Fri.Nov 15, 2024

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The state of insolvencies in the retail industry

Retail Focus

The British high street has endured a string of high-profile insolvencies in recent years, leading to the demise of household retail brands. Retailers are fighting to stay out of the red as record-high inflation, rising rent, the cost of living crisis, and growing popularity for ecommerce dent already reduced budgets. Chris Bristow, a company liquidation and corporate rescue specialist at Real Business Rescue, examines the financial health of retail businesses under the current climate.

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How Asos, M&S, Primark and Zalando are navigating a challenging fashion market

Retail Gazette

Over the last week there has been a raft of updates from fashion retailers, from Primark to M&S. The results have highlighted the different strategies fashion retailers are deploying to stay ahead in a fragmented and challenging market. From agile inventory models to premium positioning, each retailer has its own distinctive plan to drive growth amid shifting consumer behaviours, economic pressures, and rising competition.

Fashion 111
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Citing Costs, Saks Fifth Avenue Dims the Lights on its Holiday Show

Retail TouchPoints

After more than 20 years, Saks Fifth Avenue is cancelling the renowned holiday light show at its Fifth Avenue flagship store. The light show has become something of a cultural fixture in Manhattan during the holiday season, serving as the perfect complement to Saks’ famed holiday window displays as well as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Last year’s show, sponsored by Christian Dior, was the retailer’s most dynamic yet.

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Top Retail Business Management Tips to Boost Efficiency

Independent Retailer

In this article, we’ll talk about retail management, what it is and why it’s important. Let’s look at effective strategies and tools that will help improve business efficiency. This information will be useful to entrepreneurs and business managers who implement approaches aiming at streamline processes, improving customer service and reducing costs.

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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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Hobbycraft gives children’s hospices a festive makeover as part of new Christmas Ad campaign supporting charity partner Together for Short Lives

A1 Retail

Between now and 8 th December, Hobbycraft will be transforming children’s hospices across the UK into winter wonderlands with handmade Christmas decorations created by colleagues. These festive makeovers will mirror the retailer’s new Christmas advert campaign, ‘Every moment is a gift’, which will raise awareness and funds for its charity partner, Together for Short Lives.

ATS 105
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JD launches ‘Family’: A Christmas Campaign that strips back the decorations to reveal what’s important

Retail Focus

Today JD , the leading retailer for youth fashion and sportswear brands, unveils its highly anticipated 2024 Christmas campaign ‘ Family ’ , a vibrant and energetic celebration of the different forms of family that make the festive season special for communities around the country. With an unwavering focus on authenticity, JD presents a unique perspective on traditional family constructs through the eyes of its consumers – redefining what family really means today.

Fashion 130

More Trending

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QVC Parent Company Rebrands, Zeroes in on Social for Future Growth

Retail TouchPoints

In a move to double down on the equity of its flagship brand, Qurate Retail Group — parent company of QVC , HSN , Garnet Hill , Grandin Road , Ballard Designs and Frontgate — is rebranding as QVC Group as it looks to expand its presence in the realm of live social shopping. As it nears the end of its multi-year Project Athens turnaround strategy, the company is now setting its sights on becoming “the world’s leading live social shopping content engine , inspiring human connection with inc

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Historic shopping destination boasts strong post-pandemic recovery

A1 Retail

A shopping destination has achieved close to full occupation of its retail units for the first time in 10 years. Morgan Quarter, comprising units in Morgan Arcade, Royal Arcade, and The Hayes in Cardiff city centre, has an occupancy rate of 98.5 percent as of November 2024, with only one of its 65 units currently advertised to let. The achievement demonstrates a strong post-pandemic recovery since the 2020/21, when economic pressures saw occupancy drop to 77 percent with 15 unoccupied units as b

Shopping 104
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Rent the Runway Celebrates 15 Years by Inviting Consumers to ‘Embrace Access Over Accumulation’

Retail TouchPoints

After several years of rebuilding following a post-pandemic slump, Rent the Runway (RTR) is ready for a new chapter. The fashion rental platform marks its 15 th anniversary this year, and to celebrate it has introduced a new brand platform — “Own Nothing, Have Everything” — aimed at reshaping how consumers think about fashion. “This bold philosophy redefines the future of fashion by inviting consumers to move beyond traditional ownership and embrace access over accumulation ,” said the company i

Consumer 147
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System1: John Lewis ad the most effective this decade

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! John Lewis’ new ad is firmly in their tradition of heart-warming storytelling, and the decision to put stores front-and-centre has made for their most effective and recognisable ad this decade. That’s the verdict of the real life consumers who saw the ad on System1’s Test Your Ad platform.

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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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Advance Auto Parts to Shutter 523 Stores, Exit 204 Independent Locations

Retail TouchPoints

Following a fiscal Q3 that saw its net sales decline 3.2% compared to the same period the previous year, Advance Auto Parts (AAP) will close 523 corporate stores, exit 204 independent locations and shutter four distribution centers. As of Oct. 5, 2024, the auto parts retailer operated a total of 4,781 stores and serviced 1,125 independently operated Carquest stores.

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Primark Brings Back the Grinch Cafe

365 Retail

This festive season, Primark has teamed up with Dr. Seuss once again to deliver a Grinch-tastic experience for customers. The retailer has launched its largest-ever Grinch collection, available now in stores across all 17 Primark markets, and opened themed Grinch Cafes at six UK locations, making it easier than ever to celebrate a mischievous “Grinch-mas.

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Albertsons’ Retail Media Arm Adds NBCUniversal Channels to CTV Offering

Retail TouchPoints

Albertsons Media Collective is expanding its Collective TV offering to include video ads across NBCUniversal ‘s suite of channels and publisher partners, including Peacock , ESPN , Food Network , CNN , Telemundo and Sunday Night NFL. Launched in June 2024, Albertsons Media’s Collective TV offering aims to unlock the combined value of retail media and TV by combining connected TV’s (CTV) ad serving and measurement solutions with Albertsons shopper data and insights.

