WEEKLY WISDOM
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
Could Things Get Any More Chaotic? Companies Think They Can
At first it was just logistics logjams and soaring freight rates that were taking an increasing toll on retailers.
Now just about every other input is under pressure, causing retailers to begin issuing warnings on sales and profits for Q4 and even beyond.
Contributing factors; Early warning signs;
Despite unstable supply chains and Covid-related headwinds, retailers continue to expand both at home and into new markets. There’s continued investment in e-commerce, but also significant growth in physical retail.
MARKET
UK business leaders have warned ministers about an ‘autumn storm’ of rising taxes, escalating costs, labour shortages and supply disruption as government Covid-19 support schemes come to an end.
Markets are bracing for as many as three Bank of England interest rate rises next year to stop inflation from running out of control after the economy bounced back faster than expected in the second quarter.
China’s retail sales of consumer goods are expected to hit $6.8 trillion in 2021, up 12.5% year-on-year and 8% from 2019, said Wang Bin, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference.
Australia’s national retail sales fell 1.7% in August compared to a month prior, and slowed 0.7 percent compared to the same time last year, according to ABS data.
Korean department stores saw their sales jump 13% in August, heavily driven by luxury goods sales.
PODCAST
Supply Chain Strategies: What I Learned Growing Lettuce in China
Despite the incredible challenges sourcing food in a market with a highly fragmented agricultural system, Xavier Naville managed to survive – and ultimately thrive.
In this podcast he shares how he built his supply chain, best practices for doing business in China, and how digitization is bringing better food quality to people throughout the nation.
XMAS 2021
Amazon is getting a jump on the holiday market rolling out deals nearly two months early. Starting today (Oct 4) customers can shop early and save big with Black Friday-worthy deals available today – epic deals can be found across every category with incredible discounts on top brands at amazon.com/epicdeals.
RETAIL
Mango Group (Spain) is launching a new sustainable brand Alter Made. The new concept focuses on conscious consumption and well-being, with a number of sustainable and ethical initiatives. It will roll in November in Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Wildberries (Russia) has expanded to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, putting the retailer in 14 countries outside of Russia. In 2020 the retailer report sales of $6 billion.
Gucci (Italy) has launched Vault, an online concept store offering vintage archive pieces of the brand as well as contemporary designers.
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- Why Brand Partnerships are Becoming an Essential Retail Strategy
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- China’s Consumer Market Exceeds Expectations
- 5 Potentially Long Term Supply Chain Glitches
- Why Retail Needs a Entertainment First Strategy
- 5 Trends that China’s GenZ Consumers Favor
- Will Energy Be the Next Crisis?
- “Business is Back” said Mills at Spinexpo
- Why China’s Mall’s Could be the Next Hot Properties
- The Tremendous Value of High Value Brands
- A Sustainable Supplier Specialized in Small, Customized Orders
