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Showing posts from September, 2019

Asos reduces return costs following customer complaints

// Asos changes unlimited free delivery cost due to complaints // Asos dropped the price of its unlimited free deliveries from £14.99 to £9.95 // It also offered subscribers a £5 discount code for their next purchase Asos has changed its unlimited free delivery rate after customers complained about the increased price. The online fashion retailer sent an email to its Premier Delivery subscribers to inform them on the price drop. Asos dropped the price of its unlimited free deliveries from £14.99 to £9.95 because it has been “listening” to customers. It also offered subscribers a £5 discount code for their next Asos purchase. The retailer increased the price of a full year’s worth of delivery to £14.99 at the beginning of August of this year. Meanwhile, Asos received criticism for its updated returns policy back in April, when it threatened to block serial returners. Retail Gazette has approached Asos for comment. Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email

Ethical and tasty partnership for Chocolate Week

As Chocolate Week fast approaches, two brands committed to the Fairtrade mission have joined forces to offer a mouth-wateringly tasty treat. FAIR. Drinks and Divine Chocolate have partnered up to create unique cocktails with a chocolate twist which combine FAIR’s vodka, rum, gin, coffee and cacao liqueur with some seriously good Divine chocolate. These indulgent treats will be on offer in selected bars in London during Chocolate Week 15 – 21 October. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/2oQUmq8 via IFTTT

Sundeep Kumar Chugh, Chief Executive Officer, Benetton India Pvt Ltd

Sundeep K. Chugh is the Chief Executive Officer of Benetton India Pvt Ltd. He has also served as Commercial Director and has proven commercial, marketing, retail development and human resources expertise. Chugh – who holds a business degree from Delhi University and is a certified Chartered Accountant from Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2n839DK via IFTTT

Sports Innerwear: Next-gen growth engine for the innerwear segment

To understand undergarments, one must comprehend that they are typically items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer garments from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions, to lessen the friction of outerwear against the […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2nheHEz via IFTTT

Flipkart claims strong demand coming from tier-II, III cities for ongoing sales

Walmart-owned Flipkart on Monday said it is witnessing strong demand from tier-II and III cities for products such as mobile phones and large appliances in its ongoing festive sales. “This Big Billion Days, we witnessed the growing appetite of Bharat (tier II and III cities) for mobiles, large appliances and consumer electronics,” Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2oPgrp3 via IFTTT

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: October 1, 2019

[ Subscribe to Retail Insider's daily E-News for Free ] elink.io | See Original See Original | Powered by elink elink.io | See Original See Original | Powered by elink elink.io | See Original See Original | Powered by elink elink.io | See Original See Original | Powered by elink elink.io | See Original See Original | Powered by elink To advertise your property/product/service/event on Retail Insider, email:  craig@retail-insider.com * SUBSCRIBE to Retail Insider's Daily E-News for Free: * indicates required Email Address * from Retail Insider | RI Articles https://ift.tt/2oNxvvE via IFTTT

Woolworths and Qantas Frequent Flyer refresh partnership

Woolworths Rewards and Qantas Frequent Flyer have revamped their decade long partnership. This is expected to make the tie-up simpler, faster and more rewarding for millions of members. From today, the conversion rate from Woolworths Rewards to Qantas Frequent Flyer points will increase by close to 15 per cent. It means 2,000 Woolworths Rewards Points will now convert to 1,000 Qantas Points, up from 870 points. Woolworths Rewards members will also benefit from faster access to their Qantas Points, with conversions to be processed automatically when members hit 2,000 Woolworths Points rather than once every three months. Customers can earn Woolworths Rewards Points at Woolworths, BIG W, BWS and participating Caltex and Caltex Woolworths co-branded fuel outlets. A simpler, faster and more rewarding system   “Our members have told us they love our Qantas Frequent Flyer partnership, but want it to be simpler, faster and more rewarding,” WooliesX Managing Director Amanda Bardwell said

The Dynamic DC and the Demand-Driven Supply Chain

The technology exists today to efficiently — and expediently when necessary — flow both retail store and e-commerce orders orders through the same facility. from RIS News - RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2n2m3Md via IFTTT

Simple ways to use creative problem-solving techniques

Simple ways to use creative problem-solving techniques Many of us believe that we are not very creative. This is not true. With some simple techniques and a little focus, anyone can start to think creatively. The starting point is taking our mind set that we are not creative and change it to one of we can be creative. Creative thinking is not only about the big ideas that change the world as we know it, more commonly it is about doing the simple things differently and better. The process of creative thinking takes time. Ideas are generated, assessed, discarded, adapted, slept on for a while, and then discussed all over again. The key here is not to get too tied up with analysing everything to the last detail; in some respects accepting and idea and moving forward is more productive. It is in the accepting and trialling of new concepts that you may learn more than getting caught up in endless analysis. So there is a balance between acting too quickly and acting too slowly. Time mana

Walsall c-store owner fined nearly £7,000 for mice infestation

The owner of a Walsall convenience store and bakery has been fined more than £6,500 after after a routine check revealed an infestation of mice at his premises. Sukhjinderjit Sanghera of Family Shopper, Salters Road in Walsall Wood, was prosecuted after Environmental Health officers visited the store in May 2018 and issued an immediate closure ... This story continues at Walsall c-store owner fined nearly £7,000 for mice infestation Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2n2E4d3 via IFTTT

Lakeside Village supports this year’s panto, oh yes it does!

