retail Concept.
John Winning, CEO and Founder of Appliances Online, said the award solidifies years of hard work
from his team while also highlighting that Australian retailers are amongst some of the best in the
world.
“The foundation of our business centres around providing exceptional service so being acknowledged
with 2014’s Best Customer Experience award is an incredible honour for our team.
“It’s great to see Australian retailers representing our nation at the awards. For years, Australian
online retailers have lagged behind our international counterparts however Australia’s presence at this
year’s awards highlights just how far we have come as an industry and I’m proud that Appliances
Online is helping lead the way,” Winning said.
with the NLA”.
Now in their eighth year, the World Retail Awards are recognised as a showcase for retail excellence
and attract entries from hundreds of retailers from more than 50 countries across the world.
Swedish multinational fashion chain H&M was named International Retailer of the year.
Fast Retailing, the Japanese retail group behind brands such as Uniqlo, Comptoir des cotonniers, and
Princesse Tam Tam, scooped the award for Retailer of the Year.
The accolade comes shortly after its announcement of Uniqlo’s plans for major expansion of its
kidswear line.
The group follows in the footsteps of prestigious past winners including Whole Foods and Inditex.
Two of the UK’s biggest names won awards, with John Lewis named Omnichannel Retailer of the
Year, and Sainsbury’s winning the award for best advertising campaign of the year for its ‘Christmas
in a Day’.
South Korea’s department store group, Lotte Shopping, won CSR Initiative of the Year, following the
launch of its rewards scheme to encourage customers to buy eco-friendly products.
Ian McGarrigle, chairman of the World Retail Congress, said there was a fantastic shortlist of winners.
“This year in particular they reflect how the retail landscape is changing. The diversity of entries and
countries, and the level of innovation, reinforces the huge groundswell of change in the global retail
world.”
More than 500 senior figures from the global retail industry gathered at the Salle Wagram in Paris for
the awards ceremony.
The award winners are decided by a team of 12 Global CEO’s.
This year’s judges included Terry Duddy, Home Retail Group; Concetta Lanciaux, Lux Advisory;
Gordon Campbell, Spar International; Rick Darling, Li & Fung US; Richard Simonin, Limoni Group.
H&M named International Retailer of the Year at World Retail Awards
Marianne Wilson
Chain Store Age
01 October 2014
New York -- Swedish fast-fashion chain H&M was named “International Retailer of the Year” at the
8th annual World Retail Awards dinner in Paris. The awards were presented during the World Retail
Congress, which is being held this week in Paris.
Fast Retailing, the Japanese parent company of Uniqlo and other brands, was named “Retailer of the
Year.”
In other awards, the United Kingdom’s John Lewis was named “Omnichannel Retailer of the Year.”
Sainsbury’s won the award for the best advertising campaign of the year for its ‘Christmas in a Day.’
South Korea’s department store group Lotte Shopping won CSR Initiative of the Year, following the
launch of its rewards scheme to encourage customers to buy eco-friendly products.
with the NLA”.
Pebble smartwatches to ripple UK and Benelux market
CRN
Fleur Doidge
01 October 2014
Widget UK expands wearables offering across Europe in time for Christmas
Consumer peripherals specialist Widget UK has announced distribution contracts to supply
smartwatches made by Pebble to retailers and resellers in the UK and across Benelux.
The deal, via Widget's Eindhoven, Netherlands-based associate company Now Mobile, will make
Pebble Steel smartwatches for iOS and Android, as well as the original Pebble, available immediately.
Mark Needham (pictured), founder and chairman of Stevenage-based Widget UK, said wearables
could provide strong retail sales this Christmas.
"I'm in Paris this week at the World Retail Congress, and it seems that wearable technology has been
mentioned in most speeches," he said. "The Pebble range is wearable technology which is available
now."
Kristen Regelein, head of global sales at US -based Pebble, said: "Pebble's been growing tremendously
this past year."
"Healthy preorders" had been made via a number of launch partners, including Amazon UK, Dixons
Carphone, O2, and Firebox in the UK, as well as Coolblue, MediaMarkt and Wehkamp in the
Netherlands.
Three Key Themes from World Retail Congress 2014
Angela Rumsey
WGSN
01 October 2014
With a central theme of disruption, the World Retail Congress in Paris this week has explored the
challenges and opportunities in a new retail landscape where, to quote National Retail Federation
chairman Steve Sadove, “the old rules no longer apply”.
Retailers have recognised the need to embrace these disruptions and are shaping their organisations
to meet these head on. Leadership has emerged as a key theme – with senior executives stressing
the importance of a leadership structure that is open enough to accept new ideas and flexible enough
to go against the grain.
Much of the change to retail is being driven through by millennials – another focus of WRC2014.
Having a best-practice omnichannel strategy is therefore a must if retailers are to leverage the
searing potential of mobile. But keeping cyber security tightly controlled at the same time is crucial if
with the NLA”.
retailers are to ensure trust and many are looking several years down the line to see where safety
and security technology developments are going next.
The booming consumption markets of China and India are expected to add another 1 billion middle
class consumers to the world within 30 years, representing a huge retail opportunity. At this year’s
WRC the focus is very much on understanding the travelling consumer from these markets, especially
the more than 100 million Chinese who travel.
Working hard to make stores appealing for them is nothing new for Western luxury retailers, but
judging by speakers comments, those efforts can be expected to be strengthened even further to
drive topline growth.
We’ll never knowingly overhype again, vows John Lewis
thetimes.co.uk
Andrew Clark
02 October
It was a touching story of a hare rousing a sleepy bear to enjoy snowy festivities. However, John
Lewis irritated many consumers last year by overhyping its Christmas advertisement according to the
chain’s boss.
In a frank admission, Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis, said it had been a mistake to
launch the ad with a glitzy showing at a West End cinema.
Referring to reaction on social media, Mr Street said the vast majority of feedback had been positive
but some felt John Lewis had gone over the top: “What people basically said, and I feel embarrassed
saying this, is that this brand might be getting a bit too big for its boots.”
The £7 million advertisement initially aired by taking up an entire commercial break during a Saturday
night episode of The X Factor. The talent show’s presenter, Simon Cowell, had to adjust the
program’s production schedule to accommodate the launch.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris, Mr Street said: “We had a West End London cinema
screening to launch our advert and people said: ‘I’m not quite sure about this — after all, you are just
a shop — please don’t get above your station.’ And it was fair. So you will see a much more modest
approach to our Christmas activities this year.”
Addressing an audience of hundreds of fellow retail executives, Mr Street said he was confident that
John Lewis’s adoption of digital retailing would put the company in good stead against pure -play
online rivals. “I’m very confident that we will see traditional retailers trump online -only rivals this
Christmas,” he said.
However, he did concede one weakness , accepting that John Lewis’s smartphone app is not good
enough.
“I don’t like the fact that Debenhams are better than us [at retailing via smartphones]," said Mr
Street, who cited, in particular, a beauty app developed by the rival chain.
Mr Street also leant his voice to criticism of Tesco, saying the supermarket chain had reached
“saturation” point in Britain by opening too many stores. He said inflation in food prices had
supported the chain until recently but a price war had left Tesco dangerously exposed.
with the NLA”.
“Anyone who’s observed British retail over the last few years knows brands that have done very well
and been incredibly profitable have, frankly, got fat and they’ve not kept their eye on the ball,” said
Mr Street. “Tesco is a huge, wonderfully successful business and still very profitable business but they
are probably at saturation in their home market.”
We’ll never knowingly overhype again, vows John Lewis boss
The Times
02 October 2014
with the NLA”.
The UK is ‘hot’ for John Lewis, says boss
The Telegraph
02 October 2014
World Retail Congress: 2014 World Retail Awards Winners
Europe Real Estate
02 October 2014
The standard of 2014 World Retail Award entries was exceptional, under lining the scale of innovation
and creativity within the retail industry.
Congratulations to this year’s World Retail Awards winners.
View the winners per category below:
International Retailer of the Year
Sponsored by MasterCard
2014 Winner: H&M
With a truly global concept, our judges chose this year’s winner for its wide-ranging growth
strategies. H&M has not only opened strongly in a huge number of markets but is one of the few to
open in both the southern and northern hemispheres, said our judges, who praised it for innovating
and maintaining a strong financial performance, and opening new concepts.
Retailer of the Year
Sponsored by IBM
2014 Winner: Fast Retailing
Growth and execution were two of the reasons why our judges chose this category winner. Fast
Retailing has backed its ambitious expansion objectives with very impressive sales growth but the
judges also liked that it has demonstrated itself a very human face through both its store
with the NLA”.
environments and staff engagement. The mix of quality and price made for a compelling offer, said
the judges.
Outstanding Leadership Award
Sponsored by CT Partners
2014 Winner: Natalie Massenet & Mark Sebba, THE NET-A-PORTER GROUP
In a break with precedent, the special “Outstanding Leadership” Award for 2014 was presented jointly
to Natalie and Mark in recognition of their exceptional skills and vision in creating NET -APORTER.COM, the world’s premier online luxury retailer, THE OUTNET.COM, the most fashionable
fashion outlet, and MR PORTER, the online retail destination for men’s style. All previous winners
have been individuals, but it was felt that the partnership between Natalie and Mark justified this joint
award.
Retail Transformation and Reinvention Award
Sponsored by Boston Consulting Group
2014 Winner: Starbucks
This retail transformation strategy went to the core of the brand, said the judges of our winner. The
judges were impressed with what they described as the agility and speed with which Starbucks
reacted to changing market conditions and its approach embraced both human and technology
facets, with an approach which went to the heart of making its concept relevant.
Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Decathlon, Ocado and Sainsbury's
Retail Week
02 October 2014
Retail news round-up on October 2, 2014: Decathlon to trial smaller store format; Ocado boss Steiner
predicts online will acount for 40% of grocery sales in ten years; and supermarket shares hit 11-year
low.
Decathlon eyes small stores for UK expansion
Decathlon is on a growth drive across the UK with plans to trial smaller stores and click-and-collect
points.
The big box value sports retailer, which trades from giant shops of up to 50,000 sq ft on retail parks,
has been in discussions about trialling a handful of 10,000 sq ft stores.
It is thought Decathlon has found it hard to roll out across the UK due to the lack of suitably large
locations, and it hopes the smaller size will help it speed up its rate of expansion and enable it to
open in and around big metropolitan cities.
Online to account for 40% of grocery sales in 10 years, says Steiner
Ocado boss Tim Steiner believes online will account for 40% of grocery sales in the next 10 years.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress, Steiner said improvements in connectivity would propel online
sales in the future. He said: “I can’t imagine how amazing our devices are going to be in 10 years’
time. It could easily be the single biggest channel.”
with the NLA”.
Supermarket shares hit 11-year low
The supermarket sector is in turmoil after the three largest listed grocers’ shares all hit decade lows,
reports The Independent.
Sainsbury’s sank 7% to 234p – an 11-year low; Morrisons dropped 5% to 159.9p – a 14-year low;
and Tesco fell 3.2% to 180.2p – an 11-year low.
The fall came as Sainsbury’s admitted its sales are unlikely to rise this year for the first time in 10
years, while the Financial Conduct Authority has started a formal investigation into Tesco overstating
its profits by £250m.
Ocado boss Steiner: Online will account for 40% of grocery sales in next 10 years
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Magazine
02 October 2014
Ocado boss Tim Steiner believes online will account for 40% of grocery sales in the next 10 years and
said it will not be expanding its food business overseas.
According to Retail Week, Steiner said improvements in connectivity would propel online sales in the
future. He said: “I can’t imagine how amazing our devices are going to be in 10 years’ time. It could
easily be the single biggest channel.”
He insisted that grocery retail was “a regional, not a global business”. He pointed out that big
suppliers like Nestle or Proctor and Gamble have a dominant market share in over 200 countries
worldwide while the world’s largest grocer Walmart is only present in 30 countries and is not the
market leader in all of them.
Steiner, a speaker at the World Retail Congress, said: “Going overseas as Ocado, we would have to
find, source and build up buying power and use all advantages in our technology to subsidise that
buying power. Whereas, if we team up as a platform provider to an existing grocer, the combined
business has far more chance of being massively successful.”
“Even though we effectively end up with less retention of profit than if we owned the business, we
make more money as we do it with a greater scale because we have not only the best tech but scale
and presence.”
Mobile app index to launch by MasterCard
Mobile Commerce Press
02 October 2014
The credit card giant recently announced the beginning of a massive database for mapping available
applications.
with the NLA”.
MasterCard unveiled its intentions at the World Retail Congress to begin a Europe -wide mobile app
index that will map all of the shopping applications that are publicly available in Europe.
The name of this effort will be the Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard.
The purpose of this mobile app index will be to help to identify some of the best shopping
applications that are available throughout the diverse European marketplaces. It is also meant to help
to pinpoint some of the ways in which consumers in that part of the world are adopting and using
their smartphone and tablet technologies as the shop while they are on the go. The top mobile
commerce apps in Europe will be broken down into twenty different categories and are going to be
announced next March at the Mobile World Congress.
The company hopes that its mobile app index will help to highlight some of the winning solutions out
there.
mobile apps - mastercardAccording to the MasterCard Europe president, Javier Perez, it has never
been easier to purchase products and services through the use of mobile devices, “as innovation goes
hand in hand with growing consumer demand.” He went on to explain that “MasterCard is a
technology company connecting banks, retailers and consumers. Our Mobile Top App Index will
highlight the most outstanding solutions in the mobile shopping app arena for the benefit of European
consumers and retailers.”
The ratings in the index will be applied to mobile commerce apps across thirty six different countries
in Europe. This will be the result of the efforts of a dedicated team of experts from the company, in
conjunction with Associate Professor (Reader) in Digital Innovation, Dr. Carsten Sørensen, from the
London School of Economics and Political Science. Dr. Sørensen stated that the great diversity in mcommerce applications “fundamentally changes the way people think about their tasks.”
Dr. Sørensen also added that since shopping is among the activities that device users do quite
regularly, this new index could potentially assist consumers in being able to find exactly the mobile
app they require and it will become a driver for the industry as a whole.
Όλες οι διαθέσιμες εφαρμογ ές στην Ευρώπη γ ια αγ ορές μέσω κινητού στον νέο
πανευρωπαϊκό δείκτη της MasterCard.
EKAI.gr
02 October 2014
Το λανσάρισμα του πανευρωπαϊκού δείκτη που θα καταγράφει όλες τις διαθέσιμες εφαρμογές για
αγορές μέσω κινητού στην Ευρώπη με την ονομασία Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard
ανακοίνωσε κατά τη διάρκεια του World Retail Congress η MasterCard.
Ο Δείκτης θα καταγράψει και θα βαθμολογήσει τις καλύτερες εφαρμογές κινητών σε 36 ευρωπαϊκές
αγορές και θα δώσει στοιχεία για τον τρόπο που οι καταναλωτές χρησιμοποιούν την κινητή τεχνολογία
για αγορές on the go. Oι καλύτερες εφαρμογές κινητών για αγορές στην Ευρώπη, σε 20 κατηγορίες,
θα ανακοινωθούν στο Mobile World Congress το Μάρτιο του 2015.
«Καθώς η καινοτομία πηγαίνει χέρι-χέρι με την ολοένα αυξανόμενη καταναλωτική ζήτηση, ποτέ
άλλοτε δεν ήταν ευκολότερο να ψωνίζουμε με το κινητό μας. Ο δείκτης Mobile Top App θα ξεχωρίσει
από το σύνολο των εφαρμογών τις καλύτερες λύσεις για αγορές μέσω κινητού, προς όφελος των
ευρωπαίων καταναλωτών και εμπόρων λιανικής. Ας μην ξεχνάμε ότι η MasterCard είναι εταιρεία
with the NLA”.
τεχνολογίας που συνδέει τις τράπεζες, τους λιανέμπορους και τους καταναλωτές», σχολίασε ο Javier
Perez, Πρόεδρος της MasterCard Ευρώπης.
Αναλυτικότερα, μια ομάδα ειδικών της MasterCard, σε στενή συνεργασία με τον Dr. Carsten
Sørensen, Συνεργάτη Καθηγητή Ψηφιακής Καινοτομίας στο London School of Economics and Political
Science, θα αξιολογήσουν τις εφαρμογές. Ο Dr. Carsten Sørensen σχολίασε τα εξής: «Η ποικιλία των
διαθέσιμων εφαρμογών για smartphones αλλάζει ριζικά τον τρόπο που οι άνθρωποι σκέφτονται όσα
κάνουν καθημερινά. Οι στενές σχέσεις που οι άνθρωποι έχουν με τα smartphones τους δημιουργεί την
ανάγκη για καινοτόμες εφαρμογές (apps) υψηλής ποιότητας. Καθώς οι αγορές είναι κάτι που κάνουμε
καθημερινά, ο Top App Index της MasterCard έχει τη δυνατότητα να βοηθήσει τους καταναλωτές να
βρουν την εφαρμογή (αpp) για αγορές που χρειάζονται και που θα δράσει ως καταλύτης για όλη τη
βιομηχανία».
ΧΡΗΣΗ ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΩΝ ΚΙΝΗΤΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΑΓΟΡΕΣ
Πριν το λανσάρισμα του Δείκτη Μobile Top App από τη MasterCard, διεξήχθη έρευνα κατά την οποία
οι καταναλωτές ερωτήθηκαν σχετικά με τον τρόπο που χρησιμοποιούν τώρα τις εφαρμογές των
κινητών τους για τις αγορές τους.
• Περισσότεροι από τους μισούς Ευρωπαίους χρήστες smartphone έχουν ήδη εγκαταστήσει στο
κινητό τους εφαρμογές για αγορές, ενώ το 56% αυτών των καταναλωτών χρησιμοποιεί αυτές τις
εφαρμογές τακτικά. Το 38% των Ευρωπαίων χρηστών smartphone είπαν ότι σκοπεύουν να
χρησιμοποιήσουν εφαρμογές κινητών για αγορές μέσα στους επόμενους 12 μήνες.
• Οι πιο δημοφιλείς εφαρμογές για αγορές είναι εκείνες που επιτρέπουν τα mobile top ups και βοηθούν
τους χρήστες να επιλέξουν και να αγοράσουν ποικίλο περιεχόμενο από τα Μέσα. Η αγορά on the go
προϊόντων μόδας ή ομορφιάς καθώς και εισιτηρίων για ψυχαγωγία, γίνεται επίσης πολύ δημοφιλής.
Περίπου το 30% των χρηστών που χρησιμοποιούν τακτικά εφαρμογές δήλωσε ότι έχει χρησιμοποιήσει
τέτοιες υπηρεσίες.
• Αν και η ασφάλεια παραμένει η κεντρική ανησυχία για τους αγοραστές μέσω κινητού, η έρευνα
αποκάλυψε επίσης ότι αν οι καταναλωτές νιώσουν ότι οι αγορές μέσω της εφαρμογής στο κινητό τους
«εξοικονομεί» χρήματα ή τους διευκολύνει, το 60% θα έκανε αγορές ευχαρίστως μέσα από μια
εφαρμογή κινητού πιο συχνά.
Ο Chris Kangas, Επικεφαλής των Ανέπαφων Συναλλαγών της ΜasterCard για την Ευρώπη, δήλωσε:
«Γνωρίζουμε ότι ένα σημαντικό μέρος των αγορών που πραγματοποιούν οι καταναλωτές γίνεται μέσω
κινητού. Υπάρχουν εξαιρετικές εφαρμογές από πολλούς λιανέμπορους στην Ευρώπη, όμως είναι πολύ
δύσκολο να εντοπίσεις τις καλύτερες, λόγω των διαφορετικών αγορών και γλωσσών. Είμαι
πεπεισμένος ότι μέχρις ότου ολοκληρώσουμε τον Δείκτη, το Μάρτιο του 2015, θα είμαστε σε θέση να
εντοπίσουμε τις πιο καινοτόμες εφαρμογές για αγορές στην Ευρώπη και να μοιραστούμε τις πολύτιμες
πληροφορίες μας σχετικά με την αγορά των εφαρμογών κινητών τηλεφώνων για αγορές».
Nakupovanje v gibanju?
Racunalniske novice
02 October 2014
Družba MasterCard bo ugotavljala, kako pametni telefon vpliva na nakupovalno izkušnjo Evropejcev.
Na konferenci World Retail Congress, ki se je začela pretekli torek, je družba MasterCard objavila
pričetek edinstvenega vseevropskega indeksa za prikaz vseh javno dostopnih mobilnih nakupovalnih
aplikacij v Evropi pod imenom Mobile Top App Index by MasterCard. Namen indeksa je najti najboljše
with the NLA”.
nakupovalne aplikacije na raznolikih evropskih tržiščih in razkriti, kako potrošniki sprejemajo mobilno
tehnologijo ko nakupujejo v gibanju. Najboljše mobilne nakupovalne aplikacije v Evropi v 20
kategorijah bodo marca 2015 objavljene na Svetovnem mobilnem kongresu.
»Glede na to, da gre inovacija z roko v roki z vedno večjim povpraševanjem potrošnikov, naša
zmožnost nakupovanja z mobilno napravo še nikoli ni bila lažja. MasterCard je tehnološko podjetje, ki
povezuje banke, prodajalce in potrošnike. Naš Mobile Top App Index bo poudaril najbolj izjemne
rešitve na področju mobilnih nakupovalnih aplikacij in to v korist evropskih potrošnikov in
prodajalcev,« je dejal Javier Perez, predsednik MasterCard Europe.
Indeks bo ocenil vse mobilne aplikacije v 36 evropskih državah. Aplikacije ocenjuje predana ekipa
MasterCardovih strokovnjakov v tesnem sodelovanju z dr. Carstenom Sørensenom, izrednim
profesorjem za digitalne inovacije na Londonski šoli za ekonomske in politične znanosti (London
School of Economics and Political Science). Dr. Carsten Sørensen je dejal: »Raznolikost razpoložljivih
aplikacij za pametne telefone temeljito spreminja način s katerim ljudje razmišljajo o svojih
zadolžitvah, in tesna razmerja, ki jih ljudje kujejo s svojimi pametnimi telefoni, ustvarjajo potrebo po
visokokakovostnih inovativnih aplikacijah. Ker je nakupovanje ena tistih stvari, ki jih počnemo vsa k
dan, ima MasterCardov Top App Index potencial, da potrošnikom pomaga najti nakupovalno
aplikacijo, ki jo potrebujejo in, ki bo delovala kot katalizator za celotno industrijo.«
Pred lansiranjem Mobile Top App Index družbe MasterCard je bila izvedena raziskava [1] s katero so
potrošnike spraševali o njihovem načinu uporabe mobilnih aplikacij za nakupovanje.
•Več kot polovica evropskih uporabnikov pametnega telefona je na svoje telefone že naložila
nakupovalne aplikacije, medtem ko 56 % teh potrošnikov takšne aplikacije tudi redno uporablja. 38%
evropskih uporabnikov pametnih telefonov je dejalo, da nameravajo uporabljati mobilne aplikacije za
nakupovanje v naslednjih 12 mesecih.
