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

This year, reports show that 85% of retailers believe online sales will increase this holiday season compared to last year, while 61% are expecting higher engagement and purchasing rates via social media – despite the Covid-19 impact on the retail sector.  As the Christmas period is known to be one of the most lucrative times of the year for retail, the eCommerce market becomes highly competitive for some of the biggest players, so what can businesses do to cut through the noise and keep customers engaged during this time? Head of Content and PR Hayley Stansfield and Head of Performance James Kelly of Digital Marketing agency Blueclaw provide retailers with some top tips on how small, low-cost sprints of content activity can help maximise your online strategy this Christmas.  1. Re-work your top-performing content online Generally, successful seasonal content marketing shouldn’t require a major and costly change in your strategy – instead it may need some finessing based ...

Eerily silent high streets, queues outside supermarkets, and cardboard boxes piling up in consumers’ recycling bins. These three images encapsulate 2020 for many of us. Once a leisure activity or a quick, after-work supermarket trip, the shopping experience was transformed. For some, it became an activity that required planning, forethought, and risk. For others, it became a digital -only experience with all of the associated delivery tracking, slow page-loading, and endless aisles. These three images have also created a tumultuous and unpredictable time for retailers, who have been forced to adapt to changing customer, economic, supply chain, and societal demands. Some things though, have not changed. We have had the annual Amazon Prime Day, which will closely be followed by China’s Singles Day, and the now the global phenomenon of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the surrounding days.  The other thing that has not changed is the need to deliver an uncomplicated, efficient, and re...

John Lewis has set the bar high for bringing the instore experience online this Christmas, with the addition of their own Virtual Christmas Shop. The great news is that there is still plenty of time to make the most of this fantastic use of technology in your stores! Allowing shoppers to enjoy their Christmas browsing from the comfort of their own home, this brilliant interactive map has created the ultimate omnichannel offering. Working in a similar style to Google Maps, shoppers can access the virtual store on their computer, phone or tablet. Easily accessible, this helps to capture the attention of shoppers with a wide range of preferences. Based on John Lewis’ Oxford Street store, customers are able to click to move around the virtual shop floor and then select specific items to see more information. From here, they can click through to purchase online. It’s an effective, simple and hassle-free method of presenting customers with an attractive store layout, as opposed to using ...

On 3 November 2020, retailers are once again being encouraged to make changes to improve the customer experience for disabled people, whether that’s instore or online.  Purple Tuesday was set up by the charity Purple in 2018 to make organisations more aware of the commercial and social opportunities associated with being more disability inclusive, and it’s fair to say the pandemic has made this year’s event even more important.   A lot has already happened to bring about significant and positive changes, but as was borne out in my recent interview with GB Para-archer and disability inclusivity champion, Chloe Ball-Hopkins, there is even more that needs to be done. The pandemic has in many ways made it even more difficult for disabled people to shop. New store layouts can be problematic at best and it can be challenging to find suitable items online – especially clothing, which is generally aimed at able-bodied customers.  This has two big implications for retailer...

The Benelux Ecommerce Region Report for 2020 , is the latest in RetailX’s series of reports analysing key ecommerce markets in Europe and around the world. The report is something of a departure for RetailX in that, in looking at an area that consists of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the scope is wider than our country reports. We have chosen to adopt this approach not just because the Benelux region is tightly integrated economically, but because it is a region that will grow in importance in ecommerce terms in the near future.  The Benelux region is a well-digitalised society, with a population that is familiar with using the internet, both for online shopping as well as public administration. In fact, 94% of the population is expected to be online in 2020. Consumer adoption of ecommerce has steadily increased from 2015, as 81% of the online population is going to buy something online in 2020.  One specific reason for the region’s growth in importance lies in Br...

It’s never been more important to consider the sustainability of your operation, the packaging you use and the processes you undertake. With the conversation around eco-friendliness and sustainability rising in popularity following the Attenborough Effect with the likes of Blue Planet and Life On Our Planet – it’s no surprise that individuals and companies are doing all they can to reduce their impact on the environment; and peak season is not the time to stop.  As we’re now in the final 3 months of the year, and Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas are looming, it’s time to turn our attention to how we can remain eco-friendly throughout the peak season. With the coronavirus pandemic estimated to add £5.3 billion to the UK eCommerce industry in 2020 and 73% of UK consumers looking to buy primarily online, it’s inevitable that this year’s peak is set to be the biggest yet. So how do we stay green during this busy time? We’ve put together 6 packaging tips to ensure that eco is t...

Michelle Whelan, CEO of Geometry UK speaks about the reason today’s conditions are perfect for retail innovation, explaining how you can turn a crisis into an opportunity. Alibaba was just two years old when SARS hit China in 2002. With hundreds of thousands of people opting to stay at home, the company spotted an opportunity .  Up to that point, Alibaba had been primarily a B2B service. Holed up in an apartment, a team of employees came up with the idea for Taobao, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform akin to Amazon. Taobao lasted a lot longer than the epidemic. Chinese consumers loved the convenience it offered and it’s now the biggest e-commerce site in the world.  The great thing about crises, from a business perspective, is that they drive fundamental changes in how consumers think and act. Companies know this. A recent survey by McKinsey found that 90% of executives across 200 organisations believe the current pandemic (and the recession that’s following) will ha...

