Latest Retail Insight, News, Information & Articles from all top sources for the Internet.

The only mantra that drives retail today is a customer-first approach. If we apply this logic to every aspect of our management, we can effectively be future-proof as well. If we measure our success by our retail offerings in isolation, we may soon smudge ourselves into a non-distinctive space overlapping with 40-50 percent mall-retail brands […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2rDQMkG via IFTTT

Co-op today launched (Sunday 1 December) its Christmas TV campaign, which celebrates touching everyday Christmas moments that are shared with delicious food and features one of the 4,000 causes that the community retailer has supported with a £17 million hand out this festive season. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/35R8MGZ via IFTTT

Holding company dividends follow more losses at Victoria Beckham’s fashion label David and Victoria Beckham’s business empire has paid out £38m to its owners despite a near 90% fall in profits prompted by difficulties at the former Spice Girl’s fashion label. The former England footballer, the fashion entrepreneur and their business partner Simon Fuller paid themselves dividends of $21.5m (£16.7m) and £10.3m in May this year, on top of £11.1m in 2018, according to accounts for Beckham Brand Holdings (BBH) published at Companies House on Friday. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/37Q996u via IFTTT

Readers accuse the firm of falling standards after private equity buyout and shift in production It was just a small question in our regular Consumer Champions column. Why, a reader asked, had her £170 Dr Martens boots fallen apart after just six months? The response was huge, with readers accusing the bootmaker of sacrificing quality, offshoring production and chasing profits under the ownership of a London-based private equity company a long way from its roots in Northamptonshire. Much of the response was emotional: from the moment the Who’s Pete Townshend scissor-kicked his way on stage in 1967 wearing eight-eyes boots, through to the height of punk, wearing Dr Martens has been a symbol of British working-class subculture. The company’s shift to China, factory closures in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Somerset, and a takeover by private equity, seem symbolic of what has happened to the British economy since then. Yes, there’s still a “Made in England” label on some Dr Mart...

Bestway Wholesale picked up a trio of awards at last night’s Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) Gold Medal Awards, including the top prize for ‘best service to retailers’. The wholesaler’s new ‘hub’ structure was said to have given depot managers flexibility with localised promotions, while online sales were boosted by a new website for its ... This story continues at Bestway secures three prizes at FWD awards Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/34xdEkm via IFTTT

The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has criticised the latest round of bank closures, which will see further 17 branches disappear from Scotland’s towns and cities. The trade body said the problems being caused by bank closures come at a time when the cumulative cost burden on businesses has been rapidly increasing. SGF chief executive, Pete ... This story continues at SGF hits out at new bank closures Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2OSY4sF via IFTTT

British supermarket Ocado has signed a deal for a technology partnership with Japanese firm Aeon. The online-only grocer on Friday revealed it would team up with aeon to help develop its online grocery business in Japan. Aeon will use the Ocado Smart Platform – the same system Kroger signed up to for usage in the US back in May 2018. Headquarted in Chiba, Japan, Aeon is Asia’s largest online supermarket, touting around 100 million customers. Aeon will use Ocado’s proprietary customer fulfilment centres (CFCs) and end-to-end software applications to serve millions of customers across Japan. Aeon will pay Ocado certain upfront fees upon signing and during the development phase, then ongoing fees linked to both sales achieved and installed capacity within each CFC and service criteria. “We see Ocado as a state-of-the-art, exciting and transformative partner aligned with our strategy of accelerating Aeon’s Digital Shift to serve Japan’s consumers,” said Aeon chief execu...

…55 percent of shoppers plan to buy during Black Friday Sale…   New research investigating UK household shoppers’ plans for Black Friday and Christmas 2019 has been launched today by retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy. The findings indicate that UK retailers should expect a record Black Friday this year and that shoppers plan to cut back on non-essential Christmas expenditure.   Commenting on Black Friday Alastair Lockhart, Insight Director at Savvy said: “The scale of Black Friday has increased further this year. The majority of retailers kicked off their sale activity last Friday and we expect the Black Friday event will run well beyond the 29 th , through Cyber Monday and beyond. As well as promotions on particular products, this year’s sale has been characterised by blanket discounting across full ranges in some cases and heavy use of discount codes.”   In terms of broader Christmas spending Lockhart added: “We expect that the Black Friday...

