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

influencer partnerships
Moving Beyond Social Media Buzz: How Authentic Content & Long-Term Influencer Partnerships Can Drive Hotel ROI
July 30, 2025

Influencer marketing is rapidly changing, and many hotels are still figuring out how to tap into its full potential. As travelers demand more authentic and relatable content, the pressure is on for hotels to adapt their marketing strategies. But with skepticism around the true ROI of influencer partnerships, it’s more important than ever for brands…

Read More
workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: With Traditional Training Models Failing, It’s Time for Employers and Educators to Build Solutions Together
July 30, 2025

In an era where the average job tenure in the U.S. hovers under four years and industries are evolving faster than academic curricula can keep up, the need for a new approach to workforce development has never been more urgent. Companies like Amazon and McDonald’s are responding by investing in “education as a benefit”…

Read More
belief
Learning Out Loud with Belief, Courage, and the Power of Yes
July 30, 2025

In a world where workplace disengagement is on the rise, with global employee engagement falling to just 21% in 2024, leaders and teams are increasingly seeking meaning, connection, and growth in their work. Amid this shift, professionals are asking deeper questions about purpose and fulfillment, both individually and collectively. That’s exactly where Paul Plamondon’s…

Read More
professional advancement
The Measured Mindset: How Mentorship, Curiosity, and Listening Drive Professional Advancement and Growth
July 29, 2025

Not every path into analytics starts with code and spreadsheets. For some, it begins with curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and a willingness to learn something entirely new. That’s the case for Mayank Malviya, whose journey from a humanities education in India to a career in U.S.-based market research reveals how initiative and mentorship can accelerate…

Read More