Wed.Apr 10, 2024

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Majority of Australian brands struggle with connecting customer data

Inside Retail

More than half of Australian brands say that connecting customer data across channels, sources and platforms remains their biggest challenge. According to a survey by Twilio, 51 per cent of brands admitted they struggle, while 46 per cent said they are having difficulty turning data into customer insights. Twilio’s research showed that 86 per cent of businesses claim they provide ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ customer engagement but only 54 per cent of consumers agree.

Consumer 283
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The Dark Side of the Surveillance Economy and What Retailers Should Do About It

Retail TouchPoints

Businesses across the spectrum have benefited hugely from the rise of the “ surveillance economy ” — the business of gathering and using data about consumer behavior for profit — but the impact to consumers is much less straightforward. Yes, consumers now have access to never-before-seen levels of personal technology and convenience, but the idiom “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” also has never been more true.

Consumer 278
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From sprinters to sneakers: How Puma aims to tap into ‘halo effect’ of Olympians

Inside Retail

German sportswear brand Puma is using this year’s Olympic Games and its partnership with sprint champions Jamaica to focus on speed as it jostles with Adidas and Nike to carve out space in an increasingly competitive running and lifestyle market. Puma CEO Arne Freundt aims to boost sales of “performance” products like running shoes and soccer cleats, and has revamped Puma’s “Forever Faster” message in its first brand campaign in a decade on Wednesday in Paris,

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Macy’s Adds 2 Arkhouse Directors to Board in Deal to End Proxy Fight

Retail TouchPoints

As part of an agreement with activist investor Arkhouse Management , Macy’s Inc. has named Arkhouse candidates, Richard (Ric) Clark and Richard (Rick) L. Markee, as independent members of its board of directors. Arkhouse has withdrawn its other director nominations as part of the deal, and Clark and Markee will join the board’s finance committee, which will evaluate the acquisition proposal from Arkhouse and Brigade Capital Management that began in December 2023 with a $5.8 billion buyout bid.

Finance 264
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Is Your Business AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is poised to redefine B2B, but scaling AI success in this space isn’t without obstacles. From fragmented data sources and complex buyer journeys to operational inefficiencies, the road to AI-powered growth can be challenging. To achieve a competitive edge, understanding your organization’s AI-readiness is essential. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model provides a quick, actionable way to assess your starting point.

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How automation can help retailers reduce back-office costs and grow

Inside Retail

Retail margins are under pressure from the continued cost-of-living crisis and subsequent decline in discretionary spending, driving many businesses to look for ways to reduce their costs. But while labour and marketing budgets are typically the first to be put on the chopping block, retailers may be overlooking opportunities to reduce costs in the back end by automating everyday finance functions, such as accounts payable and accounts receivable.

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Balancing Customer Loyalty in an Age of Growing Business Costs

Retail TouchPoints

Since 2020, the global economy has sat on pins and needles as the fallout from COVID-19 rippled through 2021, 2022 and 2023. But the resilience of the American consumer prevented an all-out economic disaster. Time and time again, consumers kept the economy chugging along despite the bleak forecasts from leading economists. Early on, they were powered by pandemic relief checks from the U.S.

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Ebay Debuts AI-Powered Fashion Curation Tool

Retail TouchPoints

Ebay has launched Shop the Look, a new AI-powered curation tool for fashion shoppers. U.S. and UK shoppers using iOS devices who have viewed at least 10 fashion items in the past 180 days will now find the feature both on the Ebay homepage and the fashion landing page. A version for Android will arrive later this year, and the company also said it is exploring expanding the tool to other categories beyond fashion.

Fashion 255
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Guzman y Gomez hits $1.725 billion valuation with new investors

Inside Retail

Guzman y Gomez has attracted a $134.5 million financing round, lifting the restaurant chain’s valuation to $1.725 billion. Four major investment funds (Cooper Investors, Hyperion Asset Management, Firetrail Investments and QVG Capital) have joined the GYG shareholder register. Existing investors including Athletic Ventures, Aware Super and TDM Growth Partners have boosted their shareholding.

Finance 246
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Consumer Reports Wants Lunchables Removed From Schools

Retail Wire

Consumer Reports has made a bold move, petitioning the USDA to yank Lunchables from school cafeterias due to high sodium levels. The watchdog group found that these school versions of the popular snack kit contain even more sodium than those found in grocery stores.

