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Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Global Licensing Industry Navigates Economic Changes And Trade Shifts
Amanda Cioletti, VP Content/Strategy, Informa Markets Global Licensing Group, organizers of Licensing Expo and media brand License Global. The global licensed consumer product industry is on edge. The ever-changing tariff regulations are throwing global businesses into a state of confusion thanks to constantly moving deadlines, rate fluctuations, exemptions and reinstatement and more. But business marches on. Licensed consumer products are heavily driven by fan culture and a connection to well-known, beloved brands, and they continue to outperform the broader retail market, according to data from Licensing International's Global Licensing Industry Study. Generations of shoppers across the world seek to engage with their favorite brands and characters, with purchases driven by emotional connection, fandom and loyalty to popular intellectual properties (IPs). During times of economic uncertainty, fan-favorite IPs often fare better than non-branded like products. New import duties mark a shift in global dynamics, and several shifts are emerging in response to the new trade environment. Many companies are seeking multi-regional or near-shore production strategies to lessen their reliance on a single manufacturing hub. Complex networks are being forced to spring up to navigate origin duties and taxation. Predictably, more cutting-edge manufacturing processes are being leveraged, such as print-on-demand, particularly in the U.S., where some goods are shielded from tariffs. This does exclude major product categories (toys, for one, are greatly affected since many parts are manufactured in China), but for apparel, where materials can be sourced domestically, it could be a godsend. Fears around quality control, lack of inventory, skyrocketing raw material costs and more persist, but like the tariff rates and negotiation talks, the conversation is changing daily. Future-proofing is top of mind for brands, as noted in the recent Top Global Licensing Agents Report, which highlights six strategies being adopted by the world's leading companies: data-driven decision making, digital and e-commerce expansion, sustainability, global collaborations, customer engagement and adaptability and flexibility to ensure they remain responsive to market changes. Companies are also focusing on strengthening brand value to justify premium pricing. In other words, businesses are deepening emotional connections with their audiences to make their products more meaningful and desirable despite higher price points. This approach is complemented by the introduction of carefully curated, exclusive products and limited editions that create a sense of uniqueness and exclusivity. Additionally, companies are elevating their production standards, emphasizing superior materials, craftsmanship and attention to detail to deliver products that demonstrate tangible value to consumers. Moving forward, the industry's trajectory includes cost optimization and greater efficiencies from end-to-end operations, strengthening and upholding sentiment and connection to consumers through enhanced value proposition, quality, care and consistency. Companies will also look to adopt new marketing strategies to reach consumers in meaningful ways amidst the ongoing changes in the landscape. The collaborative nature of the global licensing industry remains fundamental to its success. Brand owners, manufacturers, retailers, agents and designers must work in concert to create products that resonate with increasingly budget-conscious consumers. Looking back at the industry's track record, licensed consumer products have successfully navigated numerous challenges, from the financial crisis of 2008 to massive supply disruptions and the global pandemic. Each obstacle has ignited innovation and led to stronger market positions, demonstrating the industry's resilience. While the current landscape presents challenges, it also offers opportunities for evolution and strengthening of business strategies. The licensing industry's ability to maintain growth underscores the enduring appeal of branded products and experiences. As consumers become more selective in their purchasing decisions, the emotional connection and perceived value offered by beloved brands become increasingly important differentiators in the marketplace. This fundamental strength, combined with the industry's demonstrated ability to adapt and innovate, suggests a promising outlook despite the current challenges. Forbes Business Development Council is an invitation-only community for sales and biz dev executives. Do I qualify?
