Retail news

• Sixth-form student revealed to be behind 'Woolworths reopening' fake news

  28-10-2020 19:55
  
  Dozens of news sites ran articles saying chain was back based on a typo-strewn Twitter pageThe person who duped many of the UK’s leading news outlets into running stories wrongly claiming Woolworths was returning to the high street can be revealed as a 17-year-old sixth-form student from York.On Tuesday dozens of mainstream British websites, including Mail Online and the Daily Mirror, ran prominent articles asserting that Woolworths was reopening based on nothing more than a typo-strewn Tw
  
  Read more

• RETAIL HEALTH SEES RECOVERY IN Q3, BUT RUN UP TO CHRISTMAS WILL PAINT A DIFFERENT PICTURE

  28-10-2020 18:17
  
  Friday 16 October 2020The third quarter of 2020 saw retail health recover six points with the Retail Health Index score climbing back to 67, from its Q2 nadir of 61, thanks to the release of pent-up demand
  The RTT predicts that health will improve by a further one point during Q4, albeit with a renewed disparity between food and non-food retail
  Grocery sales are likely to bolster the health index in the coming months, with consumers expected to hold multiple celebrations over the Christmas perio
  
  Read more

• Can retailers still capitalise on Halloween amid Covid-19?

  28-10-2020 17:25 via retailgazette.co.uk
  It’s no secret that Halloween isn’t the biggest sales generator for retailers compared with likes of Christmas or even Mothers Day, but the occasion is still a significant event on the retail calendar.
  But as consumer habits change as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and with restrictions in place that prevent parties or trick-or-treating, there are questions as to how retailers should make the most of Halloween this year. The most recent data from Statista found that the UK
  
  Read more

• Next: on message

  28-10-2020 16:00
  The high street fashion chain is dialling back on the pessimism but only marginally
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Get Ready for the Seasonal Surge

  28-10-2020 15:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  How Smartphone Scanning can help Deal with Seasonal Surges in Demand
  Whether it’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday or the Holiday Season, Covid-19 restrictions are set to lead to more online purchasing than ever before. The challenge for retailers is to quickly and flexibly respond to the sudden peak period increases.
  There is an easy solution. Smartphone scanning can be quickly integrated with existing systems and scaled up or down according to demand.
  Watch this short on-demand webinar to lear
  
  Read more

• 2020 Global Retail Report

  28-10-2020 15:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Multichannel shoppers are worth 40% more
  Did you know? In-store shoppers spent 40% more when driven online by the pandemic.
  Discover more consumer trends that are shaping commerce today in the Adyen 2020 Retail Report: New beginnings. Explore in-depth research and real-life examples from brands such as Aesop, Joe & The Juice, and MUJI.
  Read The Report
  The post 2020 Global Retail Report appeared first on Retail Gazette.
  
  Read more

• Welsh Gov’t updates list of what can be sold during lockdown

  28-10-2020 13:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Welsh Gov’t updates list of goods that can be sold by retailers during the 17-day firebreak lockdown
  // 67,000-plus people signed a petition for the ban on the sale of non-essential items to be immediately reversed
  // Retailers also called for the ban to be relaxed to allow customers “to make their own decision”The Welsh Government has provided an updated list of goods that can be sold by retailers during the country’s firebreak lockdown.
  It comes after more than 67,00
  
  Read more

• Christmas shoppers are starting early amid pandemic

  28-10-2020 13:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis research says more than 60% plan to buy presents before Dec and only 2% say they’d wait until Xmas Eve
  // Of those planning ahead, 47% said spreading the cost was a factor, and more than half plan to spend less on gifts
  // The research suggests the Covid-19 pandemic has signalled an end to the last-minute rushNew research has shown that Christmas shoppers are planning to buy gifts by the end of November, signalling a possible end to the last-minute rush amid the Covid-19 pand
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Online spend to overtake high street sales this year in first ever “truly digital Christmas”

