International Strategy

Online retailer and auction site eBay has decided to make a renewed foray into China, says a report by Financial Times. The retailer has decided to team with a Chinese partner in order to keep costs at a minimum and avoid domestic competition in the crowded Chinese market. The report says that eBay is signing a deal with xiu.com, a local retailer of luxury goods. eBay will import high-end luxury items to China, which is already a booming market for Western luxury goods. It's rumored that the partnership will be announced somewhere around Nov. 12. 

"We don't recognize our image reflected in these complaints," said Camilla Emilsson Falk, H&M's spokeperson to the Aftonbladet newspaper. "We also want the wages to be raised, and we're working hard to promote wages increasing in several countries, including Cambodia, among others." H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson also defended the company's practices. "We are working with one of the world's leading experts on salaries in countries like Cambodia. We want the salaries to be raised," he told the Expressen newspaper.

Uniqlo, a division of Japan's Fast Retailing Co. Ltd, will launch its U.S. e-commerce site next week, a crucial part of its drive to earn $10 billion in overall North American sales by 2020, Bloomberg reported. "By opening this e-commerce site now, we are able to cater to customers across the United States," said Uniqlo USA CEO Shin Odake in the Bloomberg report.

Julie Hyman reports on J.Crew and retail expansion in Asia, with the apparel retailer's CEO Mickey Drexler offering his thoughts on the growth potential for the brand in China.

Far from a typical fashion house, our apparel spans a variety of categories including men's and women's clothing, accessories, children's apparel, even evening gowns for the red carpet. In total, we manage a portfolio of some of the best-known brands in fashion, including Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, Jantzen, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Nike Swim, Callaway and more. With 2,600 associates spanning 65 store locations and 30 offices worldwide, we rely on technology to stay connected.

Looks like China's economic slowdown has claimed another victim. Atlanta-based Home Depot said it will close its remaining seven big-box stores in the People's Republic. Home Depot Chairman and CEO Frank Blake put on a brave face for what could be seen as a failure of the world's largest home improvement retailer's efforts in the largest market in the world: "We've learned a great deal over the last six years in China, and our new approach leverages that experience and reflects our continuing interest in providing value to Chinese customers, as well as our shareholders."

A report by Barclays says that Germany figures as its favorite site for overseas expansion, beating China and Australia. Also, two-thirds of British retailers expect their overseas sales to increase in the coming five years. Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays, said that most British retailers favor Germany because the climate is much similar to Britain, so money or energy need not be spent on reinventing designs. Another possibility also cannot be discarded, that in the recessionary environment the German economy is doing comparatively better.

Amazon.com today announced the launch of its Amazon Appstore in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Spain, giving European consumers access to Amazon's broad selection of quality Android apps with the convenience of shopping on Amazon from their Android phones and tablets. The Amazon Appstore includes popular features like personalized recommendations, customer reviews and one-click payments.

Uniqlo is exploring building an online store for the U.S., according to a document obtained by Ad Age. The request for proposal indicates the retailer is looking for partners to help build the e-commerce site, which, if it goes according to the document's timeline, would go live in October. The Japanese retailer, in the midst of a global expansion as growth slows at home, is searching for an agency to build what it's calling a "digital flagship" for the U.S. market. It hopes to push Stateside sales to $10 billion with 20% originating online by 2020, according to the document.

Wal-Mart has received conditional approval from Beijing to acquire a majority stake in a Chinese e-commerce company. Wal-Mart will increase its stake in the Yihaodian holding company to approximately 51 percent, from a little more than 17 percent. Yihaodian has been in business for less than four years. It sells more than 180,000 products ranging from groceries to electronics to clothing. Wal-Mart is seeking more access to Chinese consumers, who are increasingly shopping online. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.