•Najbolj priljubljene nakupovalne aplikacije so tiste, ki omogočajo polnjenje računa in uporabnikom
pomagajo izbrati in kupovati različne medijske vsebine. Kupovanje modnih ali lepotih izdelkov ter tudi
vstopnic za zabavne dogodke v gibanju prav tako postaja vedno bolj priljubljeno. Okrog 30% rednih
uporabnikov aplikacij je dejalo, da so uporabljali te opcije.
•Medtem ko varnost ostaja poglavitna skrb za mobilne nakupovalce, je anketa prav tako razkrila, da
bi 60 % potrošnikov prek mobilne aplikacije z veseljem kupovalo še pogosteje, če bi na ta način
prihranili denar in se izognili morebitnim nevšečnostim.
Vente-Privée krijgt voor tweede keer retailprijs
Fashion United
02 October 2014
De Franse besloten online shoppingcommunity Vente-Privée is voor de tweede keer op rij verkozen
tot 'Pure player of the year'. De prijs, die wordt uitgereikt door het World Retail Congress, erkent
ondernemingen die zich bezig houden met online activiteiten wereldwijd. Vente -Privée kreeg de titel
tijdens de achtste editie van de World Retail Awards op 30 September.
Het selecteren van de winnaars voor de World Retail Awards vond plaats in twee fases: allereerst
koos een panel van distributie-experts, de finalisten. Vervolgens wees een jury bestaande uit leiders
van verschillende bedrijven, de winnaars aan. Het doel van de jury was ondernemingen te belonen
voor hun ontwikkelingsbeleid en voor het doorvoeren van grote innovaties in het afgelopen jaar.
In 2014 heeft Vente-Privée zich uitgebreid op het gebied van ticketverkoop en entertainment met de
werving van het Theater van Michodière in Parijs. Ook op gebieden zoals wijn, gastronomie en
with the NLA”.
toerisme heeft de website nieuwe markten aangeboord. "Vandaag gaan we een tweede fase in in de
geschiedenis van de e-commerce, waarin de “e” gaat verdwijnen en plaats maakt voor offline
business. Fysieke winkels en online winkels komen steeds meer tegenover elkaar te staan.
Ondernemers moeten zich aanpassen aan dit zeer ontwikkelde klantenprofiel”, aldus Jacques -Antoine
Granjon, algemeen directeur en oprichter van Vente-Privée in een persbericht.
World Retail Congress 2014: Omni-channel Security
Finextra
02 October 2014
On the second day at World Retail Congress 2014, I was fortunate enough to moderate a panel
discussion looking at what steps the industry is taking to ensure security across the variety of
transactional channels that exist today. Providing the perspectives were Ajay Bhalla, President,
Enterprise Security for MasterCard, Pingki Houang, COO with showroomprive.com, and Terry Duddy,
the former CEO of Home Retail Group.
I began by asking the panellists what they believe the biggest market trends and threats that affect
payments are today, and how do they could impact retailers. Bhalla noted a few key trends, and
started by saying that, from a global perspective, the movement of payments to plastic from cash is
accelerating in a big way.
Secondly, Bhalla noted that payments are moving towards digital and that within this space mobile is
becoming an important transaction method. Almost 30% of digital transactions are now mobile.
However, digital still only accounts for around 10% of total transactions, so there is clear potential for
this area to grow.
The third big trend Bhalla noted is that security is top of mind for consumers following the number of
data breaches over the past 12 months. He said that there has been a 67% rise in data breaches,
and more than 500 million identities have been affected by these breaches over the past year.
Houang agreed that the threats are everywhere - in payments, through fishing and spoofing, while
also commenting that data protection is a critical issue.
Duddy said that a big trend from the point of sale perspective in the UK is the growth of contactless
payment options. Currently the limit on a contactless payment is £20, and Duddy commented that a
rise in that limit to £30 could help drive even more contactless payments. Duddy also noted that
Argos, part of Home Retail Group, still has around 33% of its sales paid for by cash. Cash isn't going
away, despite its many inefficiencies.
Turning to look at the main priorities in the security space, Bhalla commented that this has to start
with the consumer. MasterCard has taken a number of to build consumer confidence. For example,
Bhalla said that in the US, MasterCard has introduced zero liability protection for consumer s if there
are any fraudulent attempts to use their card.
In terms of payment fraud, Bhalla noted that while today 50% of this comes from the digital world,
the digital world itself only accounts for around 10% of transactions. On the 50% of fraud that occurs
on the physical side, 90% of that comes from counterfeit and lost or stolen. EMV technology is a
solution for that which has worked very well in Europe. The only large market in the world that
doesn't use EMV, but Bhalla said that there are agreements in place to roll out almost 600 million
EMV cards in the US next year.
Identity verification also emerged as a key priority for the industry. Bhalla said that products such as
SecureCode could verify the consumer as they are initiating the transaction. He also said that
with the NLA”.
MasterCard is looking at biometrics and how this can be made as simple as possible for the
consumer. MasterCard has recently a solution called MDES (MasterCard Digital Enablement Service)
that ensures you can make a mobile payment without storing your card number on the phone. This
means that if your phone is compromised in any way, the consumer does not have to worry that their
card numbers will be exposed. Apple Pay will use MDES.
Houang commented that his company has a lot of priorities, and that this is one of their challenges it is a question of budget. He said that there are a lot of concerns if security isn't managed correctly,
pointing out that you could have the securest system in the world, but if this does not provide a
simple and seamless retail experience for the customer then they are unlikely to want to shop with
you. Duddy noted that reputational risk has to be managed - it doesn't matter how small a data
breach might be, it can have a very negative and lasting effect on your organisation's reputation.
Looking at security solutions in the transactions space, Bhalla commented that MasterCard works very
closely with the retail community in developing solutions. He said that it is important to create a
consistent experience for the consumer. At the same time, it is important to remember the
interconnected nature of the payments system - retailers will face problems if have banks have a
problem, and vice versa. One of the products that MasterCard recently launched is SafetyNet. Bhalla
said that this solution is a response to the amount of banks and processors that are being
compromised. The solution is designed to create an extra level of protection for the consumer. If a
processor or a bank is compromised, this solution screens and blocks the transactions before it
becomes a problem.
For Duddy, there is also a big issue about how, in an omni-channel world, retailers think about
refunds on transactions and returns to store. Retailers need to think about how the return is
transacted and how the exchange is made. With all of the developing methods of payment, this can
be a complex scenario. Customers are looking for speed and certainty. The problem with this area is
that you can lose trust quickly. Having built that trust up with a consumer base, Duddy noted that
retailers don't want to give it away too easily.
The panel agreed that many of today's challenges would be with us in one form another in the future.
Duddy said that in 2025, ease and speed of use, and trust, will continue to be the big issues. At the
same time, he noted that cash would still be in use.
Bhalla commented that device penetration would continue to grow. He predicted that device
commerce - such as printers that order ink or refrigerators that order food, for example - would take
off in a big way. The technology exists for this to happen, but Bhalla noted that the industry needs to
ensure that the safeguards are in place for this to happen in a safe and secure fashion.
MasterCard Launches Solution to Protect Against Cyber Hacking of Banks and Processors
Financial Mirror
02 October 2014
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MasterCard (NYSE:MA) today announces the launch of SafetyNet, a
global tool designed to reduce the risk of cyber hacking of banks and processors. S afetyNet is
designed to use the power of MasterCard’s global network, to identify potential attacks before they
start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware. Leveraging a multi -layer defence
we are working to ensure our partners stay one step ahead of large scale attacks, which use
increasingly sophisticated ways to compromise account data and security defenses.
with the NLA”.
Around the world consumers put safety and security of their payments as a key priority when
shopping, which is why MasterCard has been working to ensure payments and the data connected to
payments are safe, wherever you are. We do this through a number of tools, in a multi -layer
approach that works in partnership with issuers, acquirers, retailers and consumers.
Ajay Bhalla, President of Enterprise Security Solutions, MasterCard said: “With SafetyNet we are really
fast tracking the next generation of security solutions, which are designed to stop fraud or attacks
before many of our partners have even noticed it is happening. We can do this because MasterCard’s
SafetyNet operates as intelligent technology which can identify fraud in real time and decline a
transaction before any exposure takes place.”
To ensure that MasterCard continues to make the latest security tools as easy to deploy as possible
SafetyNet is complementary to the issuing bank’s own tools but adds a new level of protection into
the payment system. It monitors different channels and geographies, and provides the most
appropriate level of support for each market and partner business, by using sophisticated algorithms.
SafetyNet is another advanced tool in MasterCard’s priority area of security and is already integrated
into the global payment network.
Bhalla continued: “This week at World Retail Congress in Paris I heard first hand from retailers of all
sizes how they see the future of payment security. We all know that safety and security is the
number one priority for anyone looking to make a payment and that breaches and media headlines
can erode trust and confidence. Today’s announcement reinforces our leading position on safety and
security around the world, which is also underlined by our recent trials for biometric authentication in
voice and facial recognition.
MasterCard is delivering a multi-layer approach to safety and security. For the consumer there are the
security tools you can see including the EMV chip on your physical card or the SecureCode screen
when at your online checkout. Through the launch of SafetyNet MasterCard is taking further steps to
secure the payment data and transactions at both retailer and issuer.”
MasterCard has been leading the safety and security of payments and continues to innovate and
educate to ensure that all technologies, present and future, remain safe by delivering a multi-layer
approach which enables the needs of consumers, merchants, acquirers and issuers to be addressed in
the right with the best tools around the world. SafetyNet is the latest in a line of defence for issuers
against major attacks and protects retailers and consumer confidence.
Virtual-Strategy Magazine
02 October 2014
global tool designed to reduce the risk of cyber hacking of banks and processors. SafetyNet is
start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware. Leveraging a multi-layer defence
with the NLA”.
MasterCard has been leading the safety and security of payments and continues to innovate a nd
educate to ensure that all technologies, present and future, remain safe by delivering a multi -layer
Heraldonline.com
02 October 2014
payments are safe, wherever you are. We do this through a number of tools, in a multi-layer
with the NLA”.
Digital Journal
02 October 2014
before many of our partners have even noticed it is happening. We can do this be cause MasterCard’s
with the NLA”.
Market Watch
02 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Yahoo! News
02 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - Leclerc, France's second-largest retailer by market share, plans to spend 1.2 billion
euros (934.16 million pounds) to renovate its hypermarkets and beef up its click and collect service
even as the outlook for consumer spending remains poor.
Leclerc said that as of Sept. 15 his group had achieved revenue growth of 2 per cent year-on-year. He
July and August.
with the NLA”.
Leclerc, 62, heads a cooperative association of retailers which operates 642 stores in France, mostl y
quarter."
year-on-year.
ground.
he said.
The West Australian
02 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - Leclerc, France's second-largest retailer by market share, plans to spend 1.2 billion
euros (934.16 million pounds) to renovate its hypermarkets and beef up its click and collect service
even as the outlook for consumer spending remains poor.
with the NLA”.
Leclerc said that as of Sept. 15 his group had achieved revenue growth of 2 percent year -on-year. He
July and August.
quarter."
year-on-year.
ground.
he said.
with the NLA”.
World Retail Congress 2014 Day Two: Quote/unquote.
Just-Style
Michelle Russell
02 October 2014
The second day of the annual World Retail Congress in Paris has shifted its focus onto cohesive
supply chains, sustainable consumption, and how new design and R&D models are shaping the
industry.
"Big stores still matter a lot. As much as our business is growing online, over 90% of our sales come
from stores. Millennials still need to touch and feel before they purchase, so I believe there is
absolutely still a place for stores in the future" -Hayley Tatum, executive people director for Asda
"You have to invest more with online and be prepared for lower margin. You need to have a different
mindset and be ready to put the money and the mind behind the aspiration. We are definitely in the
foothills of the journey, we are not yet at the summit" -Michael Comish, group digital officer for Tesco
"What will be the new growth engine? There is an answer if we go back to the basics. The essence of
retail is connections. If retailers can utilise Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure they can better
interact with customers. This will lead to more consumption of products and this will lead to more
jobs" -Chi-Joon Choi, president and CEO of Samsung Electro-Mechanics
"Eventually all of our smaller stores and store format will be completely different [larger] in five to ten
years time. But it's a long process and we are investing a lot of money in that" -Jose Gomez, VP of
international business development for Mango
"A platform we're working on is Google Shopping Exrepss, which we've launched in the US.
Sometimes it's inconvenient for the consumer to come to the store, so we bring the best of the store
to their living room. It allows same day delivery for items in stock in your local stores. We launched it
a year ago and things are going quite well. The stores signed up so far include Walgreens, Whole
Foods, Costco, and Target. Our objective is to help be that connector and bring all the assets the
retail world has to the digital world" -Sameer Samat, VP of product management for Google
"We are very much minded about talking about customers as opposed to shops. All of your traditional
metrics like customer service still matter. Don’t get so embroiled in technical that you forget that
service matters. If you’re delivering to a customer's home then that matters. If you’re on someone’s
doorstep, if your service isn’t fantastic then absolutey you will be found out" -Hayley Tatum,
executive people director for Asda
"Surprise is often a euphemism for challenge. How do you incentivise? In terms of surprises, probably
the biggest has been the rate of change. Two years ago 20% of sales were from mobile. Now its
60%. In retail we're used to single-digit growth, but technology is moving exponentially, and that’s
what’s driving sales. Keeping up with that creates surprises and when it works it’s great. It creates
challenges, but it also creates opportunities" -Michael Comish, group digital officer for Tesco
"Our idea is that we'll go deeper in the number of units we have in the countries we're present in.
with the NLA”.
Mango will always be a European company, it will always be our main market" -Jose Gomez, VP of
international business development for Mango
WRC 2014: Retail confidence up despite economic uncertainty.
Just-Style
Michelle Russell
02 October 2014
A positive change in retail sales is expected over the next 12 months, with growth inNorth America,
the Middle East, China and Africaoffsetting a slowdown in some global regions, according tofindings
from researchrevealed at the World Retail Congressby Monash University. Most notably, Western
Europeis seen as offeringthe worst prospects for retail growth.
The findings were published at the opening of the World Retail Congress 2014 in Paris yesterday (29
September). One key speaker was Dr Ira Kalish, chief global economist for Deloitte, who gave a
detailed overview of the global economic outlook for retailers. His thoughts on how the economic
landscape in major markets is likely to shift in the coming years, and the potential impact this will
have on retailers, are outlined below.
EUROPE
UNITED STATES
CHINA
JAPAN
EMERGING MARKETS OUTSIDE CHINA
INDIA
RUSSIA
"The good news is, it has come out of a deep recession. The bad news is it isn't growing very much
so the economy is in pretty bad shape. This mainly has to do with the credit market and it reflects the
fact that commercial markets are laden with debts. That's not leading to economic growth and very
slow growth in consumer spending. That has led to high unemployment and low deflation."
"If you look at retail sales, right now retail spending is lower than it was in 2010 so it's in pretty bad
shape.
Growth is mainly coming from exports and not domestic demand and consumer spending. There has
been very little income growth, there is a lot of slack in the labour market, and consumers haven't
had lots of access to credit, especially in Southern Europe."
"The Central Bank is embarking on a new policy to try and boost inflation. This has boosted interest
rates, and direct lending to commercial banks that will, in turn, lend to the consumer. A type of mini
quantitative easing. Unfortunately, this hasn't got off to a good start. In the first round of offering of
loans to commercial banks, they didn't think there was much market for lending. So it's not clear if
this new economic policy will be effective or substantial enough to get the job done."
"Germany is a relative star and, with France, are the strongest players. Italy and Spain have been
weak players over last six years."
"In Germany, the problem, however is that it's not really growth and most, if any, has been from
exports. This German government is starting to back-track on some of the economic reforms that
help stimulate the economy, and instead are
with the NLA”.
concentrating on austerity which is having a negative impact on spending and the rest of Europe."
"Germany is also exposed to more risk from Russia. Around 6,000 German companies have invested
in Russia. If these troubles get worse, it could push Germany and the rest of Europe into recession."
"France is also hoping to implement reforms. Nobody is happy with Msr Hollande and, because of
uncertainty about reforms being implemented, investment is low and the economy is not growing.
Fortunately, fundamentals for France are good and it has some strong global dynamic companie s. If
they do implement the reforms they can grow faster. They need a combination of that and some
inflation in Europe."
"In Italy, president Matteo Renzi is also struggling to implement reforms. The country's political
systems are more focused on reforming politics and then the economy. Meanwhile, the economy is
not growing and it has got debt inflation and declining GDP. This could create a fiscal problem down
the road. It needs dramatic reform."
"Spain has surprising economic strength. There has been a substantial improvement in
competitiveness, and very low bond yields reflect investor confidence. If there is one positive story in
Europe it would be Spain. Ireland is also looking very good but the outlook for the Eurozone is trouble
at best."
"In the UK there has been a strong revival of the economy but it's not clear how sustainable that is
because factors such as exports and more consumer spending are not taking place. There is a risk of
a housing bubble and export has not performed well, and there are also lots of political issues. The
uncertainty could have a chilling effect on investment in the UK. For now they are doing well but
there are declining wages and weak exports. There are lots of potential risks right now."
"In the US, the strength of the economy and inflation have started to rise, and now the focus is on
of slack in the job market, so it seems likely the Fed will wait until middle of 2015 before they raise
interest rates. This might have a negative effect on housing."
Job market growth has not happened. It is much better, but the bad news is that there are a lot of
discouraged workers out there. Hence, big increases in student debt. "Consumers are spending
moderately, there is reduced debt, and improved cash flow but weak income growth. Why aren't
businesses spending? They are holding on to a lot of cash and using it on stock buybacks. For a long
time there was a lot of uncertainty, and there is still a lot of excess capacity so they don't feel they
need to invest. There are also tax reasons for not investing."
"My expectation is that with the strengthening of the US economy we are going to see a pick-up of
investment spending in the next year or two."
"Next year will be a lot better than last year.
There will be no headwinds from fiscal policy, there has been investment in energy, a revival of the
manufacturing sector, and pent-up demand for new homes and improved credit markets."
"The economy has slowed down substantially and it is now more a middle-income country. The
biggest challenge China faces is debt. That increase in money supply hasn't fuelled inflation but asset
price bubbles and lending outside the normal banking channels. A lot of this is unregulated and
potentially dangerous. It is to do with the shadow banking system. The problem is that banks have
put all the risky stuff off their balance sheets."
"This lending will lead to losses and will ultimately affect the financial health of banks and set the
stage for a financial crisis. The government will force a cut-back on lending, which will lead to slower
economic growth. That could have serious ramifications for social stability and the health of the global
economy."
with the NLA”.
"This lending has distorted the Chinese economy. Investment is almost half of GDP, something you
don't see anywhere else in the world.
These numbers need to cross again to return China to a normal economy. It's not clear if that will
happen soon enough."
"China will become a consumer market if they do the right things and reform like they've talked
about. We'll see that number go up, but it's contingent on the implementation of reforms that they
haven't yet acted on.""We have seen a labour shortage but that has started to de cline. That has
contributed to a substantial increase in wages and forced low wage manufacturing to move to
Vietnam. We will see reforms, it's just a question of how fast and how effective."In Japan, the
government is also struggling to reform. Female labour participation is a top priority. What is really
needed is more liberalisation and reforms of the economy, which haven't really taken place.
Another tax increase is in the pipeline and the situation is very uncertain. A change in female
participation in the labour force would boost economic growth, resolve pension issues and change
lifestyles."
"For a while, over the past few years, several major markets like Turkey were growing very rapidly,
and in some instances were said to be the new China. They have all slowed down substantially."
"In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are moving in different directions. Brazil has lost its
competitiveness while Mexico has not. Although Mexico is not growing right now, the outlook is good.
Brazil needs to engage in market opening reforms but we're not seeing that at the moment. There is
a lot of uncertainty and pessimism about Brazil, which is having a negative effect on the retail
market. That could become problematic if the economy fails to grow."
"The new Prime Minister Modi wants to attract ex-pats to invest in India and help revive the
economy. The goal is to free the market in order to spur investment."There hasn't been a lot of
follow-through in terms of reforms, but there is uncertainty on whether he will focus on economic
reforms or foreign policy. They are in a sweet spot in terms of demographics, however. But this is
another country where there is uncertainty about policy."
"The economy was already weak before the Ukraine crisis, but sanctions will hurt over tim e. In the
short term, it has been the loss of business confidence, capital flight, and downward pressure on the
economy, and that in turn has hurt investment. As such, the economy has slowed down and may be
moving into recession."
World Retail Congress 2014: Authenticity and the conscious consumer
Daniela Walker and James Maiki
LS:N Global
02 October 2014
Paris – Authenticity and new consumer values were major themes at the 2014 World Retail
Congress. Maxine Bédat, the co-founder of Zady, spoke on a panel about how to connect with
consumers through transparency and storytelling.
with the NLA”.
Launched in 2013, Zady is an e-commerce platform for conscious consumers – people who want to
know more about the products they buy and where they come from. For every product on the site,
there is a full brand story and a peek behind the curtain at the supply chain.
In the video interview above, LS:N Global spoke to Bédat about the site, its latest project and why
the rumour that Millennials are impatient consumers may not be entirely true.
For more on the World Retail Congress, see our Big Idea interview with Mike Gould, the former
chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale’s, and look out for our forthcoming show review.
https://www.lsnglobal.com/seed/article/16489/world-retail-congress-2014-authenticity-and-theconscious-consumer
Less Hype This Xmas
The Daily Mirror
Graham Hiscott
02 October 2014
Last year's John Lewis Christmas advert was over-hyped, the chain's boss has admitted.
Andy Street said a big bang launch of the Bear and the Hare commercial annoyed some of the
company's customers.
He told a conference in Paris that the reaction was "this brand is getting too big for its boots".
In response, this year's Christmas advert would be "more modest", he said.
It came as he warned some retailers had "frankly got fat and had not kept an eye on the ball".
Street was responding to a question at the World Retail Congress about Tesco, although he didn't
slam the struggling chain by name.
Meanwhile he ruled out plans to open John Lewis stores abroad, saying it had "no plans for world
domination".
with the NLA”.
Less Hype This Xmas
The Daily Mirror
Graham Hiscott
03 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Clothing brand, Okunoren to be honoured in South Africa
Business Day
03 October 2014
The world retail congress Africa has announced the Okunoren twins as winners of its prestigious
Retail Innovation awards. The Okunoren twins who are one of Africa’s most respected clothing
entrepreneurs will be formally crowned on the 18th of November 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The congress which is the only dedicated strategic retail congress specific to the Pan-African markets
is part of the global leading World Retail Congress Series, which has welcomed over 5000 CEO and
VP level international retailers in the past eight years and includes international Latin American, China
and Asian Congresses.
The founding aim of the Retail Congress Africa is to create a platform for domestic, regional and
international retail industry leaders, politicians and policy drivers alike to come together to be able to
debate and discuss the most important issues facing their businesses and customers – from the
economy to issues such as sustainability, world trade agreements and opportunities for growth.
