FDI Logbox Blog | News, trends, market studies

Late payments

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:58:32 +0000

Every year, hundreds of thousands of European businesses have closed waiting for late payments. Small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly exposed to late payment. The late payment culture has to change, and the European Union is equipping business with the tools to make this change happen.
A new Directive 2011/7/EU on combating late payment in commercial transactions was adopted on 16 February 2011 and must have been integrated into national law by Member States by 16 March 2013 at the latest.
The European Commission is organizing the ‘Late Payment Information Campaign’ in the 27 Member States and in Croatia from October 2012 to December 2014.
Click here to see the dates of the next events:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/fighting-late-payments/late-payment-campaign/events/index_en.htm
The aim of this campaign is to increase awareness amongst European stakeholders, in particular SMEs, and within public authorities on the new rights conferred by Directive 2011/7/EU.
These events will also provide a forum for the exchange of best practices and help businesses to tackle late payment issues. While addressing the business environment, the information campaign will focus in particular on SMEs, as they are most affected by the current culture of late payment across the EU.
Every company interested in participating in one of these events can register . Click here to register.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/fighting-late-payments/late-payment-campaign/events/index_en.htm
More information about the Late Payment Information Campaign: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/fighting-late-payments/late-payment-campaign/index_en.htm

Setting up SEPA

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:08:15 +0000

The SEPA, Single Euro Payments Area, has been set up to harmonize European Payment Systems; the objective is to create a unified payment zone.
New means of payment, that are simpler, less expensive and faster, have been created to replace the national means of payment, used at a European level : credit transfers (SCT), direct debits (SDD), and payments by bank card (SCF).
For European companies, the setting up of SEPA is far from easy: it will take several months and thousands of working days in certain structures, because of their size, or because numerous information systems function together. In his article of 13th February, Jérôme Meyer-Bisch, a journalist for ‘Les Echos’, recommended the following five points to companies to meet the challenge of implementing SEPA before the deadline of 1st February 2014.
1. Look beyond the constraints. The origin of the SEPA project is above all regulatory, but it would be a pity for it to be limited to just that. Why not take advantage of the implementation of the SEPA for updating software that will improve invoicing and customer relation tools?
2. Don’t dive headlong into data processing. Although one of the main elements of SEPA concerns information systems (the formats of the files will need to be modified), this is not the most delicate aspect. You must first define your sphere of operations and choose the right strategic options for each country.
3. Enlist the support of specialised partners. Using the services of specialised actors is a quick way of solving a large part of the problems concerned with the change to SEPA: software suppliers, banks, or specialised actors.
4. Enlarge the scope beyond its financial functions. The SEPA project is not only concerned with cash flow. It affects all financial management due to the adaptation of its accounting tools, and also the IT services that have to verify updates. The purchasing management will also be concerned by the implementation of Sepa Credit Transfers (SCT), whereas Sepa Direct Debits (SDD) will involve legal and marketing services, or even sales and customer relations services.
5. Be careful; it will be necessary to handle direct debit authorisation forms. The new procedure for processing direct debit authorisation forms is quite delicate. Whereas, up until now, banks were responsible for this, it will now be up to companies to handle their customers’ direct debit authorization forms. And this can be risky.

Read Jérôme Meyer-Bisch’s complete article in ‘Les Echos’.

>> Benefit from a specialised service provider: FDI propose to help its customer set up the SEPA for the management of their international receivables. Contact: info@fdi-logbox.com

A new trade fair in Italy: ‘Super’

Claudio Milani — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:45:08 +0000

Italy will have an important venue for women’s fashion in 2013, which will take place for the first time in Milan from 23rd to 25th February 2013. Named ‘Super’, it will be organised jointly by Pitti Immagine and by Fiera Milano whose common objective is to put Milan back into the circuit of the important capitals of women’s ready-to-wear.
More information on Pitti Imagine website

