Thu.Feb 06, 2025

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How AI-Driven Search and Personalization Boosted AOV 5.5% for Freedom Furniture

Retail TouchPoints

Freedom Furniture is a well-known Australian homewares retailer thats been operating since 1981 and now has 47 stores across the country. But the merchant was suffering from a bit of an image problem that made it seem fusty and old-fashioned, a situation that led to a companywide turnaround plan initiated in 2020. In the words of Paula Mitchell, Digital General Manager, We wanted consumers to think of Freedom not as your mums brand but as your best friends brand.

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The Importance of Omnichannel Customer Service in Modern Retail

Retail Focus

As consumers move seamlessly between online, mobile, and physical store channels, retailers must keep pace through an omnichannel strategyone that unifies every customer touchpoint into a cohesive, frictionless journey. Achieving this level of integration demands meticulous planning, strong infrastructure, and expert technical support to ensure each component operates harmoniously.

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Australia’s Adore Beauty Brings Digital ‘Endless Aisle’ into its New Physical Stores

Retail TouchPoints

As it enters physical retail, Australian online beauty retailer Adore Beauty has teamed up with Tutch to ensure that customers visiting its newly minted brick-and-mortar stores will still have access to the more than 14,000 products in its online catalog. Through the Tutch in-store digital platform, Adore Beauty customers will be able to purchase products available in stores while also curating a cart of products that are only available online, which will be sent to them after theyve finished sh

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Maison & Objet 2025: When Retail Meets Experience!

Retail Focus

Ghalia BOUSTANI. Retail Consultant | Published author | Visiting lecturer An Exploration of Neo-Surrealism This year, the Maison & Objet fair took a bold turn with its theme, Sur/Reality. This neo-surrealist concept, as surprising as it is inspiring, perfectly embodies the fair’s mission: to push the boundaries of commerce, encourage the discovery of unexpected products, and delight visitors at every moment.

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Smart Tools & Strong Teams: A People-First Approach to AI in Sales

Speaker: Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy

AI isn’t replacing salespeople—it’s empowering them. The most forward-thinking sales organizations are using AI to enhance human performance rather than eliminate it. From coaching and messaging to prospecting and pipeline accountability, artificial intelligence is giving managers and SDRs the new tools they need to work smarter, sell better, and close more.

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1-800-Flowers.com Partners with Uber to Manage V-Day Delivery Spikes

Retail TouchPoints

1-800-Flowers.com is collaborating with Uber Direct Ubers white label delivery service for merchants to help florists meet demand during one of their busiest periods of the year (and a day when many panicked Romeos and Juliets buy flowers at the last minute) Valentines Day. The more than 1,000 local florists in the 1-800-Flowers.com network, BloomNet , can dynamically dispatch, track and fulfill same-day floral deliveries using Uber Direct even as demand spikes.

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Lvly’s Soniya Cooper on customer-conscious marketing, love and retail

Inside Retail

Bonds and Lvly have partnered to celebrate love in all forms this Valentines Day and are encouraging consumers to think small; with everyday gestures not extravagant proclamations of love. “Traditionally, Valentines Day can make you think of over-the-top displays of love or clichd teddy bears. But in 2025, we want to celebrate the gestures big and small that symbolise everyday love”, said Soniya Cooper, head of marketing and partnerships, at Lvly, told Inside Retail.

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Starbucks bets on simplicity to reverse decline

Inside Retail

Starbucks challenges continue under new leadership. The Seattle-based chain faces declining sales across major markets and shrinking profits, prompting a renewed focus on simplification and core brand values. The US coffee chain has seen a 4 per cent drop in global comparable store sales for the first quarter ending January 29. Revenue remained flat year-over-year at US$9.4 billion, while operating margin declined 390 basis points to 11.9 per cent, driven by increased labor costs, benefits, and

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NewRiver reveals a new look for Highcross Shopping Centre

Retail Focus

Planning approval has been granted for the reconfiguration of four entrances at Highcross Shopping Centre, one of NewRivers capital partnership assets in Leicester. Highcross , a 1,100,000 sq ft regional shopping centre sits in the heart of Leicester and is the principal retail and leisure offer within the city and beyond. The four entrances – East Gates, High Street, Church Gate and Bond Street – will be reconfigured to improve customer accessibility and wayfinding, whilst the conte

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Meet Nagnata, the fashion brand famous for making activewear out of wool

Inside Retail

Nagnata is a premium Australian fashion and lifestyle brand designed for modern movement, including pilates, yoga and dance and studio-to-street style. Launched by sisters Laura May Gibbs, a fashion designer and creative director, and Hannah Gibbs, a textile artist and photographer, the brand sells innovative activewear and ready-to-wear dresses, tees and knitwear made from organic and renewable fibers, such as cotton and wool.

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Albertsons Snips FreshPass Subscription Fee in Half for SNAP Recipients

Retail TouchPoints

Albertsons is offering a 50% discount on its FreshPass program for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), cutting the annual cost to $49. FreshPass offers free delivery on orders over $30 as well as access to exclusive deals, a $5 monthly credit and 5% off on Albertsons private label organic and natural product brands. SNAP recipients can try out FreshPass with a free 14 -day trial, and they will receive 2X points that never expire on select exclusive brands.

