In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter we’re reporting as the pace of change in retail steps up once again. The ONS says that record proportions of clothing, department store and food sales now take place online, with a particularly rapid growth in ecommerce clothing sales over the last 14 months. We report how three fashion retailers and one wine retailer are responding to the change. All take very different approaches. N Brown Group is considering closing stores, while Zara-owner Inditex is integrating digital in its stores, and Mulberry is focusing on Asia as it looks for growth. Majestic Wine, meanwhile, says in full-year figures that its focus is now on customers, rather than stores as it prepares for a tough year that may bring a retail crisis. Meanwhile, Tesco and Iceland are both seeing their online sales grow. Iceland’s focus in on cross-channel growth and on mobile, while Tesco is simplifying its online operations. These are all responses from multichannel retailers that must bring a balance that works to their stores and online presence.
When it’s a question of online only, the balancing act is a different one. Doug Gurr, of Amazon UK, spoke this week at the British Retail Consortium annual retail lecture. He likened digital’s effect on retail to the coming of trains in the Victorian era. Today we report on four ways he sees retail changing.
Today’s guest comment comes from Lee Thompson of Exact Abacus, who considers what sustainability really means in ecommerce.
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