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Its Ocado tie-up may bring Marks festive joy, but as restrictions and uncertainty bite, even Primark looks less than cheerful The next two months are supposed to be the most lucrative time of the year for the high street, but a grisly update from Marks & Spencer will this week provide a grim reality check as the pandemic sets up nightmarish trading conditions for the golden quarter. Analysts expect M&S to have made a loss of about £60m in the first six months of its financial year because of the huge sales hit suffered by its clothing arm during the three-month spring lockdown. This time last year, the UK’s biggest clothing retailer was reporting profits of £176m. Business is dealing with a high level of uncertainty as 'every other day another county of England is going into tier 3' Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2HILwoh via IFTTT

British firm’s homeware will be available via Next’s UK stores and website from spring 2021 Laura Ashley is to return to the UK high street next year in a new partnership with Next – which will sell its homeware products – and with a series of new stores. The embattled clothing and home furnishings retailer will reintroduce its homeware via Next’s over 500 UK stores and website – operating in over 70 countries – from spring 2021. A Laura Ashley-branded flagship store is also planned for the Westfield shopping centre in west London, followed by others elsewhere in the UK. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/321Lr5P via IFTTT

The coronavirus pandemic and a bitter election season have helped sales of goods associated with metaphysical wellness to soar Brian Busse heaves a pickaxe against the side of Colorado’s formidable Mt Antero, 12,000 feet above sea level. Up here, the air is so thin that it offers little resistance and his stroke sends shards of light gray granite flying against the stark blue sky. A burly figure in a sweat-stained leather hat, Busse picks through the shards in search of treasure. A 58-year-old prospector, he is hunting aquamarine, a gem that appears to enclose the ocean, and is the official state rock of Colorado. Today, it’s a popular choice among metaphysical stone enthusiasts for the same reasons nervous sailors once carried it across vast, uncharted seas: the energies associated with it – calm and courage – are in high demand. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2GdDUcr via IFTTT

Sober Christmas predicted for many, driven by younger generation Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage From beers to spirits and even ready-to-drink cocktails, supermarket sales of no- and low-alcohol drinks have soared during lockdown as consumers become used to popping them into their trolleys with their grocery staples. Steep growth in the “nolo” drinks category was previously driven by sales in pubs, bars and clubs, but Covid-related restrictions and curfews have increased consumers’ thirst for hangover-free options from the supermarket and corner shop, as drinking habits have become home-based. Related: Young drinkers' thirst for no and low-alcohol beer sets new trend Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Jrq0oB via IFTTT

// John Lewis & Waitrose reveal plans to raise £5m to help two charities over the Christmas period // They will support FareShare, a food poverty charity, and Home-Start, which works with parents who need support // Customers will be encouraged to make charity donations, and products linked to the campaign will also be available A major campaign to help at least 100,000 struggling families with food, comfort and emotional support is to be launched by John Lewis and Waitrose. The initiative, which will launch in November and would be complemented by the soon-to-be released Waitrose and John Lewis Christmas advert, will aim to raise £5 million for two nominated charities. These charities are FareShare, a food poverty charity, and Home-Start, which works with parents who need support. Fareshare delivers food to the Holiday Grub Club, at St Oswalds Parish Church, Hebburn. John Lewis and Waitrose said it would also encourage others, including customers, to help communities...

Amazon is locked in a bitter legal dispute with Future Group, which in August sold its retail assets to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd for $3.4 billion. The deal, Amazon alleges, breaches 2019 agreements by Future. from e-commerce - Retail News | Latest Retailing & Retail Industry Information and Updates: ET Retail : ETRetail.com https://ift.tt/3mDmCFd via IFTTT

Annual spend up £50m driven by multipacks and ‘sharing bars’, but smaller bars decline Spending on chocolate has soared by £50m year on year, powered by sales of chocolate bars bought in supermarkets to eat at home. The increase in sales of multipacks and large “sharing bars” has offset a dip in sales of single bars, often impulse buys to eat on the go, from newsagents and other outlets. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2TC0UFj via IFTTT

