Retail TouchPoints

MAY 23, 2025

After years of Marie Kondo-esque simplicity, the retail design era of “back-to-basics” aesthetics defined by neutral palettes and sleek, pared-back interiors is quickly falling out of favor amongst consumers demanding more vibrant and immersive spaces. Recognizing this shift, many brands are unveiling a new wave of retail environments rich in color, texture and character, bringing renewed purpose to the in-person shopping experience.

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Store Layout Consumer Shopping Promotions 147

Inside Retail

MAY 18, 2025

The UK is in the midst of a retail cybercrime spree. Harrods, Co-Op and the iconic Marks & Spencer (M&S) have all fallen victim to large-scale cyberattacks. While Harrods stores and its website remained open following its breach, M&S wasnt so fortunate. As early as February, attackers infiltrated M&S’s systems, with immediate repercussions.

Payment Services 130

Payment Services ATS Fulfillment Supermarket 130

Retail Wire

MAY 20, 2025

When it comes to live online shopping, TikTok Live has now taken the top spot when it comes to customer engagement. TikTok Live has taken the top spot in the U.S., surpassing competitors QVC and HSN. This makes the platform the leader in live social shopping, driving significant consumer engagement and purchases. Per Savings.com , “TikTok dominates consumer engagement: 29% of American adults have viewed TikTok Live for shopping, outpacing traditional platforms like QVC and HSN, especially

Shopping 165

Shopping Consumer Supermarket Accounting 165

Retail Dive

MAY 19, 2025

The apparel retailer debuted the On Rotation concept as a way to fuel discovery shaped by the generation’s favorite brands.

Apparel 100

Apparel 100

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.

Accounting

Retail Gazette

MAY 18, 2025

M&S CEO Stuart Machin is set to face a significant pay reduction of up to 1.1m following a cyber attack that has severely impacted the retailer’s operations and stock value. The ongoing cyber attack, which was disclosed on April 22, has driven a 14% drop in M&S’s share price, translating to a loss of approximately 831,000 from Machin’s performance share plan and 233,000 from a deferred bonus, both of which are set to pay out in July.

Operating Expenses 102

Operating Expenses Planning Management ATS 102

Inside Retail

MAY 18, 2025

Australia is one of the most attractive markets for both emerging and established brands, including LVMH heavy-weight Sephora. The consumers in Australia are very savvy, Jenny Cheah, Sephoras MD of South East Asia, Oceania and India, told Inside Retail. They understand trends and they’re very educated on their beauty needs and their beauty products in a way, it makes our job simpler, she continued.

Merchant Services 147

Merchant Services Consumer Accounting Planning 147

Frank Mayer

MAY 22, 2025

After you’ve invested time and money into planning your initial kiosk deployment, sluggish customer adoption can be a major frustration. But before scrapping your entire roll out, it’s worth examining whether the pilot conditions are set up for success. Luckily, this early phase is the best time for adjustments. Course-correcting now helps ensure stronger kiosk adoption when the program scales.

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Kiosk Payment Services Checkout Promotions 52

Retail Gazette

MAY 20, 2025

M&S has warned it is facing a 300m hit to its profits next year as it grapples with the fallout from last months ransomware attack. The retail giant was forced to halt online orders and has struggled to keep store shelves stocked following what it described as a highly sophisticated cyber incident. It has forecast an impact of 300m on group operating profit for its current financial year before mitigation, which will be reduced through management of costs, insurance and other trading actions

Fashion 69

Fashion Management Planning Shopping 69

Inside Retail

MAY 22, 2025

It began with handmade beaded bracelets at Salamanca Market. Today, Francesca is rewriting the playbook for modern retail in Australia, fusing customisation, emotional storytelling and social impact into a rapidly scaling business. Behind the jewellery brand are sisters and co-founders Hannah and Rachel Vasicek, who have transformed a childhood hobby into a brand that delivers personal, purpose-driven experiences.

Fast Fashion 130

Fast Fashion Fashion Marketing Management 130

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 23, 2025

Shopifys Future of Personalization report names the top trends in 2025, and hyper-personalization is at the top of the list. Hyper-personalization is a strategy that uses data and AI to create experiences that are tailored to individual shoppers or customers. Personalization: Send an email featuring coats and sweaters to people in Minneapolis and sandals to people in Florida.

Marketing 262

Marketing Shopping Management Customer Experience 262

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.

