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Oasis and Warehouse fall: Will the coronavirus pandemic force my business into insolvency?

With the involuntary closure of many businesses forced by the UK-wide lockdown, previously successful companies are beginning to feel the strain and becoming more concerned about their future viability. Many retailers simply do not have the income or cash reserves to pay their creditors at this time. This is not…

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The role of the physical store post-lockdown

The role of the physical store post-lockdown Retailers have been hit by an escalating “perfect storm” of issues recently – digital disruption, business rates increases, a weak Christmas peak, and now the Covid-19 virus. Businesses with greater debts, low cash reserves, and reduced margins were sadly always going to struggle,…

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The importance of strategic and empathetic furloughing

We’re hoping that we’re not going to have to furlough. We’re very fortunate in that we are still doing a lot of orders. However, the current uncertainty means that could all change overnight. To that end we’ve got a plan in place. We hope we don’t have to use it…

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How brands can use feedback to excel CX in the post-coronavirus world

The coronavirus lockdown is likely to change consumers’ relationships with brands in all kinds of ways.  With a third of the world’s population under some form of restriction because of the pandemic, millions of consumers have hours to spend online, reassessing the familiar and exploring the new. At a time…

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Customer contracts in a crisis

We lawyers have been asked a lot of questions about contracts in the past couple of weeks. At this point, I probably don’t need to tell you why. Most of the questions have been along similar lines – “can I get out of this contract?” and “how much will I…

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What’s behind the demise of Cath Kidston?

Sadly, the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutting of high street stores has compounded the effects on the already struggling retail sector. Along with other 90s/early 2000s favourites Oasis and Warehouse, homeware and clothing retailer Cath Kidston announced it was going into administration this month. According to Savanta BrandVue Retail data,…

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Will Boohoo’s bubble soon burst?

It’s fair to say that Boohoo was the success story of 2019. It achieved staggering growth and is now worth more than Marks and Spencer – an incredible achievement for a relatively nascent brand. But, as it continues its market domination, you do have to wonder when the good news…

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How cashierless technology can impact loyalty for retailers

“We’re just getting started here”, said Cameron James, VP of Amazon’s physical retail division.  “I think what we’re trying to do here — and with all of our physical stores — is really work backwards from the customer and deliver some differentiation.” James was speaking at the opening of Amazon’s…

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Coronavirus: furloughed workers and what it means for business

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is designed to help businesses that would otherwise be forced to lay off staff in the face of the unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19.  All businesses with a PAYE scheme in place on 28 February 2020, regardless of size or sector, will be able to…

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The North Face donates TV ad space to healthcare services

Outdoor clothing retailer The North Face has revealed it has given its European TV ad space to healthcare and frontline services for the month of April to help them deliver “critical messages” during the coronavirus outbreak. The retailer said the move comes at a time where the world faces an…

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