In today’s InternetRetailing we’re reporting as both DFS and Virgin Wines show that they have grown to a new scale in the wake of pandemic lockdowns that pushed shoppers online during Covid-19. Both, however, are suffering from supply chain challenges, also put down to Covid-19. Those, however, are likely to be short-term. What remains to be seen is whether customers will continue to buy online as they emerge from lockdowns and as health fears abate. Certainly, DFS says it is now building the foundations of future profitable growth in a trading environment in which shoppers are now happier to buy online than they were before the pandemic.
Today we report on what’s been described as the most significant change to online payments in 16 years. Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) is designed to make payments safer for shoppers – while cutting down on the level of online fraud seen previously. In the short term, it’s likely this move will be disruptive for retailers – especially those that one payment processor says have not yet adapted to the change – but long-term it may well make more people feel more confident about spending online.
And we also have advice, in today’s guest comment, from Keiron Holyome of BlackBerry, as to how retailers can mitigate the surge in ransomware attacks at a time when, he argues, the retail industry’s dependence on data is making it a lucrative target for cybercriminals.
Finally, we report as Ocado has signed up Auchan Poland as a new customer for its ecommerce technology and fulfilment solutions, and as AO shows how the plastic it recycles from used fridges is going to build sustainable ventilation systems, soon to be made from 90% recycled materials.