This Series brings together the global retail industry’s most influential business leaders and decision
makers to challenge current thinking, unveil the latest innovations, investigate regional trends and
shape the direction of retail.
Since 2013, the Retail Congress Africa Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates pioneers in best
practice and innovation in the retail industry. This year the Congress has introduced the Retail
Innovation Award to celebrate pioneers in creativity and promote retailers who are driving change
and growth with inspirational vision and foresight. The Congress Advisory Board and senior
experienced retailers specially select the recipients of these awards and not influenced by any local
body or authority of the recipients.
This year, the CEO of Shoprite Holdings, Whitey Basson is been honored with the Lifetime
Achievement Award for his immense contribution to African retail, while Taiwo and Kehinde Okunoren
the founders of Nigeria’s biggest menswear clothing company are been honored with the prestigious
retail Innovation.
The Okunoren twins who are Nigerian clothing icons introduced their bespoke tailoring to the African
market in 2002 and inspired a new spring of menswear designers across Nigeria building on their
beginnings of selling designer shirts to fellow students at University, In 2010 the Twins went on to
establish Industrial Tailoring & Co and The Shirt Company to manufacture garments for the mass
market. The company opened its first bricks and mortar store in 2013 to cater to the growing middle
class in the country through a ready-to-wear line, producing 3 ready-to-wear collections a year. The
ambitious brand is also set to open 6 stores across Africa over the next 18 months.
The brand has presented menswear retail fashion in a distinguished and groundbreaking style, which
is worth celebrating. The Okunoren twins will be collecting their award at the Congress and partaking
in a live interview moderated by the congress chairman Thebe Ikalafeng who is the founder and
chairman of Brand Africa.
Some of the personalities confirmed to speak at the Congress are Greg Solomon, managing director,
McDonald’s South Africa, Christine Service, senior vice president, country manager, The Walt Disney
Company Africa, Nike Ogunlesi CEO and founder Ruff ‘N’ Tumble and Tony Batlló, expansion general
manager, Mango.
with the NLA”.
La France est finie», juge le patron des grands magasins anglais John Lewis
Le Figaro
03 October 2014
Andy Street, directeur général de la célèbre enseigne britannique, a livré un diagnostic sans merci sur
un pays «sclérosé, sans espoir, déprimé»...avant de présenter ses excuses.
C'est un jugement définitif que porte un grand patron britannique sur notre pays. «La France est
finie», affirme Andy Street, le directeur général de l'enseigne de grands magasins John Lewis, dont
les propos sont rapportés à la une du Times . De retour de Paris où il assistait cette semaine au salon
professionnel World Retail Congress, le chef d'entreprise a livré un diagnostic sans nuance de la
situation de la France, lors d'un événement réunissant un parterre d'entrepreneurs à Londres.
«Si vous avez des investissements dans des entreprises françaises, retirez -les rapidement», leur a-t-il
conseillé. Selon lui, le pays est «sclérosé, sans espoir et déprimé». «Je n'ai jamais vu un pays plus
mal à l'aise. Rien ne marche et, pire, ça ne dérange personne», a raconté Andy Street. Il a décrit son
voyage en Eurostar entre la Gare du Nord «le trou le plus sordide d'Europe» et St-Pancras «une gare
moderne tournée vers le futur». Un contraste qui résume l'opposition «extrême» entre les deux pays.
«Si on avait besoin de plus de preuves d'un pays en déclin, les voilà. À chaque fois, je me dis: que
Dieu aide la France!» Alors qu'il est allé chercher à Paris le prix de la meilleure enseigne multicanal
remis au World Retail Congress, il a raillé un trophée «en plastique, franchement immonde». Pis, il a
assuré son auditoire que le dîner de gala parisien était moins bon que celui auquel il participait à
Londres.
Des propos «pas destinés à être pris au sérieux»
Suite à la polémique déclenchée par ses propos, Andy Street a présenté ses excuses vendredi à la mijournée. «Mes remarques étaient censées être humoristiques et sur le ton de la plaisanterie. A la
réflexion, je suis clairement allé trop loin. Je regrette ces propos et présente des excuses sans
réserve», a-t-il déclaré dans un communiqué. Plus tôt dans la journée, le service de presse de John
Lewis assurait que les propos peu diplomatiques de son patron, «pince-sans-rire», n'étaient «pas
destinés à être pris au sérieux».
John Lewis vient de célébrer son 150e anniversaire. C'est l'une des enseignes les plus performantes
du commerce britannique, dont le capital est détenu par ses employés. Le World Retail Congress a
récompensé son succès dans le commerce en ligne. Son premier marché hors du Royaume-Uni est…
la France.
Le World Retail Congress 2014
Groupe Dia-Mart
03 October 2014
L'édition 2014 du WRC (le "davos" du commerce) qui se tenait à Paris du 29 septembre au 1er
octobre est toujours une bonne occasion de saisir "l'air du temps" dans le retail mondial.
Quelques impressions en vrac...
with the NLA”.
Innovation
Après avoir parlé de crosscanal de manière obsessionnelle depuis 5 ans, le microcosme commence
enfin à élargir ses horizons et à comprendre qu'il s'agit moins de déployer des fonctionnalités
crosscanal (ça, on sait quoi faire : ce n'est qu'une question de priorisation et d'allocation des
ressources) que de se demander à quoi sert un magasin et un retailer. La plupart des retailers n'ont
pas encore trouvé la réponse à la question de Jeff Bezos ("vous n'avez vraiment rien de mieux à faire
dans votre vie, que d'aller dans les magasins ?")
Marketing
Il y a une formidable diversité de discours entre ceux qui n'ont que la "brand experience" à la bouche
; et ceux qui disent que les clients ne veulent plus payer un premium de prix pour du "marketing", et
veulent du "value for money" qui passe avant tout par le produit. Manifestement, il y a là une
doctrine à refonder...
Les enseignes (installées en France) dont j'ai le plus entendu citer le nom sont Primark, Darty,
E.Leclerc et Carrefour. Trois mass marketers en forme. Et oui, c'est possible !
Votre envoyé spécial au WRC.
France is 'finished' and 'nothing works': UK exec
The Local
03 October 2014
In the latest case of French bashing from across the English Channel, Andy Street, the managing
director of upscale retail giant John Lewis, did not mince his words.
Shortly after visiting Paris this week to pick up an international retail award, Street told a group of
entrepreneurs on Thursday that France was “finished” and advised investors to take their money out
of a country where “nothing works”, the UK’s Times newspaper reported.
Not stopping there Street went on to say that the country was “sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat”.
“I have never been to a country more ill at ease, nothing works, and worse, nobody cares about it,”
he said.
And the exec was similarly unimpressed by the Paris’s Eurostar station at Gare du Nord, which he
described as the “squalor pit of Europe”. Although he might be the first to describe the rundown
station in those terms, he’s probably not the first to think it.
“You get on the Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du
Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station (St Pancras),” Street told the conference
in London.
He even slammed the hospitality at the World Retail Congress event in Paris, saying the wine and
food were better at a London event.
He did however have some kind words for France for the “service”, which he described as
“incomparable”.
It is not clear how long Street actually spent in Paris to justify his opinion that France was “finished”
but perhaps his outburst was motivated by the fact his Eurostar train back to London from Paris was
delayed.
with the NLA”.
Initially Street’s tirade was dismissed by a spokeswoman for John Lewis who told The Local that they
were “tongue in cheek comments not to be taken seriously”.
We were told the managing director would not be making any more comment, but later on F riday, as
news of his comments were being picked up in the French press, Street tried limit the damage, by
apologizing unreservedly.
"The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek,” the executive
said in an e-mailed statement .
“On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments.”
Despite the regret Street's barbs will be embarrassing for a company, which has plans to launch a
French language website and recently began deliveries to this side of the Channel.
GB-Le DG de John Lewis s'excuse après avoir dénigré la France
Reuters France
03 October 2014
Le directeur général du distributeur britannique John Lewis a présenté ses excuses vendredi, après
avoir déclaré que la situation de la France était désespérée, que rien n'y fonctionnait et que les
investisseurs feraient mieux de retirer leur argent rapidement.
"Je n'ai jamais été aussi mal à l'aise dans un pays (..) Rien ne fonctionne et pire, personne ne s'en
soucie", a déclaré Andy Street, selon des propos rapportés par le Times.
Une porte-parole de la chaîne de grands magasins britannique a reconnu qu'Andy Street avaient tenu
ces propos, qui n'étaient pas destinés à "être prix au premier degré".
Le patron de John Lewis a ensuite publié un communiqué pour s'excuser. "Mes remarques étaient de
l'ordre de la plaisanterie et de l'ironie. En y réfléchissant, je suis à l'évidence allé bien trop loin. Je
regrette ces propos et je m'excuse sans réserve."
Andy Street, qui a fait toute sa carrière chez John Lewis après avoir été diplômé d'Oxford, a qualifié
de sclérosée la deuxième économie européenne et a comparé négativement Paris à Londres.
"Vous montez dans l'Eurostar depuis ce que je ne peux décrire que comme la fosse miséreuse de
l'Europe, la Gare du Nord, et vous en descendez dans une gare moderne et tournée vers l'avenir (StPancras)", a-t-il déclaré, selon le Times, lors d'un dîner à Londres, après que son train en provenance
de Paris a été retardé.
Andy Street a également fait peu de cas de la récompense "en plastique" remise à John Lewis à Paris
lors du Congrès mondial de la distribution (World Retail Congress). "C'est franchement écoeurant."
"Si j'avais besoin d'une preuve supplémentaire que la France est un pays en déclin, là voila. A chaque
fois que je la regarde, je me dis 'que Dieu aide la France'", toujours selon les propos rapportés par le
journal britannique.
"Si vous avez des investissements dans des entreprises françaises, retirez -les rapidement."
with the NLA”.
Looking for Alain Juppé Et pourquoi pas lui, finalement…
Causeur.fr
03 October 2014
Tout aurait dû prodigieusement m’agacer, hier soir, dans la prestation d’Alain Juppé à Des Paroles et
des Actes. D’abord, Alain Juppé lui-même. C’est qu’il m’a coûté cher, Alain Juppé, l’air de rien. Une
bonne douzaine de journées de salaire perdues pendant les grèves de Novembre-Décembre 1995
quand une partie des profs avait soutenu les cheminots lors des manifs monstres. Il m’a coûté
presque autant que François Fillon lors du mouvement contre la réforme des retraites e n 2003, c’est
dire. Mais la différence entre François Fillon et Alain Juppé, c’est que François Fillon, avec sa
réputation usurpée de gaulliste social, vingt ans après, est devenu thatchérien alors que Juppé est
resté Juppé.
L’autre chose qui aurait dû m’énerver, c’est le dispositif de l’émission lui-même. Il y a deux sortes
d’invités politiques à Des Paroles et des actes : ceux qu’on traite comme des valets indélicats aux
idées biscornues et ceux pour qui on sort les boites à cirage, façon Bon Marché pour Aquilino
Morelle. Si vous êtes de gauche, vraiment de gauche, les économistes de service avec leur morgue
toujours plus incroyable, vont vous martyriser à coups de démonte-pneus graphiques alors que tout
invité social-libéral, libéral, ultralibéral, c’est à dire l’immense majorité d’entre eux ont vite le droit à
un brevet de compétence. On devrait les nommer ministre des Finances, s’ils sont vraiment si forts
que ça, ces économistes. Même remarque pour Pujadas, qui sort son réservoir à morgue pour tous
les « populistes » mais elkabbachise à tout va dans la connivence. Il fera une exception pour les
invités trotskystes comme Philippe Poutou qui n’ont manifestement aucune chance d’accéder au
pouvoir et qu’on peut traiter comme des enfants amusants.
Pourtant, malgré tout ça, Alain Juppé exerçait sur moi une certaine fascination, limite midinette, ce
qui est manifestement arrivée à Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, tombée littéralement sous le charme de
celui avec qui elle devait débattre. Et puis j’ai compris ce qui se passait. À tort ou à raison, Juppé
paraissait rassurant. Je réalisais par contraste à quel point les autres, disons Hollande et Sarkozy,
sont anxiogènes. Hollande parce qu’il n’est pas très bon et qu’il donne l’impression de pouvoir être
plus mauvais encore, Sarkozy parce qu’il confond son retour en politique avec un retour sur scène,
exposant son ego blessé avec des désirs de vengeance qui feraient passer le comte de Monte -Cristo
pour un modèle de pardon et d’équanimité, Juppé donnait l’impression que le monde dur et incertain
qui est le nôtre, il le maîtrisait parfaitement, qu’il n’était pas question qu’il perde son sang-froid.
Juppé est bien entendu, je ne suis pas dupe, un homme de droite comme les autres. Il est européen,
il n’a que la réduction des déficits pour horizon, il n’hésitera pas à sabrer dans ce qui reste d’aides
sociales mais il ne donne pas l’impression de vouloir le faire en étant aux ordres du patronat comme
un banal socialiste façon Valls ou Rebsamen ou par revanche de classe, façon S arkozy, Wauquiez et
consorts. En plus, lui, quand des ennuis judiciaires lui sont tombés dessus, il a fermé sa gueule par
fidélité et n’est pas allé larmoyer sur BFM façon Lavrilleux.
Je l’ai aussi senti droit dans ses bottes quand les questions sociétales qui fâchent sont arrivées sur le
tapis et qu’il a été interpellé sur le racisme en banlieue par une jeune beurette associative qui l’a
accusé d’être un mâle blanc hétérosexuel de plus de soixante ans (il a remarqué assez justement qu’il
n’y pouvait rien) et par une responsable de la manif pour tous, assez sexy d’ailleurs quand on aime le
genre versaillais, qui l’a accusé, elle, à mots plus couverts, d’être un laxiste débauché qui allait faire
s’effondrer la civilisation parce qu’il n’abolirait pas le mariage gay dans la minute. Dans les deux cas,
face à ces deux faces de la même monnaie hystérique, il a montré qu’il ne serait pas du genre à
instrumentaliser une partie des français contre les autres, bref à se rappeler qu’un président de la
with the NLA”.
Vème, ça ne fait pas de la tactique à la petite semaine genre « diviser pour régner », cette spécialité
sarko-hollandienne mais ça rassemble.
D’ailleurs, ce n’est pas un hasard si ce normalien qui parle en ne faisant pas la moindre faute de
français, -ce qui est reposant- et semble se souvenir que la France à une histoire, a reçu récemment
le soutien du seul président de gauche de la Vème République, un certain Jacques Chirac.
John Lewis Christmas ad hype irritated customers last year, admits boss
Marketing
03 October 2014
John Lewis boss Andy Street has vowed the retailer will take a "much more modest approach" to its
Christmas campaign this year after social media users said the brand was "getting too big for its
boots".
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris, the retailer's managing director admitted some
consumers had been turned off by the hype in the run-up to the highly anticipated Christmas
campaign last year.
The Times newspaper quoted Street as admitting that internally questions had been raised around
the decision to reveal the advert at a West End London cinema screening, saying: "I’m not quite sure
about this — after all, you are just a shop — please don’t get above your station."
He said the comment were "fair" and that this year John Lewis would adopt "a much more modest
approach to our Christmas activities this year", hinting that the retailer would look to dampen down
some of the hype around its 2014 Christmas advert.
"What people basically said, and I feel embarrassed saying this, is that this brand might be getting a
bit too big for its boots," Street said.
The 2013 animated Christmas spot, called "the bear and the hare", featured a bear and a hare that
had never been able to spend Christmas together because of the bear’s hibernation.
As has become custom with John Lewis’ Christmas ads, it sent the Twittersphere into overdrive upon
its release and items associated with the ad sold out in minutes online.
The previous year to that Adam & Eve/DDB created a 90-second spot featuring a snowman on a
quest to a John Lewis store to buy a hat, gloves and scarf for his snowwoman girlfriend. The ad
racked up more than 3.5 million views on YouTube.
The 2011 effort, "the long wait", featured a boy counting down the days to Christmas so that he
could give his parents a present. It was viewed online more than 5.2m times.
with the NLA”.
John Lewis boss says France is ‘finished’
James Hurley
thetimes.co.uk
03 October 2014
The managing director of John Lewis has described France as “sclerotic, hopeless and downbe at” and
advised British entrepreneurs with investments in the country to “get them out quickly”.
In comments likely to inflame Gallic sensitivities, Andy Street, who was in Paris this week to receive a
retail award on behalf of the department store chain, said that France was “finished”.
“I have never been to a country more ill at ease . . . nothing works and worse, nobody cares about
it,” he said.
His “tongue-in-cheek” comments were made in London to an audience of entrepreneurs at an event
to mark the culmination of a John Lewis competition for start-ups.
Mr Street, John Lewis’s most senior executive, said that the contrast between the moods of the two
cities “could not have been more extreme”.
“You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord,
and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras].”
Mr Street’s words are all the more surprising as the company is planning to launch a French-language
version of its website denominated in euros.
He joked that the award John Lewis was given in Paris during this week’s World Retail Congress was
“made of plastic and is frankly revolting”.
“If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think,
God help France,” he said.
“If you’ve got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly.”
Mr Street, whose train back to London from Paris was delayed, said that the wine and food were
better at the London event, held in Canary Wharf, than at the World Retail Congress dinner. “The
service, by the way, is incomparable but we know that of the French,” he added.
The French embassy rejected Mr Street’s analysis. A spokesman said: “France is the fifth biggest
economy in the world, the second in Europe, and is the country with the fifth largest stock of foreign
direct investment in the world so obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Street’s
view. Also, saying that nothing works in France shows how wide of the mark those comments are.
“Everyone who has lived in France knows that it enjoys world-class public services. Public transport,
for example, is excellent, and at a price that Mr Street is unlikely to find in many countries.
“People working in France enjoy one of the best healthcare systems in the world. And ultimately,
workers’ average productivity is higher in France than in many other developed countries.”
Sir Ian Cheshire, the outgoing boss of Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and makes almost half of its
profits in France, accused Mr Street of being ridiculous. “If you invest in good-quality French
businesses, you make great returns. We’re investing further in France. There are structural issues,
but now is the time to support our neighbours, not get out based on one dodgy experience,” he said.
with the NLA”.
Mr Street also accused the French of misunderstanding their past and their future, saying: “Any
organisation has to understand its past to understand its future. In Salle Wagram, this beautiful
salon, just off the Champs-Élysées, we were treated to the naffest troupe of modern dance you’ve
ever known and, literally, a chap’s trousers fell down.
“It was beyond me. There was nothing that reflected the history of that beautiful venue, and that
said to me they do not understand the progression of time. In John Lewis, we understand where
we’ve come from, and we’re planning very carefully where we’re going in the future.”
Ann Kenrick, secretary-general of the Franco-British Council, said that Mr Street’s comments were an
unwelcome example of “a festering antagonism with the French and France” from some in the UK.
“A British business person would be making a huge mistake to take Andy Street’s short-term view.
Those in the UK who relish a festering antagonism with France shouldn’t turn the lights on — it’s
[French-owned] EDF doing the supply,” she added.
with the NLA”.
John Lewis boss says France is ‘finished’, France is doomed, says John Lewis chief
The Times
03 October 2014
with the NLA”.
UPDATE 1-John Lewis boss apologises for saying France in decline, station s qualid
Reuters News
Guy Faulconbridge and James Davey
03 October 2014
* MD Street says regrets comments, apologises unreservedly
* Describes Eurostar station as "squalor pit of Europe"
* Disparages award given at World Retail Congress in Paris (Adds apology from John Lewis' Andy
Street)
LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - The head of British retailer John Lewis has apologised after saying France
is such a hopeless country where nothing works that investors should pull their money out quickly.
"I have never been to a country more ill at ease ... nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it,"
Managing Director Andy Street was quoted by the Times newspaper as telling a London audience in a
dinner speech after his train was delayed from Paris.
A spokeswoman for John Lewis , Britain's biggest department store operator, confirmed that the
comments attributed to Street were accurately reported but said they were intended "not to be taken
seriously".
However, Street later issued a statement to say sorry. "The remarks I made were supposed to be
lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek. On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments,
and apologise unreservedly."
Street, who has worked for nearly three decades at John Lewis after graduating from Oxford
University, cast Europe's second largest economy as sclerotic and contrasted Paris negatively with
London.
"You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord,
and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station (St Pancras)," he was quoted as saying.
Street said an award John Lewis was given in Paris during this week's World Retail Congress was
"made of plastic and is frankly revolting".
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I (see it), I shall think,
God help France," he was quoted as saying. "If you've got investments in French businesses, get
them out quickly."
Bigger than Britain's for the 1980s and most of the 1990s, France's economy lagged from 1998 until
the 2008 financial crisis but has been bigger than Britain's since.
This year France's nominal gross domestic product is forecast by the International Monetary Fund to
grow to $2.89 trillion this year while Britain's is forecast to grow to $2.83 trillion.
Under Street, John Lewis, whose worker co-ownership model has been lauded by Prime Minister
David Cameron, has been the star performer of Britain's retail sector.
Its generally more affluent customers were less hurt by the economic downturn and it has a bias to
the more prosperous south east of England.
with the NLA”.
A big push online, improvements to stores, products, service, promotions and marketing, have also
chimed with shoppers. Last month it posted a 62 percent rise in first half operating profit to 56.3
million pounds on sales up 9.4 percent to 1.87 billion pounds ($3 billion).
John Lewis, which sells many French products in Britain, is planning to launch a French-language
version of its website denominated in euros. (1 US dollar = 0.6222 British pound) (Editing by A lison
Williams)
French fury at John Lewis chief's 'hopeless country' outburst
Peter Allen
London Evening Standard
03 October 2014
THE French reacted with anger today after a senior John Lewis executive described their country as
"hopeless and downbeat", saying that even the food and wine was better in London.
Andy Street, managing director of the high street giant, launched his blistering attack following a visit
to Paris to pick up a retail award, claiming France "was finished". He told a group of young British
entrepreneurs: "I have never been to a country more ill at ease, nothing works, and worse, nobody
cares about it."
Mr Street railed against everything from the Eurostar rail hub in Paris to the poor investment
opportunities in its decimated economy.
But his words today threatened to spark a full-blown diplomatic storm as the French stood up for
their country. Paris restaurateur Jean Bellamy said: "The economy may be in a bad way, but French
values are eternal.
"Paris is the most popular tourist city in the world, and people come here for fine living — this attack
just sounds like jealousy."
Mr Street had claimed that food and wine at the World Retail Congress in Paris had not been as good
as in the English capital.
"He should go back and eat his fish and chips," said Celine Lavoie, another restaurant worker. "Our
country's food is by far the best — if someone attacks our culinary tradition, you know they have lost
the argument."
'I clearly went too far': John Lewis boss apologises for saying France was 'finished'
Dion Dassanayake
express.co.uk
03 October 2014
A JOHN Lewis boss has apologised "unreservedly" following outrage in France after he called the
country "finished".
Andy Street reportedly told a group of entrepreneurs that France was "sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat" and that "nothing works" there.
with the NLA”.
