Swarovski - 50 New Shops

Austrian crystal maker Swarovski plans to open 50 shops in large cities worldwide in 2002, including London, Paris and New York. The company opened an EUR 1.8M shop in Vienna on 5 February 2002, and already has shops in 28 countries. The company plans to boost its sales through own outlets and has decreased the number of its retail partners to 10,000. The own shops generate comparatively higher turnover than the retail partners and help establish Swarovski's corporate identity. The company plans to boost its internet sales to 5% of its turnover by the end of 2005. Online retailer Amazon.com has shown interest. Swarovski had 12,400 employees and generated a turnover of CHF 2.35BN in 2001. (whole item)