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Beer Store closing more locations across southern Ontario
A Beer Store location is seen in this undated photo. (The Beer Store) The Beer Store has announced another round of closures, effective Sept. 28. Locations closing Bala Brampton Clinton Morrisburg Norwich Red Lake Rodney Sharbot Lake South Porcupine Wawa Wingham The Beer Store encourages customers to continue returning more than the 1.6 billion alcohol containers we process annually to one of our local Beer Store locations or an empty return dealer located close by. 'The Beer Store is adapting to changes in the retail market in Ontario. This is an ongoing process and includes making the difficult decision to close some retail locations. We know this is difficult for customers, employees and the communities where we operate,' said Ozzie Ahmed, vice president retail. 'As the Beer Store modernizes, we'll continue to be the best place for ice-cold beer, friendly customer service and a deposit return system that gets consumers their money back.' All grocery stores that sell alcohol will be required to accept the return of empties and refund customer deposits starting Jan. 1, 2026.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Prime Day 2025 Went Bigger on Discounts for Fewer Products
This year's Prime Day, aka 'Black Friday in July,' occurred in an unsteady retail market: the ever-changing tariffs, the cost of living continuing to rise and a volatile changing stock market have been the biggest issues impacting the entire sector. A new report by Impact Analytics found that with the newly imposed tariffs, Amazon was forced to change its promotional strategy from 2024. This year, the company lessened the number of stock keeping units on sale, but deepened its discounts. Impact Analytics conducted an analysis by looking at the promotional depth and breadth of the top 1,000 products across 13 retail categories, with each product analyzed two days before Prime Day and Prime Day itself. More from WWD The 10 Best Nordstrom Anniversary Home Deals for Summertime Hosting in Style Italy's Dexelance Agrees to Take a Majority Stake in Design Retailer Mohd for 44.3M Euros Laneige Taps Baskin-Robbins for Rainbow Sherbet Lip Sleeping Mask Inspired by Sydney Sweeney In comparison to 2024, the breadth of discounts fell by 24 percentage points, but the average depth of discount increased by 4 points. While discounts rose from 24 percent pre-Prime Day to 32 percent during the event, only 14 percent of the total product assortments were given a promotion. This is a major shift from last year, when 40 percent of products on Amazon were put on sale. The report's authors said that this signifies a 'deliberate shift' from Prime Day having wider visibility to being more intentional and focused. On the higher discount side, the clothing, jewelry and shoes categories rose 9 percentage points from 27 percent to 36 percent — which is the steepest apparel discount in recent Prime Days. WWD previously reported that fashion was a leader for consumers' shopping lists. The report suggests that Prime Day has now become a window for summer products to be sold. In an effort to increase its discounts with more intention, the e-commerce retailer focused on clearing out its summer inventory while keeping the latest products full price. Other retail categories that saw the highest rise in discounts this year were pet supplies; tools and home improvement; health and household, and patio, lawn and garden. On the moderate end, beauty and personal care rose from 22 percent to 30 percent — for a 8 percent point increase. Despite the categories being known for their promotional sensitivities, Impact Analytics said that Amazon applied a more selective depth to its top-performing skus in skin care and self-care products for a 'volume-oriented but margin-aware' approach. Within the beauty and personal care sector, Amazon's strategy was to discount 20 percent of its skus by 30 percent to focus on its top sellers and acquire new shoppers. Other retail categories that received moderate discounts this year were electronics, baby products and home and kitchen. Meanwhile, the categories that saw the least discount increase include appliances, cell phones and accessories, sports and indoors and groceries and gourmet food. With the Prime Day wrapping up Friday, Impact Analytics said that the major takeaway for retailers is that promotions are no longer about applying discounts across the board but having a more deliberate approach to their promotional strategy. Nowadays, targeting promotions is the move retailers are approaching despite the volatile spending market. Another major takeaway is that essentials can hold pricing power and value can be shown to consumers through bundles or limited-time offers. Prime Day itself showcased just a glimpse of what's to come for the upcoming back-to-school season, Black Friday and holiday season: measurable impact through promotions and more calculated planning early on. 