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.
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Jun- 2021 -29 June
How retailers can reduce cart abandonment rates
Covid-19 restrictions have radically altered consumer shopping behaviours over the past year. While brick and mortar stores used to be at the forefront of consumers’ minds, e-commerce is now the first point of contact for anyone looking to shop. According to research, digital sales in 2020 accounted for a third…
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24 June
In Zenners we trust: Why D2C makes sense for over-55s
Once dubbed Silver Surfers, and more commonly known as Baby Boomers, the UK’s army of over-55 consumers has been transformed from an e-commerce afterthought into an online shopping force. Driven by the pandemic to browse and buy digitally while stores were shuttered, this generation is now as au fait with…
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22 June
EU VAT changes – Is your eCommerce business ready?
Doing business with Europe has become so expensive and onerous since Brexit that a vast number of UK eCommerce businesses have simply turned off all EU activities. Managing the different VAT thresholds and rates across each EU country has certainly added to the admin burden and cost of doing business…
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17 June
In the age of online shopping, shoplifting has gone digital
April this year signalled a fresh start for shop owners as lockdown restrictions on non-essential retailers in the UK were lifted. Retailers now have the chance to forge a new relationship with customers and engage with them as they return to the high street. However, our world is becoming increasingly…
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16 June
Why data is the key to business survival and growth for e-commerce
Data has been heralded as the new gold for a few years now, but the last year really demonstrated just how valuable it is for businesses. With the world changing overnight no retailer was immune to having to change, and quickly at that. Yet, even though most of us realise…
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15 June
Brightpearl: Bringing automation to the masses
The pandemic has undoubtedly changed almost all facets to modern life, and retail is no exception. After a year of lockdowns and restrictions, more people than ever before are turning to e-commerce and eschewing the traditional shopping experience, and retailers need to keep up. This shift was already in the…
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11 June
Bringing brick-and-mortar retail into the digital age
In April, we saw UK retail sales surge as non-essential stores across England opened for the first time after months of ongoing lockdown restrictions. In a week, high street footfall doubled. In fact, shoppers were spotted queuing from 7 am outside brands such as Primark, Zara and TKMaxx in preparation for the highly anticipated high…
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11 June
The embedded finance revolution in retail
The retail sector is in the midst of a huge digital transformation. From digital wallets and savings accounts, to frictionless payments and lending, an ever-increasing number of non-bank businesses are beginning to welcome embedded finance as part of their service. Having already disrupted banking, embedded finance serves to bridge the…
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7 June
How retailers can reduce returns through the use of Google Shopping and AR
The pandemic has significantly accelerated the adoption of e-commerce, with the total proportion of UK online sales remaining considerably higher than pre-lockdown levels. In fact, research has found that digital sales in 2020 accounted for a third of total retail sales in the UK for the first time ever. By…
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3 June
Why increasing the plastic bag charge won’t be enough to reduce consumption
In a bid to stop the environmental damage caused by plastic bags, the government has recently increased the charge for “single-use” bags from 5p to 10p. The increase, albeit minor, has been touted as a major step in changing consumer behaviours by the media. However, our behaviours are shaped by…
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