Advice
Visit Retail Sector for advice, best practice, how to guides, and top tips for successful retailing, both on the high street and online. Retail Sector is your one-stop-shop for retail news, analysis, interviews, features and advice, keeping you in the picture.
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Jul- 2025 -15 July
Using AI to modernise CX in retail
The retail sector is at a crossroads. At a time when products and prices can often be easily matched, it is increasingly the customer experience that sets brands apart. Research has shown that companies that prioritise customer experience see revenues typically grow 4 – 8% above competitors1. Whether browsing in-store…
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Apr- 2025 -14 April
US tariffs and De Minimis changes: What you need to know
Global markets may well be rebounding after President Trump announced a “universal 10%” tax on all imports, except China which has now been hit with a 125% levy. Although many who had anticipated a global economic crisis may feel a sense of relief today, the reality remains that the United…
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2 April
Why the hiring experience in retail is so key
In retail, the customer experience is paramount, and justifiably so. However, this can be dependent on the ability and enthusiasm of frontline staff. Strongly influencing their aptitude and desire to fulfil their roles in this way, is the experience that they themselves have when applying for their positions. How they…
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Jan- 2025 -29 January
From classroom to commerce: How Alok Ruia reinvented SockShop
Alok Ruia, Director of SockShop, did not initially set out to join the family business. The Ruia Group, founded by his father and uncles in the 1950s, started as a textile importing business in Manchester, supplying raw cloth to UK manufacturers. “It’s a family business to this day,” Ruia explains,…
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29 January
Makeke: The app helping independent retailers take on ecommerce giants
Jenniffer Gearheart-Tang, co-founder and CEO of Makeke, has always had an entrepreneurial streak. With a career spanning marketing, executive recruitment, and corporate innovation, she has consistently sought to bring disruptive ideas to market. Together with her husband, Drake Gearheart, Makeke’s Head of Product & Scalability, the duo have built a…
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Dec- 2024 -23 December
Faire’s Charlotte Broadbent on making wholesale accessible
In an era where independent retailers face growing challenges, Faire, a global online wholesale marketplace, has emerged as a transformative force. Led in the UK by Charlotte Broadbent, Faire is redefining the traditional wholesale model by providing small businesses with tools, access, and a platform previously reserved for large corporations.…
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13 December
Plinc’s Stuart Russell on AI and personalised retail marketing
In an era of constant transformation, staying relevant to customers while achieving business objectives is no small feat for retailers. Stuart Russell, chief strategy officer at Plinc, has built a career solving this puzzle. His experience in customer marketing spans over two decades, touching industries as diverse as gaming, travel,…
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11 December
Theo Paphitis: The secrets behind his retail empire
Theo Paphitis, known to millions as one of the original Dragons on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, is much more than a television personality. As the owner of Ryman, Robert Dyas, and Boux Avenue, Paphitis has spent decades navigating the complexities of retail. His career is a testament to entrepreneurial grit,…
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9 December
The gift card revolution: insights from Anna Uprichard
Gift cards have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, evolving from simple gestures of convenience into powerful tools that drive consumer behavior, boost employee morale, and support public welfare. Few know this space better than Anna Uprichard, vice president of commerce for Blackhawk Network (BHN), a global leader in…
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4 December
Tradition meets innovation: Sam Walker’s vision for Walker & Ling
Sam Walker, owner and manager of Walker & Ling, stands at the helm of a business steeped in history yet firmly focused on the future. As the fifth-generation leader of this independent, family-run department store, Walker carries forward a legacy that dates back to 1892, all while navigating the rapidly…
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