Sat.Jul 31, 2021 - Fri.Aug 06, 2021

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Cash still king, says new research

Talking Retail

A majority of transactions in convenience stores are still made in cash despite the increase in card payments during the pandemic, says new research. But there is a geographical divide in the UK, with southern counties less reliant on cash than those further north, adds the PayPoint data. County Down in Northern Ireland is the. This story continues at Cash still king, says new research.

ATS 137
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Survey: Retail sales increased 10.9% in July

Mass Relators

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Retail sales in the U.S. grew for the 11th consecutive month in July, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, a survey that measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. Sales for the month increased 10.9% compared to July 2020. That figure, which excludes automotive sales and gasoline, is nearly quadruple the average year-over-year growth in the month of July over the last four years, which was 2.9%.

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Exclusive Q&A: How Stojo’s Sustainable Cups Spread from the MOMA Store to Target

Retail TouchPoints

Jurrien Swarts, CEO, Stojo. If you want a tutorial in how to be an environmentally responsible company, not just in one or two areas but end to end, take a look at collapsible cup and container manufacturer/retailer Stojo. The fast-growing company applies circular principles not just to its products but to their component parts, extending even to how those parts are fitted together — because no glue is used, the individual elements can be separated and placed in their own recycling streams.

Consumer 336
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Snap lockdowns weighing on ‘battle-weary’ retailers, public

Inside Retail

Australia’s battle with the Delta variant of Covid-19 is continuing to shut businesses down, with the state of Victoria re-entering lockdown, rejoining New South Wales and Queensland in shutting non-essential retail and restricting citizens movements in light of surging cases. Victoria’s state premier Dan Andrews said he would have preferred to wait to reintroduce restrictions, but that, as seen in Sydney’s case, they only get one chance to act before the more infectious strain gets away from he

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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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Hybrid Retail: Find the right mix of channels for your shoppers

Tokinomo

Retailers and brands are constantly adapting to new trends. When the pandemic started to affect the way we live and shop, retailers knew that things would look different after restrictions were lifted. However, nobody expected this massive digitalization in all industries.

Shopping 246
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Amid Rising Prices, Demand for Fair Prices is Rising Too

Retail Focus

For those retailers creaking back to healthy business levels after the seesaw demand cycles, supply chain upheaval, Brexit trade disruption and forced store closures, an unwelcome new specter is rearing its head: inflation. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food price index, global food prices rose consecutively for the 12th month in May 2021, reaching its highest level since May 2014.

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Bunnings MD Mike Schneider: “I have the best retail job in the country”

Inside Retail

Last week, Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider joined Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra on the ARA podcast about how he began his career in retail, what a typical day looks like for him – and why he reckons he has the best retail job in the country. Here is an edited excerpt from their conversation. Paul Zahra: You’ve been at Bunnings for 16 years and held various roles since becoming managing director in 2016.

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Walmart says corporate and management-level workers must get COVID-19 vaccine

Retail Wire

Walmart has decided that its corporate staff and management-level employees must get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. The company has also begun a phased-in approach to bringing employees back to the office who have been working remotely during the pandemic.

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Cadogan signs Soho Home Studio flagship

Retail Focus

Cadogan today announces the signing of Soho Home Studio to the King’s Road, Chelsea – set to open in September 2021. This will be Soho Home’s first flagship for the homeware brand from Soho House. In addition to showcasing Soho Home’s collections, the interiors destination will offer a new retail concept, providing access to interior design services, a programme of workshops and events, and a rotating gallery of member collaborations for customers to discover and enjoy.

Location 189
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Best Buy to Invest up to $10M in VC Firm Focused on BIPOC Startups

Retail TouchPoints

Brown Venture Group , a venture capital firm focused exclusively on Black, Latinx and Indigenous emerging tech startups, will receive an investment of up to $10 million from Best Buy. The fund’s goal is to help break down systemic barriers for BIPOC entrepreneurs, including lack of access to capital. Black and Latinx founders represented only 2.6% of funding in 2020.

Planning 306
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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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Meet the woman behind Vietnam’s fast-growing King Coffee

Inside Retail

An untold number of coffee shops across the globe have temporarily or permanently closed at the height of the pandemic but Vietnam’s TNI King Coffee has bucked the trend, opening its first store in the US early this year and pushing forward with expansion plans. “Many businesses were affected during the pandemic, but we saw that there was still a huge opportunity for expansion,” TNI King Coffee founder and CEO Le Hoang Diep Thao told Inside Retail.

