International Strategy
Google will invest $550 million in Chinese e-commerce powerhouse JD.com, part of the U.S. internet company’s efforts to expand its presence in fast-growing Asian markets and battle rivals including Amazon.com. The two companies described the investment as one piece of a broader partnership that will include the promotion of JD.com products on Google’s shopping service. This…
In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the implications for retailers’ businesses, steps they can take to ensure compliance, and more. Make sure to check out this video, as the regulation goes into effect a week from today (May…
Walmart Inc. announced yesterday that it has signed a definitive agreement to become the largest shareholder in Flipkart Group, an e-commerce company headquartered in Bengaluru, India that's a leader in electronics, large appliances, mobile, and fashion and apparel. Walmart will buy an initial stake of roughly 77 percent in the company for $16 billion, while…
This week, the board of Flipkart Online Services Pvt has approved an agreement to sell about 75 percent of the company to a Walmart Inc.-led group for approximately $15 billion, according to sources. Bloomberg reports under the proposed deal, SoftBank Group Corp. will sell all of the 20-plus percent stake it holds in Flipkart through…
Walmart is retreating from Europe, merging its U.K. supermarket business Asda with bigger rival Sainsbury's. In return, Walmart will receive £2.97 billion ($4.1 billion) in cash and a 42 percent stake in the combined business, the companies said in a statement on Monday. The deal values Asda at £7.3 billion ($10 billion), and creates a…
“What do consumers want?” It’s a question that plagues retailers. And how accurately they can answer it has a tremendous impact on how they compete in the marketplace. With e-commerce and digital channels paving the way for retailers to expand their businesses to other countries, retailers also need to consider consumer preferences and expectations in…
Amazon.com has launched a new feature within its shopping app for iOS and Android users to cater to international customers shopping for U.S. goods, according to a report from Reuters. The feature, which was announced late on Tuesday, will enable users to shop in five languages, including English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, German, and Brazilian Portuguese, and will be…
DSW Inc. announced today a plan to shutter its Ebuys division. DSW acquired the e-commerce off-price footwear and accessories company in February 2016 for $62.5 million upfront, plus additional payments. After a strategic review of the Ebuys business, DSW has chosen to liquidate all inventory and assets. It expects that process to be completed in early 2018. Total…
Blue Pool Capital, a financial firm that principally invests the wealth of Alibaba founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai, has invested $20 million into the women’s clothing rental business Rent the Runway, according to a report in Recode last week. Reportedly, the funding…
By now, you’ve heard of the resounding success of the 2017 retail holiday shopping season that shattered countless records. Black Friday and Cyber Monday generated more than $11.5 billion in revenue, while Cyber Monday became the largest online shopping day in U.S. history. To help guide retailers looking to replicate that prosperity in 2018, our…