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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Jul- 2019 -19 July
Helping retail businesses to grow
With almost three million workers, the retail sector is the largest private-sector employer in the UK. And while the retail landscape is dominated by the big supermarkets and department stores, there are still more than 300,000 individual businesses in the industry across the country. Some 168,000 of these are small…
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18 July
How retailers can safeguard against serial returners
Serial returners are having a drastic impact on ecommerce retailers. In 2018, online returns from clothing cost UK retailers £70bn. With the roll-out of ‘buy now, pay later’ services, such as Klarna, are retailers encouraging shoppers’ non-committal attitude? In recent months, retailers have taken firm action against those abusing returns…
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17 July
Four key trends for the rest of the retail year
As retailers strive to find ways to innovate and attract customers back to the high street, we are seeing new trends emerge on the high street. Currently, a growing number of bricks-and-mortar stores investing in their behind the scenes framework and technology platforms in order to improve productivity, efficiency and…
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15 July
Why the in-store shopping experience is irreplaceable
There’s no denying that the shopping experience has truly transformed over time. However, it’s also important to appreciate that the in-store shopping experience is irreplaceable to any online alternatives. A change in shopping habits More of us know what we want when we walk into a shop. In fact,…
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12 July
Why retailers must be ahead of the curve with digital transformation
When it comes to a strong relationship between retailer and customer, the golden rule is knowing the customer inside out. It’s an age old notion: meeting the desires of the customer keeps them coming back for more, again and again. Whilst the year ahead presents much for retailers to profit…
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11 July
Why seamless retail experiences are key to longevity in the retail sector
It’s hard to escape the fact that the retail industry is undergoing a period of extraordinary change. Every day, media commentary and market analysis points to the sheer scale of transformation retailing is facing. For some, the outlook for the industry is challenging, particularly in the light of rising costs…
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10 July
The impact of Brexit on the UK retail market
It’s no secret that the UK retail sector is facing a serious crisis, with the demise of several vendors including HMV, Toys R Us and LK Bennett a stark example of companies which have failed to stay afloat. But where did it all begin and what actions can retailers take…
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9 July
Disorderly Brexit could see the UK economy lose out on £22bn a year by 2024
Employers operating in retail most at risk of losing staff A ‘disorderly Brexit’ could see the UK suffer a £22bn reduction in economic output, compared to an ‘orderly Brexit’ – a new study has revealed. The report, developed by workforce management expert Quinyx in collaboration with Development Economics and Censuswide,…
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8 July
Why customers want to feel what they’re buying
While it may be convenient, browsing for items on a phone screen isn’t everything. In an increasingly connected world, where 66% of people suffer from nomophobia – the fear of being without your phone – brick-and-mortar spaces are making a comeback as locations where shoppers can physically experience a product.…
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8 July
What’s required for a business in the retail sector to thrive?
Latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that retail sales in the UK fell by 2.7% in May 2019, compared to a year earlier. The total three-month average was also down year-on-year, reflecting the challenging environment for the sector. And yet, despite the shaky exterior, many retail businesses…
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