Retail Week
October 28 2011
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Alhokair Fashion Retail to expand into central Asia
Alhokair Fashion Retail, a Saudi Arabia-based retail conglomerate with over 80 international brands in its portfolio, is looking to expand into central Asia, according to reports.The company is looking to grow its business in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Georgia. After a three-year period, the retailer is hoping to have 350 to 400 stores in the region.Alhokair currently operates 28 stores in Kazakhstan. Some 28 stores will be opening in Belarus. Meanwhile, in nor -
American Apparel loses chief development officer after seven months
Beleaguered US fashion chain American Apparel has lost its chief development officer after just seven months in the post. -
Argos will have to fight in China
Back in the summer, at the time of Home Retail Group’s full-year results, I asked Terry Duddy whether international expansion might make sense for Argos. -
AS Watson plans store growth
Hong Kong-based AS Watson plans to add 30 Watsons stores to its network in Turkey during 2012, taking the total to over 100.The health and beauty retailer has built its presence to 68 stores since entering the market in March 2005. Country general manager Ahmet Yanikoglu said: “This year we opened 30 shops. Next year we will exceed 30 stores to reach over 100. There will be 73 stores by the end of this year. We are planning rapid growth in Turkey.”Yanikoglu cited Turkey’s growin -
Asda targets Argos in electronics price war
Asda is gearing up to launch a price war on electronic goods this week singling out Argos as its number one target. -
Asos half year profits soar 66%
Online giant ASOS half-year profits before tax and exceptionals soared 66% to £11.7m. -
Asos hires Hollins from Fenn Wright Manson
Online fashion giant Asos has hired womenswear brand Fenn Wright Manson’s interim merchandising director Maria Hollins as its new trading director. -
Austin Reed flagship is ‘future of the brand’
Austin Reed has opened its new flagship store on Regent Street, which chief executive Nick Hollingworth described as a “stake in the ground” representative of the future of the fashion retailer. -
Blacks appoints Dominic Lavelle as interim finance director
Embattled retailer Blacks Leisure has appointed Dominic Lavelle as interim finance director. -
Blacks like-for-likes plummet as turnaround plan is unveiled
Blacks like-for-likes plummeted 7.2% in its first half as new boss Julia Reynolds unveils her turnaround strategy. -
Booths eyes 10 new stores in Northwest
Northern grocer Booths plans10 new stores as it plans to roll out its new store format across its portfolio. -
Carrefour’s ELC speaks out against activist investor
Carrefour’s European Labour Committee (ELC) has spoken out against activist investor Knight Vinke’s proposal to elect a new chairman for the company.It claimed that the plan was aimed at dismantling the group. The ELC said that it wants “stability” and affirmed its support for the Carrefour Planet format, which it believes is the cornerstone of Carrefour’s recovery. Michel Engels, secretary of the ELC, said: “Ther -
Casino-owned Exito reports net profit increase
Casino-owned Exito has reported net profit of COP58.8bn (£19.52m) in the third quarter, 59% more than the previous year.The grocery retailer’s operating profit increased 18.7% to COP74.5bn (£24.74m), while sales rose 15.6% to COP2.03trn (£1.01bn).Exito opened 36 new stores in the first nine months of the year, reaching a total of 325. -
Cath Kidston's Saunders departs as new boss arrives
Cath Kidston managing director Mark Saunders has left the retailer after nine months at the retailer. -
Clicks Group announces preliminary financial results
Health and beauty retailer Clicks Group has announced its preliminary financial results for the year ended August 31. Group retail turnover increased by 10.9% to ZAR10.8bn (£847.5m). The core Clicks drugstore network reported sales up 13% with operating profit soaring 25.8%.Meanwhile, the Musica music and video store chain announced a sales decrease of 5.9%. Outside the retail division, the group’s UPD pharmaceutical wholesale operation reported turnover rise by 4.2%.Chief execu -
Conran Shop to open in China
Conran Shop has notched up a strong first-half performance as it reveals plans to launch in China. -
Debenhams launches online-only lines to drive multichannel plan
Debenhams is to launch online-only product categories as part of new chief executive Michael Sharp’s strategy to transform it into a “leading international, multichannel retailer”. -
Dwell launches kitchens
Furniture chain Dwell has introduced a range of “high quality kitchens at affordable prices” to its offer. -
Electronics retailer Komplett reports sales increase
Norwegian online electronics retailer Komplett has reported sales increased 3.7% to NOK1bn (£112.9m) for the third quarter ended September 30. Direct sales contributed the largest share with a rise of 3.5% to NOK706m (£79.72m). Although direct sales climbed 33.4% to NOK53m (£5.99m) in Denmark and 6.2% to NOK479m (£54m) in Norway, these declined by 9.2% to NOK174m (£19.65m) in Sweden. The group’s net profit amounted to NOK15m (£1.7m) in the third quarter compared with the same period in 2010. -
Forever getting older
Ever felt old? You probably have when you’ve wandered into a store called Forever 21, but now a new store is calculated to make you feel even more senile. -
Gap opens first Polish store
US clothing retailer Gap has opened its first store in Poland in Warsaw with franchise partner Ultimate Fashion. The store is located in the Arkadia shopping mall. Gap is planning to open stores in other Polish cities in the country during 2012, including Katowice, Krakow and Wroclaw, and plans to expand into other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. -
H&M brands Monki and Cheap Monday open first UK stand-alones
H&M-owned brands Monki and Cheap Monday have signed for their first UK stand-alone stores on London’s Carnaby Street. -
Halloween sales growth slows
Sales growth in Halloween products is expected to slow this year as consumers rein in their spending in the tough climate. -
How do we demonstrate our stores’ worth?
