Turkey Retail Sales:
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat), The country retail sales volume has increase by 2% year on year in January. Electronic appliances and furniture sales demonstrated an increase of 12.9% while food drinks and tabacco has shown an increase of 12.3% during this month.Driven by the pandemic, the online sales on the other hands performed extremely well with 101.6% year on year in January.
Thorntons:
The UK Chocolate producer Thorntons is shutting down its 61 stores across UK and not willing to reopen them back after the Covid-19’s pandemic. Like all retail sector players, Thorntons has been impacted by the slow sales last Christmas and Easter which represents the most important profitable period for all chocolate producers around the world. This closing decision will put more than 600 jobs at risk. While Thornton’s stores shrunk from 252 to 61 stores in the last 5 years, the company announced that it will keep the online platform and its franchisee channels running.
Pricerite:
Hong Kong furniture retailer Pricerite has introduced its first food products range. The . This new food selection will be launched simultaneously in Pricerite’s online store and at nine physical outlets. pricerite also rolled out a Food Virtual Store’ at Hong Kong station where you can shop by scanning the product QR code and get your selection delivered to your location.
Home Depot:
the world’s largest home improvement retailer Home Depot has announced the 4th Quarter and 2020 Fiscal year results. According to Home Depot Press release, Sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 were $32.3 billion, an increase of $6.5 billion, or 25.1 percent from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Sales for fiscal 2020 were $132.1 billion, an increase of $21.9 billion, or 19.9 percent, from fiscal 2019. Comparable sales for fiscal 2020 increased 19.7 percent, and comparable sales in the U.S. increased 20.6 percent.
Waitrose:
Waitrose announced this month the opening of a new Customer Fulfilment Centre in Greenford, West London. When fully running later this year the centre will deliver 25,000 Waitrose.com orders each week, helping to offer five times more online slots each week in London than before the pandemic. Staff at the centre will pick and pack 1.25 million products a week, delivered in 150 new vans. This new centre is the third Waitrose Customer Fulfilment Centre in the UK.
Walmart :
Walmart Now Allows Non-US Vendors On Its Marketplace allowing them to the largest multi-channel retailer and putting their products in front of millions of Walmart shoppers. This is a very strong attempt to close the e-commerce gap with Amazon.com platform. and tap into China’s vast network of manufacturers. 75 percent of new sellers on Amazon are Chinese vendors. It is expected that Walmart will find a similar ratio as it proceeds with an open door to foreign manufacturers.
Target :
The leading US Retailer Target has announced the enrollment the new apple enhanced experience shopping online and in 17 stores. The new concept doubles Apple’s footprint in select Target stores and brings displays for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods and other accessories together in one space. Sales in Target’s electronics category grew by 50% in the third quarter and more than 20% during the holiday season compared with the same period a year earlier.