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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Oct- 2019 -18 October
Staying one step ahead in retail’s shifting cybersecurity landscape
New advancements in technology are changing the retail industry in unprecedented ways, further blending the physical and digital worlds and forever evolving customer experience. As the industry changes, so do the methods cybercriminals use to steal sensitive data from companies and consumers. Prior to 2018, cybersecurity data suggested that the…
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17 October
Using data to take in-store shopper psychology to the next level
As shoppers, we all know the tactics retailers use to entice us to spend more. There’s the visually appealing, uncluttered entrance of a fashion retailer that captures the imagination and gets us into store. Or the deliberate positioning of bread and milk at the back of a supermarket to ensure…
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16 October
DTC: The future of retail?
Retail sales in August this year fell to the lowest rate since the 2008 financial crash, and many retailers are struggling as a result. Manufacturers will also be worried as they are irreversibly linked to retailers, and as news of store closures becomes ever-more frequent, it may be time for…
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15 October
How can the high street survive?
Recent news that fast-fashion retailer, Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada and the United States should have come as a shock. However, the latest high street casualty is just another name pending on a growing list. The troubles facing the UK’s retail sector are entrenched and well-publicised.…
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14 October
Returns: Can you charge the customer?
“Can I charge for returns?” Well… Yes. But of course, it isn’t quite as simple as that. What to do about returns is one of the biggest challenges facing internet retailing. Fast fashion – and ASOS in particular – have struggled to deal with the increasing tendency for consumers (particularly…
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11 October
How intelligent analytics is transforming retail
Once upon a time, data was a mere afterthought in retail. A ‘nice to have’ that was ineffectually displayed via bar charts and graphs in order to temporarily placate senior execs and stakeholders. But, as technology evolved, so came the supreme rise of analytics. Retail marketing teams were one of…
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10 October
Retail by numbers: Top priorities as the festive season approaches
The retail industry is experiencing unique setbacks and opportunities in an evolving digital ad landscape. According to eMarketer, the UK retail industry will account for 14.7% (£2.16bn) of digital ad spend in 2019. As the holiday shopping season approaches, what are some of the top priorities for retail marketers this…
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9 October
Enhancing the retail customer experience through data
The dawn of modern consumerism means today’s customers increasingly expect products and communications tailored to their individual preferences. Driven by technological advances, and led by digitally-savvy retailers like Amazon and eBay, brands are looking to data analysis to deliver tailored recommendations every time customers open their emails, smart apps, social…
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8 October
Why Chinese brands are catching up to European brands
Over the past few years, China has become the most coveted retail market in the world. Brands from across the globe are trying to connect with Chinese consumers, who have emerged as strong consumers and are looking to spend their money on quality products from abroad. Cross-border eCommerce opened the…
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2 October
5G will transform the retail experience
We’ve all heard about the rollout of the 5G mobile network and what it will mean for us as consumers, like almost instantaneous download speeds and ultra-reliable network connectivity. For businesses, the potential of 5G opens doors to revolutionary changes that will transform British industries. According to research, 5G could…
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