Sainsbury’s has partnered with both Uber Eats and Deliveroo as it scrambles to rapidly expand its grocery delivery capacity in time for Christmas. As the online grocery boom continues unabated and stricter lockdown measures loom for millions across the UK, Sainsbury’s is turning to the two delivery giants in a bid to “find new ways to serve even more of our customers”. Around 1000 Sainsbury’s products will soon be available to purchase on the Uber Eats app in ten locations across the UK. Sainsbury’s superstore in Camden, London, will be the first to offer delivery from Uber Eats in under 25 minutes, before a further nine stores are added in “the coming weeks”. Meanwhile the same 1000 items, which include Sainsbury’s own label and leading branded products, will also be available to order via Deliveroo’s app from this week. Its partnership with Deliveroo will start with its North End Crescent Local store in Hammersmith, London, before rolling out to nine more stores. The grocer sa...

An increasing number of shop workers are struggling to do their jobs properly during lockdown and are facing double the normal amount of verbal and physical abuse, according to new figures from the trade organisation for retailers in Northern Ireland. Retail NI has now enlisted the help of Professor Siobhan O’Neill, the interim mental health ... from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/3oHvMSP via IFTTT

A couple of months ago, Professor Graeme Roy of the Fraser of Allander Institute invited me to try to answer the question posed at the head of this post.  He is part of / leading an ESRC funded ‘observatory’ (Coronavirus and the Economy) which has been publishing such summary works on the progress of the pandemic and the economy, mainly from an economic viewpoint. I thought it might be interesting to do, and so agreed.  The outcome has just been published and the full piece can be found here . How is coronavirus affecting the UK’s retail sector I am not going to summarise or reproduce the piece here, but would rather encourage you to visit the observatory to read it, and some of the other pieces published there.  I think it is an interesting and informative collection. My piece follows initially some well-known ground.  After noting the scale and importance of the retail sector it briefly recaps the essential vs non-essential issue of shops under lockdown....

New figures have shown that the UK shop vacancy rate increased to 13.2% in the third quarter of 2020 from 12.4% in the previous three-month period.... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/2TDD4ZC via IFTTT

// Supermarket bosses urge Chancellor to use an overhaul of the business rates system // Co-op CEO Steve Murrells, Morrisons CEO David Potts, and Tesco UK and Ireland CEO Jason Tarry collectively signed a letter // Rishi Sunak has said that a consultation on business rates may result in radical reforms Supermarket executives have reportedly urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to use an overhaul of the business rates system to “level up” the economy as pressure on the handling of Covid-19 mounts in north England. Co-op chief executive Steve Murrells, Morrisons chief executive David Potts, and Tesco UK and Ireland chief executive Jason Tarry have collectively signed a letter that argues a permanent 20 per cent reduction in business rates would create 10,000 jobs in the retail industry. The letter, which was sent last week, was also signed by the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores James Lowman, general secretary of the shopworkers’ union Usdaw Paddy Lillis, and chi...

// Co-op will publish its ethnicity pay gap data annually from 2021 // The retailer will also call on the government to make this mandatory // To increase awareness for Black History Month, Co-op has launched online seminars Co-op has committed to addressing the issues that ethnic minority employees may face in the workplace, in an effort to increase awareness during Black History Month. The retailer, which currently employs 65,000 staff, has outlined a number of initiatives including publishing its ethnicity pay gap data annually from 2021. The employer will also call on the government to make this mandatory. READ MORE: Co-op calls for moratorium on oxo-degradable plastics Co-op CEO urges PM to extend free school meals into “possible circuit breaker” half term To increase awareness, Co-op has also launched online seminars, giving employees from ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to communicate thoughts with fellow co-workers on diversity and inclusion issues. Co-op h...