This year has been full of challenges for retailers, but peak season is upon us and now is no time to stop impressing! Customer experience can make or break Christmas shopping and with it being a little different this year, planning is essential to create a faultless, enjoyable and festive experience for customers. Balancing consumers’ demands and desires with the rules and keeping everyone safe is no easy feat, but no matter what size your business is, you are still able to enjoy a successful holiday season. Here’s how. Prepare early Even in the usual buildup to Christmas, it can be a rush to get everything done in time. Early planning is vital in ensuring you are able to stock desirable products, as well as being able to market these with plenty of time. Supply chains may experience delays, staff numbers may be reduced and budget may be tight, so get started as soon as possible and create a contingency plan in case you experience unexpected challenges. Hygiene first One of...

Michelle Whelan, CEO of Geometry UK speaks about the reason today’s conditions are perfect for retail innovation, explaining how you can turn a crisis into an opportunity. Alibaba was just two years old when SARS hit China in 2002. With hundreds of thousands of people opting to stay at home, the company spotted an opportunity .  Up to that point, Alibaba had been primarily a B2B service. Holed up in an apartment, a team of employees came up with the idea for Taobao, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform akin to Amazon. Taobao lasted a lot longer than the epidemic. Chinese consumers loved the convenience it offered and it’s now the biggest e-commerce site in the world.  The great thing about crises, from a business perspective, is that they drive fundamental changes in how consumers think and act. Companies know this. A recent survey by McKinsey found that 90% of executives across 200 organisations believe the current pandemic (and the recession that’s following) will ha...

This year has been full of challenges for retailers, but peak season is upon us and now is no time to stop impressing! Customer experience can make or break Christmas shopping and with it being a little different this year, planning is essential to create a faultless, enjoyable and festive experience for customers. Balancing consumers’ demands and desires with the rules and keeping everyone safe is no easy feat, but no matter what size your business is, you are still able to enjoy a successful holiday season. Here’s how. Prepare early Even in the usual buildup to Christmas, it can be a rush to get everything done in time. Early planning is vital in ensuring you are able to stock desirable products, as well as being able to market these with plenty of time. Supply chains may experience delays, staff numbers may be reduced and budget may be tight, so get started as soon as possible and create a contingency plan in case you experience unexpected challenges. Hygiene first One of...

Contributor: Delamode International Logistics As an international freight management provider, we remove logistical barriers by providing end-to-end ecommerce solutions. Your products will be in safe hands at all times, we manage the delivery of your products from point of origin straight to our fulfilment warehouse quickly, safely and reliably. With the right levels of stock in place and best in class pick and pack and despatch services you will be equipped to maximise your Black Friday, not forgetting your Christmas sales too. We understand you You are not just a client, you are the client to us. When you come to us, you get a logistics partner that understands your challenges, has the expertise and experience to overcome them, and wants to help you achieve both short and long-term success. Overcome your warehousing and delivery headaches We take a holistic review of your business needs and devise an ecommerce solution that is exactly right for you and your customers. Outso...

Technology has come a long way over the years and has given us easier access to a whole host of things, such as information, tech, family and friends and even the ability to travel around the globe. The way in which we utilise technology has also changed, we are using it to our advantage to save time on mundane tasks and make life just that bit easier. Almost every aspect of life has been impacted by technology, some in more positive ways than others. However, we are now using it to help us with seemingly small day to day tasks such as restocking printer ink. Whilst buying ink for printers in the home isn’t a regular task, for businesses it can be a time-consuming job. Here’s how technology is improving the way in which businesses and consumers alike purchase their ink. Next day delivery We have been shopping online for a long time but it isn’t until the last few years that online retailers have been able to offer a next day delivery service. Even though some still don’t offer this...

The lockdown period saw retailers across industries innovating and adapting to survive, but what’s now becoming clear is that this demand for easier access to shopping will remain. Findings from  Banking & Payment Federation Ireland (BPFI)   suggest that consumers currently shopping online are more likely to continue to do so in certain categories. For retailers with physical stores, the challenge has become how to get shoppers back in person.  Jim Herbert, vice president of BigCommerce EMEA, explains how retailers are adopting new practices such as drive-through click & collect, better integrating consumer demand for online, with the need to keep stores alive. The rise of drive-through click & collect In August, retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) announced that it is trialling new contactless click & collect technology in three stores, as part of its digital transformation plan to integrate in-store and online services for its customers. ...

Avant Garde retailer Dover Street Market in St James’s, London showcased the collections for the Spring and Summer season with new brands and curated spaces along with their own Comme Des Garcons ranges across the five floors of this independent and innovative part fashion and part art lifestyle store. Featuring Gucci, Molly Goddard, Cecilie Bahnsen, Rick Owens, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander and the CGD Pocket Shop, British and International designer brands created this not to be missed, creative space that will inspire and transform your idea of modern fashion in today’s retail world. Click here for more inspirational Store Showcase content The post Dover Street Market: S/S 2020 appeared first on Modern Retail . from Modern Retail https://ift.tt/3n4EdHb via IFTTT