In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter we’re reporting as shoppers continue to spend less online as their living costs rise, according to the IMRG and Capgemini. At the same time, footfall has yet to return to 2019 levels, according to the BRC and Sensormatic.
We also report as Currys, Watches of Switzerland and Superdrug set out how a multichannel approach retailing has helped them to weather the inflation that has been an after shock of the Covid-19 pandemic – and exacerbated by war in Ukraine. These retailers all continue to invest in stores, while continuing to use the multichannel technology and services that helped them at times when shoppers preferred to stay at home, and when non-essential shops were closed or trading was restricted.
Superdrug this week reports online sales that were almost 50% higher in its latest financial year than before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the last year it has grown ecommerce and multichannel services.
Currys says more of its sales took place in-store in its latest financial year than in the previous one – and less online – as shoppers returned to use in-store and multichannel services, from expert advice across channels to ordering online in-store and same day collection from store. These, say Currys, gives shoppers “the omnichannel best of both worlds”.
Watches of Switzerland says that all of the three years it has been listed on the UK stockmarket have been affected by Covid-19. But its multichannel model has helped it to improve the customer experience and it is now expanding on some of the solutions it introduced during the pandemic, including a virtual boutique.
In today’s guest comment, Ken Sickles of Digimarc says that conscious consumers are taking over the planet – with implications for retailers.
