Comment
Comment features expert perspectives and thought leadership from across the UK retail industry. This section includes opinion pieces, analysis, and commentary from senior retail executives, analysts, and sector specialists on the commercial, strategic, and operational forces shaping retail. Retail Sector’s Comment coverage explores issues such as consumer behaviour shifts, technology adoption, sustainability, regulation, and leadership — providing retail professionals with authoritative insight to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
-
Mar- 2022 -2 March
Live shopping: a fad or the future of retail?
Just a few short years ago the concept of live-stream shopping felt somewhat like an anachronism, conjuring up visions of the ‘teleshopping’ trend of yesteryear, in the days before online shopping had become the consumer norm. But, in recent years, the concept has been entirely reinvented. The live shopping phenomenon…
Read More » -
Feb- 2022 -24 February
Why retail sector leaders need to adopt a transformational mindset
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused untold disruption to the business world, turning it completely on its head. It has changed long-established working practices, the fortunes of entire industries and even deeply embedded mindsets. With all the uncertainty that began in early 2020, some retail leaders have, quite understandably, lost a…
Read More » -
22 February
Three reasons to monitor the battle between Amazon and Shopify
The behind the scenes battle going on between the two biggest e-commerce platforms in the US – Amazon and Shopify – could have significant implications for merchants. Amazon’s real customer is the end consumer – rather than the merchants that make up its Marketplace business. The e-commerce king keeps its…
Read More » -
21 February
Six ways retailers can handle labour shortages
The retail industry is challenged by labour shortages across the board, from delivery drivers to warehouse staff, store staff to IT specialists. And it’s a challenge faced everywhere from the UK to the US and Australia. The shortages can be traced back to a whole plethora of reasons – from…
Read More » -
8 February
Online customers value personalisation and speedy order fulfilment above all else
Research conducted by KPS – one of the UK’s leading e-commerce consulting partners using rapid methodology and best-of-breed, agile technology for digital transformation across all customer touch points- has identified the top challenges UK brands face in 2022. The company tracked the change in consumer behaviour brought about by the…
Read More » -
Jan- 2022 -27 January
Have Employment Grievance Procedures passed their use-by date?
They are intended to provide a framework for resolving issues at work but do they generally succeed in the longer term? I don’t think so in many instances. It starts with a prospective complainant thinking through the risks. Might the matter be seen as a whinge by a disloyal member…
Read More » -
25 January
The key e-commerce trends of the year
The pandemic has undoubtedly continued to accelerate UK e-commerce purchases in 2021. A 20.5% year-over-year growth in eCommerce sales is projected for this year alone. With the worldwide marketplace available at their fingertips, customers have grown accustomed to the convenience of online international shopping. Therefore to increase authorisation rates and…
Read More » -
25 January
Three ways retailers can make better use of their first party data
‘Retail is detail’ is the famous quote by James Gulliver, the late British retail entrepreneur behind the Fine Fare and Safeway brands. For retailers, being on top of the detail requires them to exploit the complex first party data they have on all parts of their customers’ purchase paths. From…
Read More » -
17 January
The impact of supply chain shortages on retailers and fraudsters
Recent supply chain disruptions in the run–up to the Christmas retail season were widely documented. These disruptions are threatening to cause low stock levels and could see some retailers without products at peak trading times. Recently, Amazon issued an urgent warning to consumers that if they wanted to see gifts…
Read More » -
13 January
On the move – retail supply chain trends for 2022
Following a year of supply chain disruption and uncertainty, Lee Thompson, managing director of international fulfilment services provider fulfilmentcrowd looks at the trends set to impact retail supply chains this year. Re-energised exports Exports have been something of a headache for UK-based retailers during the last 12 to 18 months. Disruption and…
Read More »