Success of luxury goods in China

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:51:04 +0000

By 2015, China will account for a third of the world luxury goods market, estimated at 175 billion dollars, as increasing wealth is stimulating demand for top-of-the-range goods, according to a study published on Tuesday 11th December by the firm of consultants, McKinsey. This study is based on expenditure, both in China and abroad, on luxury items such as bags, shoes, watches, jewellery and clothes, specifies McKinsey.
Find out more about the article published by Fashion Daily News on 12/12/2012

Distribution in 2012: The fashion trade has become multichannel

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:19:00 +0000

In 2012, even less textiles were purchased, particularly in the women’s ready-to-wear sector. The players in traditional distribution must therefore reassess their position, and benefit from the increasing power of e-commerce rather than suffer from it. The big revolution in 2012 is the tendency towards multichannels: consumers now want to prepare their purchasing on internet and complete it in the stores or, on the contrary, go to the stores to get information, and then connect to an interactive terminal, or send the order from their homes.
Other new ways in 2012: the end of ’boring’ selling: the stores are reinventing themselves. The brands and the stores are looking for unconventional means, to surprise and amuse consumers or theatrical methods, combining new technologies and going back to basics. Tablets and tactile screens connected to the web sites are transforming sales outlets into digitized and interactive stores.

Read about the examples and obtain more information on the article published in the Journal du Textile on 4/12/2012, pages 30 to 33. www.journaldutextile.com

The MAD: future fashion and design centre in Brussels

Nicole Strebler — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:19:55 +0000

The Mad project Brussels (Mode and Design Brussels) should open its doors in 2015.
Combining a material library, an area for events, conferences and exhibitions and a residence for artists, the Mad will be the new fashion and design centre in Brussels. Its aim is to “Develop and promote the fashion and design sectors so as to position Brussels as an international platform of excellence in these two sectors”, states Alexandra Lambert, the organiser of Mad Brussels, who has been working on this project since 2006.

More info in the Journal du Textile n°2149, page 18.

E-commerce in fashion in Spain

Bertrand Mahon — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:43:36 +0000

In Spain, there are about 28 million Internet users , representing 66% of the population. In B2C E-commerce, the Spanish market sheds figures of 10.900 million euros in turnover (year 2011) with an increase of 20% over the previous year. The apparel E-commerce reached 353.5 million euros in 2011, +71.8% over the previous year. The shoes sold online reached 42.9 million euros , up from 36.6%.
Evolution, therefore, is so positive that fashion wants to conquer all territories of E-commerce, from social media to online shopping in stores.

More info in the magazine PINKER MODA N°338

Business failures

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:09:57 +0000

In a press release of 6th September 2012, Euler Hermes forecasts an increase in business failures of 4% in the world in 2012, sharply contrasted depending on the regions: a decrease of 10 % in the USA but an increase of 14% for the euro zone, with more than 20% in the four countries in the South. In France, after a decrease of 3% in 2011, a rise of 4% is expected.

FRENCH SHOE EXHIBITION IN PARIS

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 07:55:14 +0000

From 24th October to 5th November, an exhibition will be held in the Atelier Richelieu (60 rue Richelieu, Paris 2è) entitled ‘Shoes, a French passion for creation and innovation over the past 150 years’ initiated by the French Shoe Federation.

The French Shoe Federation groups together around a hundred structures: manufacturer, artisans and creators; present in the different sectors of the market with their own know-how.
The exhibition will focus on three areas: shoes in the past, the famous brands today and shoes in the future.

Professionals will also participate and speak about the history of the large brands as well as current trends.

In France, the shoe sector is of major importance: French women make the second largest number of shoe purchases in Europe as regards quantity (more than 6 pairs per year!) and value (after the Belgians).

Entrance to the exhibition will be free.

More information is available on the French Shoe Federation site.

Boom of the M-commerce in Europe

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 08:35:15 +0000

Research company, Forrester, recently made a report about the sales and expected growth of M-commerce in the European market.
Last year, European M-commerce total spending was approximately €1.7 billion, and that amount is expected to grow by 1,100% by the year 2017. In five years time, Forrester believes that Europeans will be spending as much as €19.2 billion, which will make up for 6.2% of all online sales in Europe, against 1% today.