// Vacancy rates increase during third quarter of 2020 // The overall vacancy rate rose to 13.2%, up from 12.4% in the second quarter // All locations reported the vacancy increase although shopping centres were the worst hit New research has found that the number of shuttered shops across the UK has increased in the third quarter as the Covid-19 pandemic creates high levels of uncertainty. The overall vacancy rate rose to 13.2 per cent in the third quarter of this year, up from 12.4 per cent in the second quarter, according to the BRC and the Local Data Company’s Vacancy Monitor. All locations reported the vacancy increase although shopping centres were the worst hit, with an increase to 16.3 per cent compared to 14.3 per cent in the previous quarter. READ MORE: Retail footfall drops across regions with highest Covid restrictions Fears of a double-dip recession grow as consumer confidence drops High street vacancies increased from 12.4 per cent to 13.3 per cent, while...

// Marks & Spencer scraps TV Christmas campaign for clothing arm to focus on grocery // M&S has run separate TV campaigns for its Christmas clothing and food offers since 2018 Marks & Spencer has reportedly ditched its TV advertising campaign for its clothing division to instead focus on its grocery offering this year. The retailer is now relying on online and influencer activity to drive its festive clothing and homeware sales, and will instead focus its marketing efforts on food, Campaign reported. M&S has created separate campaigns for its Christmas clothing and food offers since 2018. READ MORE: Christmas-related searches online up 80%, M&S says M&S creates 500 jobs amid digital-first Christmas strategy Earlier this month, M&S found that searches for Christmas products on its website have skyrocketed by 80 per cent year on year as shoppers seek to spend early this festive period. Last year, M&S’s “Go Jumpers” Christmas clothing c...

A couple of months ago, Professor Graeme Roy of the Fraser of Allander Institute invited me to try to answer the question posed at the head of this post.  He is part of / leading an ESRC funded ‘observatory’ (Coronavirus and the Economy) which has been publishing such summary works on the progress of the pandemic and the economy, mainly from an economic viewpoint. I thought it might be interesting to do, and so agreed.  The outcome has just been published and the full piece can be found here . How is coronavirus affecting the UK’s retail sector I am not going to summarise or reproduce the piece here, but would rather encourage you to visit the observatory to read it, and some of the other pieces published there.  I think it is an interesting and informative collection. My piece follows initially some well-known ground.  After noting the scale and importance of the retail sector it briefly recaps the essential vs non-essential issue of shops under lockdown....

During the past couple of months, we’ve been working hard to understand what turns simple customer feedback into lifelong loyalty. The pandemic has shown us, despite... View Article from The Retail Bulletin - Latest Retail News https://ift.tt/31R8y35 via IFTTT

Our latest snapshot of key economic indicators shows recovery is fizzling out Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3kKq1BB via IFTTT

Sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson and Openpay We asked all our winners in this year’s Transforming Retail Awards to tell us how they felt about winning their category. And here is more detail from Jeremy Byfleet, UK operations manager, Infarm on how it feels to be awarded Best Newcomer. How do you feel about winning this Award? It’s great to be recognised in the retail sector for the work we do and for the changes we hope to inspire. We feel very passionate about making fresh, pure, tasty and nutritious produce available to everyone and are thrilled that customers and retailers are responding so positively to our form of sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. Infarm launched in M&S Why do you think your entry stood out? The pandemic has undoubtedly shown the need for a change to the UK’s food supply chain and our produce, that is grown either in-store or within the communities it serves, can be easily manoeuvred to meet demand. Infarm is pursuing ...

Amazon Australia has announced plans to open a second Melbourne fulfilment centre (FC) late next year. According to the company, the new 37,000sqm facility in Ravenhall will more than double Amazon’s operational footprint in Victoria. It will also create around 300 jobs on completion. Amazon says the FC will have the capacity to house up to six million items from Amazon.com.au. This includes health, household and personal care products, consumer electronics, books, clothing and pantry food and drink staples. In addition, the facility will be home to larger items such as flat screen TVs, cartons of soft drink and nappies, and gardening equipment. Amazon Australia Director of Operations Craig Fuller says the company has invested significantly in its Victorian operations this year to ensure it can continue to improve delivery promises to customers in the state. “Our investment in this new Melbourne fulfilment centre will benefit customers around Victoria, while creating hundreds of j...

