International Strategy

Gap plans to expand in Latin America after its first namesake store in the region topped sales expectations. The Gap store in Santiago, Chile, which opened in October, was among the leading franchise performers out of 200 stores worldwide, said Stefan Laban, managing director of strategic alliances for Gap.

Amazon and eBay are steadily putting together the building blocks of their operations in India, potentially making the country a battleground for their contrasting business models. 

China is a premier expansion destination for U.S. retailers. The meteoric rise of the Chinese middle class is estimated to produce a national disposable income in excess of $2.7 trillion over the next decade and a consumer base eager to burn yuan on U.S. products. Breaking into Chinese markets isn't easy, however.

Iconix Brand Group reported that its fourth quarter net income rose 23 percent on increased sales. The company also announced it was forming a joint venture with Reliance Brands Limited, a part of the Reliance Industries Group, to expand in India. 

After one false alert claiming a Feb. 18 opening for Apple's new Amsterdam retail store, the company's first in the Netherlands, new reports claim that the grand opening is apparently set for March 3. 

French luxury products group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA will soon enter the retail jewelry business in India. LVMH may also introduce products from joint venture De Beers diamond jewelers in India.

The Collective Brands' Performance + Lifestyle Group, which owns globally recognized brands such as Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Keds and Stride Rite, announced that it's signed new agreements with partners in 10 countries to continue the rapid international expansion of several of its brands.

China, get your game on: Adidas is bringing "Linsanity" to you very soon. The German sports apparel company plans to roll out the New York Knicks’ phenom's jersey across its network of 6,700 stores in China and expects they'll be a hot-selling item, Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer said.

Gap plans to open 30 more stores in China in 2012. The company opened its first China location in November 2010, and the planned store openings will bring its China store count to 35 by the end of 2012. The expansion in China follows the company’s announcement in October 2011 that it would close 189 (21 percent) of its U.S. stores due to declining sales.

Sears Canada announced a revamped pricing strategy, lowering day-to-day prices by an average of up to 30 percent on a wide range of popular items, taking a page from rival Wal-Mart Canada's book. The move comes as Sears Canada faces increasing pressure to boost years of sales declines, part of a strategy from new chief executive Calvin McDonald to compete in a fierce retail market that is girding for the arrival of mass merchant Target next year.