Features
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Sep- 2023 -1 September
Video game retailing has come a long way
During the pandemic, Game closed approximately 40 of its UK regional branches, while this year, it made the decision to close all of its 35 stores in Ireland to relocate concessions in Sports Direct outlets. However, the new CEO of Game, Nick Arran, vowed that the specialist games retailer will…
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Aug- 2023 -24 August
Step into the future: How John Lewis can incorporate AI
“If they do it really well I don’t think the customers will even know it’s happening. Everything will just feel natural and smooth and I don’t think they’ll remove partners from the process. You’ll still feel like you’re interacting with people wearing green,” says Dan Hughes, principal product and strategy…
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16 August
Is sustainability the new black?
Recently, a German supermarket raised the prices of a selection of its products to reflect their real cost on people’s health and the environment. The awareness-raising campaign week was organised in collaboration with academics from the University of Greifswald and the Nuremberg Institute of Technology. It was inspired by consumer…
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1 August
In conversation with the founder of Half Magic
Can you tell us about your career running up to starting Half Magic? I have a background in visual art and went to art school at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. I graduated with a BFA in Photography, thinking that would be the way to monetise my creativity, but I…
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Jul- 2023 -26 July
From Tesco to tiles: The eight largest mergers and acquisitions of 2023
This year has seen a large number of M&A deals in the retail industry. In fact, the number of UK retail merger and acquisition deals increased by 23% in the last year, a five year high, according to data from law firm RPC. With more and more retailers looking for…
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21 July
Blocking customers for too many returns is not the solution but neither is ignoring the problem
When it comes to returns management, retailers have a fine balancing act to achieve. They need to make decisions that keep their business profitable; they need to keep customers coming back but also make environmentally responsible choices. In May, Swedish online fashion retailer, Bootz AB, hit the headlines for blocking…
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5 July
Is AI retail’s friend or foe?
Generative AI is the latest buzzword to trend its way across the globe. Supercharged by the popularity of the ChatGPT tool released in November 2022, the world’s largest companies have all accelerated their development and adoption of AI into their products and services. It is clear, amidst the hype, that…
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5 July
What are the sound levels in the office acoustic booths?
In practice, it is common for offices, especially open-plan spaces, to be noisy, which causes difficulties in concentration and is one of the main factors in job burnout. For this reason an increasing number of companies are choosing to incorporate acoustic pods into open spaces to provide space for one-to-one…
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3 July
“The old storefront model is dead”: the future of retail are pop-up shops
Pop-ups as temporary stores have been around since before the pandemic, yet it seems to be an increasing trend. Is that so? Have you noticed an increase in demand? We’ve definitely seen an increase in demand across the board of space rentals. I think particularly being able to book something…
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Jun- 2023 -30 June
How is AI shaping the retail sector?
Can you tell me about yourself and your experience in the retail industry? I am a partner with BearingPoint, a leading Management and Technology Consultancy, and I have responsibility for the Consumer Goods and Retail sector in the UK. Prior to joining BearingPoint, I had a long career working in…
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