The World Wide Web may be the fastest-growing retail space, but the physical world itself is still a target for US retailers seeking growth. The US led all other nations in global retail real estate expansion last year, opening more stores overseas than anyone else, according to a new report from CBRE Group.
American retailers already operate in more foreign countries than Asian and European retailers do, but the gap is now widening. US retailers expanded internationally at a faster pace last year than in 2014, accounting for 21 percent of retailers entering cities internationally. Italy was second at 14 percent and the United Kingdom third at 11 percent, according to CBRE.
I think its an indication that US retailers are seeking growth, and one of the main drivers of growth is to expand into a channel that theyre not in today, said Anthony Buono, chairman of CBREs global retail executive committee.