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Lidl to spend £6 billion on top of original five-year commitment to invest £15 billion into British food and farming

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Lidl GB is on track to invest a total of £21 billion in the British food industry by the end of FY24, exceeding its original five-year commitment of £15 billion by 40%. This equates to an additional £6 billion and underscores the retailer’s ongoing support for British agriculture and food production.

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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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‘Alexa, Will These Jeans Make Me Look Fat?’: Levi’s Debuts Conversational Fit Guide

Retail TouchPoints

Levi Strauss & Co. has introduced a Levi’s Jeans Fit Guide on Amazon Alexa , part of the apparel company’s move toward becoming a DTC-first brand. The feature, exclusively available in Germany through the end of December 2024, is an interactive voice-driven questionnaire designed to help shoppers select the right fit and style of jeans without having to try on multiple pairs.

Apparel 147
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Asda launches hybrid festive pie featuring flavour shoppers would ‘sell their organs’ to try…

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! With Brits beginning to prepare their shopping lists ahead of Christmas, one festive staple sure to be on most household’s lists is Camembert. According to Google Trends data, searches for camembert peak annually between the 24th-30th December proving Britain is gearing up for Christmas and New Year in a very tasteful way!

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Dune London Opens New Store at Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Destination

365 Retail

Junction 32 , an outlet shopping destination in Yorkshire, has announced the addition of Dune London to its store lineup. Opening on Tuesday, 19th November , the 2,257 sq. ft. store will offer a range of premium men’s and women’s footwear and accessories, including the latest Autumn/Winter collection, all available at reduced outlet prices. The new Junction 32 store reflects Dune London’s ongoing UK expansion, which now includes 52 standalone stores, with four located in Yorkshire.

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JD launches ‘Family’: a Christmas campaign that strips back the decorations to reveal what’s really important

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Today JD, the leading retailer for youth fashion and sportswear brands, unveils its highly anticipated 2024 Christmas campaign ‘Family’, a true documentation of the different forms of family that make the festive season special for communities around the country.

Fashion 52
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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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Unlocking Opportunities for Small Businesses in Cambodia

LS Retail

©iStock/catshiles Despite their importance, small businesses often struggle to access international markets due to the high costs of infrastructure, marketing, distribution, compounded by complex compliance and regulatory barriers. However, technological advances, especially in online shopping, are alleviating some of these barriers by providing affordable digital storefronts and access to global customers without needing a physical presence.

Marketing 107
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No/Low pioneer Nirvana launches ‘Best’ and new look

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Nirvana, the UK’s first and still only dedicated no/low brewery, has launched ‘Nirvana Best’, its first-ever Amber Ale (0.5% ABV) and its take on a quintessentially British best bitter. Available in 500ml bottles and keg, the beer also features Nirvana’s new bold look – soon to be featured across its now eight-strong range.

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GM Looking To Cut 1,000 Jobs Yet Again

Retail Wire

General Motors is cutting back to save money and boost efficiency.

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ARKET to open first store in Norway

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! In 2025 ARKET continues its expansion with the opening of a flagship store in Oslo, the brand’s first physical location in Norway. “We are thrilled to announce this highly anticipated opening of our first ARKET flagship store in our neighbouring country Norway.

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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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Target’s New ‘Hot’ Santa, Kris, Debuts in Cheeky Holiday Ads

Retail Wire

New Target ads feature a "hot," modernized take on Santa Claus.

Shopping 246
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Matalan launches first menopause range in collaboration with GenM

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Matalan, the leading fashion and homeware value retailer, has launched its first dedicated menopause range in collaboration with GenM, the Menopause Partner for Brands and Home of the MTick, in order to better serve and support customers during the menopause.

Fashion 40
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Ford Facing $165M Recall Fine After Investigation Over Faulty Backup Cameras Concludes

Retail Wire

Ford moved too slowly on its recall and failed to give accurate information to customers.

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Waitrose supports The Coronation Food Project with major donation to FareShare

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Waitrose is announcing a significant contribution to help combat food poverty in the UK by providing surplus pasta to FareShare as part of the Coronation Food Project. Working with its own-brand pasta supplier, Daybreak, Waitrose will divert approximately 130 tonnes of surplus pasta per year – the equivalent of 350,000 meals – to FareShare, t

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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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Does Amazon Actually Gain from Launching a Temu Clone?

Retail TouchPoints

The Editors’ Perspectives column offers insights and opinions from the Retail TouchPoints editorial team as they dig into the latest trends in retail, marketing and tech. Amazon ’s highly anticipated low-cost Temu competitor has arrived , and it’s called Haul. While industry insiders have been tracking the development of the discount storefront for months, consumers will likely have a bit of trouble finding it now that it’s here.

Shipping 173
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Giant cheese snuck in to supermarket in ‘The Big Cheesemas Delivery’ ad

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! ‘Tis the season for generosity and Babybel is delivering the public a big dose of fun with the return of the limited-edition Maxi Babybel, this time with a brand new festive look! Get ready to peel back the joy and go BIG this holiday season with the supersized version of the nation’s favourite cheese snack. […] If you want more information Retai

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Kraft Heinz Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Preservatives in Mac & Cheese

Retail Wire

Kraft Heinz faces a class action lawsuit targeting its boxed Mac & Cheese.

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The rise of online sports betting in the UK: what’s driving the boom?

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Online sports betting currently finds itself well-placed on its growth curve in the United Kingdom. With more bettors than ever choosing to make wagers from their homes, online sports betting has become a significant strand in the UK entertainment diet.

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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.