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MAP Violations: How, When, & Why You Need to Monitor & Eliminate Them

Intelligence Node

eCommerce has grown tremendously in the last year and a half. While it was already on its way to mass adoption, the pandemic further accelerated the shift to digital and birthed many first-time online shoppers. The growth in eCommerce has opened many new avenues for brands and is a window into the future of retail. […]. The post MAP Violations: How, When, & Why You Need to Monitor & Eliminate Them appeared first on Blog.

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White Rose on cloud dine with ProCook signing

Retail Focus

Landsec has announced the opening of the UK’s leading kitchenware brand, ProCook, at White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds. The new store is the second for ProCook following the recent launch at Bluewater. ProCook is also the ninth brand to have joined White Rose or upsized at the centre in the last 12 months. The 2,786 sq ft White Rose ProCook store stocks a wide range of cookware, tableware, and kitchen accessories, covering every kitchen item needed by the home cook.

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Gopuff Raises $1 Billion as Online C-Store Seeks to Become an Ecommerce Giant

Retail TouchPoints

Digital convenience store Gopuff has raised $1 billion in new funding at a $15 billion valuation as the retailer sets the pace for the c-store last mile. The funding will build upon the $1.15 billion Gopuff raised in March as the company expands across North America, deepens its presence in the UK and Europe and makes new hires to build its technology base.

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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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H&M opens up donations at checkout to support vaccinating kids worldwide

Inside Retail

The Australian arm of fast-fashion brand H&M is launching an initiative today to help vaccinate children against preventable diseases by partnering with UNICEF. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, 60 life-saving vaccination programs have been disrupted, putting children worldwide at risk of contracting preventable diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio.

Checkout 264
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Coffee prices are going up again

Retail Wire

The worst frost in years has damaged the Brazilian coffee crop and that, along with rising freight costs, means companies and consumers will soon be paying more to get their morning cup of Joe. The price fo Arabica beans had already doubled over the past year due to drought conditions in coffee growing regions and the latest news will only send those prices higher.

Consumer 190
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Time for retailers to take stock of shipping costs; playing the waiting game won’t win

Retail Focus

Claire Webb from Advanced Supply Chain Group looks at why playing a waiting game won’t help retailers beat soaring shipping costs. Many retailers are looking to protect margins against rapidly rising shipping costs. A favoured way for trying to achieve this is to delay the placement of orders, with the assumption transportation prices will soon peak and rates will start to drop.

Shipping 182
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Sweaty Betty Sold to Wolverine Worldwide as Women’s Activewear Market Heats Up

Retail TouchPoints

Wolverine Worldwide has acquired Sweaty Betty in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $410 million. The deal will help Wolverine shift to a more digitally-focused business model and position the company as a leader in the women’s activewear category. Sweaty Betty CEO Julia Straus will continue to lead the brand, reporting directly to Brendan Hoffman, President of Wolverine Worldwide.

Marketing 306
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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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High and mighty: The future of cannabis products in Australia

Inside Retail

While the subject of cannabis legalisation still divides countries around the world, there is no denying the influence that legal cannabis products are having on retail and consumer goods. According to Grand View Research, the global cannabidiol (CBD) market size was valued at US$2.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.2 per cent from 2021 to 2028.

Consumer 264
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IKEA to debut Swedish meatball-scented candle

Retail Wire

IKEA is known, among other things, for the Swedish meatballs sold in its stores. Now, the retail furniture giant is looking to build on that appeal by including a new candle, scented to smell like its popular food dish, as part of a sweepstakes that will run from Aug. 6 through Aug. 22.

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M&S to upsize into new anchor unit at White Rose Leeds

Retail Focus

Landsec has announced that M&S has signed to relocate into a new anchor store within White Rose Leeds, the out of town retail & leisure destination in Yorkshire. The bespoke unit includes nearly 80,000 sq ft of dedicated trading space. The new M&S store, formerly occupied by Debenhams which closed permanently in May this year, represents a significant upsize for the brand at the destination.

