Iconic toy retailer Hamleys is ramping up international plans with dates set for launches in China and Russia and plans to go into Singapore, Poland and the Czech Republic.
It aims to open in Moscow by the third quarter of next year, with stores in St Petersburg and other big cities to follow.
A flagship store is expected to open in Beijing in 2010. In both countries Hamleys will link with a franchise partner.
Hamleys chief operating officer Paul Currie said: âInternational is a major part of our strategy. We want to focus on undeveloped, emerging countries where there are few retailing loyalties.â
The retailer has also added the city of Chennai to the three locations it is targeting in India â Mumbai, Bangalore and New Dehli â as revealed by Retail Week in July. The first shop in the country will open in July next year.
Sales to tourists generate 40 per cent of total sales in the retailerâs flagship London store.
In October Hamleys opened its first standalone store outside of Regent Street in Dublin, while last month it opened its first store in Dubai.
Currie said Dublin is trading âabsolutely phenomenallyâ and Dubai is trading âvery wellâ.
Separately, the retailer is in the midst of overhauling its web site to provide better navigation and more customer relationship management opportunities.
âOur focus this year has been bricks and mortar. Our next strategy is to figure out what our online offering can be,â said Currie.
A flagship store is expected to open in Beijing in 2010. In both countries Hamleys will link with a franchise partner.
Hamleys chief operating officer Paul Currie said: âInternational is a major part of our strategy. We want to focus on undeveloped, emerging countries where there are few retailing loyalties.â
The retailer has also added the city of Chennai to the three locations it is targeting in India â Mumbai, Bangalore and New Dehli â as revealed by Retail Week in July. The first shop in the country will open in July next year.
Sales to tourists generate 40 per cent of total sales in the retailerâs flagship London store.
In October Hamleys opened its first standalone store outside of Regent Street in Dublin, while last month it opened its first store in Dubai.
Currie said Dublin is trading âabsolutely phenomenallyâ and Dubai is trading âvery wellâ.
Separately, the retailer is in the midst of overhauling its web site to provide better navigation and more customer relationship management opportunities.
âOur focus this year has been bricks and mortar. Our next strategy is to figure out what our online offering can be,â said Currie.
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