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AI In The Aisles: The Executives Guide To Better In-Store Experiences

Speaker: Steve Worthy, MBA

The rapid rise of AI-powered displays, touchless technology, and sensory marketing is reshaping the future of in-store engagement. Yet for many retail executives, the real challenge is not identifying new tools - it is knowing which signals to trust, which inputs to prioritize, and how to architect decisions that elevate in-store leadership rather than dilute it.

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‘Prove people wrong’: Marieke Van Bruggen on working in data and digital retail

Inside Retail

Like many women in retail tech, Marieke Van Bruggens career path has been non-linear. I studied design at uni because, honestly, the role that I’m in now, you couldn’t even study for it at that point, she told Inside Retail. Because of that, her data skills are almost entirely self-taught: I’ve been coding for about 30 years and I still feel like I’m learning a lot in the space.

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Marylebone Square Announces First Wave of Independent Retailers

365 Retail

Marylebone Square, the landmark new development by Concord London , has announced its first independent retailers, marking a significant expansion of the areas vibrant shopping and lifestyle scene. The new arrivals include Special Guests, Neko Health, USM Modular Furniture, The Cirkel, and a soon-to-be-revealed restaurant concept. A new retail destination in Marylebone Transforming the site of a former 1960s car park, Marylebone Square introduces a mixed-use development featuring 79 new homes, a

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Small business finance: Five tips for managing cash flow effectively

Inside Retail

We get that running a business is a constant juggle, and managing cash flow can be tricky. For many Aussie small and medium business owners, the ideal scenario paying suppliers as late as possible while receiving immediate payment from customers simply isnt realistic. Unlike larger companies with a steady stream of income, smaller businesses may find themselves in a constant balancing act.

Finance 130
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Tesco mulls potential takeover of over 100 Crown Post Offices

Retail Gazette

Tesco has shown an interest in potentially taking over 108 Crown Post Offices, as the organisation looks into moving them to a franchise model. Speaking to MPs this week, Post Office chairman, Nigel Railton, said the grocery giant had informed it of a potential interest in acquiring the directly managed offices, Sky News reported. One MP who attended the discussions over the sites’ future claimed Railton had indicated the supermarket was among a small number of suitors that could snap up t

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New Research-Backed Strategies to Empower Managers as Culture & Engagement Leaders

Speaker: Beth Sunshine, SVP, Up Your Culture

When culture isn’t consistently lived out across the organization, engagement suffers—and it often starts with a disconnect at the top. In this session, Beth Sunshine, SVP of Up Your Culture at The Center for Sales Strategy, will reveal how HR and executive leaders can close the gap between vision and execution by equipping frontline and mid-level managers to become culture carriers.

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Australian retailers eye record spend this Valentine’s Day

Inside Retail

Australians are expected to spend a record $535 million on Valentine’s Day presents for their loved ones this year. According to the Australian Retailers Association, 3.8 million Australians intend to buy gifts for their special people this year, spending $70 million (up to 15 per cent) on last year. This marks the first time that Valentine’s Day spending has exceeded $500 million.

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Manchester start-up wins Ocado and Selfridges listings for ‘modern British sauces’

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Raju Sauces, a Manchester-based start-up, has secured listings in Ocado and Selfridges London for itsrange of sauces, which fuse favours from different cultures. The three-strong line-up: Hot Lime Pickle, Sweet Chilli Mango and Tangy Tamarind BBQ sauce are already available in delis and c-stores, as well as online.

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Grosvenor Services Retain and Expands Business Across Four Key Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Destinations

365 Retail

Grosvenor Services has retained its facilities management contract at Europes largest shopping centre, Westfield London, marking a significant achievement in its long-standing partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW). Alongside this retention, Grosvenor has successfully expanded this relationship with three additional shopping centres to provide comprehensive cleaning, facilities management, and environmental services.

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Beechdean takes SIDES ice cream into retail following significant consumer demand

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Beechdean has partnered with YouTube collective the Sidemen, to spin its much-loved SIDES ice cream range into retail, following huge demand from restaurant customers. SIDES restaurants are best known for their quality fried chicken, but their ice creams have proven hugely popular since launching in December 2024.

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Breaking The Commerce Bottleneck: Your SAP Exit Plan Starts Now

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

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FatFace opens first store in Westport

Retail Focus

FatFace has announced that it has opened a new store in Westport, the first time that the lifestyle brand has opened a store on the West Coast of Ireland. Measuring 1,571 sq feet in size, the new store will allow customers to explore and purchase FatFaces latest collection, as well as iconic items from its core range. The Westport location will create 8 new jobs, with the new crew embodying FatFaces core values.

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Aldi to create 500 apprenticeship roles in 2025

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Aldi is looking to recruit over 500 new apprentices across the UK in 2025. The UKs fourth-largest supermarket is welcoming applications for its apprenticeship scheme, with opportunities now live across stores and warehouse roles.