ATS 173
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Amazon FBA Boosts Sustainability Efforts With Two Circular Commerce Programs

Retail TouchPoints

Amazon has introduced two new Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) programs to help merchants selling on Amazon resell customer-returned or overstocked items. Once fully implemented, the programs are expected to save more than 300 million products from the landfill each year by giving them subsequent lives. FBA Liquidations will provider sellers the option to use Amazon’s existing wholesale liquidation partners and technology to recoup potential losses on returned and overstock inventory.

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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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Coles confuses customers with new reusable plastic promotion

Inside Retail

Despite pledging to stop handing out plastic toys with purchases of groceries on environmental grounds , supermarket Coles last week announced a new line of plastic picnic goods that can be earned by customers using their Flybuys card at a supermarket or online. The difference to Coles seems to be that these picnic goods are ‘reusable’, and provide a sustainable alternative to single-use tableware that the business recently removed from its shelves.

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Saint of Athens jewellery store designed to resemble 1960s swimming pool

Dezeen

Creative agency Saint of Athens has used cool blue tiles throughout this jewellery store in Mykonos, Greece , for brand Gavello to make it resemble a "luxury 60s swimming pool ". Saint of Athens worked with Dive Architects to make the jewellery store stand out from the plethora of nearby retail stores. It includes light blue tiles, lockers and a pool ladder.

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“Start Now Series” Helps You Learn Cisco Technologies and APIs

Cisco Retail

Right now, is a most exciting time to be in the tech industry. Infrastructures are evolving and the cloud is helping to extend services further and faster than ever. Which can seem overwhelming for some engineers, but remember every journey has a beginning. Whether you are a network engineer, application developer, or just interested in learning more about infrastructure automation, DevNet has a curated set of guided, hands-on learning content that will help you “Start Now” to advanc

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YoY Comparison of Top-Selling Amazon Products Tells the Tale of Two Unprecedented Years

Retail TouchPoints

New data from Amazon portrays recent shifts in consumer behavior through the lens of the top-selling products on the platform. Compared to this same time last year, consumers are entertaining more, traveling more and dressing up — although they are not forgoing the sweatpants altogether. It’s a stark shift from 2020, when puzzles, gardening tools, cookware, headphones and exercise bikes topped shoppers’ lists.

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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.

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Amazon Australia offers payment for staff to get vaccinated

Inside Retail

As Australia gears up to chase a country-wide vaccination target of 70 per cent of the population, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison stating that lockdowns could be a “thing of the past” as soon as next year, business leaders around the country are finding ways to incentivise their workers to get onboard. Amazon Australia, for example, is offering a special ‘vaccination benefit’ payment of $140 for eligible fulfilment and delivery station workers who get fully vaccinated on the advice of a heal

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Zero Waste with Taste: Startup Uses AI to Drive Sustainable Fashion

Nvidia

Sustainability isn’t just a choice for consumers to make. It’s an opportunity for companies to lead. AI startup Heartdub seams together fashion and technology to let designers and creators display physical fabrics and garments virtually — and help clothing companies achieve zero-waste manufacturing. The company’s software digitizes textiles and then simulates how clothes look on the human body.

Fashion 144
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Detect What Others Miss with CESA

Cisco Retail

With the executive order signed by the US government in the wake of recent cybersecurity attacks like SolarWinds , Colonial Pipeline , Microsoft Exchange server breach that have plagued high-value government entities and private organizations, it is very important to have security ammunition ready that can detect such attacks – one that can provide deep forensic details and visibility into your users and endpoints.

Consumer 145
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The Post-Pandemic Fashion Industry Makeover

Retail TouchPoints

It has been a year since the pandemic rocked a fashion industry that was already feeling the pressure of trying to keep pace with consumer shifts toward digital, ethical sourcing and eco-friendly products. 2021 will continue to be an uncertain year, with business growth slow to pick up for the industry. The stage is set, however, for strategic players to carve out a new growth agenda and reinvent their brand.

Fashion 290
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Pricing for Profit: How to Set, Negotiate, and Succeed

Speaker: Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader

In today’s competitive market, pricing is more than just a number — it’s the cornerstone of profitability. The right pricing strategy ensures that you capture the true value of your offering, paving the way for sustainable growth and long-term success. Join Igli Laci, Strategic Finance Leader, in this exclusive session where he will explore how a well-crafted pricing approach balances customer perception with business objectives, creating a powerful tool for securing both competitive advantage a