'This year, Amazon traded promotional volume for precision — fewer skus were discounted, but the discounts ran deeper. It's a clear signal to the market: retailers must get sharper, more surgical and margin-aware in the way they approach promotions. Prime Day this year wasn't about doing more — it was about doing better. Retailers who approach pricing strategy with precision will reap bottom-line benefits,' said Prashant Agrawal, chief executive officer and founder of Impact Analytics. Best of WWD The Definitive Timeline for Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sean John Fashion Brand: Lawsuits, Runway Shows and Who Owns It Now What the Highest-paid CEOs at U.S. Fashion and Retail Companies Make Confidence Holds Up, But How Much Can Consumers Take? Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
PM Sharif orders formation of committee to promote e-commerce in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met a delegation of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group on Thursday, directing authorities to form a committee to further promote e-commerce in Pakistan. Pakistani financial analysts say the country's growing Internet penetration — with over 80% teledensity — was already fueling e-commerce, despite the fact that it still accounts for less than 1% of the overall retail market. This has also forced several retailers to shift to digital platforms. A six-member Alibaba Group delegation, led by the group's president of international markets James Dong, called on PM Sharif to discuss promoting e-commerce in the South Asian country. During the meeting, Sharif noted that 300,000 Pakistanis are currently selling locally produced products on e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group. 'The prime minister directed the formation of a committee to develop a roadmap for further promoting e-commerce in the country,' the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement. Sharif also instructed authorities to take steps to increase the number of Pakistani businesses selling their products on e-commerce platforms, noting that e-commerce is a major means of increasing exports significantly. 'E-commerce is a vital element in realizing the government's vision of an export-led economy,' the prime minister said. Dong praised the key role of the Pakistani business community in promoting international trade via e-commerce, the PMO said. He noted that around 300,000 locally made Pakistani products are currently being sold on Alibaba's website. 'He also noted that Pakistani textile products are the most in-demand and best-selling items on the Alibaba platform,' the PMO said. Dong expressed 'strong interest' in providing technical training to entrepreneurs in e-commerce to increase the number of Pakistani traders on Alibaba's platform. Realizing the growth and importance of e-commerce platforms in the country, Pakistan's government imposed fresh taxes on international e-commerce giants in its recent federal budget. The new measures, introduced through the budget passed on June 26, include an 18% sales tax on goods delivered by courier companies on behalf of foreign platforms, a 5% fixed income tax on digital retailers and a reduction in the duty-free threshold for imported parcels from Rs5,000 to Rs500 ($18 to $1.80).
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
New Home Sales and Returning Investors Help Drive Hong Kong Residential Market Transactions
Overall Office Leasing Activity Picks Up, but Grade A Office and Prime Retail High-Street Rents Remain Under Pressure Homebuyers and investors were both active in the Hong Kong residential market in Q2 2025, incentivized by a weakening HIBOR and rapid launches of new projects by developers at attractive prices. The total residential transaction number for the Q2 period is expected to rise by 30% q-o-q to reach 15,900 units. The Grade A office new-lease transaction area reached 1.2 million sf, the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic period. However, the overall Grade A office rental level continued to decline, falling 1% q-o-q, resulting in an overall 3.4% drop for the 1H 2025 period. Retail market sale performance has yet to demonstrate significant improvement despite an increase in visitor arrivals. High street vacancy rates generally trended upwards across core districts in Q2, weighing on overall rental levels. Nevertheless, a notable number of new leasing transactions were recorded, reflecting an ongoing "tenant reshuffling" in the market. Grade A office leasing market: New lease area reached 1.2 million sf, the highest level since the COVID-19 period Chart 1: Rents of Grade A offices in Hong Kong Retail leasing market: Retail sales continued to contract despite improving tourist arrivals, while high street rents remained under pressure Chart 2: High street retail rents in prime districts in