  28-10-2020 13:00 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Online spending is due to overtake physical store sales for the first time ever this Christmas rising to a “record-breaking” £39.41 billion.
  UK shoppers are expected to spend around £78 billion on Christmas presents and food this year as growing financial uncertainty means sales will be “roughly the same as last year”.
  However, according to research from ParcelHero, a far larger portion of the UK’s budget will be spent online over this year’s &ldqu
  
  Read more

• Sainsbury’s boosts Nectar rewards scheme ahead of Christmas

  28-10-2020 12:18 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Sainsbury’s popular Nectar Double Up event is returning for another year
  // Customers won’t need to print out vouchers & can obtain them via the Nectar app between Nov 11-17
  // Customers can also order vouchers online between October 28–November 3Sainsbury’s has announced that its popular Nectar Double Up event is returning next month, giving customers on the rewards scheme a chance to get ahead on their Christmas shopping.
  The offer – which last year saw hun
  
  Read more

• LVMH to renegotiate with Tiffany & Co and cut price of £12bn deal

  28-10-2020 12:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // LVMH to renegotiate deal with Tiffany & Co
  // The Louis Vuitton owner agreed to pay $135 a share for Tiffany in November 2019
  // The deal broke down last month when LVMH said it was exiting the dealLVMH is reportedly in talks to strike a cut-price deal to acquire US jeweller Tiffany & Co as the pair renegotiate the planned $16 billion (£12 billion) takeover.
  The Louis Vuitton owner agreed to pay $135 a share for Tiffany & Co in November last year, but the deal broke down las
  
  Read more

• Next upgrades profit guidance for second time in two months

  28-10-2020 11:23
  
  Fashion retailer reports strong quarterly sales but is cautious about Christmas tradingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe fashion retailer Next has upgraded its full-year profit guidance for the second time in as many months after quarterly full-price sales rose by a better-than-expected 2.8%, although it is cautious on Christmas trading.The company raised its pre-tax profit guidance by £65m to £365m, though it expects fourth-quarter sales to be 8%
  
  Read more

• TikTok users will now be able to shop from nearly 1 million Shopify retailers in-app

  28-10-2020 11:20 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  TikTok users will soon be able to purchase items as they scroll through the app as the social media giant makes its biggest push yet into ecommerce.
  The Chinese short-form video behemoth has signed a new partnership with Shopify allowing its retailers to begin advertising and selling goods through TikTok.
  Shopify, which now provides the ecommerce platform for over 800,000 brands, will allow its merchants to connect to a “TikTok for Business” account and post videos featuring “s
  
  Read more

• Manchester mayor accuses Tesco of failing to be “Covid-safe”

  28-10-2020 10:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Tesco failing to be “Covid-safe” by not enforcing mask use, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham says
  // He also says local leaders demanded greater powers to temporarily shut down irresponsible stores
  // Manchester is one of several northern England areas under Tier 3 restrictionsSupermarkets including Tesco have failed to make stores “Covid-safe” by not enforcing the use of masks, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said.
  He said local leaders had unsuccessfully deman
  
  Read more

• Next raises profit forecast again as sales beat expectations

  28-10-2020 10:03
  UK fashion chain expects full-year results well above projection at peak of pandemic
  
  Read more

• Shoe Zone warns of 90 store closures if business rates return

  28-10-2020 09:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Shoe Zone said it expects 90 store closures if business rates are reintroduced in April
  // CEO Anthony Smith said the current system is “antiquated”
  // Since reopening in June, retail sales have been down broadly 20% year on yearShoe Zone has warned that the return of business rates in April could see it close up to 20 per cent of its store estate over the next two years.
  The shoe retailer’s chief executive Anthony Smith said the current system is “antiquated” an
  
  Read more

• Shop prices drop as retailers battle it out to keep food inflation low

  28-10-2020 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Shop prices drop in October as competition grows fierce among retailers
  // Shop prices dropped 1.2% in October, compared with a 1.6% decline in SeptemberShop prices have continued to drop in October as retailers go head to head in a battle for consumers’ more limited spend.
  Research found that shop prices dropped by 1.2 per cent in October, compared with a 1.6 per cent decline in September, as retailers used discounting to drive sales.
  This was below the 12-month average price decrease
  