Shaftesbury has announced that Razer will be opening their debut European store. RazerStore London will open on 14 December in Chinatown London at 51-53 Charing Cross Road. Founded in 2005, the company have designed and built the largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware – including a specialist gaming mouse – and have approximately 70 million users across continents on their software platforms. The RazerStore London is the largest of Razer’s store so far and the first in Europe. The new 3,700 sq ft store, set across two levels, has been designed in-house and features the full range of Razer products, promising to be a gamified shopping experience that caters to all levels of PC, console and mobile gamers. There will be dedicated displays for headsets, mice, keyboards, mouse mats, Razer’s fan-favourite Mercury and Quartz suites, Razer Blade laptops, console peripherals, mobile and streaming hardware, and accessories and apparel. Featuring an extensive playtest area for visitors t...

This is how you choose the right solution to monitor product visibility online for your business. When you start using technology to monitor product visibility online,... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/37K9sQl via IFTTT

This is how you choose the right solution to monitor product visibility online for your business. When you start using technology to monitor product visibility online,... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/37HLWDv via IFTTT

Grenade is set to expand its portfolio with the launch of an energy drink. Grenade Energy will be available from 2 December in Londis, Budgens and Booker Retail Partners, retailing at £1.99 for a 330ml can. The brand said the drink has a “refreshing carbonated fruity flavour” and has the “same punch as two espressos”. ... This story continues at Grenade enters into energy drink sector Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2L5d8lU via IFTTT

Toys R Us will officially return from the retail graveyard this weekend as it launches a new tech-focused experiential store. In July Toys R Us’ owner Tru Kids, run by the collapsed brands former chief merchandising officer Richard Barry, announced a partnership with software retailer B8ta. “We believe that Toys R Us was renowned, and customers really saw us as the experts in the space,” said Barry. “And we want to make sure we deliver on that, but in a very different way than we were before, because this is a … high-touch, experiential store.” READ MORE:  Toys R Us is back from the dead thanks to new tech partnership The new 6000sq ft store will utilise B8ta’s unique business model, which sees toy brands lease shelf and display space, with Lego, Nintendo, Hasbro and Spin Master already signing to anchor the store. Touchscreens will be available next to every toy displayed allowing shoppers to look for toys not sold in the store, which aims to move away from the ‘stack th...

The busiest time of the year for retailers is approaching, and it’s all hands-on deck to prepare for the Black Friday rush. Analysing Ingenico transaction data... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/2Le7ONh via IFTTT

You can sell the highest quality products, have the most creative talent on your team, and benefit from multiple sales channels and social profiles at your fingertips – but you won’t get very far if you don’t have a strong, consistent brand identity. Think of a retail brand like BooHoo, which is going strong despite emerging consumer backlash against fast fashion. How? Through its clever use of student ambassadors, strong social media presence (including an integrated “Instashop” on its website), dedicated apps, partnerships with influencers, targeted, curated collections, and seemingly endless sales. This strategy has enabled it to grow from a Manchester market stall to a leading name in the retail world, worth over £2 billion. At the other end of the scale, Louis Vuitton was among several luxury names to climb BrandZ’s 2019 ranking of the most valuable global brands – and now tops the list in the luxe category. It may be over 160 years old, but Louis Vuitton has maintained brand ...