Hong Kong Residential market: L ower HIBOR and active new launches drive transactions; home prices stabilize in Q 2 Chart 3: Number of residential sale & purchase agreements HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 3 July 2025 -Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield today held itspress conference. The one-month Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate (HIBOR) has been gradually softening since May, resulting in lower mortgage rates. Coupled with developers actively launching new residential projects at competitive prices, momentum in the primary residential market remained strong in the period. Improved rental yields also encouraged investors to re-enter the housing market, supporting monthly transaction volumes that exceeded 5,000 cases in the Grade A office sector, net absorption remained positive in Q2, with Hong Kong Island showing greater resilience. However, high availability and an abundant future supply pipeline continued to weigh on rental performance. In the retail sector, despite a steady rise in visitor arrivals, retail sales have yet to show notable improvement. Vacancy pressures persisted, leading to a general downward trend of high street retail rents during Hong Kong Grade A office market witnessed accelerated leasing momentum in Q2 2025, underpinned by relocation and expansion activities from the banking & finance and insurance sectors, The new leased transaction area for Q2 2025 reached 1.2 million sf, the highest quarterly level since Q3 2019. Several big-ticket deals were recorded, including Jane Street's pre-commitment of more than 207,000 sf at Site 3 at the Central Harbourfront project. The overall office availability rate remained largely stable at 19.3% in Q2, while quarterly positive net absorption slowed, dropping almost 50% to record 71,400 sf. With the new supply pipeline remaining abundant, the overall Grade A office rental level continued to trend down, dropping 1% q-o-q in Q2, contributing to an overall 3.4% drop for the 1H 2025 "In the 1H 2025 period, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is expected to rank first globally in terms of funds raised through the Initial Public Offering (IPO) market — reclaiming the top spot for the first time since 2019. With more Chinese mainland stocks expected in the pipeline, this should help support office market sentiment and stimulate downstream leasing demand, particularly in the banking & finance and professional services sectors. Despite the improving market sentiment, an ample new supply pipeline and high availability may continue to weigh on rental performance in 2H 2025, and we forecast the overall office rental to decline by 7%–9% throughout 2025."John Siu added, "According to Cushman & Wakefield's new What Occupiers Want 2025 report, the top three priorities shaping occupiers' leasing strategies are cost control, talent retention, and operational excellence. While occupiers remain cost-cautious, they increasingly recognize the importance of a healthy and engaging workplace in attracting and retaining talent. Against this backdrop, other than offering rental incentives, we encourage landlords to collaborate closely with occupiers to create unique and value-driven work environments, so as to stand out in today's highly competitive office market."For the January to May 2025 period, Hong Kong recorded more than 20 million visitor arrivals, growing 12% y-o-y. We believe this growth is supported by the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park and the recent hosting of a range of mega-events at the venue. However, the rise in visitor numbers has not yet translated into stronger retail sales. From January to May 2025, total retail sales in Hong Kong amounted to HK$ 155.1 billion, reflecting a y-o-y decline of 4.0%. Visitor spending has become more cautious, with a growing preference for cultural experiences and value-for-money retail offerings. As a result, traditionally popular high-end retail categories have been most affected. Sales in the Jewellery & Watches and Apparel & Accessories sectors declined by 8.8% and 5.7% y-o-y, respectively. The Medicines & Cosmetics and Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco sectors recorded modest growth, rising by 3.4% and 2.7% y-o-y, rates generally trended upwards across core retail districts in Q2 2025. The vacancy rate in Causeway Bay showed the most notable increase to climb to 13.2%, from 5.3% last quarter. Vacancy rates in Mongkok and Central rose slightly q-o-q, to 9.5% and 8.6%, respectively, while Tsimshatsui remained stable at 9.4%. Retail leasing activity was most active in Mongkok in the Q2 period, supported by the district's relatively attractive rental levels and stable tourist street retail rents generally fell in Q2, in response to lifted vacancy pressure. Rents in Causeway Bay fell by 3.6% q-o-q, followed by Tsimshatsui and Mongkok at 3.4% and 1.7% q-o-q, respectively. Rents