Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 21, 2023

The holiday season brings joy, magic, beautiful decorations and a soundtrack of carols and standards that we revisit year after year. Sure, these tracks may get us in a festive mood, but for retail workers listening to them on what can feel like a truly endless loop they could also lead to madness. New research from customer feedback company HappyOrNot reveals that not all holiday hits are created equal for store associates.

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Retail Gazette

DECEMBER 20, 2023

2023 saw a resurgence in the high street, with a raft of high-profile store openings. Retail Gazette rounds up the best new stores of the year that have created a real buzz on the high street. HMV, Oxford Street To the delight of music – and er, pop culture fans – last month HMV reopened the doors to its Oxford Street flagship after a four-year absence.

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Wiser

DECEMBER 20, 2023

Analyzing the holiday retail trends of 2023 can illuminate the path forward for brands and retailers and clarify the steps they need to take to stay competitive. Data can help identify the promotional strategies that resonated with consumers, the products that flew off the virtual shelves, and the ones that didn’t. With this knowledge, brands and retailers can tailor their future strategies to align with consumer behavior and preferences.

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Retail Gazette

DECEMBER 19, 2023

The tale of Britain’s two private equity-owned supermarket buyouts took a new turn when Asda owners the Issa brothers unveiled a £2.3bn merger between the supermarket chain and the UK and Ireland operations of their other business, petrol station giant EG Group earlier this year. The proceeds from the tie-up will be used to pay down EG Group’s climbing debt pile.

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Customer Experience

Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 20, 2023

The Retail Remix podcast was developed to feature the founders, executives and practitioners shaping retail’s future. Over three -plus years, I have had the honor of speaking with industry pros who have rich backgrounds in tech, marketing and advertising, operations, finance and so much more. With every conversation, my goal is simple: to have candid and at times challenging conversations around some of the industry’s hottest topics and trends.

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Retail Focus

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Ghalia BOUSTANI. Senior Retail Consultant at Univers Retail | Published author | Visiting lecturer. As winter descends upon Europe, the continent comes alive with the festive spirit of Christmas. One of the most cherished traditions during this season is the Christmas market, where locals and tourists alike gather to revel in the magic of the holidays.

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Tokinomo

DECEMBER 20, 2023

2023 marked a year of unparalleled achievement for Tokinomo, characterized by groundbreaking innovations, influential participation in key events, and notable recognition in the retail marketing sphere.

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Wiser

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Prioritizing your digital share of shelf is paramount if you want to get ahead in the eCommerce space. This critical metric, reliant on online product visibility and positioning, holds significant sway over brand awareness, customer preference, and ultimately, sales performance. With the surge in eCommerce, understanding and leveraging the concept becomes a requisite for businesses wanting to maintain a competitive edge.

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Inside Retail

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Shoppers in Australia will spend an additional $9 billion during the final week before Christmas, according to the re-forecast by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), in conjunction with Roy Morgan. This will bring spending for the November-December 24 trading period up to $67.4 billion, an increase of 1 per cent from last year. Across the pre-Christmas period, food spending is expected to reach $27 billion, up 3.2 per cent from last year.

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Accounting 317

Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 21, 2023

The editors of Retail TouchPoints are sharing our picks for the seven most consequential stories of 2023. As usual, there were lots to choose from — that’s standard for such a dynamic industry — but these were the topics that had “legs” (and are likely to continue to be important in 2024). 1. Resale Continued its Rise but Came Under Financial Scrutiny Consumers’ enthusiasm for secondhand goods, as well as other forms of more sustainable consumption like rental and repair services, showed no sign

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Sporting Goods Advertising Consumer Apparel 306

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

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Accounting

Retail Wire

DECEMBER 19, 2023

In a small Goodwill store in Hanover County, Virginia, thrift store shopper Jessica Vincent spotted an unusual green and burgundy striped vase with a price tag of only $3.99. This thrift store find would eventually net her over $100,000.

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Retail Focus

DECEMBER 21, 2023

With rapidly increasing use and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day lives, UK shoppers are increasingly expecting retailers to leverage AI to improve their buying journeys, the latest research from Intellias , the global retail technology partner, reveals. Top 5 areas where AI delivers the most value to UK consumers:- 1 – Pricing and promotions – 28% 2 – Loyalty – real-time personalised rewards – 18% 3 – Product discovery when searchin

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Inside Retail

DECEMBER 18, 2023

New York-listed South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has rescued Farfetch Holdings from the brink of bankruptcy through an acquisition that grants the luxury platform access to US$500 million of capital to stay afloat. “Farfetch will rededicate itself to providing the most elevated experience for the world’s most exclusive brands while pursuing steady and thoughtful growth as a private company,” said Bom Kim, founder and CEO of Coupang.

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 20, 2023

Walmart will offer buy now, pay later (BNPL) options at self-checkout kiosks in more than 4,500 U.S. stores through an expanded partnership with Affirm. Walmart and Affirm first partnered in 2019 to bring BNPL options to shoppers on its website and app. Indeed, until recently most BNPL offerings were relegated to the digital realm, but stores are widely seen as the next big area of expansion for this increasingly popular financing option.

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Advertiser: Experience Retail Today

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.

Fashion

Retail Wire

DECEMBER 20, 2023

TomTom has announced that it will be partnering with Microsoft to create a fully integrated AI-powered conversational automotive assistant for the global automobile industry.