// Heals to open discount shop in west London // Outlet shop will stock reduced items from the premium homeware brand Premium home and design retailer Heals has announced it will open a new outlet store on Chiswick High Road next week. The 2,080 sq ft store will offer a selection of cancelled, returned and overstocked items at significantly reduced prices. READ MORE: Habitat MD Clare Askem quits Customers will be able to shop up to 70 per cent discounts across Heals’ furniture, lighting and accessories departments when the new store opens on December 3. “The success across each of our bricks and mortar stores over the last 12 months is a testament to our understanding of customer demand for designs that will last a lifetime,” said Heals chief executive Hamish Mansbridge. “We’re delighted to be able to bring Heal’s to Chiswick, offering an exciting outlet for shoppers to discover their favourite designs.” Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newslette...

UK retailers incorporating PayPal Credit into their online checkout have seen an average 15% incremental increase in sales, new data from PayPal reveals. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/2OSlu1n via IFTTT

// Intu calls in PricewaterhouseCoopers to help advise on balance sheet // Move comes as the shopping centre giant battles to reduce debt pile Intu Properties has called in PwC to help advise on the restructuring of its balance sheet, according to Sky News . The shopping centre giant has hired PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to work alongside its existing advisers in restructuring its balance sheet as it prepares to ask investors for new capital. READ MORE: Intu warns on rental income decline amid wave of CVAs It’s thought the appointment took places the last few days, as the retail industry gears up for its busiest shopping period in the calendar. The British real estate investment trust owns Essex’s Lakeside, Gateshead’s Metrocentre and Manchester’s Trafford Centre, but in the last year has seen shares fall more than 80 per cent. At the start of November Intu warned that rental income in 2019 is likely to fall by nine per cent, with more than half the decline coming from Ar...

// Usdaw backs Labour’s manifesto commitment to protect workers from abuse and violence // Union asks shoppers for calm as they campaign for tougher laws on shopworker abuse Usdaw has reiterated its annual call for shoppers to respect shop workers during the Black Friday promotions. This year The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers said it was backing Labour’s manifesto commitment to ensure “that public-facing workers are protected by toughening the law against abuse and violence”; a measure that has also been called for by retail employer organisations. READ MORE: Retail violence surges 25% The union, which counts over 433,000 retail employees as members, said problems with Black Friday began in 2013 and 2013, and that a survey of shop workers from 2014 said they saw verbal abuse, threats and violence against staff increase by two thirds over the holiday promotional time. “Our members have had real concerns about Black Friday. After two years of unprecedented sc...

// Historic luxury brand Fortnum & Mason posts 12% rise in sales across business //  Hong Kong store debuts without launch party // CEO says “It’s not our place to get overly political” over Hong Kong protests Luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason posted a 26 per cent rise in profits in the full year to July 14, despite trading through “the most challenging domestic retail backdrop in years”. Sales across Fortnum’s business were up 12 per cent to £138 million, with like-for-like sales at Fortnum’s flagship store in London’s Piccadilly up 6 per cent. READ MORE: Fortnum & Mason bags Luxury Retailer of the Year award Online sales rose 13 per cent year-on-year, while sales at Fortnum’s travel shop at St Pancras International were up 15 per cent. The past 12 months have signalled international expansion for Fortnum’s, with its launch in Hong Kong just a few days ago – its first standalone store in Asia. However, widespread political protests in the city have meant th...

The last 2019 Cross Party Group for Independent Convenience Stores, held last week, was a cracker.  With all the excitement of the AGM (not really), it was almost too much to have three excellent presentations on retailing and the public health agenda.  Together they formed a fascinating picture of the changing demands on retailers. First up was Kathryn Neil the Head of the Scottish Government/Scottish Grocers’ Federation long-established Healthy Living Programme .  She focused on the successes of the scheme and presented a series of examples of how the positive intervention had benefitted stores and consumers, leading to better fruit and veg intake and higher retailer margins and profits.  With over 2300 stores in Scotland in the programme, and 66% of them in the most deprived areas, this is having a tangible effect.  The Healthy Living tie in schools and its role as compliance auditor for the Healthcare Retail Standard were also noted. Kathryn was followed ...

