International Retail Failures: Root-Cause Analysis

doi:N/A

eISSN: None / ISSN: 1010-7347

Journal of International Marketing and Marketing Research

2025, Volume 3, Issue 3 : 1-5

Research Article

International Retail Failures: Root-Cause Analysis

Hannah E. Collin

Sameer Rahman

Victor A. Mendes

Department of Global Market Strategy, London Business School, UK

School of Retail Analytics & Consumer Economics, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, India

Faculty of International Business Strategy, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Abstract

Retail internationalization offers immense growth opportunity, yet many global brands fail to sustain operations after entering foreign markets. Examples such as Walmart in Germany, Marks & Spencer in France, Carrefour in Singapore, and Shoprite in Nigeria highlight that international expansions can collapse despite strong brand recognition. This study analyzes root causes of international retail failures using case analysis across 14 multinational brands, expert interviews, and cross-market comparative frameworks. Findings show that failure is driven by misaligned localization strategy, regulatory friction, weak supply chain integration, cultural mismatch, and currency volatility. A diagnostic root-cause model is proposed to guide future global retail strategies.

Keywords

Retail Failure

Global Strategy

Market Entry

Localization

Cultural Fit

Supply Chain Risk

International Business

License

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