And Levi could use a boost: Its market share has shrunk 14 points, to 16.9%, since 1990, says researcher Tactical Retail Monitor, New York.

FORBES: Digital denim

Given that nearly 50% of luxury purchases made by Chinese take place outside of the mainland, the most effective way to monitor high-end retail sales is to track credit card transactions.

FORBES: Chinese New Year Retail Sales Slow, High End Suffers

Matthew Hopkinson, director of the Local Data Company, which researches retail trends, said the 888 shopping centres they monitor are doing well.

BBC: Portas' Pilots: Lessons from the shopping centre

In Japan's case this meant implementing a rigid set of controls to monitor the imported ivory at manufacturing and retail levels to prevent re-export and laundering.

BBC: Quiz the experts on the ivory trade

On the retail side, stores in the airport will use a combination of cameras and sensors to monitor buyer behavior and to get a better sense of what types of displays work.

CNN: SHARE THIS

"I have seen factories in (Bangladesh and other countries), and I know how difficult it is to monitor the factories to see they are safe, " says Walter Loeb, a New York-based retail consultant.

NPR: Shoppers Face Hurdles In Finding Ethical Clothing