Iconic furniture retailer, Heal’s has announced the expansion of its London portfolio with a brand new outlet store, opening on Chiswick high street next week. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/2XVJLaI via IFTTT

Halifax store. Photo: Canada Computers & Electronics By Mario Toneguzzi Canada Computers & Electronics has launched its expansion plans in Atlantic Canada with the opening of its first store in the market area in Halifax, Nova Scotia. And the company has its eye on future expansion in the area which it feels has been anxiously waiting for a retailer like itself in the computer and electronics field. “ Haingjin Moon (Marketing Manager) and I had the opportunity to get interviewed by a local newspaper there a few months ago when we first announced on our website that we were coming to the Halifax market and overwhelmingly the customer feedback was that they were waiting for a national brand for computer components to come to the market because unfortunately they didn’t have anybody as big as us out there,” said Arun Sharma , Director of Retail Operations. Click image for interactive Google Map Inside the new Halifax store. Photo: Canada Computers & Electronics “Th...

The Indian e-commerce industry has been on an upward growth trajectory and is expected to surpass USA to become the second largest e-commerce market in the world by 2034, as per an IBEF Report. Online retail is continuing to grow at an astounding rate, yet the majority of consumers still prefer brick-and-mortar, to touch and […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2q1ggrH via IFTTT

Japanese lifewear retail brand Uniqlo made its debut in the Indian market with its first store at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. Launched in India for the first time, UNIQLO offers a new shopping experience to Delhi customers that showcases LifeWear, the company’s commitment to creating perfect clothing that meets the requirements of […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/35KNf2M via IFTTT

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/2XTwgIO via IFTTT

Profits rise 26% to £12m, offsetting slump in footfall as retailer’s new shop hit by pro-democracy clashes Upmarket department store Fortnum & Mason has reported another year of bumper sales and profits but said its new Hong Kong store had been hit by the pro-democracy protests. Its chief executive Ewan Venters said sales in the territory were running at only half the level expected since it opened its doors last week but he was optimistic that trade would improve with its restaurant – with its view of Hong Kong harbour – receiving 4,000 bookings for December. It is the first standalone Fortnum & Mason shop outside the UK. Related: Hong Kong in recession after protests deal 'comprehensive blow' Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2XVWjPq via IFTTT

The busiest time of the year for retailers is approaching, and it’s all hands-on deck to prepare for the Black Friday rush. Analysing Ingenico transaction data... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/2QZ0V5P via IFTTT

The Acquisition Immediately Enhances Episerver’s Analytics and Personalization Capabilities to Deliver Customer-Centric Digital Experiences Episerver™, the customer-centric digital experience company, has signed a definitive agreement to... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/35IjDTv via IFTTT

It’s that time again when shopping shifts into overdrive. The festive season is responsible for as much as 30 percent of a retailer’s sales for the year and that figure is only likely to rise. However, a recent Periscope By McKinsey study has lifted the lid on some emerging trends with big implications for UK retailers:  Consumers are on the look-out for ideas and inspiration Asked what worries them the most, UK consumers said that not knowing what to buy (47%) was the biggest issue (just ahead of crowds and queues in-store at 45%). In their search for inspiration, shoppers listed perusing retailer websites as their ‘go to’ research channel (74%) with browsing instore (67%) as their next port of call. In addition to using search engines (62%), almost a third (28%) are also turning to the more traditional channel of catalogues, flyers and newspaper adverts to give them much needed gift ideas. To help inform their buying decisions this holiday season, consumers also welcome recei...

While Black Friday may have started in the US for retailers to offer discounts for shoppers after their Thanksgiving feast, the sales phenomenon is now recognised in many countries including the UK, where consumers are inundated with advertisements rife with ‘Black Friday deals’ from retailers. Whilst businesses start preparing their shelves and security guards for a huge shopping spree to take place, nine IT industry experts discuss why retailers also need to consider reinforcing their IT infrastructure ahead of the long shopping weekend. Prepare to be flexible and scalable Eltjo Hofstee, Managing Director at Leaseweb UK comments, “The enhanced shopping experience is compelling from a customer perspective, however, at the same time, retailers are now under greater pressure to ensure they continue to meet the three main characteristics of a seamless customer experience: speed, reliability and security. Gearing up for peak retail days, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is now a...

