Innovative Retailer – Starbucks

The Name: Starbucks The Place: Well, obviously the whole universe is bloomin’ full of them, around 24,000 stores spread all over the world. The Story: Let’s pretend I am a hipster. This might take some time: What do I think when I see yet another Starbucks in front of me? Hang on, I’m still envisioning:…

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Digital Retail Innovations Q&A – Photospire

Following the launch of the Digital Retail Innovations 2016 Report (sponsored by Webloyalty) a series of Q&As with the leading figures behind some of the key entries in the report are being published. Here is a Q&A with Ger O’Meara, founder, Photospire, that is placed at number 35 in the report.   1. How did the original…

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Retail Insider ‘Movers & Shakers in Retail Top 100’ report launch with Simon Belsham, CEO of Notonthehighstreet.com

Retail Insider celebrated the launch of the Movers & Shakers in Retail Top 100 report with an evening event involving the CEO of a leading online retailer and a tutored craft beer tasting. The event at Sourced Market Marylebone attracted senior executives from a variety of retailers including John Lewis, House of Fraser and Reiss…

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‘Movers & Shakers in Retail’ 2016 report launches

Senior Apple executive Angela Ahrendts sits atop the ‘Retail Insider Movers & Shakers in Retail Top 100’ report for the second year running as the 2016 version celebrates the achievements of retailers leading the digital transformation of the industry. [Link to the 2016 Movers & Shakers Report] The annual report, sponsored by K3 Retail, this…

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Innovative Retailer – Pro Direct

The Name: Pro Direct The Place: Basically an online family business based in Devon with 350 staff and a big warehouse. But also boasting one stupendous shop in Carnaby Street, W1. The Story: Ah, websites and shops. How to integrate them. One of the great retail questions of the day. Is it? Yes. Often there…

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Bargain stores – low prices, big ambitions

As B&M casts its eye over the former BHS stores, with a view to further growing its presence in the UK, it highlights how the bargain stores are taking an ever greater slice of shoppers’ cash at the expense of others in the retail sector. According to Nielsen, British shoppers spent nearly £5 billion at…

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Finding the price / customer service sweet spot

Before meal solutions box scheme HelloFresh unexpectedly knocked on my door earlier this year I had no intention of subscribing to any such product. But the impressive pitch delivered by the young, on-brand, funky couple of people selling the product door-to-door led to me signing up with little resistance. Their slick, knowledgeable delivery hooked me…

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Luxury brands line up collaborations

Luxury brands need to initiate more collaborations with relevant partners if they are to successfully navigate the increasingly digitally-led marketplace over the next few years. This is a trend identified  in research undertaken by WGSN for luxury brand alliance Walpole According to the survey – ‘How to Attract the Luxury Consumer in 2020’ – of…

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