Today’s budget has much in it to help retail get back on its feet post-lockdown 3.0. InternetRetailing assess the key elements that will impact our sector and offers some expert commentary.

Budget 2021 Industry

Lovehoney turns on new platform to cater to 80% mobile traffic and editorially-led sales push

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

Lovehoney, the sexual wellbeing brand and online retailer, is going mobile-first as it sees 80% of its traffic coming from smartphones in the Covid ecommerce boom and an increasing need for editorially led content to help make the sale.

Industry Lovehoney Mobile Technology

Ralph Lauren courts younger market with launch of luxury apparel rental scheme

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

Ralph Lauren joins a growing number of luxury retailers looking to tap into a burgeoning interesting in designer brands with the launch of a subscription-based apparel rental scheme.

Growth 2000 Growth 3000 Europe Industry luxury Ralph Lauren receommerce Sustainability

Bookshop.org shares a £1m profit with indie book stores as it fast tracks them to ecommerce

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

Bookshop.org – the ‘rebel alliance’ independent online bookstore aggregator set up to fight the dominance of Amazon – has generated more than £1m for UK independent bookstores since November.

Bookshop.org Growth 2000 Industry

Half of shoppers believe QR codes are ‘the future of shopping’, research shows

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

Around half (50%) of shoppers call QR codes ‘the future of shopping’, despite their relative scarcity pre-pandemic – and the fact that they have been around since 1994.

Mobile QR codes

UK third most popular market globally for online cross-border shopping

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

The UK is the third most shopped market for international online purchases, topped only by China and the US – while more than two thirds (68%) of shoppers surveyed made ecommerce purchases outside their home country in 2020

Growth 2000 Growth 3000 Europe International

A lack of one-click convenience and quick-pay options at the check-out is costing retailers conversions

03 Mar 2021by Paul Skeldon

Poor checkout experiences, including a lack of one-click or quick payment options, risks losing retailers vital online conversions, data shows.

Payment

Wickes and Toolstation see the benefit as DIY and trade demand shift online

02 Mar 2021by Chloe Rigby

Wickes and Toolstation both benefited from the strong online appetite for tools and equipment as traders tackled essential work and homeowners improved their houses during a year disrupted by Covid-19 lockdowns

Covid-19 Customer Delivery Online Research Retailer The Customer UK

Homebase, Boohoo, The Fragrance Shop among the first customers for new buy-now-pay-later entrant to the UK market

02 Mar 2021by Chloe Rigby

It’s the first time that Homebase will use the fast-growing payment type. Its partnership with Zip operates both online and in its stores

Customer Ecommerce Online Payment Products Research Retailer Technology UK

Hotel Chocolat sees more than half of sales start online as digital ‘more than mitigates’ retail disruption

02 Mar 2021by Chloe Rigby

Virtual tastings, subscriptions and online sales have all helped Hotel Chocolat to counteract the effects of Covid-19 disruption in a pivot to digital

Covid-19 Customer Online Peak People Research Retailer Subscription UK