首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
PASSAGE ONE (1) After taking a brief hiatus to weather the recession, an invasion of Britain by some of America’s best-known
PASSAGE ONE (1) After taking a brief hiatus to weather the recession, an invasion of Britain by some of America’s best-known
admin
2022-07-27
74
问题
PASSAGE ONE
(1) After taking a brief hiatus to weather the recession, an invasion of Britain by some of America’s best-known retail brands—including Best Buy, Banana Republic and Forever 21—is back on the march. And early reports from the front line in the land of shopkeepers indicate that, unlike with earlier attempts by U. S. retailers to break Britain, British consumers are welcoming the invaders with open arms—and wallets.
(2) That’s not always been the case. While the British public has long had an appetite for American fast-food vendors, the record of U.S. retailers who have tried to make it big in Britain is mixed. But the latest arrivals enter the market as already established brands with built-in consumer awareness, thanks to the dominance of U.S. culture in media and online. And they satisfy British shoppers’ desire for "something new," says analyst Natalie Berg, of London-based consultants Planet Retail. "They all bring a cult aspect" to the U.K. high street.
(3) Best Buy—America’s largest consumer-electronics chain—kicked off the latest rush into the British market in May, when it opened its first-ever U.K. store. The 4,650-sq-m big-box outlet in the London suburb of Thurrock is the first of eight to 10 stores Best Buy expects to open in the country this year. And it has proved an impressive beachhead: in terms of sales volume, that first weekend was the chain’s biggest opening weekend in its 27-year history. "We had strong expectations," says Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Best Buy UK (who won’t reveal how much they took in over those first three days). "But the actual delivery was brilliant"
(4) For some U.S. stores, this will be their first foray into the U.K. Following in Best Buy’s footsteps is California-based Forever 21, which specializes in cheap, trendy clothes for young women and will open its first U.K. branch in Birmingham, northern England, in November. But for others, now is the time to expand on past success. Hollister, which is owned by Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F), has proved extremely popular in Britain since it launched its first surf-shack-chic store in London in 2008. Hollister rode the recession like it was the perfect wave. Despite the economic downturn, it opened 11 more stores across the U.K over the past two years, most recently in April. As a result, A&F reports that average sales volume for Hollister’s British stores is six times the level of its U.S. stores.
(5) Meanwhile, Gap-owned Banana Republic, which debuted in London two years ago, opened its second and third stores in the city last December and April this year. Even in what was a tough year for retailers of all nationalities, Banana Republic’s total U.K. net sales in last year hit $24 million, up from $23 million a year earlier.
(6) What’s the attraction? Britain boasts an overall retail market worth around $415 billion—a tempting target. The U.K. is also a good launchpad for further expansions into continental Europe. Moreover, thanks to growing online sales, U.S. retailers no longer have to blanket Blighty with shops to achieve full market penetration. They can open a few flagship stores in key cities, and back them up with a strong Web presence, which in turn reduces overheads and risk.
(7) The Internet also provides a strong prelaunch marketing tool: Best Buy set up a U.K website back in January that featured blogs, forums and advice, and used social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to build anticipation for the Thurrock launch. And there’s a new, post down turn draw too: cheaper rents. U.K. retail rents have historically been sky high, particularly in London. Now many landlords-hit by a raft of vacancies-are willing to bargain.
(8) While the invasion is off to strong start, U.S. retailers shouldn’t consider Britain a sure thing. U.K. retailing is a highly mature market that’s brutally competitive, particularly now as retailers battle to entice credit-crunched shoppers back into shops. "It’s probably not a great time to enter the British market," says Sarah Peters, an analyst at British retailing consultants Verdict Research, "But I’m not sure if there is ever a good time." Indeed, Britain’s retailing landscape is Uttered with the bones of successful U.S. retailers who stumbled badly when they crossed the Atlantic.
(9) Limited Brands, in conjunction with British fashion chain Next, failed in an attempt in the 1990s to transplant Bath & Body Works to Britain. And Whole Foods Market, which opened a massive food emporium in London in 2007, lost around $52 million in the British capital last year, thanks in part to formidable competition from mainstream British supermarket chains that are already well stocked with organic groceries.