Black Friday emails are responsible for massive carbon emissions equivalent to 4000 return flights from London to New York. Ovo, the UK based green energy company, has released a striking new report detailing the carbon footprint of our emails. According to Mike Berners-Lee, professor at Lancaster University and brother of the inventor of the internet, each email we send produces 1 gram of carbon due to the electricity used to send and display it. In 2018 consumers received 80.6 million shopping related emails throughout November, an average of 2.7 million emails per day. READ MORE:  This app will automatically tell you the carbon footprint of your shopping Email volumes jump a whopping 47 per cent on Black Friday and 30 per cent on Cyber Monday In the UK that means the number of emails sent on Black Friday in 2017 generated 3.5 billion grams of carbon, and 4.2 billion grams of carbon in 2018. Each year adds up to around 4000 tonnes of carbon, which is the equivalent to 4000...

Tiffany & Co. and Coty have partnered with London’s iconic Covent Garden to bring the magic of the holiday season to life with an interactive experience celebrating Tiffany Fragrance. Located at Covent Garden’s East Piazza, the renowned shopping and entertainment hub is transformed into a wintry destination that’s inspired by the holidays in New York City, home to the legendary jewellery house. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/2XUe3ur via IFTTT

The UK’s much loved and popular high street fashion retailer, Oasis, credits data driven video email marketing specialist Playable and AI marketing platform Emarsys for driving innovation in its email channel through the introduction of responsive, embedded video available immediately upon opening to deliver enhanced personalisation, at scale, to Oasis’ increasingly digital-first consumer audiences. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/2KZxOvm via IFTTT

Seven out of 10 supermarkets increased their plastic “footprint” over the past year – despite several retailers making commitments to cut down on packaging. Supermarkets used more than 900,000 tonnes of plastic during the period, according to a new report from pressure groups the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Greenpeace UK. Just three retailers, Waitrose, ... This story continues at Seven out of 10 supermarkets increase plastic ‘footprint’ – despite packaging pledges Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/33lGO4w via IFTTT

// Supermarket plastic use is on the rise, according to a new report // Tesco and Sainsbury’s, along with Waitrose, registered slight reductions in plastic use // Aldi and Asda were at the bottom of the table for reducing plastic use UK grocers have increased their use of plastic despite several pledging to reduce plastic waste. Seven out of 10 grocers in the UK have been found responsible for adding 900,000 tonnes of plastic to landfill, according to an Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Greenpeace report. The cause for the increase was a lack of big brands being stocked in the supermarkets, which saw grocers having to enforce rules with suppliers. READ MORE:  97% plastic packaging scrapped from Iceland Christmas range Morrisons scraps black plastic from own-brand packaging The report found that Big 4 grocers Tesco and Sainsbury’s, along with Waitrose, registered slight reductions in plastic use. Aldi and Asda were at the bottom of the table for reducin...

This post first featured in the Modern Retail Guide to Fulfilment November 2019. To read the full ebook click  here , or scroll to the end of the page to view on page-turning software. Modern Retail had the pleasure of speaking with CEO and Founder of Scurri, Rory O’Connor, about the rapid rate at which the fulfilment journey is evolving. Scurri connects and optimises online ordering, shipping and delivery to be simple, effective and adaptable to companies’ needs. Taking the effort out of ecommerce, the Scurri team specialise in creating seamless interactions at multiple touch-points. Here’s what Rory had to say about the changing world of fulfilment: MR: How has the world of fulfilment changed since Scurri began in 2010? RO: It’s changed a lot. There is more complexity, more options and things change faster than they used to, driven by the widespread uptake and application of technology. People are looking for more information. They want status updates and tracking informati...