Our investors are pushing us to close stores, but we feel we need them to build our multichannel offer. How do we demonstrate the stores’ worth? -
In focus: Jack Wills
With a preppy appeal and strong international prospects, the fashion chain is a rising star. -
In pictures: Tesco launches beauty salons in-store
Tesco has launched beauty salons within three of its stores and is planning to roll the format out across 70 shops. -
In-store Wi-Fi
In-store Wi-Fi is increasingly a must-have, as not only does it allow customers to research products, but gives retailers an insight into online research habits. -
Is this the calm before the storm for retailers?
Every time the ONS or BRC issues sales figures that are not as bad as expected, the retail industry is accused of crying wolf. -
It is a Kobo, not a Kindle
WHSmith was promoting its Wi-Fi touchscreen Kobo e-reader last week, but it seemed that not all of the store staff were clued up on its product. -
Jack Wills - Britain’s answer to Abercrombie & Fitch?
Is Jack Wills Britain’s answer to Abercrombie & Fitch? Can it successfully challenge the latter in its home territory or, indeed, elsewhere in the world? -
Kingfisher’s Turkish adventure
It might not attract as much attention as some overseas markets, but Turkey is one of Kingfisher’s big hopes for the next decade. Rebecca Thomson reports on its plans there. -
Kurt Geiger acquisition boosts Jones Group profits
US brand house Jones Group has posted a 42.4% increase in profits for its third quarter, helped in part by the acquisition of premium UK footwear retailer Kurt Geiger earlier this year. -
Levelling the European playing field
Premier League matches, a Greek TV decoder and a Portsmouth pub. It was the case Karen Murphy took to the European Court of Justice where she won a partial victory in her fight to cut the cost of screening football in her bar. -
Lush eyes central London for its biggest ever store
Lush is mulling plans to open its largest store in the world in central London. -
M&Co builds wind turbines to power stores
Womenswear retailer M&Co plans to build wind turbines to power all 300 of its stores, making it the first high street chain to fully control its energy consumption. -
Making a world of difference
Airport duty free retailing is quicker and less predictable than the average retail supply chain. Charlotte Hardie finds out how World Duty Free copes with security checks, flight delays and even the odd volcano. -
Media-Saturn to cut jobs at its headquarters
Metro Group-controlled Media-Saturn is to cut 61 of 139 jobs at its headquarters. The electronics retailer said the decision has been prompted by the economic crisis that has led to a drop in consumer confidence, the rise of internet sales and the cost structure of the headquarters.The retailer’s board is now planning to move a number of support services to the Netherlands, which would involve finance, IT, personnel and internal audits.Other services, such as sales and marketing -
Mercator signs contract with Drvopromet to take over its trade business
Grocery retailer Mercator has signed a contract with Bosnia and Herzegovina-based Drvopromet to take over its trade business, securing 63 Drvopromet stores in a long-term lease. The agreement, which is based on strategic ties and is awaiting a green light from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s competition protection office, makes Mercator the leaseholder of 258,340 sq ft of business premises across the country. The contract includes the purchase of all stocks and equipment, employing Drvopromet’s work -
Metrocentre attracts new Primark flagship
Primark is to open a 58,700 sq ft store at the Metrocentre in Gateshead, which celebrates it 25th anniversary this week. -
Mike Lohner
Chief executive of direct selling, Stella & Dot -
Morrisons ad banned for targeting children
Grocer Morrisons has been rapped over a television advert after viewers complained that it targeted children. -
No news like good news
Doom sells papers, but why is it always at the expense of good news, asks Malcolm Walker. -
No respite for furniture retailers until 2014
Battered furniture and flooring retailers will not have any relief from punishing conditions until 2014 as the housing market remains stagnant. -
Ocado to deploy savings pass card as shoppers feel pinch
Saving Pass promises customers 10% off 600-plus branded products in bid to reflect price awareness -
OFT gives go-ahead to Amazon takeover of The Book Depository
The Office of Fair Trading has given online giant Amazon’s takeover of The Book Depository the green light. -
Parkway shopping centre opens
Parkway, the last new shopping centre to launch before a development hiatus until 2013, opened its doors in Newbury today. -
Pets retailer Jollyes profits rise