(10) If this latest flock of U.S. retailers does well in the U.K., it will likely be because they offer British shoppers something completely different. Forever 21, for example, will face resistance from established, strong domestic clothing brands, including Topshop, New Look and Primark. But Best Buy, on the other hand, has an edge. Not only are its big-box stores a novelty in Britain, but so is the brand’s emphasis on customer service. Its Geek Squad unit gives customers round-the-clock technical support, and shoppers can use its in-store setup service to configure gadgets before taking them home. "Consumer-electronics stores in the U.K. traditionally have not had good reputations for customer service," says Matthew Piner, another Verdict Research analyst. "And no one has really challenged them before."
(11) To pay for its U.K. invasion, Best Buy, which was pummeled by the recession, has already shelled out around $30.5 million and expects to spend around another $50 million to $58 million this fiscal year. That’s a big bet. But for Best Buy, and many other U.S. retailers, the potential payoff for succeeding in Britain means it’s one worth making.
The phrase "kicked off the latest rush into the British market" is closest in meaning to ______.
选项
A、commenced their business in Britain quickly
B、tried very hard to enter into the British market
C、dominated the British market at a rapid speed
D、attacked the British market immediately
答案
A
解析
根据题干可定位到第3段根据第3段第1句话,美国最大的消费电子产品连锁Best Buy五月在英国开了第一家商场,第2句说预计在英国开设8到10家商场。说明Best Buy已经开始拉开了进入英国市场的帷幕。故答案A符合题意。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/JIjJ777K
0
专业英语八级
相关试题推荐
Thedefenseattorneycontemplatedalongtimebeforefinallymakinghisdecisionto________theaccusedincourt.
WhatproblemdoesTomhave?
Whenistheweatherreportmostprobablygiven?
PASSAGEFOURWhydidChopinlikeplayinginprivatesettings?
PASSAGEONEWhatwasSt.Petersburgcalledin1935?
PASSAGEFOUR(1)FredericChopinwasborninZelazowaWola,Poland,onFebruary22,1810,toaFrenchfatherandPolishmoth
5waystohaveabetterconversationIntroductionWhycan’tpeoplehaveabetterconversationthesedays?astudy—
A、Creditcards.B、CheckingaccountC、Financialgoals.D、Majorpurchases.CSharon在访谈中提到夫妻双方应该坐下谈谈财务目标,无论是短期目标或者是长期目标。因此选C项。A项“信用卡
A、Tenminutesbeforewegoindoor.B、Tenminutesafterexposingtothesun.C、Thefirsttenminuteswhengooutinthesun.D、As
IntheUnitedStatesandCanada,aprom,shortforpromenade,isaformaldance,orgettingtogetherofhighschoolstudents.It
随机试题
关于累犯,以下说法错误的是()。
某批产品的生产先后经过加工车间和装配车间,已知加工车间的生产周期为8天,保险期为6天,装配车间的生产周期为5天;装配车间的平均日产量为50件。要求:若装配车间的出产累计号为1000号,计算加工车间的出产累计号及投入累计号;
何谓棘层松解7并试述棘层松解细胞之特点和棘层松解见于哪些皮肤病。
死亡后,尸绿首先出现的部位是
男,42岁,呕吐、腹泻两天,意识模糊、烦躁不安半天急诊入院。查体:BP110/70mmHg,神志恍惚,巩膜中度黄染,颈部可见数枚蜘蛛痣,心肺未见异常,腹软,肝肋下未触及,脾肋下3cm,双上肢散在出血点,Hb90g/L,WBC3.2×109/L,血糖7
临床试验中安慰剂的作用是()。
某工业企业生产甲、乙两种产品共同耗用原料,耗用量无法按产品直接划分。甲产品投产150件,原料单件消耗定额为10千克,乙产品投产100件,原料单件消耗定额为20千克。甲、乙两种产品实际消耗总量为2800千克。原料计划单价为4元。原材料材料成本差异率为0.5%
某企业本期以30万元的价格转让设备一台。该设备的原价为35万元,已提折旧12万元,转让时支付清理费用2万元。本期出售该设备影响当期损益的金额为()万元。
Weight(体重)isoneofthetaboosubjects.InAmerica,itisOK,orevengood,tobethinbutitisanembarrassment(尴尬)tobeoverw
Whyyoushouldn’ttrytobeamorningpersonA)We’veallhearditbefore:tobesuccessful,getoutofbedearly.Afterall
最新回复
(
0
)