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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Dec- 2018 -13 December
The problem with excess stock (and how to avoid it)
There are close to 300,000 retail outlets currently operating in the UK. The pressure is on to not only deliver exceptional customer service, but to stock products that stand out against the competition. The process of sourcing and buying products requires adequate research. Too often, retailers fall into the trap…
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12 December
Turn Golden Quarter ‘flings’ with customers into long term relationships
The Golden Quarter presents brands and retailers with multiple opportunities to engage with shoppers and ultimately boost sales. However, the true winners of this peak shopping season aren’t those that only see sales spike on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Instead, it’s those that use the quarter to turn their…
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11 December
How to deal with ‘buyer’s remorse’ amidst the Christmas shopping frenzy
With Christmas quickly approaching, footfall in shops rising and clicks online increasing, customers are rushing to grab the best Christmas presents and deals in the seasonal sales. Customers in store and online are acting on highs of adrenaline as they find a not-to-miss item leading to quick, impulsive purchase decisions…
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10 December
How supermarkets are tackling the waste problem
Waste is evidentially a huge problem in the UK, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Theresa May who pledged to eliminate plastic by 2042. Iceland is one supermarket that is already preparing to make the appropriate changes to get rid of plastic from their branded products — with an aim of…
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7 December
A five-step guide to becoming data-driven
In today’s hyper-competitive retail market, successful decision making needs to be founded on data. Now that readily available tools can assist in making data-driven decisions, retailers can no longer afford to rely solely on instinct and experience. And yet, many organisations feel that they are lagging, and consider the shift…
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6 December
It’s not too late for the high street to make a success of Christmas
Black Friday is over and retailer’s sights are now being set on the Christmas rush, as retailers look to capitalise on demand for presents, food and drink, decorations and all manner of other festive paraphernalia. Good cheer abounds, year-end bonuses are still prevalent in many sectors, and consumers are often…
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5 December
Why are retail spaces shrinking across England and Wales?
Across the UK, retailers are struggling to survive. This is down to several factors: years of austerity and low wage growth has meant that households have less spending power, the cost of imported goods has risen – as has the national minimum wage – and the trend of “bricks to…
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4 December
Are CVAs still fit for purpose?
In 2018, we have seen a number of high-profile retail restructurings and common to many is the use of a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). After much press comment, which tended to focus on the plight of landlords, R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, produced a report in May 2018…
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3 December
International shoppers could be the answer to UK retailers’ woes
New data from Planet, an international payments provider, suggests that international shoppers could bring glad tidings for UK retailers in the lead up to the crucial winter trading period. The influx of tourists coming to the UK last month meant that tax free sales declines eased to 6%, marking a…
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Nov- 2018 -30 November
How AI can unlock customer loyalty
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been disrupting the world’s of finance, healthcare and IT to name a few. Those able to harness the power of AI are reaping the benefits of their data and helping businesses drive efficiencies; however, uptake amongst retailers has so far been limited in comparison. Microsoft’s recent…
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