New Look to invest £3.3m in 20 Greater Manchester stores

New Look has announced a £3.3m investment to upgrade and improve its stores in Greater Manchester.

The retailer will initially trial several initiatives in its 20 stores in the area over the next 12 months to create a blueprint for further improvements across its wider estate. This will centre around improving store layouts and designs, upgrading technology and offering enhanced training to colleagues.

A significant part of the investment will go toward cosmetic upgrades to boost the in-store experience for customers, improve product merchandising and better align the shopfloor with New Look’s brand identity. As part of this, the retailer will be launching interactive displays to showcase online exclusives and a wider range of outfits and footwear which customers can browse from in store and order for next-day collection. 

The retailer is also implementing new technology in the stores back-end systems to run an improved returns approach, and a new swift next day click and collect service, to create a seamless shop for customers. 

The trial also includes investment in team resources through enhanced training opportunities for store employees, including upskilling in this latest technology added to sites, to integrate the omnichannel offer into every interaction. 

After the trial period, New Look will evaluate the success of the new concepts before deciding which to roll out across its wider UK store estate. Greater Manchester was selected as the region to trial these store upgrades due to its reputation as a UK fashion hub.

Since New Look opened its doors over 50 years ago, it has had a strong presence on British high streets, and the latest investment signifies the next stage of its omnichannel strategy. The business pairs its store estate with a website and app, offering customers the most convenient shopping experience. 

Helen Connolly, CEO of New Look, said: “We’ve always been very proud to have a strong presence on British high streets, ever since we opened our doors over 50 years ago. This investment programme is an exciting step for us in how we can continue to elevate the shopping experience for our customers, while bringing them fantastic quality products and creating future growth for New Look.”

Elaine Cartwright, retail director at New Look, added: “With over 20 stores in the surrounding area, Manchester is the perfect location for us to trial these exciting new initiatives and turn up the dial on our omnichannel offer. I am looking forward to working with colleagues to implement our plans and see which experiences add the most value to our customers.”