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Alex Yancher from Passport Shipping on DTC Tariffs

LS Retail

iStock/IvelinRadkov Ref: Temu, Shein, and the First Sale Rule: The Next Big Test for DTC Tariffs From Alex Yancher, CEO/Co-founder, Passport Shipping : "Did you know that Temu/Shein and other China-based shippers are planning on paying US tariffs on the cost of goods, not the retail value? So for a Temu product that a buyer pays $20 for, Temu will pay tariffs on COGS, something closer to $2 vs. $20 (sales price).

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LS Eleven Media Services launches Asda Access, customer insights platform, and digital in-store vending machines

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Launch of Asda Access Asda Access gives brands the opportunity to leverage Asdas unique depth of customer data to fuel superior customer insights, campaign planning, activation and measurement. Harnessing technology to connect customers and brands via digital touchpoints, Asda Access ensures campaigns drive effective ROI and customer satisfaction.

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Humans + Agents = Rethinking Enterprise Commerce with AI

AI agents already analyze trends, draft content, and trigger actions across leading commerce platforms. Yet most organizations still rely on workflows built for human‑only teams, losing speed, margin, and customer loyalty. Humans + Agents: Rethinking Enterprise Commerce in the Age of AI Collaboration shows how to close that gap. In one concise read you’ll see where agent gains surface first, how early adopters prove ROI, and which lean controls keep innovation moving without risking data or bran

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Walmart To Cut Hundreds of Jobs, Force Workers to Arkansas or California

Retail Wire

Walmart is consolidating its workforce.

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Gander leads food waste reduction with third Earthshot Prize nomination

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Gander is proud to announce its nomination for The Earthshot Prize 2025, an accolade that celebrates groundbreaking solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Nominated byBVRio, this marks Gander’s third opportunity to contend for the prestigious prize, reaffirming its role as a global leader in waste reduction and susta

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Amazon’s profit tops $31.8 billion in strong fourth quarter

Inside Retail

Amazons profit reached a new high after soaring nearly 90 per cent in the fourth quarter, while its sales also achieved double-digit growth thanks to a successful holiday season. The companys overall net sales rose 10 per cent to $298.64 in the quarter ended December 31, with North America segment up 10 per cent, international segment up 8 per cent and AWS up 19 per cent.

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Costa Coffee launches live deal: the ultimate afternoon treat for just £4.99

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Costa Coffee has a great afternoon deal available in-stores from today: from 2pm to 5pm, coffee lovers can treat themselves to a small or medium handcrafted drink, paired with a delicious muffin (choose from the brand-new Banana and Chocolate Muffin, Lemon Muffin or Blueberry Muffin) all for just 4.99!

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5 Tips for a Winning Category Management Strategy in 2025

Category Management is a cornerstone of a successful retail strategy. While it promotes collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to optimize category performance, challenges persist in its effective implementation due to hurdles in communication and collaboration across teams and partners, and more. In this guide, we outline five essential strategies for success in 2025 that will touch on all the essential pieces of a successful strategy and implementation.

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Domino’s Pizza to shut 205 loss-making stores

Inside Retail

Domino’s Pizza will close 205 loss-making stores, mostly in Japan and Europe, to help boost profitability. The pizza chain said it will shut 172 stores in Japan, 23 in Europe, and four in Australia and New Zealand. “Some of our Covid-period expansion resulted in stores that simply weren’t optimal based on our current customer proposition and removing them will strengthen our network,” said Mark van Dyck, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises CEO and MD. “To reach our pot

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Gnaw introduces chocolate buttons in eco-friendly pouches

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Artisanal chocolate producer Gnaw continues to pursue its ambitious sustainable agenda in 2025 with the introduction of new eco-friendly pouches for their iconic Chocolate Buttons. The state-of-the-art EvoPak RCM is a 100% recyclable paper wrapper, which unlike a majority of its so-called environmentally friendly paper wrapper peers contains no polyethyl

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Totino’s Releases First Super Bowl Ad Featuring Comedians Tim Robinson & Sam Richardson

Retail Wire

Totino's is looking to win the Super Bowl ad game with Tim, Sam, and Chazmo.

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Pep & Lekker introduces functional crackers to the savoury biscuit fixture

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! February sees the eagerly anticipated re-emergence of Pep & Lekker within the plant-based fixture, no longer as a tasty, pocket-sized savoury nibble, but as a functional cracker that once again supports improved gut health and a wholesome gluten-free agenda, made to an ambitious allergy-free recipe using 12 plant varieties made from the whole six pla

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Cut Costs & Complexity: Smarter Fulfillment for Home, Furniture & DIY Brands

Late deliveries. Split shipments. Spiraling freight costs. For home, furniture, and DIY brands, fulfillment has never been more complex—or more critical. This report outlines how a smarter, AI-ready order management system (OMS) helps you reduce shipping costs, streamline project-based fulfillment, and ensure accurate inventory across every channel.