New figures out from Boots owner the Walgreens Boots Alliance show how online sales were already growing at the retailer before the Covid-19 pandemic put it on the front line of retail

UPDATED Coronavirus round-up: Annoushka is using digital to give an in-store experience, Adidas China sales sharply down, plus Amazon, Deliveroo, WH Smith, Intu

13 Mar 2020by Chloe Rigby

We’re reporting on the effect of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the way UK shoppers buy – and on how retailers are responding to that changing behaviour. This update comes as 590 positive cases have been confirmed by Public Health England as of 9am on March 12 and eight people have died. The World Health Organisation has now classified coronavirus as a pandemic.

Brands Covid-19 Customer Delivery Europe Focus Health International Other People Region Research Selling UK

bonprix interview: Sustainability is important to customers but price remains essential

04 Feb 2020by Alex Sword

Fashion retailer bonprix is entering the 2020s with a range of sustainability targets, but it still needs to foreground traditional consumer metrics such as price, according to head of corporate responsibility (CR) Stefanie Sumfleth.

Customer Delivery Focus Industry Interviews Location People Product RXEU Top500 Supplier Sustainability

PREDICTIONS 2020 Focus on the customer experience

14 Jan 2020by Chloe Rigby

We’re running a series of pieces exploring predictions for how multichannel and e-commerce retail might change over the coming year. Today we consider the customer experience

Brands Customer Data Delivery Ecommerce Focus Manager Marketing Mobile Online Press Product Retailer Technology The Customer

PEAK 2019 Online pre-Christmas discounting continues while returns could peak today

09 Dec 2019by Chloe Rigby

Retailers continue to discount after the Cyber weekend events, while predictions suggest that this week will see returns peak. Plus we look at how Christmas deliveries are made by ferry to tiny Brownsea Island

Brands Data Delivery Focus Grocery IRUK Top500 Manager Online Peak People Research Retailer Selling UK

GUEST ANALYSIS Ultra-fast delivery ‘better for the environment?’ That misses the point

29 Oct 2019by Andy Mulcahy

When Amazon’s third-quarter results came out last week, most of the focus was on the fact that they posted a fall in net income for the first time in two years. A primary reason for the shortfall was the investment they are currently making in faster delivery, and there was an eye-catching quote on the impact of this shift from chief executive Jeff Bezos: “[A]lthough it’s counterintuitive, the fastest delivery speeds generate the least carbon emissions because these products ship from

Clothing Customer Delivery Focus Industry Marketing Mobile Online People Research Retailer Selling Sustainability Technology The Customer UK

IRC 2019 PREVIEW The countdown is on for this year’s conference

04 Oct 2019by Chloe Rigby

The October 10 event, to be held at the Business Design Centre, in Islington, London, features a line-up of speakers from brands as varied as Liberty London, Adidas, Made.com, Watch Shop and Pernod Ricard UK

Brands Conference Customer Ecommerce Events Focus Industry Manager Retailer Technology The Customer UK Workshop

Promise of minimal change in store or online as John Lewis and Waitrose managements merge

01 Oct 2019by Chloe Rigby

The John Lewis Partnership promises there will be little to no disruption to its shops or websites as it merges the management of John Lewis and Waitrose. Its senior team will be cut by 75 from 225 in order to save £100m through its future partnership programme as managers including Rob Collins, managing director of Waitrose, leave the business

Brands Customer Focus IRUK Top500 Marketing Online Other Research Retailer The Customer UK

IRC 2019 INTERVIEW Chris Conway of The Co-operative Group on putting the customer first

17 Sep 2019by Chloe Rigby

We’re looking ahead to IRC 2019 in a series of interviews and previews. Today we hear from Chris Conway, head of ecommerce at The Co-operative Group

Conference Customer Ecommerce Events Focus Interviews Other People Product Retailer Software The Customer

INTERVIEW Levi Strauss & Co:'the 140-year-old startup'

26 Aug 2019by Emma Herrod

Seth Ellison, executive VP and president, Europe, Levi Strauss & Co, spoke to Emma Herrod about how digital and focusing on customers has helped to turn around a sleeping giant