KarstadtQuelle, the troubled German retailer, has informedBC Partners that it is examining alternative bidders for its 75 small department stores, the Financial Times Deutschland reported. The report, citing FTD information from industry sources, said the talks had entered a decisive stage. BC Partners has long been thought of as the most likely toacquire the stores valued by KarstadtQuelle at around EUR 400m to EUR 600m, the report said.