Marketing

Retail Wire

MAY 20, 2025

Chipotle’s new “Summer of Extras” promotion promises to reward loyal customers with $1 million in free burritos. The Mexican-inspired eaterys latest promo is all about giving back to its fans. Chipotle Rewards members across the U.S. can unlock extra perks, earn bonus points, and win free Chipotle. Plus, one lucky customer in each of the 48 states it operates in (and D.C.) will score free burritos for an entire year.

Promotions 130

Promotions Accounting 130

Retail Gazette

MAY 22, 2025

Retail sales rose for the fourth consecutive month in April as consumer confidence in the UK improved. Sales volumes rose 1.2% last month, up from a flat 0.1% increase in March, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ). In the year to April, sales were up 5%. The uplift was driven by strong demand across most sectors, including food stores, household goods and department store retailers all reporting increased spending.

Consumer 89

Consumer Department Stores Finance Supermarket 89

Inside Retail

MAY 21, 2025

Fashion brand Dion Lee has been sold to US-based Revolve Group, a year after it collapsed into administration. The Australian Financial Review reported that Dion Lees administrator DVT Group has sold the brands remaining assets, including its archives, to Revolve for under $1 million. Revolve did not respond to the AFRs request for comment. People close to the negotiations said the Nasdaq-listed group has been in discussions to buy the label since last year.

Fashion 269

Fashion Planning Accessories 269

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 19, 2025

In just a few short years, artificial intelligence (AI) has transitioned from a futuristic concept to an operational reality in retail. As consumers increasingly embrace AI-powered tools from generative AI platforms like ChatGPT to customer service chatbots retailers are presented with an exciting opportunity to optimize the customer experience. However, along with this potential for transformation come some significant challenges that need to be addressed.

Customer Experience 189

Customer Experience Consumer Inventory Management Marketing 189

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.

Planning

Retail Wire

MAY 20, 2025

Moving forward, General Motors will not be exporting vehicles to China. Late last week, employees and dealers associated with its China export business were notified of the shipping ban. While GM said the market in China is still crucial to the company, it is doing some reorganization. The Detroit automaker exports vehicles through the Durant Guild, a premium import business the company created in 2022. “Due to significant changes to economic conditions, we have decided to restructure the

Shipping 130

Shipping Customer Experience Marketing Consumer 130

Retail Gazette

MAY 20, 2025

Asda is looking to sell around 20 stores for 400m to help fund its turnaround plan. The supermarket chain is planning to offload the shops located across the UK and lease them back for the next 20 years. Asda has appointed property advisor Eastdil Secured to manage the sale, Green Street News reported. Sale-and-leaseback deals are popular among supermarkets as a means of raising capital to boost their balance sheet.

Supermarket 111

Supermarket Grocer Returns Planning 111

Inside Retail

MAY 19, 2025

Alquemie Group has sold luxury Australian womens brand Ginger & Smart for a token amount to an undisclosed buyer, along with its remaining SurfStitch assets. Inside Retail reported SurfStitch’s website to be down last week, with its social media posts carrying inquiries regarding unfulfilled orders and refunds as recently as two weeks ago.

Department Stores 252

Department Stores Consumer ATS Accessories 252

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 21, 2025

Shopping is one of the primary tasks for which people use Google ; in fact, people shop across Google properties 1 billion times every day, so its not surprising that, as AI capabilities rapidly advance, Google is bringing more and more of that functionality to the forefront in order to enhance the shopping experience on its platforms. This week at Googles annual I/O conference for developers, the company announced several new advances, including a more personalized multimodal AI search experie

Checkout 173

Checkout Merchant Services Apparel Shopping 173

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Retail Wire

MAY 18, 2025

In-N-Out Burger is one of the few fast-food places where customers can count on consistently good food, drinks, and company, but a recent change has occurred with its drinks and condiments, and customers are saying it’s for the better. The New York Post reports that the popular burger chain has removed artificial coloring from one of its most popular drinks.

Fulfillment 130

Fulfillment Customer Experience Consumer ATS 130

Retail Gazette

MAY 18, 2025

Up to 200 Poundland stores could be shuttered and thousands of jobs put at risk as the struggling discount retailers sale process enters a critical phase. The latest bids for the business are expected early this week ahead of an update from parent company Pepco Group, which will report its half-year results on Thursday. Poundland has been up for sale since March , with the process being led by advisers at Teneo.