He allegedly advised people if they had any French investments to "get them out quickly" and
described the Gare du Nord train station as a "squalor pit".
Mr Street added: "I have never been to a country more ill at ease...nothing works and worse, nobody
cares about it."
The comments were reportedly made in London after the John Lewis managing director's Eurostar
train had been delayed, according to The Times.
Andy Street issued the apology through department store John Lewis [PA]
However, after the remarks were published Mr Street came out to say the views were "tongue in
cheek" and meant to be "lighthearted".
In a statement issued through the department store, he said: "The remarks I made were supposed to
be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek.
"On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly."
The comments were made at an event marking the end of a John Lewis competition for start-ups.
Earlier this week Mr Street had been in Paris to collect an award for the business at the World Retail
Congress.
However, The Times reported that the John Lewis executive had described the honour he was
handed was "frankly revolting".
Speaking of the award, he said: "If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is.
"Every time I [see it], I shall think, God help France.
"If you've got any investments in French business, get them out quickly."
Andy Street reportedly told entrepreneurs that France was sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat [PA]
Mr Street, who has been with John Lewis for almost 30 years, also criticised French train stations
when compared with their British counterparts.
He said: "You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare
du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras]."
The comments were blasted by French people on Twitter with some calling him an "idiot".
Guillaume Maujean, from the French newspaper Les Echos, wrote: "This 'French-bashing' is getting
grotesque."
One Twitter user posted: "Insulting your future customers... interesting market strategy".
While another said that Mr Street's comments were "slightly OTT".
The French embassy in London rejected the remarks and said France had the fifth largest stock of
foreign direct investment in the world.
They added: "Obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Street's view."
with the NLA”.
Security Alert: MasterCard (NYSE:MA) Launches Solut ion to Protect Against Cyber
Hacking of Banks and Processors
Middle East North Africa Financial Network (MENAFN)
03 October 2014
MasterCard renews focus on creating the tools and infrastructure to keep payments safe and secure
today and tomorrow no matter what the device or the geography
LONDON - October 3 2014 (www.investorideas.com newswire) MasterCard (NYSE:MA) announces the
launch of SafetyNet a global tool designed to reduce the risk of cyber hacking of banks and
processors. SafetyNet is designed to use the power of MasterCard's global network to identify
potential attacks before they start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware.
Leveraging a multi-layer defence we are working to ensure our partners stay one step ahead of large
scale attacks which use increasingly sophisticated ways to compromise account data and security
defenses.
shopping which is why MasterCard has been working to ensure payments and the data connected to
payments are safe wherever you are. We do this through a number of tools in a multi-layer approach
that works in partnership with issuers acquirers retailers and consumers.
Ajay Bhalla President of Enterprise Security Solutions MasterCard said: "With SafetyNet we are really
fast tracking the next generation of security solutions which are designed to stop fraud or attacks
before many of our partners have even noticed it is happening. We can do this because MasterCard's
transaction before any exposure takes place."
SafetyNet is complementary to the issuing bank's own tools but adds a new level of protection into
the payment system. It monitors different channels and geographies and provides the most
appropriate level of support for each market and partner business by using sophisticated algorithms.
SafetyNet is another advanced tool in MasterCard's priority area of security and is already integrated
Bhalla continued: "This week at World Retail Congress in Paris I heard first hand from retailers of all
can erode trust and confidence. Today's announcement reinforces our leading position on safety and
security around the world which is also underlined by our recent trials for biometric authentication in
secure the payment data and transactions at both retailer and issuer."
educate to ensure that all technologies present and future remain safe by delivering a multi -layer
approach which enables the needs of consumers merchants acquirers and issuers to be addressed in
with the NLA”.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE:MA) www.mastercard.com is a technology company in the global payments
industry. We operate the world's fastest payments processing network connecting consumers
financial institutions merchants governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and
territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as
shopping traveling running a business and managing finances – easier more secure and more
efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews join the discussion on the Cashless
Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
British retail boss apologises for calling France 'hopeless'
Agence France Presse
03 October 2014
The boss of one of Britain's biggest department store chains apologised Friday for calling France
"hopeless and downbeat" and telling investors to avoid it.
Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis, told dinner guests that in France "nothing works and
worse, nobody cares about it" according to The Times newspaper.
He made the comments after he was delayed on a Eurostar train from Paris back to London after he
had received a retail award in the French capital.
The incident is an embarrassment for John Lewis, an upscale retailer w hich has 43 stores in Britain,
as it is planning to launch a French-language website denominated in euros.
The paper quoted Street as saying: "You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the
squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station."
Street dismissed an award given to him at the World Retail Congress event in Paris as being "made of
plastic" and "frankly revolting".
God help France," he said at a technology award dinner in London.
"If you've got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly."
But Street said Friday the comments were not meant to be taken seriously.
"The remarks I made were supposed to be light-hearted views, and tongue in cheek," he said in a
statement.
"On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly".
The French embassy in London bristled at the comments, saying that "many foreign businesses do
not seem to share Mr Street's view."
"Everyone who has lived in France knows that it enjoys world-class public services," it said in a
statement.
"Public transport, for example, is excellent, and at a price that Mr Street is unlikely to find in many
countries.
with the NLA”.
"People working in France enjoy one of the best healthcare systems in the world. And ultimately,
workers' average productivity is higher in France than in many other developed countries," it added.
John Lewis Boss Issues Apology
Roger Baird
Press Association National Newswire
03 October 2014
The managing director of retailer John Lewis has issued an unreserved apology for what he said were
"tongue in cheek" remarks about France - in which he said the country was "finished".
Andy Street told an audience of entrepreneurs in London that France was "sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat" and advised those with investments there to "get them out quickly", the Times reported.
He added: "I have never been to a country more ill at ease . . . nothing works and worse, nobody
cares about it."
But after the remarks were publicised, Mr Street was forced to backtrack in a statement issued by
John Lewis.
He said: "The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek. On
reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly."
Mr Street's comments, at an event marking the end of a John Lewis competition for start-ups, came
after he had earlier this week been in Paris to collect an award for the business at the World Retail
Congress.
Mr Street also said that the award he had been given was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting".
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think,
God help France.
"If you've got any investments in French business, get them out quickly."
Go home to your fish and chips: Fuming French turn on John Lewis boss who said their
country is 'finished'
Peter Allen
London Evening Standard Online
03 October 2014
The French reacted with anger today after a senior John Lewis executive described their country as
“hopeless and downbeat”, saying that even the food and wine was better in London.
Andy Street, managing director of the high street giant, launched his blistering attack following a visit
to Paris to pick up a retail award, claiming France “was finished”.
with the NLA”.
He told a group of young British entrepreneurs: “I have never been to a country more ill at ease,
nothing works, and worse, nobody cares about it.”
Mr Street railed against everything from the Eurostar rail hub in Paris to the poor investment
opportunities in its decimated economy.
But his words today threatened to spark a full-blown diplomatic storm as the French stood up for
their country. Paris restaurateur Jean Bellamy said: “The economy may be in a bad way, but French
values are eternal.
“Paris is the most popular tourist city in the world, and people come here for fine living — this attack
just sounds like jealousy.”
Mr Street had claimed that food and wine at the World Retail Congress in Paris had not been as good
as in the English capital.
“He should go back and eat his fish and chips,” said Celine Lavoie, another restaurant worker. “Our
country’s food is by far the best — if someone attacks our culinary tradition, you know they have lost
the argument.”
He later issued a grovelling apology in a statement issued by John Lewis.
John Lewis boss, Andy Street, apologises for French remarks
BBC News
03 October 2014
The boss of John Lewis, Andy Street, has apologised for describing France as "hopeless a nd
downbeat" and advising people with investments there "to get them out quickly".
Quoted in The Times, Mr Street said about France that "nothing works and worse, nobody cares
about it."
Mr Street later said the comments were not meant to be taken seriously but that he "clearly went too
far".
He made the remarks at a dinner after his Eurostar train had been delayed.
Mr Street, who has worked for the retailer John Lewis for nearly 30 years, said London was a much
more modern place.
"You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord,
During his trip to Paris, John Lewis' managing director was given an award from the World Retail
Congress, which he said was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting."
with the NLA”.
God help France," he continued at the technology award dinner.
On Friday Mr Street issued a personal apology, saying: "The remarks I made were supposed to be
light-hearted views, and tongue in cheek.
"On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly".
'Senseless'
The French embassy in London rejected Mr Street's claims, pointing out that France has the fifth
largest stock of foreign direct investment in the world, a total of €1.1 trillion ($1.1tn; £933bn).
"Obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Street's view," a statement said.
Responding to the "nothing works" claim, the embassy said: "Everyone who has lived in France
knows that it enjoys world-class public services. Public transport, for example, is excellent, and at a
price that Mr Street is unlikely to find in many countries.
"People working in France enjoy one of the best healthcare systems in the world. And ultimately,
workers' average productivity is higher in France than in many other developed countries," the
statement continued.
"Mr Street can rest assured that the French government really cares about business! France is the
fifth biggest economy in the world, the second in Europe. It would be senseless for any major
international business to overlook such a market," it concluded.
The French economy has stalled recently with the French finance minister, Mr Sapin, saying recently
that growth would remain weak and projecting that the economy would only grow very slightly this
year.
France is finished so get your money out, Britain's John Lewis boss says
Guy Faulconbridge and James Davey
Reuters
03 October 2014
* Retailer says comments "not to be taken seriously"
* Boss describes Eurostar station as "squalor pit of Europe"
* Disparages award given at World Retail Congress in Paris
LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - France is such a hopeless country where nothing works that investors
should pull their money out quickly, the head of British retailer John Lewis said in an extraordi nary
dinner speech after his train was delayed from Paris.
"I have never been to a country more ill at ease . . . nothing works and worse, nobody cares about
it," Managing Director Andy Street was quoted by the Times newspaper as telling a London audience.
with the NLA”.
A spokeswoman for John Lewis Britain's biggest department store operator confirmed that the
comments attributed to Street were accurately reported but said they were intended as "tongue -incheek" and "not to be taken seriously".
Street, who has worked for nearly three decades at John Lewis after graduating from Oxford
University, cast Europe's second largest economy as sclerotic and contrasted Paris negatively with
London.
"You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe , Gare du Nord,
Street said the award John Lewis was given in Paris during this week's World Retail Congress was
God help France," he was quoted as saying. "If you've got investments in French businesses, get
them out quickly."
Bigger than Britain's for the 1980s and most of the 1990s, France's economy lagged from 1998 until
the 2008 financial crisis but has been bigger than Britain's since.
This year France's nominal gross domestic product is forecast by the International Monetary Fund to
grow to $2.89 trillion this year while Britain's is forecast to grow to $2.83 trillion.
Under Street, John Lewis, whose worker co-ownership model has been lauded by Prime Minister
David Cameron, has been the star performer of Britain's retail sector.
Its generally more affluent customers were less hurt by the economic downturn and it has a bias to
the more prosperous south east of England.
A big push online, improvements to stores, products, service, promotions and marketing, have also
chimed with shoppers. Last month it posted a 62 percent rise in first half operating profit to 56.3
million pounds on sales up 9.4 percent to 1.87 billion pounds.
John Lewis, which sells many French products in Britain, is planning to launch a French-language
Le Grovel: I was being tongue in cheek when I said France was hopeless, downbeat and
finished, says John Lewis boss
James Salmon
Mail Online
04 October 2014
* Managing director of John Lewis, Andy Street, said France is 'finished'
* He described Paris as the 'squalor pit of Europe' where 'nothing works'
* Mr Street made the remarks after visiting Paris earlier this week
* The French reacted saying he 'should go back and eat his fish and chips'
* But John Lewis insisted that Mr Street's remarks were 'tongue in cheek'
* Mr Street said today he went 'too far' and 'apologises unreservedly'
* The retail giant plan to launch a French-language version of its website
with the NLA”.
The boss of John Lewis has been forced into a grovelling apology after describing France as ‘finished’.
Managing director Andy Street insisted his tirade against Europe’s second biggest economy had been
‘tongue-in-cheek’.
But in a statement he apologised for the comments, in which he described France as ‘sclerotic,
hopeless and downbeat’.
‘The remarks I made were supposed to be light-hearted views, and tongue-in-cheek. On reflection I
clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly’, he said.
Mr Street’s apology, an acute embarrassment for Middle England’s favourite department store, came
too late to prevent a furious response from the French embassy. And prospective customers – France
is John Lewis’s second biggest market and it is about to open a French website – took to Twitter in
their hundreds to accuse John Lewis of ‘French bashing’.
But Mr Street was backed by UK business leaders, with the head of the Institute of Directors
describing France as ‘living on borrowed time’, one economist branding France ‘the sick man of the
world’ and a leading commentator accusing the French of being ‘bone idle’.
Mr Street made the controversial remarks after visiting Paris earlier this week to pick up an
international retail award.
Safely back on British soil, he told a conference in London on Thursday evening that France was
‘finished’.
‘You get on the Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du
Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [London St Pancras],’ he said. ‘I have
never been to a country more ill at ease… nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it.’
The 50-year-old Oxford graduate, who joined John Lewis from university 30 years ago, described the
‘plastic’ retail award given to the company in the French capital as ‘frankly revolting’ adding: ‘Every
time I [see it] I shall think, “God help France”.’
He even said the food and drink in London was better than that he had been offered in Paris.
ANDY STREET: THE BRAINS BEHIND THE RISE AND RISE OF JOHN LEWIS
Andy Street has spent his career at John Lewis, joining after graduating from Oxford with a degree in
Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 1985 - the same degree read by Prime Minster David Cameron.
He became Managing Director of John Lewis in 2007, during which time the retail giant has opened
16 new shops and seen annual sales of more than £1b.
Mr Street said on its rise: 'It used to be that every city needed a cathedral, now it's a John Lewis .'
His holiday home, which he calls his 'chill-out place' in Snowdonia is co-owned with Michael Fabricant,
the eccentric Conservative MP for Lichfield.
John Lewis, which will not take any action against Mr Street, was forced into damage -limitation mode
yesterday over fears of alienating French customers.
One said on Twitter: ‘Insulting your future customers... interesting marketing strategy’.
The French embassy said: ‘France is the fifth biggest economy in the world... so obviously many
foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Street’s view.’
Ann Kenrick, of the Franco-British Council, said the attack was an example of ‘a festering antagonism
with the French and France from the British.’
with the NLA”.
City grandee Lord Levene said Mr Street’s comments were ‘very silly’ and ‘mindless’. The high profile
businessman and former Lord Mayor of London added: ‘It’s completely inappropriate for someone
running a big company to do this. It doesn’t matter whether the criticism is right or wrong.’
But Mr Street’s comments struck a chord with some in the business community, who believe the 75
per cent tax on top earners introduced by Socialist president Francois Hollande and the country’s
labour laws – including a 35-hour week – have stunted the economy.
The high tax regime has already sparked an exodus of business leaders and celebrities.
Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: ‘Foreign direct investment in France
has fallen by more than 90 per cent since 2005. Hollande’s government has been a disaster. France is
living on borrowed time.’ Mr Walker cited the decision by French car giants Renault and Peugeot to
expand production in Spain and cut jobs in France as further evidence of the country’s malaise.
David Buik, a veteran City commentator for stockbroker Panmure Gordon said: ‘Mr Street is a hero.
He is right. France is almost a great country. But the French are bone idle – that have got themselves
into a rut and refuse to dig themselves out of this hole.’
'THE COUNTRY WHERE NOTHING WORKS': IS FRANCE REALLY THAT BAD?
This week, France's public debt topped two trillion euros for the first time, which represents 95.1 per
cent of gross domestic product (GDP) - compared to 21.1 per cent in 1974. The European Union
target is 60 per cent.
President Francois Hollande is by far the most unpopular president in the recent history of France,
according to all recent polls.
His disastrous handling of the economy - the second largest in the eurozone after Germany - has
seen hundreds of thousands regularly staging public demonstrations against him and he has been
branded the new 'sick man of Europe.'
France's jobless rate was recorded at 10.2 percent in the second quarter of 2014, with more than
three million people out of work.
Last month, France's new finance minister Emmanuel Macron said: 'France is sick. It's not well. We
have to describe the situation as it is.'
The French introduced the 35-hour working week rule in 1999 to combat unemployment,
Two key ratings agencies, Moody’s and Standard & Poor, deprived France of its triple AAA rating in
2012. Credit ratings are used by banks and investors to decide how much money to lend to particular
borrowers.
Unlike many other countries in Europe, France aims to bring down its huge public deficit by raising
taxes as well as some spending cuts.
France has a 75 per cent tax rate on salaries of more than one million euros a year. However, this tax
is paid by firms rather than employees.
The highest tax rate in the UK is 45 per cent and is applied to individuals.
Football clubs in France threatened to go on strike last year over the issue, saying many of France's
clubs are financially fragile and could spark an exodus of top players who are paid huge salaries, such
as Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain.
There was also a chorus of protest from businesses and wealthy individuals who have condemned the
tax - including film star Gerard Depardieu, who left the country in protest.
with the NLA”.
Mr Hollande has made the decision to reverse pensions reform, meaning that most French people will
retire at 60, and many at an even younger age.
The French government's response to the economic crisis is the so-called 'Responsibility Pact', a
€40bn (£32bn) package of tax breaks for business, financed with €50bn in public spending cuts.
But the plan has been the target of left-wing politicians for being too business-friendly and too
austere at a time of economic crisis.
150 YEARS OF JOHN LEWIS: THE NEW DARLING OF THE BRITISH HIGH STREET
John Lewis - the founder of the famous retail chain - was born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, in 1836.
The original John Lewis store opened at 132 Oxford Street in the spring of 1864.
It was Lewis's son, John Spedan Lewis, who pioneered its practice of distributing a share of its profits
to its employees, which still exists today.
In September 1940, in the midst of the Blitz, Oxford Street's John Lewis store was bombed, although
incredibly no staff were killed or injured.
In 1953, the main John Lewis store - still being rebuilt following its near destruction during wartime
bombing - was used as a viewing point for the Coronation procession.
Over the past 150 years, the retailer has transformed itself from a humble Victorian draper to a chain
encompassing more than 40 stores and employing 91,000 permanent staff and has been described as
'the new darling of the British high street.'
Every member of staff from the chairman to Saturday shelf-stackers gets the same level of bonus –
which has this year been set at 15 per cent, or about eight weeks' pay.
Despite John Lewis's decision not to run adverts on television until 2007, the retailer has won a
reputation for creating memorable Christmas campaigns. This year's sales were boosted by the
retailer's hugely successful Christmas advert – the Bear and the Hare cartoon – which became a
YouTube sensation with 12.4m views.
John Lewis : L'incroyable french bashing d'Andy Street, Gal Manager de l'enseigne
Anglaise
Le Furet du Retail
04 October 2014
On le sait les Anglais n'aiment pas les Français ... personnellement je ne m'y habitue pas mais c'est
un fait. Je vous présente Andy Street, Directeur général de l'enseigne John Lewis propriétaire
également de Waitrose, et illustre inconnu en dehors des ses boutiques Londoniennes enseigne pour
laquelle il travaille depuis 30 ans. Et bien voici un condensé de propos lamentables rapporté par le
Times Magazine, et issus soit d"un abus de notre bon champagne, mais j'en doute, soit de jalousie
jeudi soir lors d'un dîner devant des investisseurs et d'hommes d'affaires Londoniens à son retour de
la remise des Awards du World Retail Congres, grande messe annuelle du retail mondial... organisée
à la Défense la semaine dernière, et d'ailleurs par une société événementielle ... Anglaise.
Accrochez vous :
with the NLA”.
" France was sclerotic, hopeless, and downbeat and urged them to get out if they had investments
there because the country was “finished”.
God help France"
Sympas non ? et ce n'est pas tout.
Mr street à reproché à la France de lui remettre ''un trophée en plastique'' lors du World Retail
Congress qui avait lieu à la Défense les 29, 30 sept et 1 Octobre, ou John Lewis à reçu fort justement
le titre de ''retailer cross canal de l"année 2014'' y voyant ''un signe de sa faillite'' et déclarant cela
''franchement révoltant''. Un congrès organisé par i2ievent, une société ... Anglaise. Et la France n'est
que ''l'accueillant'' donc absolument pour rien dans la qualité des trophées.
Et si ma colère est grande c'est parce-que cette tirade - dont Mr Street s'est platement excusé dès le
lendemain ce qui montre son courage - est caractéristique d'un lobby latent de french basching issus
des milieu d'affaire anglo saxons à l'encontre de la France depuis quelques années, et cela ne date
pas du gouvernement actuel, mais plutôt du début de la crise 2008, tirant sur un pays qu'ils n'aiment
pas et qui ne va pas dans leur sens économique.
C'est d'autant plus désespérant que John Lewis prépare une version Française de son site de vente
en ligne, et que ses magasins sont largement assortis en références Françaises, de luxe ou de
tradition. Le commerce est universel donc on se calme Mr Street.
Enfin Mr Street déclare également que la gare du Nord est ''l'épicentre de la pauvreté européenne'' “the squalor pit of Europe in contrast to London’s revamped St Pancras station at the other end of the
Eurostar line''.
Les réaction politiques sont nombreuses :
La réalité ? La jalousie et une irritation due à un retard de l'Eurostar pris par Andy Street .... Au delà
une réalité : Londres attire moins les investisseurs que Paris, le retail parisien attire le monde entier
et notre pays est le plus visité au monde.
"Ce qu'il dit est faux et stupide. Comme nous le disons, tout excès est exagéré, mais il semble que le
dénigrement français soit à la mode chez les experts économiques '' déclare Jean Louis Missika '' a
deputy Paris mayor in charge of economic development and the attractiveness of Paris to investors.
He told the Guardian that if Andy Street was joking, perhaps Paris should respond in kind. “What he
says is false and idiotic. As we say, everything excessive is exaggerated, but then it seems French
bashing is all the fashion ''chez vous''.
“Factually it’s false because figures show that last year Paris attracted more foreign investment than
London, and because Paris is a dynamic city with a quality of service that is often better than in
London.
“But this guy has shops in London, right, so of course he wants to attract people away from the
shops in Paris. I think it’s called publicity.”
''The French embassy in London rejected Mr Street's claims, pointing out that France has the fifth
largest stock of foreign direct investment in the world, a total of €1.1 trillion ($1.1tn; £933bn)''
Enfin utile à préciser à Mr Street, même si tout va mal chez nous, le Produit intérieur brut britannique
reste inférieur à celui de la France, leur balance commerciale est plus déficitaire que celle de la
France et les Britanniques sont plus nombreux à vivre sous le seuil de pauvreté que les Français ;
with the NLA”.
Mais qu'à t'on besoin de se justifier face à tant de bétises primaires et basiques.
Bref, pour le pays deuxième place financière mondiale et qui a largement contribué à la faillite d'un
système économique depuis 2008, c'est assez désespérant et peu glorieux. C'était mon coup de
gueule du jour. L'avantage d'avoir un blog personnel, et bien entendu ces propos n'engage que moi.