More information on Fashion Daily News n° 673-374 / 23-07-2012 / Page 23 & on

The Spanish footwear exportations are getting well

Bertrand Mahon — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:35:53 +0000

At the beginning of 2011, the volume of footwear exportations increased of 15,4%, and so did the value (+14,2%), in comparison with the same period in 2010.
The sales reached 1 billion of euros, for approximately 65 millions pairs of shoes.
The European market represent 80% of Spanish exportations : the most important clients are Italy (18,7%), United Kingdom (15,3%), France (11,7%), Germany (6,5%) and Portugal (5,8%).
We can note that the sales in the USA and Japan are increasing (respectively +15,3% and +43,46% of volume).
During the same period, the importations from China, Vietnam and Brazil, have decreased in volume while increased in value.

Source : PINKER MODA N°335 (March 2012)

Overdue Payments in Italy

Elena Marengo — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:44:40 +0000

In 2011, 40,000 firms went bankrupt in Italy, and for a third of them, this was mainly due to overdue payments on the part of their customers.
In 2008, in Italy, payments were overdue on average by 27 days; in 2011 this average had considerably increased (53 days). The average settlement periods in Italy are the longest in Europe (103 days on average).
Source : http://www.leggioggi.it/, article of 24/01/2012

New in France : La Maison du Prêt à Porter Féminin et des Accessoires.

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:56:42 +0000

La Maison du Prêt à Porter Féminin et des Accessoires (MPAPF&A) is aimed at creators, fashion and accessory brands, manufacturers, retailers, buyers, agents, service providers ( trend offices, photographers…), the media ( press offices, journalists …) institutions in the sector, or students in fashion schools. Its objective is to help them in their development and their international exposure.
From creation to distribution, the MPAPF&A wishes to be attentive to the needs of the sector and proposes on its internet site:
• An information section based on 2 themes : ‘tools in fashion companies’ and ‘the development of fashion companies abroad’
• A portal of specialised experts (experts’ recommendations and facilitation of relation building)
• The network is the1st social network dedicated to the world of fashion
FDI Logbox is a partner of MPAPF&A in its role as an expert in international customer credit management
For more info on the MPAPF&A: http://www.maisondupretaporter.com/

Results for 2011 in the fashion sector: Italy continues its growth thanks to exports

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:40:21 +0000

Despite certain signs of slowing down, the results for 2011 remain positive for the textile-clothing industry in Italy, with an increase of 4.8% in the turnover figures for the whole of the textile and fashion industries. The national market has been particularly morose, but Italy continues to shine in the foreign markets with exports increasing by 6.2%. The sector continues to remain optimistic for 2012.
In 2011, numerous changes took place in the Italian textile-clothing sector: the acquisitions of some very well-known brands by large international companies in the luxury sector, for example Bulgari by the LVMH group, Brioni by the French company, PPR, Belstaff by the Austro-Germanic Labelux holding Group, but also in the distribution sector, for example, the sale of the Rinascente department stores to the Central Retail Corporation of Thailand.
Certain firms also became listed on the Stock Exchange: in particular, the very successful operations of Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo. Then next spring, Brunello Cucinelli should also be taking the first steps…

>>Read the detailed article in the Journal du Textile n°2108, page 52.
www.journaldutextile.com

The results for the fashion industry in 2011: crisis overcome in Germany

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:41:56 +0000

Thanks to the dynamism in the country, the professionals in the textile-clothing industry in Germany are preparing to end the year on a positive note. In Germany, the current economic figures encourage optimism: the rate of unemployment is the lowest since the reunification, and the GDP is growing (+3%). The German Retail Trade Federation (Hde) forecasts a nominal rise of 2% in retail trade. In terms of distribution, the concept of large stores is continuing to run out of steam in Germany, but, on the other hand, sales on Internet are constantly on the increase. As for the German suppliers, despite the rise in costs, most of them had a good year in 2011. The clothing industry, progressed a little less than textiles, particularly because of the slow growth in exports (+1%), but despite this, still showed an increase of 7%.
Among the companies that experienced a few difficulties, we can cite Esprit, but on the other hand, for Hugo Boss and Adidas, 2011 proved to be more positive than forecast
The Retail Textile Trade Federation (Bte) envisages 2012 ‘ with optimism’.