In India, the festive season – which begins for almost all ethnicities around the month of September – is the time when consumers all over the country buy new clothes as well as white goods. During this time, many get their homes whitewashed, interiors re-done, and increase spends on theme-based household goods such as upholstery, […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/3mztR0T via IFTTT

Snapdeal announced the launch of multiple festival-themed e-stores as part of Diwali offerings. There will be four uniquely themed e-stores, starting with the Karva-Chauth store, followed by Dhanteras, Bhaiya Dooj and Lighting stores over the next few days. The e-stores will be one-stop shops for Snapdeal users, where they can find all things related to […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/34CKXVv via IFTTT

Global Japanese retailer UNIQLO opened its newest store at DLF Mall of India, Noida. Spread over two floors with a total retail space of 17,500 square feet, UNIQLO DLF Mall of India, Noida promises a new shopping experience for the area with its thoughtful designs, high quality and functional products that are made for all. […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2HQBYHy via IFTTT

Rapid technology advancements and rising customer expectations have transformed the global retail industry in the past decade. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a key disruptor. Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, The Four Ps of the Future of Retail, highlights the four aspects of retail – future retail place, future points of commerce, future people, […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2HDaJAt via IFTTT

In the last several years, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of businesses that have found success using public relations (PR) strategies for retail marketing. This is especially true with the growth that many companies have experienced using various methods, including the swelling number of flourishing small businesses in general. In this article, we will quickly discuss some of the best practices suitable for developing startups and established businesses. These methods involve public relations strategies applicable in the retail industry, with an emphasis on the vital role of product introduction. Reaching Out to Retailers: Product Introduction & Presentation The first step that manufacturers and wholesalers should take when venturing to retail is bringing the product out in the open. How do you do that? Follow these two basic tips. Product Introduction The primary rule in PR is the introduction. Introduce your product/service to prospecti...

Affiliate Marketing has become one of the more essential tools for online retailers. Influencers in the digital business world represent some of the highest quality consumers and can spread the word about your brand or product in a highly targeted manner. When using an influencer as a marketing asset , several advantages are associated with them. Let’s take a look at the top five benefits that come to mind and how you can find the right retail influencer marketers who can deliver results for your business. Affiliate Marketers are Niche Influencers First, if you want to be successful in this type of advertising, identify those interested in spreading the word about what you can contribute to the market— that involves getting influencers within your niche. Influencers Have Valuable Social Media Skills If you approach an affiliate marketer with a product that you think they may be interested in advertising, they will be highly likely to try it out for themselves. Af...

Although there are a number of effective ways to market on the internet, one of the most popular ways to market is through affiliate marketing . For affiliate marketers, it is common to make product sales and build brand awareness. However, many people use their popularity in social media to earn a living through their audiences— which is a successful model of affiliate marketing. They are who we call the influencers. The Impact of Social Media in Retail Marketing Retail entrepreneurs can change a current business marketing model to apply strategies aligned with profitability goals. This is true and highly recommended for a few reasons. One is that some marketing models work while others are just not sustainable. If you’re going to change your methods, you might be able to change the brand’s image and target a wider market , with an impact that can eventually become efficiently consistent— and this is where affiliate marketing and influencers come in. If you’ve seen any of the rec...

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail’s Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham discuss 2020 Halloween shopping trends as we approach the holiday. The National Retail Federation (NRF) conducted its annual Halloween survey on consumer perspectives for the holiday, and the data points to one key theme: despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Halloween 2020 is still […] from Total Retail https://ift.tt/31SE1BK via IFTTT

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) preliminary report for September shows a 1.5% fall in monthly turnover. The results follow a year in which retail sales have fluctuated wildly on a month-to-month basis following bouts of panic-buying, lockdown measures and stimulus packages that have boosted discretionary spending. NRA Deputy CEO Lindsay Carroll said the August results underline the uncertain time confronting the industry and the broader economy. “It’s been a very turbulent year for retail, there was a record drop in turnover in April but that was then followed by three consecutive months of increased sales. The future is going to remain rather uncertain, with the full impact of the recession expected to occur over the next six months,” says Ms Carroll. “The prolonged lockdown in Victoria always meant there was likely to be a dip in nationwide turnover in September. It was also inevitable that the high rates of discretionary spending seen earlier in the year would ease.” ...