News briefs - Retail
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News briefs
Amazon launches its marketplace in South Africa
Amazon has announced the launch of Amazon.co.za, its online marketplace in South Africa, available on desktop and mobile browsers or by downloading the Amazon Shopping App. Customers in South Africa can now shop from a selection of brands across 20 different product categories, such as sporting equipment, consumer electronics, toys ...
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News briefs
April sees dip in UK retail sales amid poor weather and easter shift
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has reported a downturn in retail sales for April, attributing the decline to unfavorable weather conditions and an earlier Easter period. According to the trade association, total retail sales in the UK experienced a 4 percent decrease for the four-week period from March 31 to ...
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News briefs
JD Sports makes Middle East debut with new store in Bahrain
JD Sports has marked its entry into the Middle East with the inauguration of a new store located at Bahrain’s Marassi Galleria Mall, a beachfront shopping destination. Operated under a franchise agreement with GMG, the 504 square meter establishment will offer customers access to the latest releases from a diverse ...
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News briefs
Hoka opens a store in Paris
Hoka is reinforcing its European retail presence with the opening of its first Parisian address. The new store is located at 35 Boulevard des Capucines, in a 140-sqm space formerly occupied by footwear label Bally, at walking distance from the historic Opéra and not far from the busy shopping area ...
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News briefs
Paris 2024 branded products now available on Tmall
Alibaba has announced that fans in China can now access official Paris 2024 branded products on Tmall’s Olympic Store. Fans can purchase a range of licensed merchandise, including toys of the Phryges, the official mascots of the upcoming Games. Alibaba is a worldwide Olympic Partner and the Tmall platform, part ...
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News briefs
No company sells more clothes in Spain than Shein
Shein appears to have become the top online retailer for fashion in Spain, where it has surpassed Zara and H&M, as well as in Italy, Greece and Portugal, according to Diffusion Sport, which cites figures from the consultancy ECDB. Indeed, the e-commerce specialist – of Chinese origin but Singaporean headquarters ...
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News briefs
Fanatics and Sunderland announce long-term partnership
Fanatics and Sunderland Association Football Club (SAFC) have agreed to a new long-term partnership that will see the global merchandise firm become Sunderland’s new retail partner until 2034. Fanatics will become the exclusive operator for the club’s online and stadium store. This will include “significant investment” in a new store ...
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News briefs
JD Sports implements forensic tagging sprays to combat shoplifting surge
British sportswear giant JD Sports is stepping up its security game in response to a surge in shoplifting incidents. Teaming up with forensic security firm SelectaDNA, the retailer is set to deploy tagging sprays across its stores as a proactive measure. These sprays work by leaving behind a unique synthetic ...
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News briefs
Liverpool FC scores retail partnership in South Korea with Over the Pitch
Liverpool FC (LFC) has scored big in South Korea with its latest retail partnership with Over the Pitch, a soccer brand and design studio. This collaboration marks Liverpool’s first foray into the South Korean market. The initial phase of the partnership will see the introduction of two dedicated retail ...
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News briefs
Skechers expands Belgian footprint with new store in Brussels
Brussels welcomes Skechers to its Rue Neuve shopping district with the unveiling of a spacious 490-square-meter store. The store offers a showcase of Skechers’ range of footwear, apparel and accessories, featuring a striking vaulted entrance and a captivating mural paying homage to the brand’s roots in Southern California’s Manhattan Beach. ...
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News briefs
French sneaker brand Veja makes London debut with eco-friendly store concept
French sustainable sneaker brand Veja has inaugurated its first store in London’s bustling Seven Dials district. Nestled at 45 Monmouth Street, bridging the gap between Covent Garden and Soho, the 140-square-meter boutique showcases the brand’s footwear collection, complemented by an onsite cobbler station for sneaker and shoe repairs and cleaning ...
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News briefs
Decathlon expands BuyBack scheme in UK
Decathlon has broadened its BuyBack program to encompass all sports equipment in the UK, following the success of its initial launch focusing on unwanted bicycles. The initiative now covers fitness equipment, racket sports gear, camping essentials, and water sports items like kayaks and paddleboards. Customers can participate by completing a ...
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News briefs
Target jumps on the pickleball trend
Source: Prince Prince for Target US retail giant Target has announced a limited-time pickleball collection in collaboration with tennis and lifestyle brand Prince. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2023 Topline Participation Report, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US, and now ...
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News briefs
Decathlon UK partners with media agency Fifty
Decathlon UK has announced Fifty as its new media agency. The new agreement will see the sporting goods retailer and manufacturer leverage Fifty’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered audience insights technology for its media planning. Fifty will develop and execute Decathlon UK’s integrated media strategy across all media and channels. Fifty optimizes ...
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News briefs
NBA opens expanded retail space in London
The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) has opened an official merchandise flagship store at 267-269 Oxford Street in London, close to Oxford Circus. The site had been occupied by JD Sports until 2015, and then by American candy shops. The new 830-sqm NBA location replaces the previous, smaller NBA flagship ...
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News briefs
JD Sports Fashion opens flagship store on Paris’s Champs-Élysées
JD Sports Fashion debuts its global flagship store on Paris’s famed 118 Avenue des Champs-Élysées. The store boasts cutting-edge digital technology and will offer “immersive experiences for shoppers”. Featuring top brands like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance, the store promises the latest in sports fashion. To mark the occasion, JD ...
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News briefs
Amazon invests €700m in AI-powered tech and robotics across Europe
Amazon is using its Innovation Lab in Vercelli, northern Italy, to develop and test new technologies aimed at enhancing support for employees and customer satisfaction. Established in 2017, this lab is home to a team of scientists and engineers from all over the world, serving as the hub for the ...
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News briefs
XXL appoints former H&M executive Dawid Gosciniak as COO
Norwegian retailer XXL is bolstering its team by appointing Dawid Gosciniak to a newly created role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for all of XXL’s markets. Gosciniak will work on enhancing the chain’s omnichannel approach, refining the store concept, optimizing the customer journey, and ensuring the highest possible efficiency ...
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News briefs
TFG introduces JD Sports to South African market
South Africa is set to welcome the arrival of British sportswear giant JD Sports, courtesy of The Foschini Group (TFG), through an exclusive franchise agreement. TFG’s CEO Anthony Thunström highlighted the move as an expansion of their sports portfolio, leveraging their existing brands like Sportscene, Totalsports, and Sneaker Factory. Thunström ...
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News briefs
Spanish e-commerce up in first nine months of 2023
Online sales in Spain for the first nine months of 2023 rose by 25.1 percent year-on-year, from €2.654 to €3.320 billion, according to Palco23, which cites the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC). The sports sector accounted for €1.792 billion, or 54 percent, of the nine-month total for 2023 ...