International Strategy

Disney Store added magic to Canada last month by opening two innovative shopping experiences in Mississauga, Ontario and Burnaby, British Columbia. The Canadian locations feature interactive areas incorporating state-of-the-art technology.

Debenhams and Sears are understood to be in early discussions about Debenhams opening concession or franchise areas in Sears outlets across the U.S. The U.K. department store retailer currently has around 60 franchised stores around the world and has a plan to increase this number to 100 as it looks to expand beyond its domestic market.

Target plans to spend more than it had forecast this year on its entry into the Canadian market as it nails down more of the best retail locations sooner than expected. The retailer said it will be able to “clarify” within weeks the number and locations of the first 100 to 150 stores it will open in Canada.

Wal-Mart said that profits jumped almost 4 percent last quarter, even as the retail chain's U.S. sales dipped for the eighth straight quarter.

Wal-Mart announced today that it's reached an agreement to acquire a minority stake in the holding company of Yihaodian, a fast-growing e-commerce company in China. The transaction is expected to close within 60 days.

Vente-privee.com, a French company that created the online private-sales model later adopted by sites like Rue La La and Gilt.com, is entering the U.S. through a joint venture with American Express.

Foxlink, a subsidiary of Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn, plans to build new stores in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea. The plans would double the number of Apple-exclusive Foxlink stores in Asia from 50 to 100. 

Groupon's latest battlefields are in the East, where it faces an uphill battle in China and is the underdog in Australia. Groupon's latest tactic to gain ground: acquire burgeoning deal site Crowdmass.

In an attempt to win exclusive rights to use its name in Canada, Target is asking a Canadian court to impose a preliminary injunction against Canadian retailer Isaac Benitah and his company, Fairweather, which owns 15 stores across Canada called Target Apparel and has a logo similar to that of Target.

Italian fashion house Prada said it will open stores across the Middle East as part of a joint venture with Emirates luxury retailer Al Tayer Insignia to develop a new retail network.