Lakeside Village has turned fairy godmother to help Cinderella at this year’s pantomime at Cast. The team behind the leading retail outlet are working with Doncaster’s flagship theatre to make sure that Cinderella, which will run from 29 November to 31 December, is the bell of the ball. Di Rogers, centre manager for Lakeside Village said: “We are so excited to be working with Cast again to support their pantomime. “This is a fantastic Christmas tradition and one that we are very proud to be a part of. Lots of our customers visit Cast to see the pantomime with friends and family and we’re sure that they will love all the local references in the script that are great fun for the audience. “If Cinderella needs any help with her glass slippers she can pop in at any time and our shoe stores will help her out. “We’re working with the team at Cast to provide some real added value to customers and we can’t wait to see the panto, oh no we can’t!” Lakeside Village and Cast’s partnership w

Clarks faces legal battle from ex-CEO over misconduct allegations

// Mike Shearwood, former Clarks CEO, embarks on legal battle against retailer // He says he was not given the chance to respond to misconduct allegations // Mike Shearwood also says Clarks ousted him after he tried to expose mismanagement Former Clarks chief executive Mike Shearwood is dragging the retailer to an employment tribunal over claims he was not given a chance to respond to misconduct allegations. According to The Sunday Times , Shearwood will allege he was given a list of allegations against him at a board meeting last June, just hours before his departure was announced. The Times also reported that Shearwood says he was ousted from Clarks because he tried to expose questionable accounting practices and corporate governance. Shearwood was forced to vacate his role as Clarks chief executive with immediate effect in June last year over “complaints of conduct contrary to the family-owned company’s code of business ethics”. Several media reports indicated that Shear

Mary Portas: Why retail constructs are a thing of the past

Mary Portas has become known for her unique approach to building successful teams within the world of retail. Explaining the reasoning behind her views on flexible working , Mary said: “I completely created a whole new value system on how you make people feel safe and give them freedom. We make sure our business is as profitable as possible and works so we all have jobs, but I believe every person should be free to do it their way.” Mary Portas spoke exclusively, recommending the following ways for retailers to create positive working environments which encourage staff to thrive and take pride in their job. Here’s what she had to say: Let go of unnecessary constructs “The number one illness in this country is depression and 80% of people say it’s because they are not happy in the workplace. Businesses make constructs because they are afraid, but we are seeing an increasing number let people work however they work best. As an example, we let people work from home but people choose

Miss Selfridge reports £17.5m loss

// Miss Selfridge swung to £17.5 loss in 2018 // In the year to September 1, the fashion retailer’s sales fell more than 15% to £102m Sir Philip Green’s Miss Selfridge has posted a £17.5 million loss from 2018 as it failed to maintain sales growth. In the year to September 1, the fashion retailer’s sales fell by more than 15 per cent to £102 million, while pretax losses more than quadrupled from £4.3 million a year before. READ MORE: Vans signs lease to occupy former Miss Selfridge flagship site Miss Selfridge head of merchandising departs to join Boohoo Losses continued after more than £12 million in one-off costs mostly related to redundancies after colleague numbers decreased from 1188 to 300. Miss Selfridge has since closed its Oxford Street flagship as part of a rescue restructure of Green’s Arcadia Group, which also owns Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Burton. Arcadia said Miss Selfridge will mainly sell online as customers shift to digital sales. In

Forever 21 to axe 350 stores after filing for bankruptcy

// Forever 21 will close up to 350 stores across the globe // The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US // It will continue to operate in Mexico & Latin America Forever 21 has announced it will close up to 350 stores globally after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. The fast fashion retailer, which has just a few stores in the UK, filed for bankruptcy thanks to the growth in online retailers such as Amazon. However, it will continue to operate in Mexico and Latin America. READ MORE: Forever 21 vows to continue trading despite administration threat Chapter 11 protection resembles a CVA in the UK, delaying a US company’s financial obligations to creditors to give it time to refinance or sell parts of the business. Forever 21 will axe half of its store estate from around 800 to between 450 and 500. It has requested approval to close up to 178 stores in the US. The retailer said it had obtained $275 million (£224 million) f

Depop reveals expansion plans

// Depop announces plans to expand across Europe & Asia // It has over 15 million users Depop has revealed plans to expand its presence across Europe and Asia next year to continue growth. The online fashion reseller said it has more countries on its list, with plans to launch in Japan and South Korea in 2020. READ MORE: Depop launches first UK pop-up space in Selfridges Depop chief executive Maria Raga said the company will use some of its recent $62 million (£50 million) fundraising to expand further across the US, which already accounts for around 30 per cent of its revenues and user base, PA reported. Meanwhile, sales climbed by 85 per cent in 2018, and growth is expected to be maintained this year. While the ecommerce still has around 60 per cent of its revenues generated in the UK, it remains set on expanding globally. Moreover, Depop launched a pop-up store in Selfridges’ flagship department store in early August, marking its first branded pop-up store outsi

