New Look chief executive Nigel Oddy this week said that the retailer still believes in the future of the store within an omnichannel context following its landlords and creditors’ acceptance of a new company voluntary arrangement (CVA) that enables it to bring its store rents in line with turnover

How Toolstation and Wickes shifted their business online fast as Covid-19 hit

08 Sep 2020by Chloe Rigby

Online grew fast at Travis Perkins businesses Toolstation and Wickes in a first half that was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 90% Toolstation transactions took place online for branch collection or site delivery, while Wickes’ online sales grew by 115% and its click and collect deliveries by more than 1,000%

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Halfords online sales grew by 200% during the Covid-19 lockdown

07 Jul 2020by Chloe Rigby

Halfords says that online sales grew by more than 200% during the first quarter of its current year and meant that its overall figures recovered quickly from an initial drop of -23% in April. It says its figures, both for its latest financial year and for the first quarter of this year, show the strength of its online business, and the value of its investment in a new web platform

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Stores remain key to strong retail even though retail sector sentiment at an ‘all-time low’: Intu

20 Feb 2019by Chloe Rigby

INTERVIEW Angus Thirlwell of Hotel Chocolat on bridging the online imagination gap

20 Nov 2018by Sasha Fedorenko

Angus Thirlwell, chief executive and co-founder of Hotel Chocolat says physical stores should carry an extra element that online stores aren’t able to deliver in order to be truly omnichannel. "The question we asked when we were considering opening our first physical store: what is it going to bring that we can’t already do with our online model? That question is very valid today."

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Helen Merriot of EY on 2030 customer expectations: "Buying will be about AI, shopping will be about experience"

12 Oct 2018by Sasha Fedorenko

"In the future, there will be a split of the way consumers shop: buying will be about artificial intelligence (AI) enabling automated services and shopping will be about actively seeking experiences," said Helen Merriot, partner at EY.

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GUEST COMMENT The data dance-off for retail’s digital pioneers

10 Aug 2018by John Rakowski

For too long the retail market has been like a school disco. Digital disruptors are owning the dancefloor and traditional bricks and mortar stores sitting awkwardly, waiting for it all to be over.

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