ATS 120

ATS Supermarket Returns Marketing 120

Inside Retail

MAY 21, 2025

At Coach, retail isnt just about selling bags its about creating a moment, a memory, and, sometimes, a 12-foot dinosaur made from 400 of those bags. For Giovanni Zaccariello, the brands senior VP of global visual experience, the mission is clear: Turn every store, pop-up, and runway into a visceral encounter that makes you feel something. Whether its sipping a latte at a Coach Coffee Shop or stepping inside a giant quilted Tabby bag, Zaccariello is building retail spaces that look more like imm

Consumer 130

Consumer Marketing Shopping Location 130

365 Retail

MAY 19, 2025

Co-living has emerged as one of the most significant trends in the UK residential property market, transforming how urban spaces are developed, operated, and experienced. This innovative housing modelblending private accommodation with shared facilities and community programmingis rapidly expanding beyond London to regional cities and even some rural areas.

Planning 52

Planning Marketing Management Location 52

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.

Management

Retail Times

MAY 18, 2025

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Scottish start-up POTRhas developed the worlds first fully traceable and eco-friendly plant pot made from recycled marine plastic. The Ocean Pot created by the Glasgow-based firm is produced entirely from discarded fishing gear recovered from UK coastlines in part.

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52

Retail Wire

MAY 19, 2025

The U.S. government is pressuring food companies to replace synthetic dyes with natural colors. While many have openly accepted the new ingredient suggestions, the Spangler Candy Company is resisting the movement. Spangler, which makes iconic candies like Dum Dums lollipops and Sweethearts, uses Yellow 5 and Red 40 in some of its products. The Ohio candy maker wants to keep its current formulations as long as possible, saying some natural colors alter the taste of the final product.

Consumer 261

Consumer ATS 261

Inside Retail

MAY 21, 2025

Few brands in Australian retail boast the kind of loyalty, legacy and local affection as Haigh’s chocolates. Now celebrating its 110th anniversary, the country’s oldest family-owned chocolate maker is preparing for its most ambitious phase of growth yet. Founded in 1915 by Alfred Haigh in Adelaide’s iconic Beehive Corner, Haigh’s has grown from a single storefront to a national retailer with 21 locations across Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.

Shipping 130

Shipping Returns Consumer Location 130

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 23, 2025

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) has partnered with Reshop to provide shoppers with instant cash (not store credit) refunds on returned items across its brands. A phased rollout of the service will start with Reebok, Champion, Vince Camuto and Juicy , to be followed by additional Authentic brands including DC Shoes, Roxy, RVCA and Volcom. Reshop debuted in July 2024 with retailer partners Steve Madden and Alo Yoga and has since added others, including Dolce Vita.

Merchant Services 147

Merchant Services Payment Services Returns Shopping 147

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Management

Retail Focus

MAY 23, 2025

With more people working from home than ever before, having a dedicated workspace within your house is becoming increasingly important. A well-designed home office can help you stay organised, focused and productive. Read on for some tips on how to create a workspace that is both stylish and functional to meet your needs. Defining Your Workspace Needs The first step is identifying how you plan to use the space.

ATS 130

ATS Planning 130

Retail Wire

MAY 19, 2025

Subway was once one of the most popular restaurant chains in the United States and across the globe. In recent years, however, the company has closed thousands of locations, with as many as 1,600 locations closing since 2022 in the U.S. alone. Let’s look at what’s going on and what that means for the brand’s future. Subway Closed Over 1,600 Locations Since 2022 According to USA Today , which examined franchise disclosure records for its report, the number of Subway shops in the

Location 195

Location Shopping Management ATS 195

Inside Retail

MAY 20, 2025

In a retail industry as competitive as the USs, it is incredibly difficult for international players to not only compete but to stand out. One country that has been successfully penetrating this tough field is Australia, with several players like Cotton On, Status Anxiety and Silk Laundry establishing a brick-and-mortar presence over the past few years.

Planning 130

Planning Boutique Apparel Wholesale 130

Retail TouchPoints

MAY 19, 2025

Bath & Body Works has named Daniel Heaf as its new CEO, effective immediately. He replaces Gina Boswell , who is stepping down from the post and the companys board. Heaf brings two decades of experience, most recently as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Nike and featuring stints at Burberry and BBC Worldwide. No specific reason was given for Boswells departure, but Sarah Nash, Chair of the Bath & Body Works Board, thanked her in a statement: In the post-COVID normalization pe

Consumer 147

Consumer Returns Location Planning 147

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

Finance