E-Commerce Casualty: Chinese Owners Sell Stake in House of Fraser

Just four years after making the initial acquisition, the Chinese owner of Britain’s department chain House of Fraser is reportedly selling its majority stake in the company. Stock exchange filings reveal Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co. will offer its 51% stake to fellow Chinese firm Wuji Wenhua. The UK shopping market has been moving away from brick and mortar stores and toward e-commerce in recent years, in what analysts say is the trend that drove this week’s offer.

This year’s House of Fraser’s pre-Christmas sales dipped 2.9% over the same 2016 period. The conglomerate that owns a majority stake in Nanjing Xinjiekou has failed to launch more than 50 stores in China under the Fraser name. Only a single “Oriental Fraser” store opened its doors in Nanjing late last year.

Overall, retail sales are dropping in the United Kingdom. Clothing and technology stores are weathering the brunt of the downturn, though online shopping has continued to soar. It remains to be seen how and if the House of Fraser brand will continue.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

career
Stop Chasing Titles, Build a Career That Matters – From a CAO
March 11, 2026

Career advice in finance and accounting often centers around promotions, titles, and compensation. But in an era where professionals frequently change jobs every few years—the average American worker now stays in a role less than four years—industries are facing growing talent shortages and reevaluating what long-term career success looks like. The question many professionals…

Read More
Career success
A CEO’s Blueprint for Career Success: Leading with Love to Drive Performance and Culture
March 10, 2026

Leadership right now feels heavier than it did just a few years ago. Teams are stretched, expectations are high, and many employees are quietly disengaged. In fact, Gallup’s 2025 U.S. data shows that only about 31% of employees are actively engaged at work, leaving the majority feeling disconnected or indifferent. For CEOs and senior…

Read More
employer-sponsored apprenticeships
The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed
March 9, 2026

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Read More
Denial Data
Turning Denial Data Into Action: How Healthcare Organizations Can Fight Back Against Payer Denials
March 5, 2026

Healthcare providers across the U.S. are facing a growing wave of claim denials that is putting pressure on already strained hospital finances. Industry research from the American Hospital Association shows that nearly 15% of medical claims submitted to private payers are initially denied, forcing hospitals and health systems to spend about $19.7 billion annually attempting…

Read More