Head of John Lewis apologises for ‘France is finished’ remarks
The Irish Times
04 October 2014
The head of British retailer John Lewis has apologised after saying France is such a hopeless country
where nothing works that investors should pull their money out quickly.
"I have never been to a country more ill at ease . . . nothing works and worse, nobody cares about
it," John Lewis managing director Andy Street told a London audience in a dinner speech after his
train was delayed from Paris.
A spokeswoman for John Lewis, Britain's biggest department store operator, said the comments were
intended "not to be taken seriously".
However, Mr Street later issued a statement to say sorry. "The remarks I made were supposed to be
lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek.
"On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly."
'Sclerotic'
In a speech in which he advised entrepreneurs with assets in the country to "get them out quickly",
Mr Street described the nation as "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat"
The comments were made at an awards dinner in Canary Wharf on Wednesday, after Mr Street was
delayed coming back from a conference in Paris while travelling on the Eurostar. Mr Street, who has
worked for nearly three decades at John Lewis, contrasted Paris negatively with London.
'Squalor pit'
"You get on the Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du
Nord, and you get off in a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras]," he said, adding that he
though the food and drink at the London event were better than those he had received in Paris.
Mr Street said the award John Lewis was given in Paris during this week's World Retail Congress was
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is.
"Every time I [see it], I shall think, God help France," he was quoted as saying. "If you've got
investments in French businesses, get them out quickly."
The retailer, a favourite of the British middle classes, has no stores in France but has plans to launch
a French website denominated in euro.
with the NLA”.
Retailers must win ver ‘millennials’
Drapers
04 October 2014
Retailer insults in two languages
Jim Armitage
The Independent
04 October 2014
When the managing director of John Lewis awoke yesterday morning, he must have wished he hadn't
tried out his new anti-French jokes the night before in a speech to British entrepreneurs.
Andy Street had just returned from Paris, where he had been picking up an award at a retail industry
conference. Describing France as "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat," he said the country was
"finished."
As he will have read to his horror on the front page of The Times, he then turned his fire on the
trophy itself, which he described as "made of plastic and frankly revolting".
with the NLA”.
He added: "If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I see it, I
think, God help France. If you've got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly."
However, far from being made by a Frenchman, The Independent has discovered that the World
Retail Congress trophy which so offended Mr Street was created in London by Berry Place, a highly
successful team of British designers. They are based next to St Pancras, which Mr Street boasted was
"a modern, forward-looking station" compared with Paris's "squalor-pit of Europe: Gare du Nord".
Berry Place also has a thriving industrial design business and recently won plaudits for its work for the
Imperial War Museum.
Yesterday, having provoked a stormy rebuke from the French Embassy, Mr Street apologised, saying
his comments were meant to be funny but that he had "clearly gone too far".
Retailer insults in two languages
The Independent
04 October 2014
John Lewis chief apologises to French for 'light-hearted' Jibes
James Hurley
The Times
04 October 2014
Andy Street, the John Lewis managing director, has apologised for saying that France is "finished"
and labelling the country "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat".
with the NLA”.
The retailer's most senior executive had said that nothing worked in France and "worse, no one cares
about it".
During a speech, reported by The Times yesterday, Mr Street had also advised anyone with
investments in the country to "get them out quickly".
Mr Street said: "I regret the comments and apologise unreservedly." John Lewis had initially
suggested that no apology would be forthcoming for the "tongue-in-cheek comments", but Mr Street
was forced to act in the face of anger in France, where the company is planning to start an online
business.
Reporting on Mr Street's diatribe, Les Echos, a business newspaper, said: "This 'French-bashing' is
getting grotesque."
Mr Street made the comments at a dinner in London after his Eurostar train had been delayed. He
said the speech was not meant to be taken seriously but he admitted he "went too far". During the
speech, he described Gare du Nord as "the squalor pit of Europe". He added that an award from the
World Retail Congress he had received in Paris was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting". The
company behind the congress event that made the award to John Lewis is, in fact, i2i Events Group,
based in London . Mr Street said: "If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is.
Every time I [see it], I shall think, God help France."
In a statement, he said: "The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in-cheek. On reflection, I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly."
Muriel Pénicaud, chairwoman and chief executive of the state agency Invest in France, said: "There is
a lot of French-bashing in England. It is a fashion at the moment. It's cyclical.
"The good news is that the reality is much better than the perception ...
the general message is a caricature. People who really know France and invest in it should be the
ones to talk."
Jean-Louis Missika, a deputy mayor in Paris, described the comments as "false and idiotic". The
French embassy also rejected Mr Street's analysis.
A spokesman said: "France is the country with the fifth-largest stock of foreign direct investment in
the world, so obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Str eet's view."
Mr Street, who has worked for John Lewis for nearly 30 years, received some support from Simon
Walker, head of the Institute of Directors.
While he said that he was surprised at the tone of the comments, Mr Walker said that the analysis of
the economy was "basically right".
"The French economy is a disaster area. Sclerotic is a legitimate word to use with regard to France,
and other parts of the eurozone as well."
Michael Fabricant, the Conservative MP, who is Mr Street's partner, said: "Anyone travelling on the
filthy, graffiti-covered Paris Metro will agree with the boss of John Lewis."
On Twitter Mr Fabricant wrote: "France in a fit of pique over this. Do you think we might be thrown
out of the EU? Too much to hope for!" He added that members of the French embassy were "getting
their pantaloon in a twist".
with the NLA”.
John Lewis chief apologises to French for ‘light-hearted’ jibes
The Times
04 October 2014
with the NLA”.
John Lewis chief says sorry for France remark
The Herald
04 October 2014
The managing director of retailer John Lewis has issued an unreserved apology for what he said were
tongue-in-cheek remarks about France, in which he said the country was “finished”.
Andy Street told an audience of entrepreneurs in London that France was “sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat”, and advised those with investments there to get them out quickly.
He added: “I have never been to a country more ill at ease … nothing works and nobody cares about
it.”
John Lewis.
He said in his statement: “The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue
in cheek.
“On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly.”
Mr Street’s comments came after he had been in Paris to collect an award for the business at the
World Retail Congress.
He said: “You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare
du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras].”
John Lewis boss issues apology for French slur
The Journal, Newcastle
04 October 2014
THE managing director of retailer John Lewis has issued an unreserved apology for what he said were
"tongue in cheek" remarks about France - in which he said the country was "finished".
Andy Street told an audience of entrepreneurs in London that France was "sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat" and advised those with investments there to "get them out quickly".
He added: "I have never been to a country more ill at ease ... nothing works and worse, nobody
cares about it."
But after the remarks were publicised, Mr Street was forced to backtrack.
Congress.
with the NLA”.
du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station (St Pancras)." Mr Street also said that
the award he had been given was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting".
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I see it, I shall think,
God help France."
John Lewis's Boss Andy Street Apologises for His Remarks about France
Kamilah Qasimi
TopNews.in
04 October 2014
John Lewis's managing director Andy Street has issued an unreserved apology for the remarks he
made about France. He said that as a country France was "finished".
Andy Street spoke to an audience of entrepreneurs in London and said that France was "sclerotic,
hopeless and downbeat." He also advised those who have investments there, should get them out
quickly.
He provoked a fiery criticism yesterday from the French Embassy. Mr Street apologised and said that
he made that comments light heartedly and they were actually meant to be funny but that he had
"clearly gone too far".
The French embassy did not agree with the criticism that came from Lewis and said that the country
enjoys public services that are "world-class", cheap transport, and is the "country with the fifthlargest stock of foreign direct investment in the world."
The comments came from Mr Street after he visited Paris to collect an award at the World Retail
Congress, for business.
He must have regretted his words in the morning after, and hoped that he had not joked in the
speech to British entrepreneurs, when the news was all over the media.
John Lewis boss Andy Street makes grovelling apology after he called France 'finished'
Ben Hurst
birminghammail.co.uk
04 October 2014
Birmingham-born managing director of retailer in hot water over 'tongue-in-cheek' comments
The Birmingham-born managing director of retailer John Lewis has issued an unreserved apology for
what he said were “tongue in cheek” remarks about France - in which he said the country was
“finished”.
with the NLA”.
Andy Street told an audience of entrepreneurs in London that France was “sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat” and advised those with investments there to “get them out quickly”, the Times reported.
The former King Edward’s School pupil added: “I have never been to a country more ill at ease...
nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it.”
John Lewis.
He said: “The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek. On
reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly.”
Mr Street’s comments, at an event marking the end of a John Lewis competition for start-ups, came
Congress.
He said: “You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare
du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras].”
Mr Street also said that the award he had been given was “made of plastic and is frankly revolting”.
“If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think,
God help France.
“If you’ve got any investments in French business, get them out quickly.”
WRC 2014: 'Disruptors' a key concern for global retailers.
Michelle Russell
Just-Style
04 October 2014
Disruption was the central theme at this year's World Retail Congress in Paris, covering everything
from the innovation of new businesses to the latest generation of millennial shoppers. Indeed, it's an
issue of key concern for global retailers, as Steve Sadove, chairman of the National Retail Federation
and former Saks CEO, explains.
New technology and innovation are bringing a new type of disruption to both the digital and bricks
and mortar shopping experience. This, more than ever, is putting the consumer in control.
The disruptive consumer can also be classed as the changing consumer,
this year's Congress pointed out. While most retailers are confident they
the confines of their businesses, they now need to be aware, more than
what they want and expect the retailer to understand and accommodate
as some of the speakers at
know what is going on inside
ever, of shoppers who know
these needs.
"This is a period of the greatest change any of us have seen in retail," Sadove tells delegates. "There
is more disruption...a time where the old rules aren't the same anymore and it requires different
thinking and a different kind of leadership."
Sadove pointed to ten "disruptors" he has identified, from mobile communications and omni-channel
to analytics/data and vertical integration.
"The important question to me is not whether this is the correct list but what are we doing as leaders
to drive these ten disruptors into our organisations and making sure whether or not the organisation
is embracing it," he told delegates.
with the NLA”.
"The single biggest disruptor is omni-channel retailing. It's no longer about the internet or bricks and
mortar. The consumer wants product any time and when they want it. They want to buy online, or
pick up in the store. There is a blurring of the channels taking place."
This, Sadove pointed out, leads to organisational implications, with retailers needing to understand
the customers' view as well as their needs.
"No matter how all of this changes there are two reasons for a consumer shopping in store . It's for
the product and the service provided. This is the biggest disruptor we're looking at because you have
to think differently. It means mobile, web, all the facets of this."
"Most people, in some form, whether it's communication from their friends, bloggers, from
researchers, in some form or another are using their mobile device to affect the purchase. It's
important to understand how well are you doing in this arena. How do you stack up in your
capabilities in delivering against this?" Sadove asked delegates. "Are you providing the information to
enable the consumer to operate with your company on a mobile basis.
"The consumer is already in this space and if you don't control it the customer will choose their own
way."
This disruptor, Sadove believes, is about understanding the needs and desires of the individual
consumer and finding ways of being able to meet those needs on a one-on-one basis. "The winners
versus the losers are the ones that are embracing this. There is so much of that data out there."
"Vertical integration is another important trend, unless you have differentiated product of some sort.
If you have a non-differentiated product, because of price transparency, you will have a low price. If
you are vertical, that is going to help shape the future and that's why you have the luxury players
becoming vertical to get the margin."
Sadove told delegates there is a desire to control your own destiny as well as the margin, the
products and experience. "You will continue to see a differentiation in product using a creative means
of sourcing."
The increasing importance of the internet means consumers can readily download apps that will
compare prices for them. This, Sadove believes, is changing the retail model and in most markets is
putting enormous pressure on gross margin.
"More in US, there is a downward pressure because of price competition driven by the promotional
nature of the market. You have to think about how you can have more differentiated product."
"This is a real issue globally that, if not addressed as an industry, will have to be dealt with on the
payment and data breach side."
He pointed to US retailer Target, which in December last year reported a data breach affecting up to
110m of its customers.
"Again, it's about leadership. This is what drives whether or not a company is paying attention in
looking at this area. It's disrupting the consumer's attitude. Reputation is at risk. You've got to think
this has long-term implications."
"The millennial consumer is thinking different. For the millennial customer, the idea of carbon
footprint, social responsibility, that is a price of entry for them. What are we doing in terms of means
of communication for that customer?" Sadove questioned.
Sadove outlined the ease for consumers globally to buy a product in a different country. Price
transparency, he suggested, has only fuelled this trend."There is going to be much more in terms of
with the NLA”.
shipping and buying products around the world. Convergence of pricing will have implications on
margin."
"Retail is one of the most complex businesses out there. We have more needs for engineers,
marketers, every type of function globally. The requirements and capabilities we need are
fundamentally different to what we needed in the past. I question w hether or not we're doing the job
we need to be doing given the degree of change that is happening in the industry."
Sadove pointed to wearable technology as the last of the ten disruptors. An increase in the need and
desire for more functional apparel items means there is a need for retailers to continue to innovate.
"All of this plays together in terms of fundamental changes in how these items are used and where
they're sourced. Wearable technology plays an important part in this."
He concluded: "As you see, change is going on. The implications of this is that as leaders we have to
embrace it in terms of investment and people and it will require more spending. Capex budgets will
be higher in the future. Even if you don't compete with Amazon, the requirements of the customer
service they deliver are what you need to. They are setting the tone."
Head of John Lewis says France is 'finished'
Lakshman Menon
The Sunday Guardian
05 October 2014
With annual sales of over 10 billion pounds and 90,000 staff, all of whom are partners in the
business, the departmental store chain, John Lewis, is a much loved British institution.
Its chain, including London's iconic Peter Jones and its upmarket grocery stores, Waitrose, are an
attraction for both British and foreign tourists. But it is unlikely to have won French friends, or
customers, after its Managing Director, Andy Street, described France as "sclerotic, hopeless and
downbeat" and advised British investors in France get "out quickly". In a speech in London to
entrepreneurs, Street said, "I have never been to a country more ill at ease . . .
nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it." The Times reports Street continued that the
contrast between France and Britain "could not have been more extreme" in his experience, "You get
on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord, and you
get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras]." Rubbing salt in French wounds, Street
noted that earlier in the week, the French had awarded John Lewis a prize at the World Retail
Congress, which, he said, was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting. If I needed any further
evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think, God help France. " His
remarks outraged French sensitivities. The French embassy in London swiftly issued a long
denunciation. The Deputy Mayor of Paris fulminated, "What he says is false and idiotic" while the
French newspaper Les Echos seethed, "This 'French-bashing' is getting grotesque." Ironically, John
Lewis is planning to launch a French-language version of its website denominated in euros. Thus
chastised, if not with scorpions, then with words, a humbled Street issued a statement saying that his
remarks were "supposed to be tongue in cheek". But he added, "On reflection, I clearly went too far
and apologise unreservedly."
with the NLA”.
John Lewis Boss Sorry For 'Hopeless' France Jibe
Sky News
05 October 2014
The boss of the John Lewis Partnership has apologised to France after saying the country was
"finished".
Managing director Andy Street held out an olive branch after a series of negative comments about the
country were published on the front page of The Times.
He had made the critical comments at an event for entrepreneurs in London that included a
competition for start-up businesses.
Mr Street described France as "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat" and urged British business people
with investments in the country "to get them out quickly".
He had said: "I have never been to a country more ill at ease … nothing works and worse, nobody
cares about it."
Mr Street is the most senior executive in the partnership, which shares an equal percentage of profits
among all workers.
He joked to the audience that an award given to the company at the World Retail Congress in Paris
was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting".
"If I needed any further evidence of a country in in decline, here it is. Every time I (see it), I shall
think 'God help France'."
However, on Friday, Mr Street said in a statement to Sky News that his comments "were supposed to
be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek".
He added: "On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments and apologise unreservedly."
But the Gallic wrath may already be building, despite there being no John Lewis or Waitrose store
presence in France.
After informing readers that Mr Street called the Eurostar terminal of Gard du Nord the "squalor pit of
Europe", Les Echos called his comments "bitter and angry".
It then warned readers that John Lewis has plans to roll-out a website catering for French customers,
with pricing in euros.
Les Echos then quipped: "The fuss is already assured."
Pour ce grand patron britannique, «la France est finie»
Canal France
05 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Polemique. Le directeur général de la grande enseigne britannique John Lewis a dressé un cinglant
constat de l’état de la France.
Un constat …
Andy Street, le directeur général de l’enseigne John Lewis, n’est pas tendre avec la France: «la
France est finie» a affirmé ce grand patron anglais. Cette déclaration fait la une aujourd’hui du
magazine Times.
L’homme revenait de Paris, où il assistait au salon professionnel World Retail Congress. Le chef
d’entreprise, dans des propos rapportés par le Figaro, de retour à Londres, a dressé un constat
cinglant de la France devant un parterre d’entrepreneurs: «si vous avez des investissements dans des
entreprises françaises, retirez-les rapidement», dénonçant un pays «sclérosé, sans espoir et
déprimé». «Je n'ai jamais vu un pays plus mal à l'aise. Rien ne marche et, pire, ça ne dérange
personne» a dénoncé l’entrepreneur.
Andy Street a également raconté son voyage depuis la gare du Nord à Paris, «le trou le plus sordide
d'Europe», et la gare St Pancras à Londres, «une gare moderne tournée vers le futur»: «Si on avait
besoin de plus de preuves d'un pays en déclin, les voilà. À chaque fois, je me dis: que Dieu aide la
France!».
A Paris, l’homme venait chercher le prix de la meilleure enseigne multicanal, rem is au World Retail
Congress. Le patron anglais ne s’est pas gêné pour se moquer d’un prix «en plastique, franchement
immonde», et d’un dîner de gala parisien bien en-dessous de ceux qu’il connait à Londres.
… et des excuses, suite à la polémique
Ces propos ne sont pas passés inaperçus. L’homme, face à la polémique, a présetné ses excuses ce
vendredi après-midi: «mes remarques étaient censées être humoristiques et sur le ton de la
plaisanterie. A la réflexion, je suis clairement allé trop loin. Je regrette ces propos et présente des
excuses sans réserve» a-t-il déclaré dans un communiqué.
La France, un pays "fini et sans espoir" ? Un patron anglais s'excuse
Sud Ouest
06 October 2014
Andy Street n'aura pas fait le voyage pour rien. Le directeur génér al des magasins John Lewis,
équivalent anglais du Printemps, est venu recevoir un prix au salon professionnel World Retail
Congress, fin septembre, à Paris. Il est donc reparti avec un trophée et quelques critiques acerbes
dans sa valise.
De retour à Londres, il s'est lancé dans un véritable pamphlet contre la France lors d'un dîner
d'affaires vendredi, dans la lignée de celui du patron américain de Titan Maurice Taylor, en 2013. Ses
propos ont été dévoilés dans les colonnes du Times.
"Que Dieu aide la France"
with the NLA”.
"Je n'ai jamais vu un pays aussi mal à l'aise (sic). Rien ne marche et, pire, personne n'a l'air de s'en
soucier", a-t-il estimé, parlant de la France comme d'un pays "sclérosé, sans espoir et abattu".
Il n'a en outre pas eu l'air d'apprécier sa récompense, "en plastique, ce qui est franchement
révoltant". Au point d'y voir "une preuve supplémentaire qui prouve que ce pays est en déclin. A
chaque fois que je vois ce trophée, je me dis, 'que Dieu aide à la France' ".
"La Gare du Nord, réceptacle de la misère en Europe"
Pour ne rien arranger, le train qui ramenait Andy Street à Londres a eu du retard. "Vous montez dans
un Eurostar en Gare du Nord, que je peux seulement décrire comme étant le réceptacle de la misère
en Europe, et vous arrivez dans une gare moderne et qui va de l'avant (St Pancras)", a-t-il décrit.
Conclusion générale : la France est "finie". "Si vous avez des placements dans des affaires en France,
sortez-les en vite". Une incitation qui n'est pas sans rappeler la fameuse sortie de Da vid Cameron qui
avait, en juin 2012, affiché sa volonté de "dérouler le tapis rouge aux entreprises françaises" trop
pénalisées par la taxe à 75%.
"Ce qu'il a dit est faux et idiot"
De quoi indigner la twittosphère française et faire sortir de ses gonds Jean-Louis Missika, adjoint au
maire de Paris en charge du développement économique et de l'attractivité. "Ce qu'il a dit est faux et
idiot. Comme on dit, tout ce qui est excessif est exagéré. Mais il semblerait que le French bashing soit
à la mode chez vous", a-t-il expliqué au Guardian.
"L'année derrière, Paris a attiré plus d'investissements étrangers que Londres, et Paris est une ville
dynamique avec une qualité de service souvent meilleure que celle de Londres".
Andy Street a donc été contraint d'exprimer ses regrets. "Les remarques que j'ai faites étaient
censées être des propos légers et sarcastiques. A la réflexion, je suis clairement allé trop loin. Je
regrette mes commentaires et présente des excuses sans réserves".
Le dirigeant s'est peut-être souvenu que John Lewis était sur le point de lancer un site Internet en
français, et que la France était le pays étranger où la marque réalisait le plus de ventes...
Shirts and ties get the Joe Boxer treatment
Andrew Clark
thetimes.co.uk
06 October 2014
He built his reputation by adopting the title “chief underwear officer”. Two decades on, the founder of
Joe Boxer is making a comeback with a range of menswear intended to teach Americans how to
dress with British style.
Nick Graham, a Canadian entrepreneur with British parentage, was one of the most colourful figures
in male fashion during the 1980s and 1990s when he built Joe Boxer into a quirky, colourful name in
the underwear industry.
He hopes to pull off a similar trick with shirts and ties through a new venture which he described as
“Thomas Pink on speed”.
In an interview at the World Retail Congress in Paris, Mr Graham revealed that clothing under his
eponymous brand, Nick Graham, went on sale at two leading US department store chains last we ek –
Macy’s and Lord & Taylor.
with the NLA”.
“It’s post-prep,” he said. “My background is British and I’ve always wanted to do a British collection.
British men dress far better than Americans.”
His range largely comprises shirt, tie and bowtie sets in bold colours – a similar approach to Joe
Boxer, which added bright colours to the generally monochrome world of mens’ underwear and was
eventually sold to Iconix, the owner of Umbro and Lee Cooper, for $40 million.
“The shirt department in department stores is very much like the underwear department used to be
25 years ago,” said Mr Graham. “Big, important and boring.”
During his time at Joe Boxer, Mr Graham became renowned for eccentric marketing stunts – including
designing boxer shorts decorated with $100 bills, a thousand of which were confiscated by the US
Secret Service in 1985 for violating anti-forgery laws. He purchased the manorial title “lord of balls”
and once flew 200 magazine editors to Iceland for a fashion show.
Mr Graham, who prefers eye-catching activities to spending money on advertising, is planning a fresh
blitz to launch his new brand including dispatching a 120-piece marching band through Macys’
superstore in New York and dangling a giant bow-tie in front of the Statue of Liberty from a
helicopter.