Consumer 203
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Two reports reveal ways to drive discretionary spend in a cost-of-living crisis

Inside Retail

Cost-of-living has gone from crunch to crisis and with this new economic reality has come new consumer behaviours. Industry analysts have identified purchase trends that will have short-term and long-term consequences for manufacturers, brands and retailers alike. New data reveals that 53 per cent of Australians do not expect their purchasing power to improve in 2024 – and many expect to reduce their discretionary purchases of beauty products by 46 per cent, clothing by 50 per cent, electronics

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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Wow Bao Links Loyalty Program to New Roblox Experience

Retail TouchPoints

Asian fast-casual restaurant chain Wow Bao is continuing its Web3 push with a new Roblox experience that is integrated with its Hot Buns Club rewards program. Since launching in 2003 in Chicago, Wow Bao has expanded to nearly 700 locations across the U.S. as well as to 6,000 grocery stores, and now Roblox. Roblox players who enter the Wow Bao Dim Sum Palace are greeted by a DJ and dance floor.

Grocer 165
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Planet Fitness Founder Reveals Shocking Truth About Company

Retail Wire

In a recent interview with a controversial figure on TikTok, Planet Fitness Founder and ex-CEO Mike Grondahl dropped bombshell allegations about the company's troubled history.

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SEPHORA is coming to Newcastle in the Autumn of 2024 with two new stores

Retail Focus

This Autumn, Sephora is continuing its northern expansion in full force with the opening of not one, but TWO new stores in Newcastle. With the recent announcement of Manchester opening earlier this year, Sephora has listened again to the overwhelming demand from their engaged community, making Newcastle the next North East location for Sephora UK. The city’s key retail destinations Eldon Square and the MetroCentre will be the new homes of Sephora UK, bringing in a massive influx of beauty obsess

Shopping 147
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Oxfam Report Reveals Concerns Among Amazon and Walmart Warehouse Workers Over Extreme Surveillance

Retail Wire

Both Amazon and Walmart use excessive surveillance in their warehouses and the "concerning" implementation poses a serious risk to employees' health and well-being, according to a recent report by Oxfam.

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Is Your Brand AI-Ready? Find Out with Orium’s Maturity Model

Generative AI is reshaping retail, but achieving true AI success isn’t simple. Many brands face hurdles—underdeveloped data strategies, limited AI-ready infrastructure, or lack of seamless integration across systems. As you explore how AI can boost efficiency and transform customer experiences, understanding your business’s readiness is key. Orium's Data & AI Maturity Model offers a clear starting point.

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How tenniscore is swinging its way across the retail industry

Inside Retail

Lacoste. Loewe. And the soon-to-be-released sports drama Challengers. What do these all have in common? They’re tapping into the rapidly growing tenniscore trend. For those unfamiliar with the term, tenniscore refers to a style aesthetic that revolves around classic tennis fashion elements such as pleated skirts, visors, polo shirts, preppy or sporty A-line dresses, tennis bracelets, and jaunty white sneakers.

Apparel 130
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Costco Sells as Much as $200 Million a Month in Gold Bars

Retail Wire

Since introducing gold bars to its inventory last year, the shiny metal has become a significant revenue stream for Costco.

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Papier’s Taymoor Atighetchi talks omnichannel retail and global expansion

Inside Retail

Papier is a British online stationery brand founded in 2015 that has since taken the world by storm. It has raised over US$65 million in funding and has an omnichannel presence in the UK, US and Australian markets. Here, we speak with the founder and CEO about the business’ origin story and what it has in store for the year ahead. Inside Retail : How did the idea for Papier come about?

Consumer 130
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Grubhub Releases Nuka-Blast Burger Meal for ‘Fallout’ Fans

Retail Wire

Grubhub is launching a special meal, the Nuka-Blast Burger Meal, to coincide with the premiere of the "Fallout" series on Prime Video. This unique dining experience will transport fans into the post-apocalyptic world of "Fallout," offering a taste of the show's iconic cuisine.

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NEWS: SML RFID Delivers 98% Inventory Accuracy to Gina Tricot

I’m getting in touch with the news that fashion retailer, Gina Trictot, has achieved 98% inventory accuracy thanks to its partnership with SML RFID. Please see the full press release below, including exclusive quotes.

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Why the “real momentum” behind resale will come from emerging markets: report

Inside Retail

In an era marked by escalating living expenses and an ever-growing environmental consciousness, consumers worldwide are reshaping their purchasing behaviours, with potentially significant impacts on the retail industry. A recent report by Euromonitor International shed light on the normalisation of secondhand shopping and the revival of repair culture, finding that the trend is particularly pronounced in the Asia-Pacific region, where consumers exhibit a strong inclination towards repairing and

Marketing 130
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Snapchat and Snowflake Join Forces for Enhanced Data Integration

Retail Wire

In the latest collaboration between Snap and Snowflake, the two tech companies are teaming up to integrate clean rooms with Snap's conversions API for improved data management and privacy measures.

