International Strategy

Levi Strauss has opened an internet store on China's largest retail website Taobao as it seeks to grab a share of the fast-growing online consumer market. Levi's launched its flagship online store in China on the Taobao Mall platform.

Wal-Mart Stores is in talks to become a partner of Indonesian retailer PT Matahari Putra Prima to develop its hypermarts, according to Reuters. Matahari last month said it will seek a "global partner" to develop its hypermart business.

In Japan, consumers have been scaling back their purchases of big-ticket luxury brand items and searching for bargains due to the country's continued economic malaise and deflationary pressures. Meanwhile, e-commerce sales have been gaining traction, making it a good time for Gilt Groupe to launch in the country.

Wal-Mart said it will be spending half a billion dollars this year to expand in Canada, the latest example ot a retail rush north to take advantage of Canada's relatively robust economy and eager-to-spend consumers. 

Coach Inc. plans to gradually move some production out of China, where labor costs are rising, and into lower-cost countries such as India and Vietnam. But China is proving a boon to Coach's sales, as residents that have become more affluent buy the retailer's status-symbol bags.

Target has acquired the Canadian leases for 220 sites currently operated by Zellers, a subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company, for $1.8 billion. It represents Target's first foray outside the U.S. Target will sublease these sites to Zellers for a period of time, until the retailer opens its first stores in Canada beginning in 2013.

A 1,000-square-foot Victoria’s Secret travel store in a Brazilian airport, which just sells accessories and beauty products, opened a little more than a year ago. Since then, it’s done about $10 million in sales, or $10,000 per square foot.

Brookstone announced the launch of a wholesale and licensing division, which will make the company's products available to retail outlets worldwide.

Ace Hardware Corp. plans to spin off its international division at the beginning of 2011 in an effort to help foster growth overseas.

Swedish furniture giant IKEA plans over the next three years to double its annual spending on products from South Asia to $1.31 billion, and is pressing the Indian government to relax investment regulations so it can launch its retail superstores in the country, its CEO told reporters.