Shirts and Ties get the Joe Boxer treatment
The Times
06 October 2014
Fast Retailing Recognized with 2014 Retailer of the Year Award
ACN Newswire
06 October 2014
Tokyo, Oct 6, 2014 - (ACN Newswire) - Fast Retailing today announces that on September 30, 2014 it
was recognized with the 2014 Retailer of the Year Award, by the World Retail Congress. The accolade
is awarded to the retailer that has proved that it is a world-class performer across every aspect of its
business, and can truly be described as having had an exceptional year.
The award particularly acknowledges Fast Retailing's ambitious growth plans, high-profile store
openings, and strong sales performance. The jury who selected the company also praised its superior
product quality, price, and customer service experience, while acknowledging its focus on Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR).
with the NLA”.
Fast Retailing Co., Ltd Chairman, President, and CEO, Tadashi Yanai said, "We are honored to have
been acknowledged with this global award. For me, it is a testament to our potential, and a result of
our unique LifeWear concept and Global One approach to people management - where everyone
plays a role in running our business. Putting our customers first, our mission is to create truly great
clothing with new and unique value, and to enable people all over the world to experience the joy,
happiness and satisfaction of wearing such great clothes. To do this, we will continue to drive the
teamwork that has enabled us to earn this acknowledgement."
About UNIQLO and Fast Retailing
UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a leading global Japanese retail holding company that
designs, manufactures and sells clothing under seven main brands: Comptoir des Cotonniers, GU,
Helmut Lang, J Brand, Princesse tam.tam, Theory, and UNIQLO. With global sales of approximately
1.14 trillion yen for the 2013 fiscal year ending August 31, 2013 (US $11.62 billion, calculated in yen
using the end of August 2013 rate of $1 = 98.36 yen), Fast Retailing is one of the world's largest
apparel retail companies, and UNIQLO is Japan's leading specialty retailer.
UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and
locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a truly global brand. Today the
company has a total of more than 1,400 stores in 16 markets worldwide: Japan, Australia, China,
France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea,
Taiwan, Thailand, U.K. and the U.S. In addition, Grameen UNIQLO, a social business established in
Bangladesh in September 2010, currently operates several Grameen UNIQLO stores in Dhaka.
UNIQLO manages an integrated business model under which it designs, manufactures, markets and
sells high-quality, casual apparel. The company believes that truly great clothes should be supremely
comfortable, feature universal designs, are of high quality and offer a superb fit to everyone who
wears them.
With a corporate statement committed to changing clothes, changing conventional wisdom and
change the world, Fast Retailing is dedicated to creating great clothing with new and unique value to
enrich the lives of people everywhere. For more information about UNIQLO and Fast Retailing, please
visit www.uniqlo.com and www.fastretailing.com.
Uniqlo Operator Wins Global Retailer of the Year Award
Jiji Press English News Service
06 October 2014
Tokyo, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)--Fast Retailing Co. <9983>, the operator of Uniqlo casual wear shops, said
Monday that the firm has received the 2014 Retailer of the Year Award of the World Retail Congress.
It is the first Japanese company to win the award.
"We are honored to have been acknowledged with this global award," Fast Retailing President and
Chairman Tadashi Yanai said in a statement.
The congress is held every year among retail industry leaders from around the world.
The award is given to the retailer that attained the most striking results in the past year. Past winners
include U.S. online retailer Amazon.com Inc. and U.S. supermarket operator Costco Wholesale Co.
with the NLA”.
Fast Retailing Recognized with 2014 Retailer of Year Award
India Retail News
06 October 2014
Oct. 6 -- Japan-based Fast Retailing issued the following news release:
Fast Retailing today announces that on September 30, 2014 it was recognized with the 2014 Retailer
of the Year Award, by the World Retail Congress. The accolade is awarded to the retailer that has
proved that it is a world-class performer across every aspect of its business, and can truly be
described as having had an exceptional year.
Retailers Navigating an Era of Disruption
WWD
Alex Wynne
06 October 2014
— Change was in the air at the World Retail Congress.
Not only is some new technological innovation unveiled almost daily, merchants are now courting an
increasingly global consumer who wants more than just product, but also an experience.
“This is a period of the greatest change that any of us have ever seen in our careers in retail,” said
Stephen Sadove, former chairman and chief executive officer of Saks Inc., at the recent gathering
here. “The important question to me is what are we doing as leaders to drive these disrupters into
our organizations? How do we make sure we are fresh and young in our thinking?”
He highlighted the importance of being open to new ideas, notably when it comes to integrating tech
innovation.
Most retailers are embracing the omnichannel future and knitting together their online and offline
operations. And some, are looking to gain a foothold through acquisitions. Neiman Marcus recently
cut a deal to buy Mytheresa.com and Printemps linked with Placedestendances.com.
But that doesn't mean the whole world has gone digital.
with the NLA”.
The latest statistics reveal that bricks-and-mortar stores still represent the lion's share of global sales.
According to a survey of 250 retail leaders released by event organizer I2I Events, 68 percent of retail
sales still take place in physical outlets, compared with only 16 percent online.
Even so, Ron Frasch, operating partner at Castanea Partners and former Saks executive, noted that
while only 2 percent of luxury goods are bought online, 20 percent of purchases are “induced” over
the Internet, illustrating the importance of having strong Web capabilities.
Many retailers are betting on the strength of combining online and offline operations. And some at
the Congress noted that, while e-commerce pure players have long been seen as a major threat to
traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, many of the biggest online players still don't make money.
“Nobody talks about the bottom line,” said Li & Fung Limited chairman William Fung at the three -day
event, which closed Oct. 1. “Amazon is not profitable.”
Trends like showrooming and click-and-collect services are now showing stronger growth than pure
players, Fung said.
There are a slew of startups with tech solutions for the omnichannel world, including Avenue
Imperial. The UK-based firm, which counts Jimmy Choo and The Corner Berlin among its customers,
offers a “V-tail” concept that it likens to Google Street View for stores, allowing consumers to browse
a virtual store, interact with sales staff and link to e-commerce from anywhere in the world.
And there are plenty of online brands venturing into world of physical retail.
Australia-based Shoes of Prey, for instance, was initially an online-only player. But the made-to-order
brand entered department store David Jones' Sydney flagship in February 2013.
“The store is by far the strongest customer-acquisition channel,” said founder Michael Fox, adding
that sales there average three to four times those of neighboring concessions.
Others, from Rent The Runway to Bonobos, have made a similar move and opened their own
outposts for consumers to interact with their brands.
“The opportunity to be omnichannel is paramount today,” said Frasch. “I love the idea of some of the
pure players opening brick-and-mortar. It's very difficult to build a brand if you are only online.”
Not all of the changes sweeping through retail are technology based.
Fung described how policy changes in China, notably wage increases, will impact the market in the
future, pushing up prices and lowering margins as the country moves from a manufacturing to a
consumer economy. That could make it harder for retailers to compete on price alone.
Given all these changes and more, attendees argued that boosting exclusivity and service will be the
best avenues for future growth.
“How [do you] create exclusivity in a world where everything is available everywhere, all the time?”
asked Printemps chairman and chief executive officer Paolo de Cesare. “How do you stay relevant?”
Cesare referred to the 14 percent decline in French apparel sales over the past six years, and spoke
of the importance of changing from a model based just on selling products to one based on creating
experiences.
For Printemps, this has involved building stronger relationships with brands to offer exclusive
products and services as well training sales associates to offer better service.
Mining big data is seen as an important way for retailers to understand exactly who their consumers
are and refine the shopping experience accordingly, as well as targeting consumers before they
travel, no matter their country of origin.
with the NLA”.
“Our research is helping us generate much more cross-border flow,” said Ann Cairns, president of
international markets at Mastercard. “[You need to] define where your big catchment audiences are
in the future.”
French leader hits back at John Lewis boss
Philip Aldrick and Charles Bremner
thetimes.co.uk
07 October 2014
The French prime minister has hit back at criticism from the managing director of John Lewis that
France is “finished” by suggesting that the department store boss had “drunk too much beer”.
Addressing journalists at the French embassy in London, Manuel Valls said that Andy Street had made
“some absurd statements” last week.
Referring to John Lewis’s plans to launch a French language version of its website, Mr Valls said: “He
announced an investment in France and then said France is finished.”
Mr Street’s description last week of France as “sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat”, and his advice that
entrepreneurs with investments in the country should “get them out quickly”, formed an awkward
backdrop to the French prime minister’s official visit to the UK.
Mr Valls met David Cameron in the morning, addressed a City audience at the Guildhall before lunch
and saw Ed Miliband in the afternoon.
His message that France was making the difficult reforms required to fix its stagnating economy and
his claim to “love businesses” sat uncomfortably with Mr Street’s observations, which included calling
the Gare du Nord “the squalor pit of Europe”.
Mr Valls tried to brush off the remarks at the Guildhall, where he joked that he would be ordering a
renovation of the station. However, at the lunch he noted that there was a tendency for “French
bashing” in the UK that was “not particularly pleasant”.
Declining to name Mr Street, he added: “This business leader has had to apologise. He m ade some
absurd statements. Perhaps he’d drunk too much beer. He announced an investment in France and
then said France is finished. One has to show a bit of respect.”
Mr Street, John Lewis’s most senior executive, was in Paris last week to receive a reta il award on
behalf of the department store chain.
He made his “tongue-in-cheek” comments about France being “finished” to an audience of
entrepreneurs in London at an event to mark the culmination of a John Lewis competition for startups.
He joked that the award John Lewis was given in Paris during the World Retail Congress was “made
of plastic and is frankly revolting”.
Mr Street’s words were surprising because the company is planning to launch a French-language
He added: “If you’ve got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly.”
with the NLA”.
On Friday Mr Street apologised for his remarks. Les Echos, a business newspaper, said: “This ‘Frenchbashing’ is getting grotesque.”
Fast Retailing Recognized with 2014 Retailer of Year Award
RIA Oreanda-News
07 October 2014
Companies. Tokyo. OREANDA-NEWS . Fast Retailing today announces that on September 30, 2014 it
was recognized with the 2014 Retailer of the Year Award, by the World Retail Congress. The accolade
is awarded to the retailer that has proved that it is a world-class performer across every aspect of its
business, and can truly be described as having had an exceptional year.
French PM's 'tipsy' Jibe at John Lewis boss
Philip Aldrick
The Times
07 October 2014
The French prime minister has hit back at criticism from the managing director of John Lewis that
France is "finished" by suggesting that the department store boss had "drunk too much beer".
Addressing journalists at the French embassy in London, Manuel Valls said that Andy Street had made
"some absurd statements" last week.
Referring to John Lewis's plans to launch a French language version of its website, Mr Valls said: "He
announced an investment in France and then said France is finished."
Mr Street's description last week of France as "sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat", and his advice that
entrepreneurs with investments in the country should "get them out quickly", formed an awkward
backdrop to the French prime minister's official visit to the UK.
Mr Valls met David Cameron in the morning, addressed a City audience at the Guildhall before lunch
and saw Ed Miliband in the afternoon.
His message that France was making the difficult reforms required to fix its stagnating economy and
his claim to "love businesses" sat uncomfortably with Mr Street's observations, which included calling
the Gare du Nord "the squalor pit of Europe".
with the NLA”.
Mr Valls tried to brush off the remarks at Guildhall, where he joked that he would be ordering a
renovation of the station. However, at the lunch he noted that there was a tendency for "French
bashing" in the UK that was "not particularly pleasant".
Declining to name Mr Street, he added: "This business leader has had to apologise. He made some
absurd statements. Perhaps he'd drunk too much beer. He announced an investment in France and
then said France is finished. One has to show a bit of respect."
Mr Street, John Lewis's most senior executive, was in Paris last week to receive a retail award on
behalf of the department store chain.
He made his "tongue-in-cheek" comments about France being "finished" to an audience of
entrepreneurs in London at an event to mark the culmination of a John Lewis competition for startups.
He joked that the award John Lewis was given in Paris during the World Retail Congress was "made
of plastic and is frankly revolting".
Mr Street's words were surprising because the company is planning to launch a French-language
He added: "If you've got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly."
On Friday Mr Street apologised for his remarks. Les Echos, a business newspaper, said: "This 'Frenchbashing' is getting grotesque."
Letters, page 31
'He made some absurd statements. Perhaps he'd drunk too much beer'
French leader hits back at John Lewis boss
The Times
07 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Disruptors on the horizon...
Leonie Barrie
Just-Style
07 October 2014
Not content with dominating the global exporting landscape, China is now switching its focus to
growth in domestic consumption. And according to Li & Fung chairman William Fung, this is likely to
lead to "a rather bumpy ride" for the apparel industry.
Fung was speaking at this year's World Retail Congress in Paris, where disruption was the central
theme. Steven Sadove, chairman of the National Retail Federation and former Saks CEO, explained
this covers everything from the innovation of new businesses to the latest generation of millennial
shoppers.
Progress was also reported last week on a number of potential trade deals, including talks between
the European Union and Vietnam, which have just concluded their ninth round.Groups representing
apparel brands and retailers in both the US and EU also set out what they see as the key priorities for
the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
But the completion of negotiations for a EU - Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
(CETA) has given rise to comments and concerns from apparel associations on both sides of the
Atlantic.
The impact of changes to China's cotton policy continues to reverberate, but experts speaking to juststyle disagree on whether the policy could pose risks for textile and clothing manufacturers.
An inter-governmental group has also lowered its forecast for world cotton prices based on surplus
cotton production and changes in China's cotton policy. But even though global cotton prices are
sitting at a five-year low, any unit cost gains for apparel firms are unlikely to show up until the second
half of next year - and more likely than not will be offset by rising labour and compliance costs.
There has also been a surge in sustainability announcements, focusing on new tools to help fashion
brands and retailers track progress in all areas of sustainability across their businesses, products and
supply chains.
The Mode Tracker from Made-By helps companies uncover key social and environmental issues and
communicate their follow-up actions. A toolkit from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is
designed to help retailers and manufacturers drive sustainable change. And Oeko-Tex has developed
a new consumer-facing textile label.
Clothing has also been named as one of seven product categories that will be investigated over the
next three years in California, with the aim of identifying potential priority products for which safer
alternatives must be found.
First results from a year-long study into the health and productivity of garment workers in Cambodia
has found that more than two-fifths of those surveyed currently suffer from anaemia. But ongoing
minimum wage talks remain stagnant after a meeting last week "failed to arrive at any consensus".
with the NLA”.
Adriano Goldschmied, Diesel's co-founder, is working to promote a new stretch fabric he hopes will
turn around the fortunes of the $50bn denim industry. ‘Active denim' is already wooing orders from
large players, he told just-style on the fringes of the International Apparel Federation's 30th annual
convention in Medellin, Colombia.
John Lewis boss must have been drunk on beer when he wrote off France as ‘finished’
says country’s prime minister
Julian Robinson
Mail Online
07 October 2014
* John Lewis managing director Andy Street had said France was 'hopeless and down beat'
* Mr Street has apologised saying comments were meant to be 'lighthearted'
* But French prime minister hits back suggesting Mr Street had 'drunk too much beer'
* Manuel Valls described the comments as 'absurd' and hit out at British trait of 'French bashing'
The French prime minister has hit back at stinging criticism of his country by John Lewis boss Andy
Street - by suggesting the department boss was drunk.
Mr Street said last week that France was 'hopeless and downbeat' and described the Paris train
station Gare du Nord as 'the squalor pit of Europe'.
But during a visit to Britain, French premier Manuel Valls described the remarks as 'absurd' and
suggested the retail boss had 'drunk too much beer'.
Mr Street has since apologised for last week's comments, in which he urged those with investments
there to 'get them out quickly'
On an official visit to the UK, during which he met David Cameron, Mr Valls lambasted the British trait
of 'French bashing', which he described as 'not particularly pleasant'.
Singling out Mr Street - though refusing to name him - the French prime minister said: 'This business
leader has had to apologise. He made some absurd statements.
'Perhaps he’d drunk too much beer. He announced an investment in France and then said France is
finished.
'One has to show a bit of respect.'
But he did acknowledge the light-hearted nature of the John Lewis boss's attack.
after he had been in Paris to collect an award for the business at the World Retail Congress.
He said: 'You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare
du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station [St Pancras].
with the NLA”.
‘I have never been to a country more ill at ease… nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it.’
Mr Street also said that the award he had been given was 'made of plastic and is frankly revolting'.
'If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I [see it], I shall think,
God help France.
'If you've got any investments in French business, get them out quickly.'
But after the remarks were publicised, the 50-year-old Oxford graduate, who joined John Lewis from
university 30 years ago, was forced to backtrack in a statement issued by John Lewis.
He said: 'The remarks I made were supposed to be lighthearted views, and tongue in cheek. On
reflection I clearly went too far.
'I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly.'
But the apology came too late to avoid a response from the French embassy, which s aid: ‘France is
the fifth biggest economy in the world... so obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share
Mr Street’s view.’
France is John Lewis' second biggest market and it is about to open a French website.
City grandee Lord Levene said Mr Street’s comments were ‘very silly’ and ‘mindless’. The high profile
businessman and former Lord Mayor of London added: ‘It’s completely inappropriate for someone
running a big company to do this. It doesn’t matter whether the criticism is right or wrong.’
But Mr Street’s comments struck a chord with some in the business community, who believe the 75
per cent tax on top earners introduced by Socialist president Francois Hollande and the country’s
labour laws – including a 35-hour week – have stunted the economy.
This morning John Lewis said it would be making no further comment on the matter.
MasterCard launches SafetyNet
MarketLine
07 October 2014
MasterCard Incorporated has launched SafetyNet, a new tool which is expected to reduce the risk of
cyber hacking of banks and processors.
SafetyNet is designed to use the power of MasterCard's global network, to identify potential attacks
before they start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware. Leveraging a multi layer defence we are working to ensure our partners stay one step ahead of large scale attacks,
which use increasingly sophisticated ways to compromise account data and security defenses.
Ajay Bhalla, President of Enterprise Security Solutions, MasterCard said: "With SafetyNet we are really
before many of our partners have even noticed it is happening. We can do this because MasterCard's
transaction before any exposure takes place."
with the NLA”.
SafetyNet is complementary to the issuing bank's own tools but adds a new level of protection into
SafetyNet is another advanced tool in MasterCard's priority area of security and is already integrated
Bhalla continued: "This week at World Retail Congress in Paris I heard first hand from retailers of all
can erode trust and confidence. Today's announcement reinforces our leading position on safety and
secure the payment data and transactions at both retailer and issuer."
Doha Festival City at Dubai's RECON ME & North Africa conference
Zawya
08 October 2014
Doha - A delegation of senior officials fromDoha Festival City, the iconic mixed-used development that
includes Qatar's biggest retail and leisure mall which is set to be one of the largest in the Middle East
upon completion in Q3 of 2016, will hold meetings with shopping centre industry professionals,
retailers and brand owners during the three day RECON ME & North Africa conference to be heldfrom
12th to 14th October at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Dubai International Financial Centre.
As a sponsor of the annual event which is jointly organised by the Middle East Council of Shopping
Centres (MECSC) and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Doha Festival City
officials will meet with industry decision-makers and retail tenant prospects for the
iconicdevelopment, which upon completion will comprise 250,000 sqm of mixed-use Gross Leasable
Area (GLA), making it Qatar's biggest retail and leisure destination.
Recently, Doha Festival City signed leasing agreements with many world-famous retailers. Most of the
leading regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail Brands, Alshaya, Apparel, Azadea,
Landmark, Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group and Salam Studio & Storeshave
already committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion, dining, and entertainment brands
to what is set to become Qatar's most exciting retail and leisure destination.
Vox Cinemas will also redefine Qatar's entertainment landscape by introducing sixteen fully digital
screens that will provide visitors with the most technologically advanced movie experience. Ali Bin Ali
Groupalso committed to bringing the first full-sized Monoprix store to Doha.
"Following Doha Festival City's extremelysuccessful participation at the World Retail Congress 2014
(WRC) in Paris, during which Qatar's largest mallgathered significant exposure, many awardwinningbrands voiced their intent to join our superb project. We are pleased to be part of the RECON
ME & North Africa conference as this will give us anotheropportunity to connect withthe finest
retailers from the region and beyond," said Kareem M. Shamma, Chief Executive Officer, BASREC, the
joint venture which comprises Dubai-Based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB),
Aqar Real Estate Investment Company and a private Qatari investor.
with the NLA”.
Last May, Doha Festival City announced the appointment of a joint venture between two of Qatar's
leading contractors, Gulf Contracting Company (GCC) and ALEC Qatar, who proceeded with the
construction of the massive mall of this iconic project which is set for opening in Q3 2016.
About Doha Festival City
Doha Festival City is a mixed-used development which comprises 250,000 sq. m of GLA. Its mall will
be the biggest mall in Qatar and one of the largest in the Middle East. It will house 550 outlets
comprising the most diverse collection of luxury and everyday shopping stores, 85 restaurants and
cafes, unique indoor and outdoor entertainment attractions including Qatar's first snow park and a
cinema complex with 16 fully digital screens. Doha Festival City is accessible from most areas in the
city in less than 20minutes, with around 8,000 parking spaces, and a 5 star hotel and convention
centre.
Fast Retailing, H&M win awards at World Retail Congress
Fibre to Fashion
08 October 2014
At the recently held World Retail Congress, Swedish apparel retailer H&M and Japanese garment
marketer Fast Retailing bagged the ‘International Retailer of the Year’ award and ‘Retailer of the Year’
award, respectively.
Finalists in the fray for the ‘International Retailer of the Year’ award were the likes of Aldi, Burberry,
Costco, Fast Retailing, Ikea, Inditex, Primark, Walgreens and Alliance Boots and Lidl (Schwartz).
Those shortlisted for the ‘Retailer of the Year’ award were: Aldi, Dixons Retail, H&M, John Lewis
Partnership, Macy’s, Michael Kors, Nordstrom and Sun Art Retail.
In giving the award to H&M, the jury said, “With a truly global concept, we chose this year’s winner
for its wide-ranging growth strategies. H&M has not only opened strongly in a huge number of
markets, but is one of the few to open in both the southern and northern hemispheres.”
They also praised H&M for innovating and maintaining a strong financial performance, and launching
new concepts.
Fast Retailing won the award on the strength of growth and execution. The jury said Fast Retailing
has backed its ambitious expansion objectives with very impressive sales growth.
The judges also liked that it has demonstrated itself a very human face through both its store
environments and staff engagement. The mix of quality and price made for a compelling offer, said
the judges.
The ‘Outstanding Leadership’ award was won by the duo of Natalie Massenet & Mark Sebba from the
Net-A-Porter Group.
In a break with precedent, the special ‘Outstanding Leadership’ award was presented jointly to
Natalie and Mark in recognition of their exceptional skills and vision in creating Net-A-Porter, the
world’s premier online luxury retailer.
“Till date, all previous winners have been individuals, but it was felt that the partnership between
Natalie and Mark justified this joint award,” the jury explained.
with the NLA”.