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Retail Focus

DECEMBER 19, 2023

At the heart of the vibrant “Madinat Badr,” one of Dubai’s luxurious new development districts, the 93rd branch of the AllDay supermarket chain opened its doors in the spring. Collaborating closely with TRILUX, AllDay embarked on a transformational journey to redefine its approach to lighting. At the heart of the vibrant “Madinat Badr,” one of Dubai’s luxurious new development districts, the 93rd branch of the AllDay supermarket chain opened its doors in the s

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Inside Retail

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Franchisee Collins Foods has confirmed the receipt of a class action claim from certain KFC employees who allegedly were not provided paid 10-minute rest breaks. Shine Lawyers filed the lawsuit at the Federal Court of Australia on behalf of these employees who worked at certain KFC stores from December 4, 2017 to December 4, this year. “Collins Foods takes all its obligations under the Fair Work Act and KFC National Enterprise Agreement very seriously, including the obligation to allow emp

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ATS 287

Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 22, 2023

The next era for retail is already underway, and it all starts with the simple but powerful scan of a code. Nearly 50 years ago, UPC barcodes changed the game for retailers everywhere, and now we’re on the cusp of another massive transformation. According to GS1 US, a member of the GS1 global not-for-profit organization that develops and maintains global standards for barcodes, by 2027, 2D (two-dimensional) barcodes will become the de facto solution for CPG brands and retailers around the

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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

Customer Experience

Retail Wire

DECEMBER 22, 2023

Things came to a grinding halt in Maine when a merciless storm triggered widespread power outages, causing the state's foremost environmental agency to postpone a pivotal vote on a proposed electric vehicles mandate.

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Retail Gazette

DECEMBER 20, 2023

Lidl GB has become the first supermarket to introduce 28 weeks full pay for colleagues on maternity or adoption leave. From 1 January 2024, the discount grocery giant will double paid maternity and adoption leave, with colleagues now benefiting from over six months of full-pay, up from 14 weeks. Aldi said the move will not only support parents, but also “set a new benchmark for others in the industry to follow” As part of a raft of new employment benefits , the discounter will also b

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Supermarket 139

Inside Retail

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Australia-based formalwear brand Portia & Scarlett has been acquired by US wedding dress manufacturer Allure Bridals for an undisclosed sum. Allure Bridals said the strategic acquisition marks its venture into the prom and pageant space and will help expand the brand’s global reach. It will also “elevate the position” of both Portia & Scarlett and the Allure Bridals brand family. “This union marks a shared milestone, and seamlessly aligns with our mutual commitment to excelle

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Last-mile logistics is a complex and complicated facet of the business world that requires orchestrating many moving parts, meeting tight deadlines and addressing the needs of multiple stakeholders. In addition, several external factors — from weather to traffic to a lack of available parking — can disrupt the process. To enhance efficiency and increase productivity, many last-mile logistics companies have been quick to take advantage of the benefits of artificial intelligence.

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Customer Experience

Retail Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

In a bold move toward a cleaner environment, Canada is expected to unveil new regulations this week stipulating that all vehicles sold in the country should be zero-emissions by 2035.

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Planning 264

Retail Gazette

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Boots is planning to launch a ChatGPT “personal shopper” tool for its website users in aims to boost online sales. The healthcare company is thought to be testing an artificial intelligence chatbot which would be able to make recommendations for lipsticks and beauty gifts. The chatbot is expected to focus on beauty products rather than pharmacy sales, with the testing believed to be at a very early stage.

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Inside Retail

DECEMBER 17, 2023

Zoë Foster Blake along with her co-founders have taken full control of Go-To Skincare after acquiring collapsed beauty company BWX’s stake in the business. Blake is now the majority shareholder of Go-To Skincare after the share buyback from BWX, which acquired a 50.1 per cent stake in the skincare brand for $89 million in August 2021. BWX collapsed and entered voluntary administration in April, with KPMG Australia subsequently appointed receiver. “This transaction returns control of

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Beauty retailer Beautyque NYC — which debuted in 2020 as the first 3D virtual beauty store — is testing out a new technological innovation in the beauty space: a virtual reality app that will allow users to immerse themselves in a virtual beauty store where they can interact with and shop for products. The brand got its virtual start out of necessity — Co-founders Sonia Khemiri and Sylvie Giret were finalizing the lease for their first SoHo store in March 2020 when the pandemic hit, Khemiri told

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Shopping 278

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Retail Wire

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Walgreens will need to build up its IT department to reach its goals of using tech to boost sales, scale its healthcare division, and remodel its stores to logistic hubs.

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Retail Gazette

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Just Eat has joined forces with Morrisons to launch on-demand delivery across Morrisons Daily convenience stores. Under the collaboration, shoppers will be able to buy thousands of products from their local Morrisons Daily store for delivery via the Just Eat app and website. The partnership will initially roll-out to nearly 60 stores in December, with plans to expand to more than 640 sites in early 2024.

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Inside Retail

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Sports footwear and apparel manufacturer New Balance has opened its first Grey Store in the Southern Hemisphere – at Sydney’s The Galeries shopping centre. The store offers ‘Made in USA’ and ‘Made in UK’ collections as well as first access to new collabs and merchandise drops, with 80 per cent of the products available exclusively at the location. “The Galeries Grey Store has been designed to provide a high-end, luxe retail experience in the heart of Sydney and we can’t wait to see the reception

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Retail TouchPoints

DECEMBER 21, 2023

It’s no secret that retailers and brands have become obsessed with driving conversion in their quest to recover the more than half of shoppers who abandon checkout before completing their purchase. After all, “conversion rate optimization” is one of the more common catchphrases in today’s retail industry. But too often, in trying to reach this final destination, retailers are missing out on the proverbial journey — and that journey is usually far more lucrative than the typical take-no-prisoners

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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

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