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Kikki.K GM Lisa Gorman talks brand purpose, design and what’s next

Inside Retail

Lisa Gorman is best known for founding the Australian fashion label Gorman Clothing. Launched in 1999, she was the brand’s creative director until December 2021. Late last year, after exploring a few other creative ventures, Gorman became the general manager and creative director of Swedish-inspired Australian stationary brand Kikki.K. Before starting her career in design, Gorman worked as a nurse in the blood collection department on the kidney transplant unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

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Jessica Alba Steps Down as CCO of Honest Company

Retail Wire

Honest Company founder Jessica Alba is stepping down as the chief creative officer of the company she helped found in 2012.

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Mastering E-commerce Strategies to Drive Growth in B2B Distribution

B2B distributors and wholesalers: this webinar is for you! Discover the game-changing potential of composable commerce—a flexible, modern approach to e-commerce—and explore the strategies and technologies transforming the B2B landscape. Learn how to create custom digital experiences for your business from the leaders at Orium , commercetools , and Contentful as they walk through real-world examples, providing actionable insights on how to future-proof your business, integrate new opportunities s

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Tesco profits more than double as it sees easing price pressures

Retail Gazette

Tesco said price pressures on supermarkets continue to ease as it reported its profits had more than doubled over the past year. Chief executive Ken Murphy said inflationary pressures had “lessened substantially” but noted that “things are still difficult for many customers”. He said the supermarket had “worked hard” to reduce prices, including “doubling down” on its Aldi Price Match offer and Clubcard Prices promotion, which is available on around 8,000 products each week.

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David Chang’s Momofuku Trademark ‘Chili Crunch’ Drama

Retail Wire

Can the restauranter really trademark a condiment that is a staple in Chinese cooking?

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Tesco CEO defends supermarket amid profiteering accusations: ‘We’re the cheapest full-line grocer’

Retail Gazette

Tesco CEO Ken Murphy has defended the supermarket as the union Unite accused it of “raking in mountains of cash” after its profits more than doubled in its last financial year. Murphy insisted that it was doing what it could to support customers amid the had “never been more competitive on price” “We’re consistently the cheapest full-line grocer and have been for 16 consecutive months now,” he added. “We’ve never been cheaper than Asda in our

Grocer 115
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Why more tech in stores shouldn’t mean fewer workers

Retail Dive

Stores can automate more tasks than ever, including pricing, inventory management and checkout. But for theft prevention, customer service and brand engagement, they need humans.

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eCommerce in 2025: How Customer Experience Drives Online Retail Success

Speaker: Jennifer Wright and Nick Barron

2025 is right around the corner, and with it comes a new wave of consumer expectations, competitive pressures, and operational challenges. Success lies in finding the balance between operational flexibility and creating experiences that keep customers coming back. The future of retail belongs to those who can stay ahead of shifting customer preferences and marketing trends. 🔮 In this session, we’ll dive deep into what it takes to keep customers engaged and your operations nimble, no matt

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M&S caught advertising Aldi wine in garden furniture photo

Retail Gazette

M&S has been caught using a bottle of wine from Aldi to promote garden furniture on its website. The discounter, which has been sued twice by M&S over its copycat products , took to x – formerly Twitter – to poke fun at the fashion and home retailer for placing its £7.49 bottle of Specially Selected Côtes De Provence Blanc in a product photo.

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2024 Visual Merchandising and Display Show: A Hub for Retail Inspiration and Trends in London

365 Retail

London’s Business Design Centre is gearing up to host the Visual Merchandising and Display Show 2024 from the 16th to 17th of April, marking a key gathering for professionals in the realms of retail display and visual merchandising. The event promises an extensive lineup of exhibitors, state-of-the-art features, and a comprehensive schedule of conferences and workshops, all curated to inspire and educate participants.

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Pret A Manger’s crackdown on free coffee sparks subscriber threats to leave

Retail Gazette

Pret A Manger’s subscribers are encountering difficulties claiming their free coffees due to issues with the chain’s app. Some of the sandwich specialist’s loyal users are considering alternatives for their caffeine fix amid the trouble, The Telegraph reports. The Club Pret membership offers the perk of ordering up to five barista-made drinks daily for a monthly fee of £30.

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Maya Capital Acquires Prime Retail Space in London’s Affluent Fulham Road

365 Retail

Maya Capital LLP , a pan-European investment firm, has finalised the purchase of a retail and showroom property located at 137-167 Fulham Road, London. This property, covering approximately 24,228 square feet, marks a notable expansion of Maya Capital’s portfolio in one of London’s most prestigious areas. Fulham Road, situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, is recognised for its wealth and luxury, hosting a variety of high-end tenants such as Chanel , Acne , and Carolina H

Location 108
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How to Maximize Amazon Sales and Crush the Competition

With over 9 million sellers on Amazon, online marketplaces are more crowded than ever. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune prices in real-time or align strategies across channels, this guide provides the tools to understand how to maximize sales and secure a lasting competitive edge. Download now to transform your pricing strategy and drive holiday success.