Read the detailed article on the 2011 results in Germany on page 52 of the “Journal du Textile” N°2108.
www.journaldutextile.com

Geolocation of shops on smartphones

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:29:16 +0000

FDI Logbox is helping fashion brands to set up a solution enabling the geolocation of their sales outlets on smartphones. Its main objective is to facilitate the local sales of their multi-brand clients. This solution is called SPOTENGO.
SPOTENGO enables smartphones users to have easy access on their smartphones to all the information required about a fashion brand, as well as to obtain the list of shops selling it.
All they need to do is key the name of a brand and a town into a search engine, then click on the link which automatically directs them to a landing page for the brand.

On this page, the smartphone user will have a choice between different options:
- The geolocation of the shops selling the brand (multi-brand retailers, own shops, large stores etc) situated near to where he/she is.
- Practical information on the sales outlets (distance, directions, opening times, name, address, telephone n°, etc.)
- Direct access to all the brand’s communication media on line (web, mobile application, Facebook page etc.)

SPOTENGO is a turnkey solution, exclusively for fashion brands, and in particular for those that work abroad. This solution is accessible all over Europe, and the first version is already available in 7 languages: French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch and Swedish.
Click here to see a demo

The textile sector contributes to the dynamism of Spanish foreign trade

Véronique Revet Servettaz — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:27:58 +0000

According to the CITYC (Centre for information on textiles and clothing manufacture), the latest figures for foreign trade in textiles confirm the dynamism which has been visible since the beginning of 2011. Therefore, in the first semester of the fiscal year 2011 (January to June), textile imports increased by 19%, reaching €6,829 m. Exports followed the same tendency, with an increase of 19%, mainly for Europe (for the 2/3), although the Asian and American markets are experiencing considerable growth.

More information : www.cityc.es

El Corte Ingles opens its private sales club

Bertrand Mahon — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:52:57 +0000

In April the Spanish distribution group El Corte Ingles launched its own private sales club ‘Primeriti’, with, amongst other things, fashion items. The main brands sold in El Corte Ingles department stores have joined the project.

El Corte Ingles currently has turnover figures of 310 million euros on internet.

Since its first day, the website Primeriti has welcomed 150,000 visitors.
The brand Donna Karan was chosen to inaugurate the club, and gave reductions of up to 50%. Ralph Lauren and Armani Jeans followed on from this.

More information in the fashion magazine PINKER MODA N°333 www.pinkermoda.com or on : www.primeriti.es

The United States: The ready-to-wear and fashion accessories markets increased by 1.9% in 2010 in comparison with 2009

Céline Tercier — Mon, 23 May 2011 07:22:34 +0000

The American ready-to-wear and fashion accessories market have shown encouraging results which are signs that an economic recovery is under way (USD 310.5 bn in 2010 and USD 316.4 bn expected in 2011). American consumers have new expectations. Their fashion choices are more directed towards a desire for comfort, innovation and ecology. The development of new distribution channels and the restructuring of the traditional channels have radically changed the distribution landscape.
More information : www.ubifrance.com

Shoes, showing a new area for growth

Céline Tercier — Thu, 19 May 2011 07:40:03 +0000

Despite the reduced buying power of the French, shoe sales are holding their own; consumers are still seeking fashion products, but are also looking for quality and well-being.

Estimated at 8.6 billion euros, the market increased by 2.6% in 2010 compared to 2009; a healthy situation, which should remain the same in 2011 and 2012, according to the experts of Xerfi. But the most flagrant and meteoric growth concerns that of on-line sales. The number of older consumers is continuing to rise, as the French demographic pyramid is naturally tending to inverse itself.

More info in ‘Fashion Daily News’ 16^th May 2011 www.fashion-dailynews.com