Other achievements which caught the eyes of the jury were: Outnet.com, the most fashionable
fashion outlet, and Mr Porter, the online retail destination for men’s style.
Prada buys France's Tannerie Mégisserie Hervy.
Just-Style
Michelle Russell
08 October 2014
Italian fashion house Prada has acquired Tannerie Mégisserie Hervy, an historical French leather
tannery located in Isle, near Limoges.
The acquisition was made as a joint venture with Santa Croce-based Conceria Superior, a company
that has been the Prada Group's industrial partner for some time. Financial details of the deal were
not disclosed.
The company's name, controlled by Prada, will be Tannerie Limoges. The purpose of the acquisition,
Prada said, is to ensure the re-launch of a production facility that represents "excellence in the
tradition of lambskin tanning", and "plongé nappa leather" in particular, with the aim of preserving
"valuable artisanal know-how".
Employment of the qualified local workforce will be maintained, the company said, and preservation
and conservation works will be carried out on the architectural site of the company, which has
operated in the industry for over seventy years.
Patrizio Bertelli, Prada Group CEO, said: "We are very proud of this acquisition. The tannery is a
highly skilled manufacture with a precious know-how and long tradition. We are also grateful for the
French Ministry of Economy and Finance for allowing us to carry out this acquisition."
Vertical integration is an important trend emerging in global retail, particularly among high-end
brands, according to Steve Sadove, chairman of the National Retail Federation and former Saks CEO.
Speaking at the World Retail Congress in Paris last week, he told delegates: "If you are vertical , that
is going to help shape the future and that's why you have the luxury players becoming vertical to get
the margin."
Doha Festival City to turn on charm at Dubai event
Gulf Times
08 October 2014
An architect’s impression of Doha Festival City
Doha Festival City(DFC) , the major mixed-use development that includes Qatar’s biggest retail and
leisure mall and which is set to be one of the largest in the Middle East upon completion in the third
quarter of 2016, will have a substantial presence at an upcoming regional event.
with the NLA”.
A delegation of senior officials from DFC will hold meetings with shopping centre industry
professionals, retailers and brand owners during the three day RECON ME & North Africa conference,
which begins in Dubaion October 12.
As sponsor of the annual event, which is jointly organised by the Middle East Council of Shopping
Centres (MECSC) and the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC), DFC officials will meet
industry decision-makers and retail tenant prospects for the development, which upon completion will
comprise 250,000 sqm of mixed-use Gross Leasable Area, making it Qatar’s biggest retail and leisure
destination.
Recently, DFC signed leasing agreements with many world-famous retailers. Most of the leading
regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail Brands, Alshaya, Apparel, Azadea, Landmark,
Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group and Salam Studio & Stores have already
committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion, dining, and entertainment brands to DFC.
Vox Cinemas will also redefine Qatar’s entertainment landscape by introducing 16 fully digital screens
that will provide visitors with the most technologically advanced movie experience. The Ali Bin Ali
Group has also committed to bringing the first full-sized Monoprix store to Doha.
"Following Doha Festival City’s extremely successful participation at the World Retail Congress 2014 in
Paris, during which Qatar’s largest mall gathered significant exposure, many award-winning brands
voiced their intent to join our superb project. We are pleased to be part of the RECON ME & North
Africa conference as this will give us another opportunity to connect with the finest retailers from the
region and beyond," said Kareem M Shamma, CEO, Basrec, the joint venture which comprises Dubai Based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aqar Real Estate Investment Company
and a private Qatari investor.
Last May, DFC announced the appointment of a joint venture between two of Qatar’s leading
contractors, Gulf Contracting Company and ALEC Qatar, who proceeded with the construction of the
massive mall which is set for opening in the third quarter of 2016.
with the NLA”.
World Retail Congress 2014: Overview Part 1
Daniela Walker and Rowland Manthorpe
LS:N Global
08 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Disclosures: A weekly look at odds and ends from the business world; The world
according to Cristina Fernanadez; Toronto's CFA Society presents the bear facts; and,
Why Paris? asks the World Retail Congress
The Globe and Mail (Breaking News)
09 October 2014
Pardon his French
The website of the World Retail Congress, which just concluded its annual confab in F rance, asks
“Why Paris in 2014?”
Why, indeed, British retail CEO Andy Street might have asked. The chief of department store chain
John Lewis made his way to the conference last week to receive the award for Best Omnichannel
Retailer (No, we don’t know what that means, either).
Apparently Mr. Street had a frustrating experience on the train, prompting him to make a few
observations that probably won’t be a big help to John Lewis as it expands its French business.
Speaking at an industry dinner after his return, he described the Eurostar’s Paris terminus, Gare du
Nord, as the “squalor pit of Europe,” The Times of London reported.
Of France itself, he said “nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it.” He also informed his
London audience that the award he received was “made of plastic” and “frankly revolting.”
“If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is,” he said, adding “If you’ve got
investments in France, get them out quickly.”
John Lewis will soon launch a French-language website to boost its cross-Channel business. Bonne
chance.
The bear facts
The Toronto CFA Society last week held its annual crystal-ball-gazing shindig, where members of the
investment community cast predictions about world markets and Toronto’s mayoral contest. About
half those surveyed think Canada’s jobless rate will fall in 2015, by as much as two percentage points,
while only 3 per cent think it will rise by more than that amount.
Fifty-eight per cent of those who voted believe emerging and European markets will outperform those
of North America, and 48 per cent said Tim Hortons shares would rise in the range of 5 to 10 per cent
in 2015, with 38 per cent expecting the stock to fall.
But it was their calls on who has the best chances of taking the chain of office in Toronto that were
most surprising. While John Tory was the clear front-runner with 52 per cent, his main rivals trailed
another challenger, according to U.S.-based GlobeNewswire: “Financial professionals site Carlton the
Bear as a better mayoral candidate than Ford and Chow.” (Incidentally, my six-year-old cites financial
professionals as the worst spellers.)
Maple Leafs mascot Carlton racked up 26 per cent of attendees’ votes – a bold call, since he’s not
even on the list of registered candidates.
A big voice in philanthropy
Businessman Marcel Desautels, who made his fortune when the company he headed up – credit
reference and recovery firm Creditel of Canada – was sold in 1996, is one of McGill University’s most
generous benefactors. He donated $22-million in a landmark gift to the university’s business school
(now named after him) in 2005 and is also a big donor to the Joseph L. Rotman School of
Management at the University of Toronto.
with the NLA”.
Mr. Desautels also happens to be an accomplished opera singer. When he visits McGill every now and
then he takes some singing classes to keep his tenor voice in form.
“The students were so inspired,” says McGill principal and vice-chancellor Suzanne Fortier. “He is in
his early 80s and to have the quality of voice and the ability to perform that he has at this point of his
life is fantastic. ”
Who you callin’ ISIS?
It’s frustrating when you spend years building up your brand name only to find someone has more or
less swiped it out from under you. Witness popular Canadian nature mag, The Beaver, whose roots
go back to 1920. Four years ago, it decided to give up on the name after it was more or less usurped
on the Internet by a different sort of nature-based content.
Now University of British Columbia’s ISIS Research Centre is throwing in the towel. Seems the rise of
the Islamic State, often referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has muscled in on
their brand and the research centre became concerned about the implications for its sponsorships,
the Vancouver Sun reported.
“We just decided that given [the other] ISIS really seems to be sticking around, that at some point
we just need to bite the bullet and make the change,” executive director James Tansey said.
The centre’s name is not an acronym, Mr. Tansey said, but rather a nod to the Egyptian deity, who
was a protector and a goddess of fertility who listens to the dreams of the wealthy. Still, plenty of
other goddesses around to choose from.
A shout-out for BB’s Alec Saunders
Former BlackBerry head of developer relations Alec Saunders is the latest in the line of legacy
executives to head out the exit door (http://mobilesyrup.com/2014/10/07/alec-saunders-is-leavingblackberry-heres-what-it-means-for-qnxs-cloud-business-division/). He had more recently been toiling
in the company’s QNX division in Ottawa, but was best known as the affable, well-liked guy who
acted as BlackBerry’s bridge to the developer community.
A few years back, Mr. Saunders had the unfortunate task of repairing relationships with developers
after the company abandoned its old operating system in favour of a new one built for the BlackBerry
10. To help sing its praises, he literally did, performing a tweaked cover of REO Speedwagon’s car radio classic Keep On Lovin’ You at a developers conference in 2012. Backed by a few other vicepresidents, the band elicited plenty of whoops and cheers from the crowd, but sadly no Juno
nomination.
The New York Times reported (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/25/rim-keeps-on-loving-you-ina-video/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r =0) at the time that online comments on the musical tribute
could best be described as polarizing, but watching the video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pR8e9fC9TU), you’ll have to admit, the boy can sing.
The world according to Cristina Fernanadez
Few things bring more joy to the hearts of journalists than politicians who say wacky things, and so
the retreat of Silvio Berlisconi into the wings was greeted with much sadness around the newsrooms
of the world. But Argentine President Cristina Fernandez has done an admirable job stepping into the
breach, and was in top form last week in her address to the United Nations General Assembly, where
she touched on a dizzying range of subjects in her 35-minute address.
Chief among the topics covered were the U.S. bondholders insisting on full repayment, who have
been upgraded (or is that downgraded?) in her estimation from “vultures” to practitioners of
“financial and economic terrorism.” (In September, Bloomberg reported that American Airlines’
decision to restrict ticket sales in Argentina prompted her to describe the company as “jet-propelled
vultures.”)
with the NLA”.
Also on her mind was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, IMF reform, the disputed sovereignty of the
Falkland Islands/Maldives, her compatriot and newest BFF in the Vatican, and fears for her personal
safety.
“If something should happen to me, don’t look to the Middle East, look to the North,” she said during
a televised address in Argentina after her UN appearance, the Guardian reported.
After tackling the tough issues, Ms. Fernandez shared a little of her personal philosophy with UN
delegates.
“I am neither pessimist nor optimist; I want to be a realist. [But] between pessimism or optimism, I
always choose optimism – but with realism. Because optimism without realism is either naivety or
cynicism, and I do not want to be naive or cynical before you all.”
Diary: Quoted
Campaign
10 October 2014
'What people basically said - and I feel embarrassed saying this - is that this brand might be getting a
bit too big for its boots.' - Speaking at the World Retail Congress, Andy Street, the John Lewis
managing director, promises to take a more modest approach to its Christmas campaign followi ng a
backlash from social media users.
From South Africa, Honour Comes for Okunoren Twins
10 October 2014
Oct 10, 2014 (The Guardian/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- FOR their achievement in
menswear clothing and their immense contribution to fashion retail in Africa, Nigerian designers
Taiwo and Kehinde Okunoren have been awarded with the prestigious Retail Innovation Award by the
World Retail Congress Africa. The twins are recognised as retail innovators, who have demonstrated
outstanding vision within the African retail sphere.
The Congress Advisory Board and senior experienced retailers specially select the recipients of the
award and not influenced by any local body or authority of the recipients.
In 2013, the 31-year old twins took their brand to the next level by opening a retail store, which is
state of the art store at par with international brands such as Hugo Boss and Ermenegildo Zegna,
who have opened shop in Nigeria respectively.
Through this medium, the brand has presented menswear retail fashion in a distinguished and
innovative style that is worth celebrating. The twins changed the perception of menswear in Nigeria
and because of this, a new set of menswear brands have sprung up over the years a nd there's now a
recognised menswear industry in Nigeria.
with the NLA”.
The Okunoren Twins will be collecting their Award at the Congress, which holds on November 18 and
19, in Johannesburg, South Africa. They will also partake in a live interview moderated by the
Congress Chairman Thebe Ikalafeng, who is the Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa.
Also receiving an award is the CEO of Shoprite Holdings, Whitey Basson, who will be awarded with
the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to African retail. More than 300
senior retail executives operating in Sub-Sahara Africa will be at the congress to share best practice
and shape the future of the retail landscape in the continent.
The congress, which is the only dedicated strategic retail congress specific to the Pan-African markets
is part of the global leading World Retail Congress Series, which has welcomed over 5000 CEO and
VP level international retailers in the past eight years and includes international Latin American, China
and Asian Congresses.
This Series brings together the global retail industry's most influential business leaders and decision
makers to challenge current thinking, unveil the latest innovations, investigate regional trends and
shape the direction of retail.
The founding aim of the Retail Congress Africa is to create a platform for domestic, regional and
international retail industry leaders, politicians and policy drivers alike to come together to be able to
debate and discuss the most important issues facing their businesses and customers - from the
economy to issues such as sustainability, world trade agreements and opportunities for growth.
with the NLA”.
China’s strenght will ‘push prices up’
Retail Week
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
John Lewis boss rules out launching overseas stores
Retail Week
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Product is Key to Global Success, says Cheshire
Retail Week
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Printemps Boss Confident Stores can Rival Online
Retail Week
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Doha Festival City mall to be showcased at Dubai meet
Qatar Tribune
10 October 2014
A DELEGATION of senior officials from Doha Festival City (DFC), a retail and leisure mall, will hold
meetings with shopping centre industry professionals, retailers and brand owners during the threeday Recon ME & North Africa conference to be held from October 12 to 14 at Ritz Carlton Hotel,
Dubai International Financial Centre.
DFC is set to be one of the largest malls in the Middle East upon completion in the third quarter of
2016.
As a sponsor of the annual event, which is jointly organised by the Middle East Council of Shopping
Centres (MECSC) and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Doha Festival City
officials will meet industry decision-makers and retail tenant prospects for the iconic development,
which upon completion will comprise 250,000 sqm of mixed-use Gross Leasable Area (GLA), making it
Qatar's biggest retail and leisure destination.
Recently, DFC signed leasing agreements with many world-famous retailers. Most of the leading
regional retail groups, including Al-Futtaim Group Retail Brands, Alshaya, Apparel, Azadea, Landmark,
Dubai Holding Group, Abu Issa Group, Al Tayer Group and Salam Studio & Stores have already
committed to bringing extensive selections of their fashion, dining and entertainment brands to DFC.
Vox Cinemas will also redefine Qatar's entertainment landscape by introducing 16 fully digital screens
that will provide visitors with the most technologically advanced movie experience.
Ali Bin Ali Group has also committed to bringing the first full-sized Monoprix store to Doha.
"Following Doha Festival City's extremely successful participation at the World Retail Congress 2014
(WRC) in Paris, during which Qatar's largest mall gathered significant exposure, many award-winning
brands voiced their intent to join our project. We are pleased to be part of the Recon ME & North
Africa conference as this will give us another opportunity to connect with the finest retailers from the
region and beyond," said Kareem M Shamma, Chief Executive Officer, BASREC, the joint venture
which comprises Dubai-Based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Aqar Real
Estate Investment Company and a private Qatari investor.
Last May, DFC announced the appointment of a joint venture between two of Qatar's leading
contractors, Gulf Contracting Company (GCC) and ALEC Qatar, who proceeded with the construction
of the mall.
Der mündige Verbraucher hat das Sagen
Mike Dawson
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Der mündige Verbraucher hat das Sagen
Mike Dawson
10 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Thailand: News in Brief
Thai News Service
13 October 2014
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is offering old members of the Government Pension Fund
(GPF) a chance to decide by next June if they want to revert back to the original system.
The GPF expects 200,000 members to leave, so it has to prepare to repay them about Bt40 billion.
That will not be a problem for the fund, or its investments, as the level is still manageable, secretarygeneral Sombat Naravuthichai said on October 9.
On October 9 the NLA passed the Undo Act pertaining to the return to using the rights granted under
the original civil-servant pension fund act of 1951.
The government will present the Undo Act to His Majesty the King for endorsement. After that, it will
take about three or four weeks, or to early December, for the Undo Act to become effective.
The GPF expects to pay refunds to members wishing to leave the fund in the second half of next
year. This would allow adequate time for the GPF to manage its liquidity, as the Undo Act would go
into effect on December 1.
The choice is only for the 500,000 current members who joined the GPF before March 1997.
Economic growth forecast dips
The Finance Ministry has unofficially lowered its forecast for the country's 2014 economic growth
from 2 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
The move reflects the slowdown in exports caused by the sluggish economic recoveries of major
trading partners and the changes in China's expansion policy, permanent secretary Rungson
Sriworasat said on October 9.
Bangkok Bank backs Millcon Steel
Millcon Steel Industries has received Bt7 billion in credit for business restructuring from Bangkok
Bank.
The steelmaker will also increase capital by Bt1.5 billion through a rights issue to its existing
shareholders. The proceeds will be used to strengthen its financial status and support the planned
purchase of Thai Special Steel Industry, chairman Winai Pattiyakul said on October 9.
Mutual funds grow
The mutual-fund industry grew by 22.5 per cent year on year in net asset value last quarter,
according to Morningstar Research (Thailand). The SET Index yielded 22.1 per cent at the end of the
third quarter, reflecting the mutual-fund industry's consistent growth, the research agency said on
October 9.
Ratch's MYanmar deal
with the NLA”.
Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding on October 9 signed a memorandum of understanding with
Myanmar's Hydropower Planning Department to start the feasibility study on a 2.64-gigawatt power
plant in Mayiek using clean-coal technology.
Ratch has teamed up with Blue Energy and Environment, Vantage Co (Myanmar) and Kyaw Kyaw
Phyo Co (Myanmar) to develop this project, CEO Pongdith Potchana said. If the study shows high
potential, the development cost is estimated at Bt17 billion. The plant aims to use high-quality coal
from Indonesia to generate power. It is expected to start generating electricity in 2020, he said.
Siam Daikin close to year's sales target
Siam Daikin Sales Co has reached almost 70 per cent of this year's sales growth target of 15 per cent
to 235,000 units.
"We are confident that the two mainstream series recently launched including the Inverte r R32 Smile
and R32 Smash and the Ekira will be able to drive us to achieve the total target this year," managing
director Bundit Srivallapanondh said on October 9.
Daikin aims for 23 per cent, or almost Bt7.5 billion, of the Bt31.5 billion domestic air -conditioner
market, which is predicted to expand by up to 5 per cent this year.
10 Thai restaurants in Travellers' picks
Ten dining establishments have been named Travellers' Choice winners in Thailand.
Three of them also placed among the top 10 restaurants in Asia.
Le Versace in Phuket, Cafe des Amis in Pattaya and Siam Supper Club in Phuket were second, fifth
and seventh in the region, according TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site.
It disclosed the winners of its annual Travellers' Choice awards for restaurants across the globe on
October 9.
In total, 353 fine dining winners were identified, including the top 25 in the world and dedicated lists
for Asia, Canada, China, Europe, India, South America, South Pacific, the UK and the US.
Hall of Fame for Central's Sudhitham
Early this month, Sudhitham Chirathivat, chairman of the advisory board of Central Group, received
the Hall of Fame award from the World Retail Congress as a world-class retailer and one of three
world businessmen from over the globe.
Sudhitham is the first Thai businessman to receive this award. He was selected from all world-class
businessmen.
Thais can be proud of this event made to Thailand because the award was given to the top three
world retailers from senior retail leaders and industry experts from over 73 countries.
The other two were Ray Kelvin, founder and CEO of Ted Baker, and Mike Ullman, CEO of JC Penney.
Joint meet on tourism trends and outlook
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the Pacific Asia Travel Association in
collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Guilin municipal government are
organising the Eighth UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook in Guilin, China from
October 13-15.
with the NLA”.
In contemporary societies, connectivity is essential to professionals, organisations, businesses and
industries. Drawing upon experiences from both research and practices, the event addresses the
theme of "Enhancing connectivity in tourism".
The enhancement - or impairment - of connectivity and its consequences on tourism policy,
development and industry practices will be discussed in technological, regional, geopolitical and
socioeconomic terms or perspectives.
Amazon launches UK same-day collection service.
Michelle Russell
Just-Style
15 October 2014
Online retail behemoth Amazon has launched a same-day collection service in the UK, making it the
group's fastest pick-up service yet.
The same-day collection service forms part of Amazon's 'Pick-Up Location' programme and allows
customers to purchase products and pick up their order later that day as part of a collaboration with
newspaper and magazine distributor Smiths News, a division of Connect Group.
The service allows customers to order as late as 11.45am for collection from 4pm. Customers are
notified via email when their order is available and they can collect their parcel up to 11.59pm,
depending on the store closing time.
In addition to same-day collection, customers also have the option of 'Express Morning' collection
with orders placed up to 7.45pm being available for guaranteed collection the next morning - their
parcel will be delivered from 6.30am and no later than 9am depending on the store opening time.
"This is our fastest pick-up service yet," said Christopher North, managing director of Amazon.co.uk.
"We know that Prime customers love fast delivery and the convenience to pick up their order at a
time and place that suits them best. This new service brings together both of those great benefits."
The service is available at around 500 newsagents and convenience stores, which will carry ‘Pass my
Parcel' branding to highlight the service to customers.
This latest move by Amazon highlights the change occurring in the retail industry with regar d to
omni-channel and digital.
As Steve Sadove, chairman of the NRF, recently told delegates at the recent World Retail Congress in
Paris where he highlighted the top ten disruptors in retail: "Even if you don't compete with Amazon,
the requirements of the customer service they deliver are what you need to. They are setting the
tone."
with the NLA”.
Analysis: Department stores fight back from online challenge
Reuters News
Emma Thomasson
15 October 2014
PARIS (Reuters) - Department stores are starting to enjoy a renaissance after finding ways to attract
a new generation of consumers in an age of global fashion chains and online shopping.
Retail consultancy Verdict predicts the global sector should return to growth in 2014 and expand by
22 percent to about $450 billion by 2019. The recovery will be driven by expansion in emerging
markets, with China set to account for 30 percent of total spend five years from now.
Pioneered in France, Britain and the United States from around the 1840s by household names like
Printemps, Harrods and Macy's, department stores lost their edge from the late 1970s with the rise of
stores for fashion, electronics and home wares like Inditex's Zara and Sweden's IKEA.
The advent of e-commerce was the final straw for many stores which had become drab halls catering
to an aging clientele, with the likes of Germany's Karstadt and U.S. mid-market chain J.C. Penney the
latest to flounder.
But some of the oldest names in the business have turned the corner, restoring the grandeur of
flagship stores and celebrating their national identity to attract tourists and win back local trade from
more rootless global brands.
Many have focused on high-end fashion, accessories and beauty, while also investing in websites and
challenging online players like Amazon with convenient in-store pick-up.
"The question is how to stay relevant in a market where everything is available everywhere,"
Printemps chief executive Paolo de Cesare told the World Retail Congress this month.
"We moved from selling products to creating experiences."
FICKLE TOURISTS?
Founded in 1865, Printemps has renovated its first Boulevard Haussmann store, restoring original
mosaics, gold leaf decoration on the roof and Italian stained glass, while sprucing up the interior with
exclusive collections from guest brands.
The work has paid off. The Haussmann store saw sales rise 14 percent to 850 million euros ($1.1
billion) in 2012/13. [ID:nL6N0KN2MF]
The Haussmann Printemps store and the neighboring flagship of the Galeries Lafayette [GALP.UL]
chain with a spectacular stained-glass dome are must-sees for Chinese visitors.
