Customer Experience
This coverage explores how retailers enhance customer experience to drive loyalty and sales, with a focus on strategies relevant to UK retail operations. Topics include in-store and online service innovations, staff training initiatives, omnichannel integration, technology adoption, and evolving consumer expectations — offering insights for executives shaping customer journeys, improving satisfaction, and aligning service with brand values.
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Oct- 2025 -23 OctoberFeatures
Insights to impact: How shopper behaviour testing drives stronger retail performance
In UK retail, the margin for error is narrowing. Costs are rising, shopper behaviour is unpredictable, and the pace of change is accelerating. Leaders must now make faster, smarter decisions, where every choice impacts profit, performance and reputation. Yet one area of retail strategy lags behind: how teams test, validate,…
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23 OctoberDIY
Wickes welcomes strong Q3 as retail sales rise 6.7%
Wickes has welcomed a “strong” Q3 as its retail sales outperformed the market, with group revenues up by 6.9% year-on-year to £420.1m, bolstered by volume-led growth. Retail revenues rose by 6.7% to £312.5m, driven by a sustained increase in volumes, combined with stable pricing, while Design and Installation revenue growth…
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22 OctoberFeatures
The Cotswold Company: when success spurs a sale
When a private equity firm begins preparing to sell a company performing at its peak, it can seem counterintuitive. Yet reports that True, the private equity owner of The Cotswold Company, has appointed Arrowpoint Advisory to explore a potential sale suggest a strategic play. It’s one that reveals as much…
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21 OctoberPeople Moves
Laura James appoints new CEO
Homeware and interiors brand Laura James has announced the appointment of Matthew Talbot as its new chief executive officer. Talbot, who previously served as chief operating officer for four and a half years, has overseen a period in which the business more than doubled in size, with increased profitability and…
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17 OctoberPeople Moves
Halfords appoints Sarah Haywood as chief information officer
Halfords has appointed Sarah Haywood as chief information officer, bringing more than two decades of experience in global technology leadership across major consumer brands. Haywood has held senior IT and digital transformation roles at Mondelēz International, Kraft Foods, Cadbury Schweppes and Carlsberg Group, where she led large-scale technology integration and…
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17 OctoberEntertainment
The Entertainer partners with Modella for toy supply pilot
The Entertainer has agreed a partnership with retail investment firm Modella Capital to launch curated toy ranges in selected TGJones and Hobbycraft stores across the UK. The pilot scheme will see the Amersham-based toy retailer manage product selection and merchandising in six TGJones and six Hobbycraft locations from the end…
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7 OctoberPeople Moves
Vestiaire Collective appoints new CEO
Paris-based fashion resale platform Vestiaire Collective has announced the appointment of Bernard Osta as chief executive, succeeding Maximilian Bittner, who has led the company for the past seven years. Osta joined Vestiaire Collective in May 2021 and has held senior leadership roles including chief strategy officer and, most recently, chief…
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6 OctoberFeatures
Fresh no more: Amazon’s online grocery strategy explained
Amazon has announced it will close all 14 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, while converting a further five into Whole Foods Market locations. By the end of 2026, the company will operate 12 Whole Foods stores across the country, including a recently opened branch in Chelsea and…
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Sep- 2025 -30 SeptemberDIY
Tapi Carpets FY profits almost double to £15.9m
Tapi Carpets has reported that its operating profits rose to £15.9m in the year to 28 December 2024, almost double the £8.1m posted a year earlier, owing to new store openings and the acquisition of former Carpetright outlets. During the period sales increased by 33% to £227m, which was supported…
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29 SeptemberComment
The dos and don’ts of installing EV chargers at retail parks
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating across the UK, and retail parks are uniquely suited to support this shift. With more EVs on the road, the demand for good locations to charge is paramount. With their large car parks and numerous amenities, retail parks are well suited for hosting an…
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