In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter, we’re sensing a new mood of optimism as retailers head towards Christmas with a spring in their step.
We’re feeling that mood in the growing numbers of traders who expect higher sales this Christmas, as measured by both Barclays and eBay, in the confidence of Menlook.com as it uses new investment to work towards its goal of being the world’s biggest menswear retailer, and in the innovative step into ecommerce from Shakespeare’s Globe, which says it’s the first theatre in the world to run its own video-on-demand platform, launching today.
Now that we’re in November, of course, there’s little time before this year’s peak starts. eBay is already warning that exporters must be ready to sell now, while Barclays warns of a busy time when Black Friday and Mega Monday fall in the same weekend for the first time since 2008. But it seems that there’s an underlying confidence among traders expecting another record season.
But that confidence cannot overshadow real, structural concerns about the way between online and the high street. James Roper, founder of IMRG, warns of his fears that tens of thousands more shops will shut if business rates and rents are not readjusted to reflect the way consumers now buy.
Today we also report on shoppers’ growing appetite for drone deliveries, as measured by MetaPack, and on Majestic Wine’s aim to make its customer merchandising and communications ever more relevant.
Our webinars
We have an upcoming webinar to let you know about today. On November 11, David Kohn, multichannel director at Snow+Rock and Gary Ingram, managing director at The Diamond Store, and Mark Hammond, chief operating officer at Pets Pyjamas will join SLI Systems chief executive Shaun Ryan to consider what 2015 will bring for multichannel retailers. Multichannel predictions and priorities for 2015… and beyond takes place at 11.30am, and is free to attend. Find out more and register here.
The Dotmailer webinar scheduled for November 5 has now been postponed to run in the New Year. Watch this space for more information closer to the time.
Click to visit the Internet Retailing webinars page to find out about any upcoming webinars and to catch up on any that you may have missed.
Our research reports
Our research editors research produce regular reports on pertinent ecommerce issues. Click to read our latest briefings on seasonal peaks and customer experience.