Pets retailer Jollyes Group has posted a 7.6% increase in EBITDA to £6m in the year ended 31 May 2011. -
Piccadilly improvements ease congestion for shoppers
The £14m overhaul of Piccadilly and its surrounding streets has been completed which will ease congestion for shoppers in the area. -
Playlife, Treviso, Italy
Look hard and then look again. Does it look like Benetton? -
Price premiums
Retailers are beginning to analyse prices along a product’s lifecycle in order to maximise their returns, finds Joanna Perry. -
Primark to open concessions in Selfridges
High fashion and fast fashion combine as Primark opens concessions in Selfridges in Birmingham and Manchester. -
Profile: Darcy Willson-Rymer
The former Starbucks man is no stranger to turnarounds, but does he have what it takes to give the flagging Clinton Cards a shot in the arm, Tiffany Holland reports. -
Q&A: Blacks - the turnaround
Retail Week meets with Blacks Leisure chief executive Julia Reynolds and executive chairman Peter Williams as they unveil their plan to turnaround the struggling retailer. -
Retail Week Supply Chain
Read the Retail Week Supply Chain supplement as a fully digital edition. -
Retailers feel the heat as consumers save
Store stocks nudged up over the week, but analysts and retailers alike wrung their hands about trading prospects and consumer health as the countdown to Christmas continued. -
Robert Dyas sale put on hold to see how it performs over Christmas
The sale of Robert Dyas has been delayed until next year so that would-be suitors can evaluate Christmas trading. -
Shop Direct hires former Clarks finance director Mark McMenemy
Shop Direct has hired former Clarks group finance director Mark McMenemy. -
Shoppers shift away from high street, report reaffirms
Shoppers over the last decade have been choosing to visit larger shopping centres in preference to high street, a report has reaffirmed. -
South Africa’s Pick n Pay seeks to follow Tesco’s lead
South Africa’s second-largest grocery retailer Pick n Pay has launched a premium private-label line. -
Store design: Balancing cost and creativity
How do you strike the right balance between conceiving a good-looking store and the cost of creating it. John Ryan investigates. -
Supermarket price wars
I don’t write a column for a few months and all hell breaks loose. -
Supply chain: At the heart of retail
SuperGroup’s supply chain-induced woes have been a timely reminder of just how much financial success hinges on a smooth supply chain operation. -
Ted Baker ‘It’s Rutting Season’
Ted Baker’s latest social marketing campaign is a clever attempt to harness the word-of-mouth power of Facebook. -
Time to bring delivery home
Retailers can sometimes struggle with carrier reliability. Alison Clements considers whether delivery in-house rather than using a courier is a more reliable option. -
Topshop's sleeping beauties
This could be another sit-in protest at Topshop’s Oxford Circus store, or perhaps a snap of exhausted shoppers who have braved the crowds at one of the busiest stores in the UK. -
Toys R Us gears up for Christmas
Toys R Us is gearing up for the crucial Christmas trading period with a new ad campaign and the opening of six new shops. -
Video: Debenhams virtual pop-up stores
Debenhams has unveiled virtual pop-up stores at some of the UK’s most famous landmarks including Trafalgar Square. -
Video: Delivering the best customer service
At the Skillsmart Retail, World Host Conference, 100 retailers met to discuss customer service standards in the UK. -
Video: Dundrum shopping centre evacuated after severe flooding
Dundrum shopping centre in Dublin has been flooded after more than a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours yesterday (Monday). -
Walmart to roll back health care coverage
Walmart is significantly rolling back health care coverage for part-time workers while raising premiums for many full-time employees. All future staff who work less than an average of 24 hours per week will no longer qualify for any of the company’s health insurance plans.Additionally, new workers who average 24 to 33 hours per week will no longer be able to include a spouse as part of their health care plan. Walmart cited rising costs as the reason for the change. The move is a major -
What challenges does the Olympics bring for retailers?
The athletes may be the stars of the show, but London 2012 is proving to be a challenge for retailers too. Rebecca Thomson looks at the supply chain conundrums it will bring. -
What is the difference between interfacing and integrating IT systems?
My business utilises a number of different IT systems. What is the difference between interfacing and integrating these systems and which option is the best? -
White Company opens first travel shop
Fashion and homewares retailer The White Company has opened its first travel store at St Pancras station in London.
