【英语中国】GAP将在中国开设四家门店

Gap, the US clothing retailer, is to open four stores and an e-commerce operation in China this year in its most significant overseas expansion in more than a decade.

The retailer said it would open two stores in Beijing, including one on Wangfujing, the capital's main shopping street, and two in Shanghai. All four stores, to be owned and operated by Gap, will be large by local standards at more than 17,000 sq ft and will sell clothing from its adult, kids and baby Gap lines.

Gap said in a statement that the move into China “marks the start of a long-term, multi-channel consumer market entry strategy . . . that involves more stores in major regions, including Hong Kong, in the coming year”.

The company has named two executives with previous experience of the Chinese market to head its operation in the country: Redmond Yeung, former president of the China business of Best Buy, and Lorenzo Moretti, former chief operating officer of Tesco's Chinese stores.

In a reflection of its ambitions in China, Gap has this week also expanded its board, adding Katherine Tsang, chairwoman of Standard Chartered bank's operations in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The retailer also indicated its intention to introduce other brands to the country, which could include its more upmarket Banana Republic stores. Glenn Murphy, chief executive, said the company was “confident” it would “successfully integrate our brands over time into China's dynamic retail market”.

John Ermatinger, head of Gap's Asia Pacific business, told the Financial Times the stores would be stocked with a mix of product selected from its Gap businesses in the US, Europe and Japan that would represent “aspirational product at accessible pricing”.

Gap will be competing with a range of international rivals already established in China, including Japan's Uniqlo, Spain's Zara and Sweden's H&M.

美国服装零售商Gap今年将在中国开设四家门店和一个电子商务业务单位，这是其十多年来最大规模的海外扩张。

该零售商表示，将在北京开两家门店，其中一家位于主要商业街王府井，并在上海开两家门店。这四家门店的面积都将超过逾1.7万平方英尺，按本地标准相当巨大。他们都将由Gap所有和经营，销售Gap成人、儿童和婴儿系列的服装。

Gap在一份声明中表示，进军中国“标志着长期、多渠道消费者市场进入策略的开始……包括来年在主要地区，包括香港在内，开设更多门店。”

该公司已任命先前有中国市场经验的两名高管领导其在中国的业务：百思买(Best Buy)前中国业务总裁杨得铭(Redmond Yeung)和特易购(Tesco)前中国门店首席运营官莫瑞缇(Lorenzo Moretti)。

Gap本周也扩大了董事会，新增渣打银行(Standard Chartered)中国内地、香港和台湾业务董事长曾璟璇(Katherine Tsang)为董事，反应了该公司在中国的雄心。

这家零售商也指出，有意将其他品牌引入中国，可能包括更高端的Banana Republic门店。首席执行官格伦·墨菲(Glenn Murphy)表示，公司“有信心”会“成功地将我们的品牌逐步融入中国有活力的零售市场”。

Gap亚太业务负责人约翰·埃尔马廷哲(John Ermatinger)告诉英国《金融时报》，这些门店将从Gap美国、欧洲和日本挑选产品组合，体现“梦寐以求的产品，平易近人的价格”。

Gap将与一些已在中国站稳脚跟的国际竞争对手竞争，包括日本的优衣库(Uniqlo)、西班牙的Zara和瑞典的H&M。

译者/李裕