  Read more

• Next sales drop 17.9% amid fears of forced store closures

  28-10-2020 08:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Next store sales drop is offset by online sales
  // The company has warned on local lockdowns causing uncertainty to business
  // The business does more than half of its sales onlineNext has raised its full-year profit forecast after sales beat expectations in the third quarter, but has warned on uncertainty affecting its trading in the fourth quarter.
  The fashion retailer’s online sales were up 23.1 per cent in the third quarter, offsetting a 17.9 per cent drop in retail sales.
  The busin
  
  Read more

• John Lewis to begin converting 45% of London flagship into office space

  28-10-2020 08:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // John Lewis given permission by Westminster City Council to turn some of its London flagship floors into office space
  // John Lewis plans to convert floors three to eight of its Oxford Street branch into dual use spaceJohn Lewis has been given the green light to convert almost half of its London flagship store on Oxford Street into office space, as it scurries to return the business to profitability.
  The department store has had a presence in the capital since 1864, and was granted permission
  
  Read more

• How can John Lewis wipe out three years of my extended guarantee?

  28-10-2020 08:00
  
  The £100 extra was sold as ‘Added Care’ but when I came to claim, I couldn’tIn 2018 my mother purchased a £379 Bosch washing machine from John Lewis and, at the same time, paid an extra £100 to extend the guarantee to five years.The machine recently broke down, but John Lewis won’t fix it because it says it is outside the two-year guarantee. It seems that when she bought the machine, it failed to register the added care policy, which appears to be admini
  
  Read more

• TJX appoints Kim Goodwin to its board

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  TK Maxx owner, The TJX Companies, has appointed Kim Goodwin to its board. An experienced financial services professional, Goodwin has previously served as managing director and... View Article
  
  Read more

• Suit Direct opens flagship Metro Centre store

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Men’s formalwear retailer Suit Direct has opened a new flagship store in Gateshead’s Metro Centre. The retailer has invested £35,000 in fitting out the store which... View Article
  
  Read more

• Shoe Zone warns of store closures and full year loss

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Shoe Zone has said it expects to post a pre-tax loss of between £10 million and £12 million in the year to 5 October and warned... View Article
  
  Read more

• Q&A: Glen Tooke – Worldwide Division, Consumer Insight Director, Fashion at Kantar.

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Glen and entertainment counterpart James Foti are presenting called How to Plan for Changing Consumer Behaviours at the global c-suite conference for brand owners and leaders... View Article
  
  Read more

• Q&A: Glen Tooke – Worldpanel Division, Consumer Insight Director, Fashion at Kantar.

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Glen and entertainment counterpart James Foti are presenting called How to Plan for Changing Consumer Behaviours at the global c-suite conference for brand owners and leaders... View Article
  
  Read more

• Next upgrades full-year profit guidance

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Next has announced that its third quarter full price sales have been better than expected and increased by 2.8% compared to last year.  Total sales, including... View Article
  
  Read more

• McArthurGlen CEO Julia Calabrese assumes new role of vice chairman

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  McArthurGlen has announced that Julia Calabrese has become its vice chairman and been succeeded as chief executive by Susie McCabe and Joan Jove who will share... View Article
  
  Read more

• Joe Browns launches first homewares collection

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Clothing retailer Joe Browns has launched its first exclusive homewares collection. With prices starting from £7, the range is split according to the themes of ‘Escape... View Article
  
  Read more

• AO joins mentoring scheme for young people

  28-10-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Online electricals retailer AO has become one of 12 founding partners of the FastFutures programme which aims to  increase employability for 18-22 year olds. During the... View Article
  
  Read more

• Amazon launches eco-friendly shopping platform

  28-10-2020 00:00
  
  Site will show shoppers sustainable products but campaigners say it is ‘tip of iceberg’Amazon has launched a dedicated “eco-friendly” shopping platform to help guide consumers in the UK and other European countries to household products with sustainable credentials.From plastic-free solid shampoo bars to organic children’s clothing, more than 40,000 items on the new platform will carry certificates from schemes such as Fairtrade International and the Carbon Trust to
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!