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- 2018 -26 June
Are physical stores still relevant?
Every week seems to bring yet another breaking news story about failing retailers and mass store closures. So much so that it would be easy to assume that bricks-and-mortar retail is on its way out. Contrary to speculation by the media and disenchanted consumers, I believe the high street shop…
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25 June
Three barriers to implementing a successful omnichannel solution
Customers value a consistent service across all platforms and channels. They want customer service agents to know who they are and what their history is with the retailer. Since retail is such a competitive sector that, to stand out, retailers must put customer care at the heart of everything they…
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21 June
What’s next for the Luxury Sector?
The luxury goods market is being shaken up like never before with the rise of new consumers and changing buying habits. This, combined with the late adoption of digital and technology means that luxury brands face more uncertainty than at any point in their history. To win in the new…
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20 June
Amazon overreacting; returns are a crucial retail indicator
Amazon has kicked up a furore by banning consumers who return too many items on its site. Sure, rising return rates are a challenge for brands and retailers – over 9% of products bought in store are returned and the rate is even higher online, sometimes three times the amount.…
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19 June
‘What’s In Store For You’ – Can PPC drive store sales?
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has traditionally been seen as a tool to drive online sales. However, with developments in technology – and the way in which we can track the customer journey – PPC is also becoming an important tool for driving in-store sales. With growing numbers of high street stores…
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18 June
Solving the age-old problem of returns
Returns, the ‘dirty’ word in retail, are a recurring nightmare for staff and customers alike. It’s something we can all relate to; as a consumer we dread the long lines, endless waiting, and seemingly annoyed sales staff. Whilst as a retailer, processing a mountain of returns can seem like a…
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15 June
Why CSR is good for business as well as the environment
No longer are the social and environmental activities of businesses treated as additional or voluntary projects. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and triple bottom line (TBL) accounting now form a key part of core business models. Triple bottom line accounting incorporates profit, people and the planet, also referred to as the…
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14 June
How to use the peak-end rule as a framework for a strong customer journey
Last week my partner and I went to a new casual-dining place near our flat. It’s the kind of place that’s been cropping up all over London lately: small, obsessively designed, serves mostly vegan burgers. He went in to order while I waited on a bench outside. Minutes passed, then…
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13 June
Narrowing the split: The gender pay gap in e-commerce
The gender pay gap has been a topic of conversation throughout 2018 with the heightened publicity surrounding the BBC’s salaries, and over 10,000 UK firms including JP Morgan and Ryanair, exposing the extent of its salary differences just last month. The pay gap is clearly an issue across a number…
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12 June
Fast Fashion: The global battle
The fast fashion landscape is a crowded space. Spend a couple of minutes on a train platform, browsing Instagram, scrolling through Twitter or watching YouTube and the vast array of adverts, celebrity endorsers, vloggers and other assorted brand affiliates makes it clear that a fierce battle for the wallets of…
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