Mamas & Papas drafts in Deloitte advisers to explore sale

// Mamas & Papas hires advisers to explore sale of the business // In 2014, the retailer turned to a CVA which led to store closures Mamas & Papas has appointed advisers from Deloitte to explore a sale of the business as it struggles on the UK’s high street. The baby accessories retailer hired Deloitte advisors to explore a sale just five years after the accounting company handled a CVA in 2014, resulting in Mamas & Papas closing down half of its store estate, The Sunday Times reported. READ MORE:  Mamas & Papas teams up with John Lewis to expand range Mamas & Papas suffers second straight year of loss Following its restructuring, Mamas & Papas now has 31 stores in the UK with 900 colleagues. Meanwhile, owner and private equity firm Bluegem, offloaded its £300 million stake in luxury department store Liberty in mid-July. Furthermore, the buyout firm reportedly invested £20 million into Mamas & Papas when it bought the retailer in 2014. Afte

Going Self-Service – a 70 year old revolution?

A few weeks ago a journalist rang and asked about the introduction of self-service retailing into the UK.  A particular question was about the way in which retailers converting to self-service in the 1940s and 1950s knew what to do and what principles they followed.  That made me think (yes, I know) and I half-remembered reading something a long time ago.  A rummage around and I came across the book I recalled – Going Self-Service? by Patrick Galvani and Arthur Arnell, dating from 1952 (that was not when I read it). As with such things, once found I can’t resist reading them again and this ‘practical guide to profitable self-service retailing’ is an interesting set of ideas that have endured and photos and tips on introducing self-service.  It is clearly a cheerleader for self-service. The authors were pioneers themselves and their confidence has of course been borne out.  But in re-reading the book (I last read it c1980) a number of other things struck me.  Some were issues that had

Putting the lid on food waste

Coles is trialing the first zero waste to landfill supermarket that includes a partnership with Cleanaway to convert waste into fuel. One of its supermarkets in Sydney’s west has become the first Australian supermarket to trial zero waste to landfill as one of several initiatives to help Coles meet its commitment to become Australia’s most sustainable supermarket. Sydney supermarket prevents over six trolleys finding way to landfill As part of a trial, the supermarket at Wentworth Point is sending zero waste to landfill, preventing the equivalent of six and a half shopping trolleys going to landfill each day. The purpose of the trial is to change in-store processes, put greater focus on source separation, and to partner with new facilities to use waste as a resource. This will mean more packaged and unpackaged food, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, wax boxes, polystyrene and timber will be diverted from landfill. The zero waste to landfill trial store will find new ways to recove

Automation in E-commerce: The Next Frontier

In our latest report, we dug deep into the psyche of the online consumer and looked at some of the oft-overlooked factors that influence buying decisions. What we discovered helped us identify action items and a few cautionary tales for both established and emerging players in the e-commerce space. Delivery charges and product unavailability, according to Netscribes research , predictably emerged as two of the biggest hindrances triggering higher bounce rates and diminishing sales. But e-tailers are raising their game through better cataloging and inventory management. Especially in the grocery category in India, where there is a serious emphasis on same-day delivery and enhanced quality assurance. The trend though has been restricted to a select few players that have already established themselves in the industry. As e-tailers scale up to stay competitive, their product listing warrants constant evolution. Here’s where automated catalog management helps. By automating tasks such as

Forever 21, global fast fashion retailer, files for bankruptcy

Struggling empire is the latest bricks-and-mortar outfit to suffer as shopping moves online Fashion retailer Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, joining a growing list of bricks-and-mortar players who have failed to navigate the shift towards online shopping. Since the start of 2017, more than 20 US retailers, including Sears Holdings Corp and Toys ‘R’ Us, have filed for bankruptcy as more customers shift to online retailers such as Amazon. Related: Number of empty shops in UK at highest level for five years Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2mg9AEg via IFTTT

Forever 21 Announces Closure of All 44 Canadian Stores

Photo: Somerset Collection By Craig Patterson Los Angeles-based fast fashion retailer Forever 21 announced Sunday evening that it would close its 44 Canadian stores as the struggling company fights for survival. New tenants will have to be found for almost 880,000 square feet of retail space in Canada at a time when other retailers have shuttered Canadian storefronts, leaving a glut of retail space for landlords to backfill. Other retailers will also be hit as Forever 21 holds clearance sales during the busy winter Holiday Season. The Canadian subsidiary of Forever 21 was granted protection under the  Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act  (the “CCAA”) by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) in Toronto on Sunday. PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. was appointed as Monitor in the CCAA proceedings to oversee a full liquidation and the wind-down process. “After considering numerous options, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue operations in Canada. Whi