Tourists account for more than half of sales at some stores in Paris and Harrods in London, according
to Maarten de Groot, general secretary of the International Association of Department Stores (IADS).
But that can pose a risk.
"The business is fickle," De Groot said, noting the Ukraine crisis has hit Russian demand for luxury
goods, while Chinese spending has also slowed.
However, department stores still see plenty of room for growth in emerging markets as urbanization
continues apace.
Thailand's Central Group expects to open five new department stores under the Robinson brand a
year for the next five years.
with the NLA”.
"People want to touch, feel, smell, they want their friends' opinion. They want a gathering place,"
Sudhitham Chirathivat, the former CEO of the Central Group and now a senior adviser, told Reuters,
shrugging off the threat from e-commerce.
Galeries Lafayette plans openings in Doha and Istanbul to add to stores in Casablanca, Jakarta, Dubai
and Beijing, while Bloomingdale's best performing store outside Manhattan is the one it opened in
Dubai in 2010 with the Al Tayer group.
However, former Bloomingdale's Chief Executive Michael Gould warns that international expansion
can dilute brand identity:
"What department stores are is a collection of brands. You can't transfer it to Los Angeles, let alone
to a foreign country."
TRUMPING AMAZON
A less risky way to tap overseas demand is via e-commerce.
British employee-owned retailer John Lewis [JLPLC.UL]delivers to 33 countries but has no plans to
open stores abroad beyond concessions it runs within South Korean chain Shinsegae as it still
believes there is plenty of room to expand at home.
John Lewis saw e-commerce grow more than 25 percent in the first half of 2014 to account for over
30 percent of total sales, helped by its combined online and offline offering. More than half the orders
placed online are now collected in a store.
"Millennials love shops just as their parents and grandparents did," managing director Andy Street he
said, referring to the generation that came of age from around the year 2000.
Continental European players are way behind in investing online, with none of them making the top
20 of a digital ranking by the L2 business intelligence service that is led by Nordstrom, Macy's and
other U.S. and British names.
Chains that don't move with the times will continue to suffer, making them targets for investors
attracted by their prime property portfolios and retailing heritage.
China's Sanpower [SPGCL.UL] took control of Britain's House of Fraser [HFPLC.UL] this year, Qatari
investors bought Printemps last year and Thailand's Central Group has acquired Italy's La Rinascente
and Denmark's Illum. Speculation is swirling that Germany's Karstadt could eventually merge with its
Metro-owned arch-rival Kaufhof.
"Smaller stores will close in some countries where there may be mergers while there will be more and
more international consolidation," said De Groot of the IADS.
Millennials Rediscovering Department Stores
PYMNTS
16 October 2014
with the NLA”.
Despite the rise of global fashion chains and online shopping, department stores are starting to enjoy
a renaissance after finding ways to attract a new generation of customers, according to Business
Insider.
“Millennials love shops just as their parents and grandparents did,” said Andy Street, managing
director of U.K. retailer John Lewis, which delivers to 33 countries but doesn’t plan to dilute its British
cachet by opening stores abroad.
U.K. retail consultancy Verdict predicts the global sector will return to growth in 2014, and expand to
$450 billion by 2019, a 22 percent increase.
Some of the oldest names in the business have turned the corner by restoring the grandeur of
flagship stores, celebrating their national identity and attracting tourists. That includes Paris’s
Printemps, London’s Harrods and New York’s Macy’s. Tourists account for more than half of sales at
some stores in Paris and London, according to Maarten de Groot of the International Association of
Department Stores.
For example, the restored Paris flagship stores of Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, which
respectively feature restored original mosaics and a spectacular stained-glass dome, are must-sees
for Chinese visitors.
Some chains are leveraging that tourist appeal to expand globally. Galeries Lafayette plans to open
new stores in Doha and Istanbul to join its stores in Casablanca, Jakarta, Dubai and Beijing.
Bloomingdale’s best performing store outside Manhattan is the one it opened in Dubai in 2010. China
is expected to account for 30 percent of total department store spending in five years.
Overseas investors are also leveraging tourist appeal. China’s Sanpower took control of Britain’s
House of Fraser this year, Qatari investors bought Printemps in 2013, and Thailand’s Central Group
has acquired Italy’s La Rinascente and Denmark’s Illum.
“The question is how to stay relevant in a market where everything is available everywhere,”
Printemps chief executive Paolo de Cesare told the World Retail Congress this month. “We moved
from selling products to creating experiences.”
with the NLA”.
Talk with Kingfisher CEO Ian Cheshire
Mike Dawson
German Retail Blog
16 October 2014
Happy DIY boss: Ian Cheshire (centre) opens Screwfix's first foreign store in Germany
Wake up German DIY, the Brits have come! Kingfisher Chief Group Executive Sir Ian Cheshire clearly
believes that "Screwfix" has a good chance of success in Europe's richest country.
Only four of these small 600m² to 1,000m² outlets opened in the Rhine-Main area on September 10,
but they could be the thin edge of a very thick wedge. Along with French subsidiary Brico Dépôt,
Cheshire clearly wishes the multi-channel concept to spearhead his international plans.
Kingfisher, probably better known for its B&Q Big Box outlets, is already active in ten countries,
including China, Russia and Turkey. Nearly half of group earnings are, however, achieved in France
via the Castorama and Brico Dépôt banners, which have recently been supplemented by the
acquisition of Mr.Bricolage.
With annual revenues last year of around €14bn, net cash in excess of €630m, and a stock market
valuation that has more than doubled under Cheshire's tenure as CEO since 2008, the London-based
plc is in an excellent position to invest further in western Europe.
But why start the internationalisation of Screwfix on one of the world's hardest markets?
DIY in German: The interior of a Screwfix store
Primarily aimed at trade customers, the 350-outlet-strong fascia has been on a roll at home in the
UK. Annual revenues have rocketed since 1999 to around €850m, and Screwfix has opened one store
a week for the last three years.
with the NLA”.
True, the retailer is now entering an oversaturated segment dominated by local players such as Obi,
Bauhaus, Rewe or Hornbach. But Cheshire's blue eyes are not naive when it comes to Germany.
The quiet and polite Englishman helped extract Castorama from the mess it had got itself into east of
the Rhine over ten years ago. Cheshire also knows the country well through a twelveyear partnership with Hornbach which ended at the end of 2013 when the German family owners
bought back Kingfisher's minority stake for a an estimated €100m.
Ian Cheshire (55) will remain CEO until around the end of this year when he will hand over the reins
to Castorama boss Véronique Laury. In a talk with Lebensmittel Zeitung at this year's World Retail
Congress in Paris, the Englishman explains why Madame Laury will also inherit a promising concept in
a new land.
INTERVIEW
Sir Ian, Kingfisher has just entered Germany with Screwfix, but weren’t you part of the
very management team that decided to exit the country in 2003 after the failure of
Castorama?
I was actually responsible for exiting the business and have a long and bitter memory of running
around places like Chemnitz trying to close stores down. I think it cost us €50m to exit six stores in
Germany because the leases were so difficult to get out of.
So why did Castorama enter Germany in 1998?
It was an early attempt by Castorama France to go international after they had seen, for instance,
German customers crossing the border to shop with them.
And why do you think it failed?
As we have again only recently seen with the liquidation of Praktiker, the German big-box, DIY-shed
market is probably one of the most competitive in Europe in terms of store space pe r head. The
oversupply means that all returns are structurally challenged. So unless you offer a different model, it
is incredibly hard to establish yourself on a market which is already well-served by players such as
our former joint-venture partner Hornbach. Also, Castorama didn’t adapt enough to the local German
market.
So what did you learn from the demise of Castorama Germany regarding your new
venture with Screwfix?
We asked ourselves whether the business model had a point of difference and brought something
new to the market, thus giving it a clear advantage. We also asked ourselves, whether we could
adapt the concept locally.
And can you?
Our first four German Screwfix outlets may look similar to those in the UK, but the vast majority of
the 9,000 lines on offer are German products. So we’ve rebuilt the model for the local consumer.
Obviously, this is not a guarantee of success, but it means that we are in a very different place from
where we were when Castorama left.
Were you worried or pleased when you heard about the insolvency of Praktiker last year?
The irony is that when I first joined Kingfisher 17 years ago I was doing M&A deals, and I remember
writing a paper for the main board about the imminent consolidation of the German DIY industry
because it was clearly oversupplied. So the insolvency confirmed what I once had thought, but I was
with the NLA”.
surprised that it has taken quite so long for things to happen! Clearly all players have to deal with the
consolidation pressures, and I think that it’s a good thing in the longer term for the good operators.
Why didn’t you start the internationalizat ion of Screwfix in one of the Benelux countries?
They are nearer to the UK and the logistical hub of north-western Europe.
We thought that Germany was more interesting because of its potential scale as the largest market in
Europe. In fact, you don't need to gain much of such a huge market for the economics to become
very attractive.
But it is also the toughest market in Europe…
True, but Germany is in many ways much more straightforward than a lot of the other countries we
deal with. In Belgium, for instance, there are many local complexities as regards planning laws etc.
Although I find it odd from a retailer’s point of view that shops are shut on Sunday, Ger many is also a
very efficient place to do business.
However, Germany also has a declining population on a low-growth, overstored market…
Our focus is primarily Europe with the exception of China, Turkey and Russia. Although the German
DIY segment is not growing dynamically overall, we saw that its sheer size would give us
opportunities to gain market share. In the UK Screwfix will turn over £800m this year with probably
only 5 per cent of the market, so on a bigger market such as Germany we could potentia lly build a
£1bn business.
Which a strongly entrenched oligarchy of local retailers will not take kindly to…
The Screwfix concept essentially targets the professional tradesman, so the customer overlap with
players like Hornbach or Bauhaus is only about 30 to 40 per cent. The format also offers something
new to Germany, especially as regards our systems platform. Interestingly, two days after we
opened, Hornbach launched a compact format which looks remarkably like a Screwfix! So I see it as
an encouraging sign when the Hornbach family thinks that the concept might work.
During your tenure at Kingfisher you have dramatically reduced indebtedness and are
now giving cash back to shareholders. Could you use your growing war chest to make a
local acquisition?
I would have been very happy if the Hornbach family had wanted to go fifty-fifty with us in the way
we do with our local partner Koçtaş in Turkey, but that didn’t fit their interests. If something like that
came up in Germany, or if an acquisition opportunity arose as recently with Mr.Bricolage in France,
then why not? But we can’t see anything obvious at the moment to spend our money on.
Incidentally, we are certainly not handing money back to shareholders because we haven’t any idea
of how to grow the business; it's just that we are cash-generative.
But why start from scratch in Germany when you had a long alliance with Hornbach, one
of the leading local DIY operators, between 2001 and 2013?
Our relationship with the Hornbach family was long and positive. We respect their business
enormously, and it has great similarities with our own corporate culture. But the family wouldn't let us
increase our 21-percent stake in their company because they didn’t need the money. And from our
point of view as an industrial company, that should be developing itself, it didn't really make sense
long-term to be a minority financial partner. So we eventually concluded that it would be better to be
bought out, and the whole process was totally amicable.
But why didn’t you explore a joint-venture with them for Screwfix in Germany?
with the NLA”.
We did look at the idea, but we wanted to have majority control because we own the systems and
intellectual property etc. Meanwhile, Hornbach didn't want to be a minority partner any more than we
did.
Could you imagine entering a partnership with any other local player?
I wouldn't rule out having a partner in future. Why not? But when testing a concept in a new country,
I think we need to establish it ourselves first.
You still refer to your four Screwfix stores in the Rhine-Main area as a test, but your
central depot in Haiger is theoretically large enough to serve a network of 100 outlets. In
what timeframe will you decide whether to roll out the format, or not?
We are trying to avoid getting boxed into a precise timetable and stating our Key Performance
Indicators. We shall start learning from the first four stores, but we shall probably have to get up to
around 20 outlets before we can conclude whether the longer-term opportunity is there. After that, it
is a question of how you scale up.
How quickly could Screwfix expand?
We are currently growing Screwfix in the UK at around 50 to 60 stores a year. We didn't, however,
start like that. We began with two, then ten, then 20, and now 60. In Ger many we will refine the
concept and strive to get our operations right. It will probably take about 18 months of testing and
development to really know whether something is there, or not.
If things go well, how big could Screwfix become in Germany?
We believe that the UK can support 450 or 500 Screwfixes, so by a process of extrapolation that
number could theoretically be 750 or more in Germany. We see a £1bn business in the UK, thus
Screwfix could potentially be at least the same size, if not bigger, in Germany, should the concept
work.
But can it really with only 9,000 lines?
It depends on your definition. If you go to the stores in the UK, you will find around 11,000 stock
items, but, if you include our online and specialist ranges etc., we are talking about more than
40,000. We have opened with 9,000 lines in Germany although in time we shall probably increase our
range to about 11,000 to 12,000 items on site.
But we don’t need to hold many products as we have a really efficient supply chain that can bring
extra ones overnight for the purposes of replenishment. In fact, one of the keys to Screwfix is the
systems platform which we have heavily invested in.
How and why did the Kingfisher Group originally come to acquire Screwfix in the UK?
Our connection with it started back in 1998 when I was the person to buy the business. It began as a
catalogue company, then went into the internet, and then unusually it decided to build stores in the
physical world.
How do British DIY customers react to the multi-channel approach of Screwfix?
We find that the biggest single channel is people ordering on their smartphone. They press "buy" and
walk into the store five minutes later to pick their goods up ready-to-go. They are delighted to have a
straight, five-minute walk-in. The next most common channel is for orders to be delivered overnight,
so if you order in the UK before 6 p.m., you will have the goods there the next morning.
How do your trade customers generally buy?
with the NLA”.
Quite a lot of tradesmen have items delivered straight to the sites where they work; others pick them
up and some have them sent to their base. So they can slip an order in three different ways.
Who does your deliveries in Germany?
We use an offshoot of UK-based Parcelforce. Originally, I thought there would be lots of next-day
delivery services in Germany, but we appear to be the first to offer this in quite the way we do.
But doesn’t it take a lot from your margins to have a third party deliver your customers'
online orders? Could you not run your own delivery fleet?
The efficiencies and economics of running a delivery service mean that you are better off as part of a
bigger system than doing it on your own. So in the UK we stick to our expertise as a retailer and
dispatch thousands of parcels a day from our warehouses to the courier networks who then do the
actual delivery.
Attempts by German retailers to launch Click&Collect services or Drive -ins have proved to
be a damp squib, and there is no real local equivalent to Tesco.com or Ocado. Doe s it
concern you that online shopping in Germany lags far behind the UK?
The UK is the most penetrated e-commerce market in Europe, so we are not expecting Germany to
be the same yet, but consumer acceptance is bound to grow. Also, Germany has a long history of
mail order where customers are familiar with using catalogues to place their orders. So Screwfix with
its catalogue-based order showrooms is coming to Germany in a tradition that people understand.
Last but not least, all customers will appreciate the sheer convenience of our multi-channel offer.
But isn’t your online range dwarfed by the 1.2m DIY lines offered by Amazon.com?
Clearly they can reference a huge amount of products and will continue to put pressure on prices and
margins. If you know exactly what you want, it is the place to go. But a lot of people are trying to
find out what they need, and Amazon doesn’t have the content to help them work this out or the
merchandising on the screen to help them navigate their way through. So I think the re will always be
room for DIY specialists like ourselves, especially if they also offer exclusive own label products.
How much of the Screwfix assortment is private label?
In the UK it is over 40 per cent, but in Germany we are starting at a lower level although we hope to
get to 20 per cent in due course. With just four stores we obviously don't yet have enough customer
traffic to obtain the minimum necessary order quantities.
If one thinks the Screwfix concept through to its logical conclusion, doesn' t its very
success call into question your large, some would say too large, B&Q store base in the
UK?
Why close our store base when all of our outlets make money? Originally we did have concerns about
cannibalisation, but we've seen that B&Q big-box sheds can co-exist quite happily with Screwfix. You
can call the Screwfix concept omni- or multi-channel, but essentially it is a service proposition whose
efficiency and convenience are really appreciated by the customer.
Also our B&Q big-box stores serve the general consumer in a different way and don't cater to as
many trade customers as, for instance, Hornbach does in Germany.
Looking beyond German borders, you make a lot of money in Russia, but will you be able
to stay there in view of the geopolitical risk?
Thankfully, we are not in the oil or gas business! Obviously we cannot control the geopolitical risk,
but none of the sanctions imposed to date have hit our bottom or top line. Also the Russian
with the NLA”.
government wants its citizens to become more prosperous and to look after their homes. We don’t
plan to pull out because it is a very interesting market with few modern DIY stores. Housing stock is
not in great shape, and the first generation of consumers to own property is very interested in home
improvement and gardening.
China has sometimes looked like a horror story for you, and we have often wondered
when you were going to pull the plug on operations there. But now we hear you are
searching for a local partner?
DIY in China requires a very different retail model to what western retailers are generally used to,
and everyone who has gone in with a big-box concept, including even Home Depot, has had to leave.
We already have a brand, an interesting set of property assets, as well as products and systems. So,
if we can develop a more Chinese-driven model with local partners who provide the management and
the local infrastructure, then you could see something quite successful. We have already proved that
we can do this in Turkey with local partner Koçtaş.
How near are you to finding a local partner?
I am meeting some people this very week.
Do you have anything else on the cards?
Currently we are busy transforming the stores we have just bought in Portugal and Rumania. We are
also looking at other countries, particularly if we could take Brico Dépôt and Screwfix to them, but we
don’t have anything that is definitely on the horizon yet.
Meanwhile, you are leaving the USA to Home Depot and Lowe's?
Yes, why get into a cage with two 850-pound gorillas?
Successful run: After six years as CEO, Ian Cheshire will soon pass on the baton to Véronique Laury.
with the NLA”.
World Retail Congress
StarStagram
17 October 2014
Retail in an age of disruption
Inside Retail
17 October 2014
Retail disruptions, from emerging generations of consumers to innovative new businesses, formed the
central theme of the 2014 World Retail Congress, held in Paris earlier this month.
Disruption was also identified as a key concern for global retail leaders, according to findings from the
2014 Global Retail Index, exclusive research commissioned by World Retail Congress and conducted
with the NLA”.
by the Australian Centre for Retail Studies (ACRS) in the Department of Marketing at Monash
University.
Findings suggest that retail revenue is expected to increase in most markets. This was led by the
Middle East and China, with 89 per cent and 88 per cent of retail leaders respectively expecting sal es
to increase in the next 12 months. Retail leader sentiment in Australia has improved year on year
over the past three years, and is now positive, compared to being negative in the past two years.
Congress sessions were devoted to various elements of retail disruption and largely centered on
recovering from tough economic times, connected consumers and technological advances, all of
which have combined to reshape the retail landscape. Kingfisher CEO, Ian Cheshire, discussed
strategies for retailing in a disrupted world, stating “retailers must be prepared to break some of the
rules in an era of the first set of globally aware consumers”.
This view is of little surprise given that the past five years have been characterised by unprecedented
and disruptive change in retail. Every aspect of the industry – from manufacturing to e-commerce –
has fundamentally shifted.
Disruption has also been seen across industry sectors and distribution channels, with discounters
disrupting supermarket business models, just as online is disrupting the bricks and mortar channel.
Although these shifts can be seen as negative, there was a real sense that retail today is more
dynamic and exciting than ever before. Discussed by both traditional and emerging retailers, the era
of disruption also presents an abundance of possibilities for retail growth. This is evident by the
success of some of the most iconic global retailers, despite constant disruption.
For instance, heritage UK department store group John Lewis was awarded Omnichannel Retailer of
the Year in the 2014 World Retail Awards, however, this is not at the expense of physical stores, with
MD, Andy Street, revealing plans to open additional John Lewis stores by “focusing on creating shops
which are social spaces – where people want to spend their leisure time”.
Despite the pressure to address to the latest consumer demands and adopt emerging technologies in
an era of disruption, the basic fundamentals of retail must be in place.
As stated by Samsung Electro-Mechanics president and CEO, Chi-Joon Choi, the hyper-connections
available between “every and any” device created huge opportunities, but that it is a question of
retail going “back to basics” to look at what could realistically be achieved. Citing examples such a
dynamic pricing, contactless payment and locational guidance, he noted “interchangeability between
online and offline is the goal”.
It was also evident at this year’s Congress that the industry is also being disrupted by new retail
businesses that often are free of the legacy issues of systems, culture and store networks.
The Congress heard from several retail disruptors, including Shoes of Prey, This is Story, KupiVIP,
Priceminister, and Ocado. Importantly, these businesses play by new rules that they themselves have
set in response to today’s retail marketplace and consumers.
Product curation, customisation and personalisation were cited as common strategies for these
disruptor retailers. Google VP of product management, shopping products, Sameer Samat, noted that
in the US “there has been a decline in footfall of 55 per cent, yet sales went up, so consumers are
arriving at stores much better informed. Where we are going is really to personalised shopping”.
The Millennial generation was a commonly discussed source of consumer disruption. Coca Cola Global
CMO, Joseph Tripodi, noted that by 2030 Millennial consumers will out number non-millennial
consumers. He discussed strategies to cater to this emerging consumer market, noting they care
with the NLA”.
more about authenticity than product, which means it is no longer about what a brand sells and more
about what the brand stands for. For retailers, this means keeping relevant and meaningful.
Members of the ACRS team attended the 2014 Congress, participated in judging of the World Retail
Awards and presented results of the third annual Global Retail Index. Next week, ACRS research
director, Dr Sean Sands, and senior consultant, Dr Isabella Maggioni, will present the highlights of the
2014 Congress based on 10 major disrupters, as well as summarising findings of the Global Retail
Index and profiling award winners.
Sands and Maggioni will be joined by one of Australia’s own retail disrupters, Will Rogers, founder
and director of Kent & Lime. Rogers will share insights into how Kent & Lime is reinventing all aspects
of retail, from customer service to personalisation.
MasterCard's solution to against cyber hacking of banks and processors
Canadian Review
19 October 2014
MasterCard unveiled SafetyNet, a global tool designed to reduce the risk of cyber hacking of banks
and processors.
SafetyNet is designed to use the power of MasterCard’s global network, to identify potential attacks
before they start and in some cases before the bank or processor is even aware. Leveraging a multi layer defence we are working to ensure our partners stay one step ahead of large scale attacks,
which use increasingly sophisticated ways to compromise account data and security defenses.
payments are safe, wherever you are. We do this through a number of tools, in a multi-layer
with the NLA”.
with the NLA”.

World Retail Congress 2014

Transcription

Similar documents

La Centerra at Cinco Ranch

Retail Leasing Opportunity

Retail ConnectSM

View Marketing Brochure

Unique Retail Opportunity Coming Soon

list

3925 Tampa Rd - Southeast Retail Group

sweet floam - imagearea.co.uk

Listing Flyer - Former Crusty`s Pizza

marketing/selling points: release date 11.16.04