in Central rose slightly at 0.2% q-o-q, supported by resilient local demand. In the F&B sector, rents across districts recorded a mild decline on a q-o-q basis, within a 1% "The Hong Kong retail market is experiencing a reshuffling of tenants. Retailers and F&B operators that are promoting local culture, offering unique experiences, and offering high-quality services and products, will likely be favored by tourists and will be able to prosper in the market. In contrast, some traditional retailers will be forced out of the market due to their failure to adapt to the shifted consumption patterns. Nevertheless, leasing activity in core districts has remained active. The current attractive rental level is lowering entry costs for new market players, while benefitting more mass-market retailers aiming to enter high-street areas. Looking ahead, with the opening of the Kai Tak Stadium, we expect that the government will continue to promote mega-events and world-class concerts, in turn drawing more international visitors and tourism spending. We expect high street retail rents and F&B rents to remain largely stable in the 2H 2025 period, and to mildly correct in the range of -1% to -3% through 2025."Overall sentiment in Hong Kong's residential market continued to improve in Q2 2025. The decline in the HIBOR during the quarter, which remained at relatively low levels, helped reduce mortgage and entry costs, creating favorable conditions for homebuyers. At the same time, developers actively launched new projects with attractive pricing strategies, fueling strong activity in the primary market and sustaining high overall transaction volumes. According to Cushman & Wakefield estimates, the total number of residential sales and purchase agreements in Q2 is expected to reach approximately 15,900, representing a 30% q-o-q increase, reflecting the continued market purchasing "The positive market response to new launches between March and May supported monthly transaction volumes exceeding 5,000 units, indicating resilient end-user demand and contributing to home price stabilization. Based on data from the Rating and Valuation Department, the overall residential price index edged up by 0.5% between April and May, narrowing the first five months' decline to 0.9%. On the leasing front, the growing number of expats and non-local students, coupled with the traditional leasing peak season in May and June, drove the private residential rental index up by 0.67% m-o-m in May, resulting in a 1.4% increase over the first five months of 2025. Looking ahead, while global uncertainties persist and the sustainability of low HIBOR remains uncertain, a potential interest rate cut by the U.S. later this year could further support lower HIBOR levels, providing a positive narrative for the housing market. We maintain our earlier forecast that overall transaction volume will be similar to last year, with full-year home price fluctuations expected to remain within a ±3% range."concluded, "According to our tracking of popular housing estates, all market segments showed some improvement in Q2. Notably, City One Shatin, representing the mass market, recorded a 2.3% q-o-q sale price increase. Taikoo Shing, representing the mid-market, saw a modest 0.4% q-o-q rise, while Bel-Air, representing the luxury segment, saw sale prices decline narrowly by 2.5% q-o-q. Recently, some banks have relaunched mortgage cash rebate programs, effectively lowering the entry threshold and stimulating buying interest among prospective purchasers. Over the past one to two months, we observed an approximately 5% increase in mortgage inquiries compared to April. Among the newly signed provisional sale and purchase agreements, 60%–70% of transaction prices were 3% to 5% higher than their online valuations. These changes were most concentrated in properties priced at around the HK$10 million mark, and particularly in the HK$3– 4 million range, indicating a recovery in demand for small- to mid-sized units."Please click here to download 1: (From left to right), Senior Director, Valuation and Consultancy Services, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield;, Managing Director, Head of Project and Occupier Services, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield and, Executive Director, Head of Research, Hong Kong, Cushman & #Cushman&Wakefield The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Cushman & Wakefield Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for property owners and occupiers with approximately 52,000 employees in nearly 400 offices and 60 countries. In Greater China, a network of 23 offices serves local markets across the region. In 2024, the firm reported revenue of $9.4 billion across its core services of Valuation, Consulting, Project & Development Services, Capital Markets, Project & Occupier Services, Industrial & Logistics, Retail, and others. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn (
