Retail news

• Ding. The Amazon microwave is ready

  20-09-2018 22:33
  Alexa-connected cookers on the menu as company unveils latest voice-controlled gadgets
  
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• Donald Trump tells Opec to lower oil price, as Wall Street hits record high - as it happened

  20-09-2018 18:26
  US president tells oil cartel to stop pushing the crude price up, as shares jump in New YorkRECORD HIGH ON WALL STREETTrump: Opec must get oil price downPresident cites America’s military protectionEarlier:UK retail sales stronger than expectedIntroduction: Trade war fears loom over markets 5.26pm BST And finally, European stock markets have also racked up gains today, as trade war fears faded.Britain’s FTSE 100 index gained 36 points to close at 7367, up 0.5%. With investors choosin
  
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• Evans Cycles seeks buyer after failing to mount rescue bid

  20-09-2018 18:03
  Problems come amid a shake out across the high street due to tough trading conditionsThe bike shop chain Evans Cycles is urgently seeking a buyer as the retailer battles to survive amid tough high street trading conditions, including the rise of online competition and the cost of running stores.The retailer’s management team needs to find £20m to fund a rescue plan, but its backers and bankers were understood to be unwilling to provide the extra cash. Advisers to the group have now a
  
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• Donald Trump tells Opec to lower oil price, as Wall Street hits record high - business live

  20-09-2018 16:13
  US president tells oil monopoly to stop pushing the crude price upTrump: Opec must get oil price downPresident cites America’s military protectionEarlier:UK retail sales stronger than expectedIntroduction: Trade war fears loom over markets
  China: We won’t let the yuan tumble3.13pm BST Here’s our latest take on the Danske Bank money-laundering scandal: Related: Danske Bank money laundering 'is biggest scandal in Europe'3.12pm BST Donald Trump has also channeled his inner Norman
  
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• French Connection losses widen

  20-09-2018 14:54 via theretailbulletin.com
  Fashion retailer French Connection has seen its losses more than double in the six months to 31 July as it battled against difficult trading conditions on the UK’s high streets.
  
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• Like shopping 30 years ago: first Jack’s customers sample new store

  20-09-2018 14:23
  Tesco’s discount store sees feverish trade on opening day, but will the buzz keep shoppers away from Lidl and Aldi?Heavy rain and winds did not deter bargain-hungry shoppers on the opening day of Tesco’s new discount chain, Jack’s, with long queues to enter the store and the car park overflowing.At 10am on Thursday, the formal opening time, 150 people were waiting to enter the new supermarket in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. The store is Tesco’s attempt to fend off the Germa
  
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• French Connection to shut more stores as House of Fraser collapse hits sales

  20-09-2018 12:56
  Struggling fashion chain loses almost £15m in the first half of the yearFrench Connection has blamed tough conditions on the high street and the demise of House of Fraser as it reported a big increase in half-year losses and plans to shut a further eight stores.The struggling fashion chain said like-for-like sales in the UK and mainland Europe had fallen 7% in the six months to the end of July. It lost just over £15m in the period, compared with £5.9m a year earlier. Continue r
  
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• French Connection to shut more stores as House of Fraser collapse hits results

  20-09-2018 12:56
  Struggling fashion chain loses just over £15m in the first half of the yearFrench Connection has blamed tough conditions on the high street and the demise of House of Fraser as it reported a big increase in half-year losses and plans to shut a further eight stores.The struggling fashion chain said like-for-like sales in the UK and mainland Europe had fallen 7% in the six months to the end of July. It lost just over £15m in the period, compared with £5.9m a year earlier. Continu
  
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• Sales of household goods in August defy UK's high street woes

  20-09-2018 12:10
  Consumers spent less on food and drink and clothing but it was offset by shopping for DIY and furnitureBumper sales of household goods boosted high street and online shopping in August as consumers shrugged off the impact of higher inflation and prolonged the summer spending spree.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed a 0.3% increase in retail sales last month compared with July – confounding City predictions that consumers would retrench following the boost provided by th
  
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• UK retail sales smash forecasts as consumers keep spending - business live

  20-09-2018 11:44
  British shoppers splashed out on furniture and non-food items last month, but food and clothing sales dippedLatest: UK retail sales stronger than expectedIntroduction: Trade war fears loom over markets
  China: We won’t let the yuan tumble10.44am BST August’s retail sales are a “mixed bag”, argues Tom Stevenson, investment director for Personal Investing at Fidelity International.He points to the drop in clothing and food sales, as a sign that consumers are feeling the pinc
  
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• UK retail sales defy high street gloom in August

  20-09-2018 10:34
  Summer heatwave and a rise in real incomes help to push up sales after dismal start to the year
  
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• China vows not to launch currency war against 'insincere' US over tariffs – business live

  20-09-2018 10:01
  All the day’s economic and financial news, including the latest UK retail sales figures 9.01am BST China has also hit back at Donald Trump’s claim that it is trying to undermine US democracy.Commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng insists that the new tariffs on $60bn of US goods, which kick in next week, had “nothing to do” with US politics.China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industri
  
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• Eve Sleep 'refocuses' strategy

  20-09-2018 09:34 via theretailbulletin.com
  Mattress retailer Eve Sleep has seen its first half group revenue climb by 63% year-on-year to £18.8 million as it "refocuses" its strategy in core markets.
  
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• A.S.Watson rolls out new VIP loyalty programmes

  20-09-2018 09:25 via theretailbulletin.com
  Superdrug owner A.S. Watson is rolling out new VIP loyalty programmes around the world with the aim of extending them to all 24 of its markets by early 2019.
  
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• Morphe to open Birmingham store

  20-09-2018 09:18 via theretailbulletin.com
  US beauty retailer Morphe is to open a store at Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre.
  
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• I waited months for my John Lewis order – why didn’t I even get a refund?

  20-09-2018 08:00
  The restructuring of the chain’s home furnishings department seems to have ruined its customer serviceThe stairs in our new house were slippery so we ordered a carpet runner from John Lewis. That was in February. We did not hear for over two months, despite chasing. Eventually, it admitted it had mislaid the measurements but could not return to remeasure until the end of May. During the wait, I fell down the stairs and broke my foot. After new measurements were taken, we heard nothing unti
  
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